IT is thirty-two years since R. M.

Ballantyne died, and last year was the centenary of his birth. He was writing for nearly forty years, his first book being published in 1856, and in that time he produced eighty volumes. Of the first generation of boys who read and were thrilled by his books, very few can be left, and they are old men. A second generation read him with no less avidity, and they are now middle-aged.

The present generation has other gods, and probably does not even know the names of " Coral Island " and " The Gorilla Hunters," " The World of Ice " and " Fighting the Flames." But we have just discovered that he is still read; and not only is he read, but he can still move the heart of youth. His book about the Life-boat Service was published in 1864, with a preface thanking the Institution for the help which it had given him. Before he wrote it he went down to Ramsgate, and (here made the acquaintance of Isaac Jarman, who was Coxswain from 1860 to 1870. That was over sixty years ago, but we received a short time ago a donation from a girl with a letter in which she says, " I read a book called ' The Life-boat,' by R. M.

Ballantyne, and I want to help to make more life-boats, so I am enclosing three shillings.".