Those who regret the passing of local patriotism, and they
are many, will welcome the first three volumes of The County Anthologies, issued by Messrs. Elkin Mathews and Marrot (at as., 3s. 6d., or 2s. 6d.). They are designed to" survey and illustrate the debt of English literature to the scenery and special genius of individual counties," and every item is claimed as of "literary merit, a wide range of interest, and local interest." The three already issued—Yorkshire by G. F. Wilson, Derbyshire by T. Moult, and Lanarkshire by H. Quigley—seem to fulfil quite remarkably the conditions laid down. There are very few dull items in any of the volumes, even for a reader who does not know the counties, and for one who does there is the added delight of recognizing and adding to his knowledge of their individuality. Everyone will want to possess at least one of the series, and for the large number who are using their leisure to rediscover England they will form a new and more welcome type of guide book. The only criticism that can be made is that one or two excerpts have been claimed for the counties which show no internal evidence of their origin. This, however, is evidence of the partiality of the anthologists, without which their work could not have been done so well.
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