The Favourite Book of Fables. (Nelson.)—This is simply our old
friend 2Esop over again, or, to be strictly accurate, and to quote from the title-page, "a collection of fables and apologises of wits before and after the age of /Esop, conjointly with his own." The little book is, however, very prettily printed, and the illustrations are remarkably lifelike without being too modern. But some of the old " morals " are couched in far too archaic and Johnsonian English to be interesting in these days,—as, for example, the lesson taught by the story of the miller", his son, and his ass : "To be agreeable in one's manners and self-denying to those who need our help, is highly commendable ; but as it is impossible to please everybody, one must be guided by a sound judgment in deciding how to practise such disposition."
Messrs. George Routledge and Son send us (1) The John Gilpin Picture-Book, with which is also bound The Animal Alphabet, Dick Whittington, and Nursery Rhymes, which are also published singly; and (2) The Book of Alphabets, of which there are four varieties, " The Railroad Alphabet," " The Good Boys' and Girls' Alphabet," " The Farmyard Alphabet," and " The Seaside Alphabet." The illustrations of both of these books are, it is unnecessary to say, their chief attraction. They are both plain and coloured. The former, which are to be found chiefly in The Book of Alphabets, are genuine works of art. Both volumes show what an advance has recently been made in the embellishment of books intended for very young children.
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