17 OCTOBER 1903, Page 25

Nzw Enrrrozs.—The second volume of the "Crown Library" (John Lane,

55. net) is Walton's Compleat Angler, edited by Richard Le Gallienne, illustrated by Edmund H. New. Mr. Le Gallienne tells us that this edition is a reprint of the fifth (the last that received the author's revision). He has compiled a series of notes, acknowledging the sources from which they are derived, and he has furnished an introduction in which he pleasantly relates what is known of Walton's life. We are inclined to think that he is a little too confident on the subject of Walton's occupation. It is not absolutely certain that he followed the trade of an iron- monger because he is described as " Ironmonger " in the entry of his marriage. He was a freeman of the Company. By that time, the third decade of the seventeenth century, trades had in a great measure ceased to be hereditary. The edition is excellently illustrated by Mr. New, and is commended by a felicitously expressed dedication to Lord Crewe. We take leave to quote it, for it seems singularly in accord with the temper of the book :—

" Lord of the Madeley peace, the quiet grass,

The lilied pond, and muffled sleepy mill ; Lord of each legendary fish that swims Deep down and swift beneath that emerald glass ; While, soft as shadows, round its grassy rims The patient anglers move from east to west,

Patient at morn, at evening patient still—

Peace, if not fish, was theirs, and peace is best : To you, John Offiey's far-descended son. What to your grandsire—peat computing' great '— Our Walton gave is here re-dedicate ; Heirloom of ancient friendship friendly still In this old book, though all the talk be done."

—Boswell's Johnson, abridged and edited by G. Nugent Bankes and Hincheliffe Higgins, with an Introduction by G. K. Chesterton, is the third volume in " Isbister's Standard Abridg- ments" (Isbister and Co., 3s. 6d. net). Mr. Chesterton is quite justified in saying that there are many readers to whom this abridgment will be a convenience. The writer of this notice, qua reader, is not indeed one of them. No man whose lifelong habit has been to put Boswell's Johnson among the few books that are always ready to the hand could be. Still, the book is useful, well arranged, and furnished with bibliographical helps. Froude's Nemesis of Faith. With Introduction by Moncure D. Conway. (Routledge and Sons. ls.)—The introduction is made interesting by the personal note which Mr. Moncure Conway gives. But it is conspicuously unfair. The attack on William Sewell is unjust. He was a very bad manager in many affairs (Mr. Conway might have found out that he was never a " Pro- fessor "), but not in any way dishonest. As to Froude's resignation, the dominant fact is that all Fellowships were held on the condition of membership of the Church of England. —Messrs. Smith and Elder are bringing out a hand- some " Author's Edition" of the " Novels of A. Conan Doyle." It is to be completed in twelve volumes at 43 12s. net, the volumes not being sold separately. Four are in our hands at present, The White Company, Micah Clarke, The Refugees, Rodney Stone. We await with pleasure the completion of this well-produced edition.—In Messrs. Macmillan's "Reprints of the First Editions of Thackeray " we have the volume containing Burlesques : from Cornhill to Grand Cairo and Juvenilia (3s. 6d.)—In the "Little Library" (Methuen and Co.) Henry Raymond, edited by Stephen Gwynn (1s. 6d. net).—From the same publishers we have also an edition of "The Novels of Alexandre Dumas." Six volumes are before us, The Three Musketeers (1s.), The Corsican Brothers, and Otho the Archer (6d.), Georges (6d.), Robin Hood (6d.), Amaury, and The Prince of Thieves (6d.) They are newly translated by Mr. Alfred Allinson. Of these six, three (Robin Hood, Antaury, and The Prince of Thieves) appear in English for the first time.