A Shelf of Old Books. By Mrs. James T. Fields.
(Osgood, McIlvaine, and Co.)—This is a very pleasing volume of literary gossip, with just a touch of criticism, but criticism of the approv- ing kind. Leigh Hunt is the subject of the first chapter, and with Leigh Hunt are mentioned Keats and Shelley. One of the "old books" is a copy of Keats which Tennyson gave to Mr. Fields as a parting gift. It would seem to be from the descrip- tion the "Aldine " edition, and bears, we are told, the marks of having been " worn in the pocket on many an excursion." In chap. ii. we leave the South for Edinburgh, and are introduced to Dr. John Brown, author of " Rab and his Friends." One of the books here is a copy of part of " Don Juan," with the author's admonition to the printer not to misspell it. It is to be noticed that he writes " authour " and " errour." Did the printer follow him in these ? " Christopher North " also appears upon the scene, one of the mementoes of him being a copy of the " Decameron," and another, " Vestiges of Creation," now an extinct volcano, but in its time very active, We hear also of Allan Ramsay, Walter Scott, and his parents, with his daughter, Mrs. Lockhart. Finally, we have a section entitled " From Milton to Thaekeray ; " among the Immortals here is Dr. Johnson, and we have the interesting story of one of Mr. Fields's lucky finds. He bought one of the Ballantyne reprints of Rasselas, and found in it, as he opened it on his way home, an autograph letter of Dr. Johnson. It was written by him to a Mr. Compton, then a Benedictine monk, who was afterwards received into the Anglican
Communion, and became Chaplain to the French Chapel of St. James. The volume is delightfully illustrated with portraits and facsimiles.
Previous page
