19 AUGUST 1882, Page 22

Rambles round Eton and Harrow. By Alfred Rimmer. (Matto. and

Windus.)—Mr. Rimmer has given us here one of those very pleasant volumes by which he seeks to dissipate the too common ignorance among us of the beauties of our own country. He allowe himself the latitude of a radius of ten miles or so from the town which he describes, and the distance is sufficient te take in some very picturesque scenery. From Eton, it is but a few miles' journey to the most beautiful reaches of the Thames, between Maidenhead and Wargrave (unless, indeed, those between Mapledurham and Streatley rival them) ; or in another direction, to Wycombe and Beaconsfield, and to other places of much interest and beauty of nature, as heightened by art. Harrow, again, is a centre from which we may easily reach the very pretty country that lies near Watford and Rickmansworth, besides the high lands of Hadley and Staumore. St. Aileen's, too, certainly one of the most picturesque of English towns, lies within, or anyhow very near without, the circle. Dir. Itimmer takes us to the most notable spots of this dis- trict, to famous seats of groat families, or houses ennobled by asso- ciations with men great in literature,—in fact, to the various points of interest with which all English counties, and the home counties, especially, abound. He discourses about sport, especially about sport in the Thames, with the tone of one who is familiar with it, and, in fact, makes himself agreeable and interesting to many classes of readers, The illustrations are numerous, but scarcely as good as what we expect in one of Mr. Rimmer's books.