She Stoops to Conquer. With Drawings by Edwin A. Abbey,
and Introduction by Austin Dobson. (Sampson Low and Co.)—We may hope that this sumptuous volume is a sign of better days for the pub. fishing trade. Some few years ago these gorgeous illustrated volumes were common at Chrietmas ; lately they have been much more rare. A finer specimen of the 'class than that before us it would not be easy to find. The " Dedication to Samuel Johnson, LL.D.," is adorned with two capital medallion portraits of Goldsmith and Johnson. As for the illustrations of the comedy, we cannot attempt to describe them. There are some sixteen of full-page sins, and the vignettes and smaller drawings number several times as many. "Then your First Sight Deceived You" is a good specimen, and so is "Tony Lampkin is his Own Man Again." Of the smaller illustrations, many are as good as one could desire. These must be left for the reader to judge of, but here is a picture from Mr. Dobson's introduction which we can transfer to our columns ;— " Look, look,—there is Wilkes, you may tell by the squint; Bat he grows every day more and more like the print (Alit Hogarth could draw !) ; and behind, at the back, Hugh Kelly, who,looka all the blacker in black ; That is Cumberland next, and the prim•looking person In the comer, I fancy, is Cecina Macpherson. And, rolling and bliung, here, too, with the rest, Comes sturdy old Johnson, dressed out in his hest; How he shakes his old noddle I I'd wager a crown, Whatever the law is, he is laying it down l"
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