The Birth of the Opal : a Child's Fancies. By
Daphne Allen. (George Allen and Co. 5s. net.)—We cannot help thinking that it is a very great mistake to reproduce in so serious a manner these immature sketches of a clever child of thirteen. It is not fair to the young artist to reproduce a washy little drawing which merely shows memory of recent book illustration of a second-rate kind and to label it "From a drawing in the possession of W. D. Ellis Ellis." as if it was the work of a master in a great collection. With drawings of this kind the question of importance is, "Do they show promise, and what direction should the child's artistic education take ?" Certainly the promise is here, not in the coloured work, but in
• (1) My Dog. By M. Maeterlinck. Translated by A. Teixeira de Mattos. Illustrated in colour by C. Aldin. London: G. Allen. [3s. Ed. net.)— (2) The Berry Puppy Book. By C. Iddin. " London: .11. Frowde and Hodder mad Stoughton. 13m. Od. net.]
the outlines of children and in the two beautiful drawings of Cupids, which are on a larger scale than the rest of the work. Here we see promised a real feeling for form, but which will be all the better for cultivation. Next from a general survey of the book we believe that great attention should be paid to the cultivation of a fine taste by the study of great art. A. good beginning might be made by cultivating a close acquaint- ance with the works of Luca della Robbia.
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