22 MAY 1875, Page 25

Picture and Incident from Bible Story. By Various Authors. With

fifty large illustrations. (Virtue, Spalding, and Co.)—This is a hand- some and well executed volume, though we are inclined to prefer the incident" to the " pictures." The illustrations are drawn with spirit, some of them recalling famous designs, but they are not of the kind that now satisfies us. They are too much in the classical style of a 'bygone period. We want now a certain realism, and true picturing of costume and other surroundings. Some attempt should be made to give the characteristic Hebrew features, for instance. Figures that might stand for Orestes and Pylades cannot do duty as David and Jonathan The descriptive text, among the authors of which we recognise some well-known names, is generally of very good quality.