CURRENT LITERATURE.
CHRISTMAS AND CHILDREN'S BOOKS.
I yarn told by one Richard Pengelley, who runs away from borne, ships I himself as cabin-boy upon a South-Sea whaler, and meets with a thousand adventures with icebergs, bears, &c. These are told, as might be expected from the author's name, with plenty of spirit. We have only one fault to find with them. The "ancient mariner" draws too much on the privilege of romancing which Mr. Kingston asks for him, when he represents a shipwrecked crew landing and wintering on that Antarctic continent which has never been touched. This is a mistake in the tale-teller's art.—My Apingi Kingdom, by Paul du Chaffin (Sampson, Low, and Co.), is another contribution to the fund of Christ- mas amusements, by a well-known favourite of boys. Where truth ends and fiction begins in M. du Chailla's narrative, whether there is any truth in it or any fiction, we do not pretend to judge; but we feel no doubt that the descriptions of scenery and manners are true, and can anyhow state with confidence that the book is amusing.—The Story of the Don, rewritten for our Young Folks, by C. L. Mateaux (Cassell and Co.), is, as may be guessed, another appearance of our old friend, Don Quixote. We must frankly confess that we do not want hiria "rewritten " ; that we prefer our old English translation. The illustrations, which are somewhat in the style of M. Gustave Dore, are humorous and spirited.—Child Life, from the German of Rudolph Reichenan, by Crichton Campbell. With illustrations by Oscar Pletach (Rout. ledge.) M. Pletsch's drawings of children are exceedingly charm- ing and natural.—Jack of the Mill, by William Mowitt (Rout- ledge), does not need any further recommendation than the name of the author. We fancy that "Jack" is an old friend of ours, but there are many of our young friends to whom he will be unknown, and they cannot do better than to make acquaintance with him. Jack is a village lad, of queer shape and features, who is active, clever, and honest ; going into the world to seek his fortune, he meets with many adventures, goes through them with much credit, and finally, is advanced by his merits to the dignity of a baron. The scene is laid in the days of the Lollards.—Love and Duty, by Anna J. Buckland (Cassell and Co.), is a praiseworthy little tale of a boy, who, crippled by an accident, reconciles himself to his lot, and learns to lead a useful and happy life. From Messrs. Cassell and Co. we also have Little Content, and other Stories, by Edith Watford; the first of which is a well-written allegory, meant to cure grumbling; The Boot on the Wrong Foot, and other Tales; Brave Lisette, and other Tales, by L. M. Carless ; and Little Red Shoes, and other Tales, by Two Friends.—The Young Mechanic, by the Author of "The Lathe and its Uses" (Triibner), is very rightly described as "a book for boys," that is, for those young people, so praiseworthy because they never do any mischief except an occasional damage to their own fingers, who delight in "carpentering." Happy fathers who rejoice in sons of this kind will give them more pleasure by presenting them with this volume, which seems eminently practical and sensible, than is to be got out of a bushel of ordinary "Christmas books."—Another" useful book "of a different kind and for a different stage of life is Routledge's Illustrated Reading Book. (Routledge.)— Among "Sunday books" may be mentioned The Children's Sunday Album, by the Author of A Trap to Catch a Sunbeam. (Cassell and Co.), pretty little papers, each of them accompanied by an illustration, and really suited to children.—The Bible Opened for Children, by Mary Bradford (Lockwood), a volume of Bib!e stories ; and Holidays at S. Mary's; or Tales in a Sisterhood, by S. D. N. (Mastera),—little stories, very prettily and pathetically told, though they sometimes jar on our feelings. We prefer, for instance, to think of the little one in " Christ- mas " as taken home by the love of a Father who loves all his children, than as saved in virtue of the " Livo-giving Water" which a priest is just in time conditionally to administer.
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