24 JANUARY 1863, Page 24

Roundabout Papers. By W. M. Thackeray. (Smith, Elder, and Co.)—

This is a book of which it is quite unnecessary to say much. Every reader of the Cornhill Magazine is perfectly well acquainted with its contents, and has, no doubt, formed his own estimate of their value. Our own opinion is that they are, with a few exceptions, quite unworthy of the reputation of their author. It would appear that Mr. Theckeray is aware of the fact that anything he chooses to produce will at once command a ready market, and that he has drawn therefrom the obvious conclusion that it is a work of supererogation to bestow any trouble whatever upon what he writes. The result is only what might have been expected; for not even Mr. Thackeray can write what is worth reading without at least some effort.