28 OCTOBER 1905, Page 23

The Gentleman's Magazine Library : English Topography, XVI.- XVII. Edited

by George Laurence Gomme. (Elliot Stook. 7s. 61 each.)—These volumes complete the topography of the county of London, XVI. being occupied with what remained over from XV. of items relating to the City, and the districts formerly in the county of Middlesex ; while XVII. deals with that portion of the county which lies south of the Thames, and formerly was included in either Kent or Surrey. The issue of the Library is also concluded, twenty-nine volumes having appeared in the course of the last twenty years. The warmest thanks are due to the editor and to his associates, and to the publisher, for volumes of this kind must have a very large sale indeed if they are to be really remunerative of the toil and trouble spent upon them. What a pity it is that among all the crowd of magazines there is not one to fulfil the function of the old Gentleman's. We do not wish to say anything unkind about the modern tribe, but a score or so might disappear without the world being the poorer, whereas "Sylvanns Urban," when he ceased to amuse, instruct, and record, was beyond all question a great loss. It is only fair to say that Notes and Queries has done not a little to make it up.