4 OCTOBER 1884, Page 25

Alice's Wonderful Birthday-book, compiled by F. Stanley Loathes (Griffith and

Ferran), is really a great compliment to "Lewis Carroll." It is the latest stamp of the true " classic " to be cut up into snippets for a birthday-book. The volume is dedicated to "all true lovers of 'Alice,'" and indeed it is necessary to know the book well to see the fun of these extracts.

We hava received the "third edition" of Gibbs's Illustrated Hand- book to St. Albans (Gibbs and Burnforth, St. Albans), a convenient little volume, which, besides giving a sketch of the history of the town and abbey, carries the record of the restorations down to the present time. On the much-vexed architectural questions with which this restoration is bead, the anther maintains a discreet impartiality. His book may be relied upon to give what is wanted, and to give it both conveniently and correctly.