The Second Book of Nursery Rhymes. Set to Music by
Joseph S._ Moorat. Illustrated by Paul Woodroffe. (George Allen.)—The success of the first book of nursery rhymes set to music by Mr.. Moorat and illustrated by Mr. Woodroffe, was so great that they have tried their fortune with a second series. It contains fifty-three rhymes, among them being such universal favourites as " Goosey Gander," " Sing a Song of Sixpence," " Old King Cole," " Little Boy Blue," and "Jack and Jill." Whether Mr. Moorat's music has "come to stay" remains to be seen, but there can be no doubt as to both the beauty and the humour of Mr. Woodroffe's illustra- tions. As Mr. Theo. Marzials says in his too high-pitched intro- duction,—" As Walter Crane had gathered together the beauties of all schools and climes, careless of whence or what they were, and of all saving their own intrinsic beauty, welding them by his bright genius into one glowing compact of delight, so Mr. Moorat has drawn from all the latest resources of harmony the free, the classic, the severe ; only taking what was melodious and expressive of the veree before him, till the sober black and white of Mr. Woodroffe's designs seems to flush into all the tints and tones of fairy-land." This is a rather gorgeously pretentious way of saying that a better setting for nursery rhymes than this volume could hardly be found.
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