CURRENT LITERATURE.
CHRISTMAS BOOKS, ETC.
True to his Colours ; or, the Life that Wears Best, by the Rev. T. P. Wilson (Nelson), is described outside as a "temper- ance tale," and is a favourable specimen of its class. Total abstinence is nst too obtrusively recommended, and though re- formation generally is sealed by signing the pledge, and the un- believers, wife-beaters, and scoundrels generally, who figure in the tale, indulge in alcoholic drink, yet the tone of the book is not, on the whole, uncharitable or offensive. William Bradley is a distinct success ; and his racy, vigorous way of talking is very well kept up to the end.—Mr. W. H. Kingston's fertile pen furnishes us with three capital tales,—Hendricks the Hunter : a Tale of Zit:Mewl (Hodder and Stoughton); Wi// Weatherhelm : the Yarn of an Old Sailor about his Early Life and Adventures (Griffith and Ferran); and New Granada ; or, Heroes and Patriots (Nelson.)—The third shall be noticed on another occasion. The second is a new edition, but "much enlarged." Will goes through a number of addi- tional adventures—tumbles overboard, is condemned to be flogged, is tried as a mutineer, and fights battles, is taken prisoner, and so forth—finally finding his way into a safe and pleasant harbour. We cannot pretend to say which of those belong to the old and which to the new edition. Altogether, they make a stirring story. Mr. Kingston is always at his best when he has what we may call his "sea-legs." Hendricks the Hunter, however, is also a good story, though it takes us far away from the sea. Perhaps the incidents are a little worn. The white boy found in the Zulu kraal is a very familiar per- sonage, about whose restoration to his family, however obscure his antecedents, we never feel any doubt. The well-disposed young chief reminds us, not very forcibly, of the famous Cocas of Fenimore Cooper. But though there is nothing very striking or new about the individual characters, they make up together a sufficiently interest- ing drama.—We may notice in this connection a second edition of TJla: a Tale of Cetewayo and the Zulus, by Charles H. Eden. (Marcus Ward.)—The Hero of the Prairies ; or, the Story of Kit Carson, by John S. C. Abbott (Ward and Lock), is the true story of an American "pioneer." Such a story could never fail in interest, and the reader of the Hero of the Prairies will not be disappointed. But the language used about the Indians does not impress an English reader favourably. Of course, it is difficult to use moderation in speaking of the atrocious revenges of Sioux and Blackfeet, but it should never be forgotten that their most diabolical acts were revenges, and that if the dread- ful account of mutual wrong is to be added up, it is not the Indian, but the white intrnder on his domains, that will have to be condemned. —Parted : a Tale of Clouds and Sunshine, by N. D'Anvers (C. Kogan Paul and Co.), is a prettily told story of a girl who, coming home from India, with enfeebled health and something of the querulousness and selfishness which such ailments sometimes bring with them, puts on, by degrees, a better spirit. It is simply and quietly told, with a totioh here and there of quiet humour and pathos, and makes an effective little narrative.—Sannyside School, by Lattice Lee (Oliphant), is a well-written little sketch of the overbearing temper of a man otherwise well disposed admirably reproved by the charity and kindness of children.—Northcote Memories a Book for Watch and Ward, by the Author of "Country Annals" is a volume of sketches of a distinctively religious tone.—From tho Religious Tract Society we have the following :—Till the Sugar Melts, which is one of the sweets intended for the children just now, but not for the very youngest of them, as its title would rather imply. We feel inclined to suppose that tho pretty portraits so often found outside books now were meant for their owners, only how could the Religions Tract Society, which publishes them, know to whom they would be given P The stories arc neither of them striking or original, but they are pretty and inneeent.—We have in My First Place a book which is, like the other, very pretty outside ; but in this case the portraits of the future owner are inside, where a very nice-looking, neat, young servant-girl is shown in various likely but interesting positions and circumstances. She is by no means a faultless heroine, but a good girl in the main, who learns wisdom by experience, as we most of us have to do.—The Cornish Fisher- man's Watch-night is the first of a few short tales, bound together so as to form a nice-looking book,—tracts, we should call them, but the tracts of the past have boon so unlike those well-written little tales, except in their religious basis, that the name would ill describe them, —The Book Worth Bags of Gold is one of the best, though its teaching does perhaps savour more, in its system of rewards, of the Old Testament than of the New. Another of their publications, The Pedlar of Cop. thorns Common, is one of two most pathetic little tales, bound together, with the usual attractive exterior. It is the story of a saddened life turned to good account for others, those others being veys no special meaning to English ears ; for as the individual thus chiefly the pedlar's own people, the Gipsies. The second tells of a entitled is rather a conspicuous, though most disagreeable, character, poor little boy, an only child, crippled for some years by accident, it is of more conseqtence than it would otherwise be. But it is a but at last restored by care and skill—whose, readers must find out capital book for either boys or girls, and will help to give them some for themselves.--Phitip Vandelettr's Victory, by Charles IL Eden realisation of that awful period of German history.—Phil's Chum- (S. P. C. K.), is a story of a boy who has been brought up to suppose pion : an Irish Story, by Robert Richardson, B.A., is a tale of the himself necessarily the victim of a bad temper ; and it tells how rescue of a poor Irish ragamuffin, not by a fine gentleman or an in various places, times, and countries he obtained a victory angelic lady, though their " betters " do take a small share in the over it. If boys like to read about schoolmasters in the good work, but by a family just a grade above him in circum- holidays, Philip's master, " old Garrett," will interest them, but stances, and only a little his superiors in religious and other his nephew and niece will interest them more. Their fortunes knowledge, The Irish warm-heertedness and humour brought are much interwoven with those of the hero, who, after parting out in their family life, under the management of their widowed with them when he enters the Navy, meets with them again and truly excellent mother, though she only keeps a mangle,. when sent to cruise for pirates in the neighbourhood of Rajah make one almost inclined to try living in a nice, clean, airy Brooke's dominions. Some account of him and his surroundings, collar, and having a really good supper only on Saturday night. One and also of some desperate characters in those regions, add to the does not wish, though, to try poor Jem Nolan's style of dress, if any. interest of the story, which would be considerable, if the style were thing decent feels so very uncomfortable afterwards, as it did to him, but a little simpler. They author always writes " commence " for and we have no doubt it does to many who are not reclaimed till 0 begin," and the offensive word somehow seems to come oftener than sixteen years of age. Little Mat's question, " What does God do it ought ; and though the story is laid at a time—thirty years ego— with the old hearts P" and all that little boy's remarks, are very when people did use more Latinised words than they do now, yet even funny ; and though the uncle from New Zealand does come back just then, a little girl of ten would hardly have said, " My loneliness at the right time, he is not in too exalted a position for one's faith, frightened me as much as the storm, for my accident had rendered and we feel so glad that the good widow's burden should be thus. me nervous, and I began to fear that I should die of hunger in that lightened.—Silly Peter ; a Queer Story of a Daft Boy, a Prince, and a solitary spot," when talking to a boy of her own age.—The Float- Miller's Daughter. By William Norris. (Griffith and Farran.)—Silly ing Light of Riuyflunan, and Guardian Angels are twin-tales, by L. T. Peter turns out much wiser than many who have no " screw loose," and Meade, author of " Water-Gipsies (Edinburgh : Macniven and Wel- it is possible to follow his adventures and those of the prince and the lace), and most pathetic little stories they are, which anybody ought miller'sdaughter all through with amusement. We think "Dame Gouge to be the better for reading. The first unfolds a loving woman's heart, might have been allowed a prettier name, as she was so kind and good ; and how it moved her, a dweller on,one of Ireland's wildcat shores, to and " Deed-box " is too obvious a name for the lawyer. We must not the very height of unselfish action. The other is a story of the sordid say how audacious the daft boy becomes at the end of the story, lest side of London life, glorified by unselfish love and true repentance. we should spoil the interest of his proceedings ; but be succeeds as One almost falls in love with common Cockney speech, as one hears it well in other things as in wood-carving, and cuts out the Prince!— from the mouth of little Nellie, while she talks to her poor sister Of annuals, magazines, &a., for children, we have before us a good Poll. They are about children, but scarcely for them. This, however, supply. First, we must name Aunt Judy's Christmas Volume for does not matter much, for one knows that about this time grown-up 1879. Edited by H. K. F. Getty. (Bell and Sons.)—Besides " Mother people indulge frequently in furtive readings of children's books, and Molly," which is the chief story, there is plenty of good reading, in- this author's style is delightful.—Amongst the strictly religious geniously varied in kind. But perhaps the boss thing in the volume. books of this season, we have The Child's Gospel History, and its is " Jackanapes," which is, in its way, a real work of art. Young companion volume, The Child's Acts of the Apostles (S.P.C.K.), which readers, or elders who are seeking something really good for their are nice gifts for children from six to eight years of age. There are juniors, cannot do better than encourage this magazine, which is not many illustrations, a few of them taken from the Cartoons of Ra.ffaelle, least to be commended for its kindly commendation of good works which were one of the delights of our own childhood. The subject of and self-denial to its young friends.--Every Boy's Annual, edited illustrations to Scripture stories is one of peculiar difficulty, especially by Edmund Rontleclge (Routledge and Sons), is a capital volume. where the figure of the Saviour himself it prominent ; but one Mr. Kingston gives two yarns, "Arctic Adventures" and "Adam- can only take what is to be had, and from that these dm tures in the Far West," out of his inexhaustible supply (the latter,. well chosen,—A book of a similar kind, but which we prefer by the way, is very like one of Mr, Mayne-Reid's) Mr, R, Mountonoy to the foregoing, is A Child's Life of Our Lord, by Geraldine Jephson, in "With the Colours," tells the story of a soldier's life in Stock. (Marcus Ward and co.) Many of its illustrations are the same, time of peace, when a butt seems as indispensable as is a General in and we prefer it, not because it is a larger and grander-looking book, war, while a quantity of curious information is ingeniously strung but because its style is more likely to be acceptable and helpful to together in School Boys all the World Over ; and there is plenty of children. However, this has no hymns. A few in the other publica- other good matter.—Etory Girl's Annual, edited by Miss Alicia tion seem to be original, and some are extracts from well-known Leith (Routledge and Sons), is also creditable to publisher, editor, and ones. The larger work we have ourselves found to be very in- contributors, though the young ladies have to be content with less teresting to children,— The Lan /Males of Langdale End, by the seasoned fare than their brothers. Our impression is that girls like Author of "Valeria " (Marcus Ward and Co.), is a much better tale tales of adventures—books of the "Scalp-hunter" kind—just as than those concerning children just in their teens often are. Jem much as boys.—After Work : Bone Reading for the Family Circle and Alice, Monica, and Hugh, with their little friend Ruth, the clergy- (Elliot Stock) fulfils the promise of its title very fairly.—For man's daughter, who is shown to us nearly upside down in the open- younger children we have Golden Childhood : the Little Peoples Own ing picture, are all interesting acquaintances ; but the fact that the Pleasure-book of Delight and Instruction (Ward, Lock, and Co.) ; parents, governesses, and elder people generally, can make mistakes, The Prize for Girls and Boys ; Chatterbox, edited by J. Erskine Clarke, and say things which are better left unsaid, constitutes, in our eyes, one M.A.—both of them published by W. W. Gardner ; Young flaps: a saddened life turned to good account for others, those others being veys no special meaning to English ears ; for as the individual thus chiefly the pedlar's own people, the Gipsies. The second tells of a entitled is rather a conspicuous, though most disagreeable, character, poor little boy, an only child, crippled for some years by accident, it is of more conseqtence than it would otherwise be. But it is a but at last restored by care and skill—whose, readers must find out capital book for either boys or girls, and will help to give them some for themselves.--Phitip Vandelettr's Victory, by Charles IL Eden realisation of that awful period of German history.—Phil's Chum- (S. P. C. K.), is a story of a boy who has been brought up to suppose pion : an Irish Story, by Robert Richardson, B.A., is a tale of the himself necessarily the victim of a bad temper ; and it tells how rescue of a poor Irish ragamuffin, not by a fine gentleman or an in various places, times, and countries he obtained a victory angelic lady, though their " betters " do take a small share in the over it. If boys like to read about schoolmasters in the good work, but by a family just a grade above him in circum- holidays, Philip's master, " old Garrett," will interest them, but stances, and only a little his superiors in religious and other his nephew and niece will interest them more. Their fortunes knowledge, The Irish warm-heertedness and humour brought are much interwoven with those of the hero, who, after parting out in their family life, under the management of their widowed with them when he enters the Navy, meets with them again and truly excellent mother, though she only keeps a mangle,. when sent to cruise for pirates in the neighbourhood of Rajah make one almost inclined to try living in a nice, clean, airy Brooke's dominions. Some account of him and his surroundings, collar, and having a really good supper only on Saturday night. One and also of some desperate characters in those regions, add to the does not wish, though, to try poor Jem Nolan's style of dress, if any. interest of the story, which would be considerable, if the style were thing decent feels so very uncomfortable afterwards, as it did to him, but a little simpler. They author always writes " commence " for and we have no doubt it does to many who are not reclaimed till 0 begin," and the offensive word somehow seems to come oftener than sixteen years of age. Little Mat's question, " What does God do it ought ; and though the story is laid at a time—thirty years ego— with the old hearts P" and all that little boy's remarks, are very when people did use more Latinised words than they do now, yet even funny ; and though the uncle from New Zealand does come back just then, a little girl of ten would hardly have said, " My loneliness at the right time, he is not in too exalted a position for one's faith, frightened me as much as the storm, for my accident had rendered and we feel so glad that the good widow's burden should be thus. me nervous, and I began to fear that I should die of hunger in that lightened.—Silly Peter ; a Queer Story of a Daft Boy, a Prince, and a solitary spot," when talking to a boy of her own age.—The Float- Miller's Daughter. By William Norris. (Griffith and Farran.)—Silly ing Light of Riuyflunan, and Guardian Angels are twin-tales, by L. T. Peter turns out much wiser than many who have no " screw loose," and Meade, author of " Water-Gipsies (Edinburgh : Macniven and Wel- it is possible to follow his adventures and those of the prince and the lace), and most pathetic little stories they are, which anybody ought miller'sdaughter all through with amusement. We think "Dame Gouge to be the better for reading. The first unfolds a loving woman's heart, might have been allowed a prettier name, as she was so kind and good ; and how it moved her, a dweller on,one of Ireland's wildcat shores, to and " Deed-box " is too obvious a name for the lawyer. We must not the very height of unselfish action. The other is a story of the sordid say how audacious the daft boy becomes at the end of the story, lest side of London life, glorified by unselfish love and true repentance. we should spoil the interest of his proceedings ; but be succeeds as One almost falls in love with common Cockney speech, as one hears it well in other things as in wood-carving, and cuts out the Prince!— from the mouth of little Nellie, while she talks to her poor sister Of annuals, magazines, &a., for children, we have before us a good Poll. They are about children, but scarcely for them. This, however, supply. First, we must name Aunt Judy's Christmas Volume for does not matter much, for one knows that about this time grown-up 1879. Edited by H. K. F. Getty. (Bell and Sons.)—Besides " Mother people indulge frequently in furtive readings of children's books, and Molly," which is the chief story, there is plenty of good reading, in- this author's style is delightful.—Amongst the strictly religious geniously varied in kind. But perhaps the boss thing in the volume. books of this season, we have The Child's Gospel History, and its is " Jackanapes," which is, in its way, a real work of art. Young companion volume, The Child's Acts of the Apostles (S.P.C.K.), which readers, or elders who are seeking something really good for their are nice gifts for children from six to eight years of age. There are juniors, cannot do better than encourage this magazine, which is not many illustrations, a few of them taken from the Cartoons of Ra.ffaelle, least to be commended for its kindly commendation of good works which were one of the delights of our own childhood. The subject of and self-denial to its young friends.--Every Boy's Annual, edited illustrations to Scripture stories is one of peculiar difficulty, especially by Edmund Rontleclge (Routledge and Sons), is a capital volume. where the figure of the Saviour himself it prominent ; but one Mr. Kingston gives two yarns, "Arctic Adventures" and "Adam- can only take what is to be had, and from that these dm tures in the Far West," out of his inexhaustible supply (the latter,. well chosen,—A book of a similar kind, but which we prefer by the way, is very like one of Mr, Mayne-Reid's) Mr, R, Mountonoy to the foregoing, is A Child's Life of Our Lord, by Geraldine Jephson, in "With the Colours," tells the story of a soldier's life in Stock. (Marcus Ward and co.) Many of its illustrations are the same, time of peace, when a butt seems as indispensable as is a General in and we prefer it, not because it is a larger and grander-looking book, war, while a quantity of curious information is ingeniously strung but because its style is more likely to be acceptable and helpful to together in School Boys all the World Over ; and there is plenty of children. However, this has no hymns. A few in the other publica- other good matter.—Etory Girl's Annual, edited by Miss Alicia tion seem to be original, and some are extracts from well-known Leith (Routledge and Sons), is also creditable to publisher, editor, and ones. The larger work we have ourselves found to be very in- contributors, though the young ladies have to be content with less teresting to children,— The Lan /Males of Langdale End, by the seasoned fare than their brothers. Our impression is that girls like Author of "Valeria " (Marcus Ward and Co.), is a much better tale tales of adventures—books of the "Scalp-hunter" kind—just as than those concerning children just in their teens often are. Jem much as boys.—After Work : Bone Reading for the Family Circle and Alice, Monica, and Hugh, with their little friend Ruth, the clergy- (Elliot Stock) fulfils the promise of its title very fairly.—For man's daughter, who is shown to us nearly upside down in the open- younger children we have Golden Childhood : the Little Peoples Own ing picture, are all interesting acquaintances ; but the fact that the Pleasure-book of Delight and Instruction (Ward, Lock, and Co.) ; parents, governesses, and elder people generally, can make mistakes, The Prize for Girls and Boys ; Chatterbox, edited by J. Erskine Clarke, and say things which are better left unsaid, constitutes, in our eyes, one M.A.—both of them published by W. W. Gardner ; Young flaps: a of the chief merits of the story. It makes them so much more real, and Monthly Illustrated Magazine for the Young (The Sunday-School none the less likely to win all that they deserve of youthful love and Association) ; Sunday Reading for the Young (W. W. Gardner); The respect, The inure homely life, which surrounds the squire's house in Children's Picture Annual (Ward, Look, and Co.) ; and though we a country village, is introduced with good effect, and made the back- notice it last, certainly not last in merit, Little Wideatvake, edited by ground for some wise observations as to what is and is not desirable Mrs. Sale Barker (Routledge and Sons). This is a remarkably excel- for young people to attempt, in trying to benefit their neighbours ; lent magazine, with good reading in it, some illustrations of merit but these sermons or morals are very short and pithy, and young considerably above the average, and generally " got.np " in a readers whose hearts are in the right place will find much more to very creditable way. It need not fear comparison with any rival.-- laugh over than to cry over, in the adventures of these members of In "Picture-books" we have, The Favourite Picture-Book and Nursery. • the Langdale family ; indeed, one feels quite sorry to leave them Companion, compiled anew by Uncle Charlie, With 450 Illustrations, and their breezy Yorkshire moors, on one of which, or rather in its by Absolon, Anelay, Bennett, Browne ("Phiz "), Sir John Gilbert,. side, they found the cave, which becomes quite a familiar place us T. tandseer, Leech, Front, Harrison Weir, and others. (Griffith and one pursues the story.—.The Young Carpenters of Freiberg: a Farran.)—This is the fourteenth edition of what was, we are told in Tale of the Thirty Years' War, translated from the German by J. the preface, "the first of the kind that ever appeared." Its chief Latehmore, Jun. (W. Oliphant), begins with such horrors, that contents are a "Picture Alphabet," "Nursery Rhymes," "Scraps of tender-hearted readers might be afraid to go on, but we can assure Knowledge," and 'Easy Reading for the Little Ones." The Hine- them that there are compensating heroisms all throughout, and the trations are all that could be desired, but the reading is open to story of the defence of the mountain city forms a worthy climax criticism. Why should "some in velvet gown" be corrupted into to the tale. It is a translation from the German, but though "velvet gowns," so corrupting the young ear in the matter of rhyme. the local colouring, so to speak, is well preserved, and the Some of the conversation hardly su;ts the refined taste of modern days. strictly Teutonic idioms are sufficiently avoided, we wish that A mother would be not a little disgusted now-a-days to hear her little the translator, who so carefully explains " groschen " and similar girl call a cat a "slut," even if it had tried to kill a hen ; and "Tom,. words, had substituted some other for "town-servant," which con- you may sip the tea, if you are so dry as you say," has not quite the ring of the best classical nursery language.—Little Margaret's Ride (Griffith and Ferran) will tempt the children to copy its illustrations. —Messrs. Sampson Low and Co. have hit on a new idea in their "International Series of Toy-books," of which we have Little Fred -and his Fiddle, The Pancake, and The Lad and the North Wind, all of them taken from " Asbjernsen's Norwegian Fairy.Tales."----Messrs. George Routledgo and Sons send us a packet of well got up toy books, the two best in our opinion being "The Mad Dog" and " Sing- ing Quadrilles," the comic illustrations in both of which are excellent- The "Dawn-Day Library" box of story books, published by the same firm, forms a neat and appropriate Christmas-gift.—Mossrs. Ward and Lock also send us a packet of children's picture books, mostly consisting of the older nursery stories and alphabets, the illustrations to the latter being original and ingenious.—.Squire Fos: (Waterston and Sons) is a capitally got.up version of "The Fox and the Geese," in verse, and sot to music. The illustrations are very amusing.— Lana Rookh : an Oriental Romance. By Thomas Moore. Illus- trated by john Toneiel. (Longman.)—We wonder whether Messrs. Longman would give three thousand guineas for Leila Rookh now, for that was the price paid some sixty years ago. Then, however, it was probably no bad bargain, for the poem had reached a twentieth -edition, when Muore's poems were published in a collected form. Probably it has never appeared to greater advantage than it does in the volume before us. Besides Mr. Tonniel's designs, we have illumi- nated title-pave, Jaen from Eastern sources, which are certainly more genuinely Oriental than the pictures. Among these, we do not find one veiled woman, from the beginning to the end.—The Book of Job, illustrated with fifty engravings, from drawings by Sir John Gil- ' herb. (Nisbet.)—The text (which is printed so as to display the poeti- cal form of the original) is preceded by an introduction and followed by explanatory notes. We do not expect anything very striking in these, though some of the poetical parallels are interesting ; but the illustrations are remarkably spirited. Altogether, it is an attractive volume, and will serve the purpose of a gift-book of the more serious kind very well.-- Many readers will welcome an old friend, newly attired in a very attractive way, Children of the Village, by Mary Russell Mitford, with illustrations by F. Barnard, R. Barnes, M. E. Edwards, M. Kona, C. 0. Murray, and others. (Routledge.) —Miss Mit. ford's work needs no praise, but we may notice ono:or two sketches of boys by Mr. C. 0. Murray, and a capital picture of" Mrs. Matthews." Nor must we pass by a little girl on p. 131, by Mr. It. Barnes, and a woman holding a boy, on p. 119, by Mr. Edwards, where the face of the woman is excellent.--Another favourite work appears in a now edition, Sabbath Bells, Chimed by the Poets. Illustrated by Birket Foster. (Ward, Lock, and Co.)—Living Pages front Many Ages, by Mary held, illustrated (Cassell), contains a variety of interesting read- ing. "The invention of the Stocking-Loom " represents "Love," sup- posed to have been the motive-power of Lee's ingenuity, and illustrated by an engraving from the well-known picture. "Determination "finds an example in Peter the Great, though this quality was hardly best displayed in his playing at chess. We ought to have seen him in the shipwrights' yard. The third subject is, " Self-will: Theodore, of Abyssinia." Sometimes Miss meld draws on fiction, for her mate- rials; altogether, she has put together an instructive and entertaining volume. The illustrations vary in merit. Some are old favourites or acquaintances, others we see for the first time. It would, per- haps, have been as well to give, whenever it was practicable, the name of the original artist.—Pic lures from Bible Lands, drawn with Pen and Pencil. Edited by Samuel C. Green. Illustrated principally from Photographs. (The Religious Tract Society.)—The subject, and some at least of the illustrations, are so familiar, that we cannot say whether this book is a now or an old ono. In either case, it is worth reading, and even possessing. It is carefully Written, with due attention paid to the progress of Biblical knowledge; and the illustrations are good.—Our Country : Descriptive, Historical, Pictorial. (Cassell, Petter, and Galpin.)—This is a series of twenty papers, illustrated by more than two hundred engravings, of various sizes, in which various localities in the Three Kingdoms, famous for their natural beauty or their historical interest, are de- scribed. "Salisbury Plain and Stonehenge" furnish the subject for • the first paper, and a dramatic contrast is supplied by the second, Which treats of Leeds. What we have in the volume is all very good, but the omissions are difficult to understand. Why two articles about Dublin, and none about Edinburgh, nothing, too, about London ? But perhaps all this will be set right in another volume, which we shall be very glad to see. As we have begun fault-finding, why do we hear of "Burghley ?" Mr. Tennyson speaks of " Burloigh ;" and whatever may be the local custom, be may claim to have his ortho- graphy respected. We must make especial mention of an admirable paper on "Edgehill and Nasehy." A more picturesque and effective sketch of the scenery and of the battles could not have been given.—Animal Life, described and illustrated by E. Percival Wright, M.A., M.D. (Cassell and Co.)—This is a handsome .octavo volume of the largest size, containing more than 600 closely printed pages. Of these, 222 are occupied by the mam- male, 126 by the birds, about 50 by the reptiles ; then come the batraohia with 20, and the fishes with 50. The rest of the volume is occupied with insects, molluscs, &c., ending with the protozoa. All the vast array of facts that are wanted for the duo treatment of this subject is scientifically marshalled, not without an occasional relief of picturesque description or the like. In treating of fishes, for instance Dr. Wright betrays the human weakness of an angler. This is an ex- cellent book, well written, and capitally and copiously illustrated with engravings, at least equal in number to the pages.—Of illustrated books for the little ones, we have Little Robin's Picture-Book, with 400 illustrations. (Routledge.)—Vory spirited illustrations many of them are, and drawn from various sources, such as will often suggest a good story to the elders who may have to play the past of showman This is one of the best books of the kind we have seen.—Only Five ; or, Pussie's Frolics in Farm and Field. By Ismay Thom. Illustrated by T. Pym. (Shaw.)—" Fussie," we should say, is a little girl who pays a visit to cousins in the country, and pays the penalty of being town-bred in sundry mishaps. This is prettily told, and the little pictures are excellent of their kind. But why such a barharoas name as " Chrystopher ?"—Thoso who are fond of cats—and it is a good sign, we take it, in man, woman, or child, to be hold of cats— should get the Cat Picture-Book, with. Descriptions and Tales. (Routledge.)—There is some interesting reading hero, told in a fashion to suit little folk, but not to be scorned by others. Mrs. Paull is so good an authority on cats, that we are diffident in questioning any statement of hors, yet we cannot but doubt whether, if eats "are well fed, they will kill the poor little creatures [mice], not torment them or play with them." We have never seen mice so quickly disposed of as by a cottager's cat, that was on very short COT/MUM indeed. —On a somewhat larger scale, from the same publishers, we have Routledge's Nursery Picture-Book, with ninety-six pages of illustrations, the illustrations giving us a judicious mixture of nursery rhymes, fairy tales, and romances; "Ronny Penny," "Cinderella," and "Don Quixote," for instance.—Still larger and more imposing is Routledge's Imperial Natural History Picture-Book, which sufficiently declares its character by its title.—Harrison Weir's Pictures of Birds and other Family Pets (the Religious Tract Society), has "twenty-four coloured plates, from original drawings." The drawings, of course, are good, and the
colouring at least fair. •
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