CURRENT LITERATURE.
Branuras.—Of ten as we have been puzzled to find an appropriate heading for paragraphs which seem mere quotations from library cata- logues, we never felt this want so keenly as we do now that the year is expiring. We suppose it is on the principle of gathering up the fragments that so many publishers tempt us with complete collections of works which we found it impossible to mention when their parts had the charm of novelty. Certain magazines looked at us gloomily during the year, and asked why they were not criticized together with the Cornhill and Blackwood. But as they were small and thin, and were published weekly, we were able to neglect them, and they could not take any revenge on us. Now, they suddenly employ the binder to make them up into a volume, and it is incumbent on us to take note of them. It is, however, quite impossible that we can master their contents now that they come before us in a body. We must be allowed to mention their names as shortly as possible, and to introduce them to such readers as desire a copious supply of literature at a cheap rate, and with illustrative accompaniments. We have, first of all, a handsome volume which calls itself the People's Magazine, Vol. L, and is published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. A novel by Holme Lee, another by Mr. Gilbert and another by Mr. H. Sutherland Edwards, are among the principal con- tents. Cassell's Magazine, Vol. I. (Cassell, Patter, and Galpin), contains the story of "Anne Judge, Spinster," which has been reprinted and reviewed in an orthodox manner. The Leisure Hour for 1867 (Religious Tract Society) and the Sunday at Home for the same year and from the same publishers contain some fair coloured illustrations, and both stories and sketches of a moral and useful tendency. The ninth volume of the Victoria Magazine (Emily Faithfull) continues the work of its predecessors, and may be placed beside them on the shelves of the Women's Advocate's Library. The future historian of the frivolity of the nineteenth century will, no doubt, value the first volume of Echoes from the Clubs (published at the office), but any other reader who takes up the volume, and allows himself to be beguiled by its lightness and occasional sparkle, will find that he has wasted his time sadly in the pursuit of amusement. A work of a very different type is the Friendly Visitor for 1867 (Seeley, Jackson, and Halliday), intended for good children, and almost too good for the majority of them. Next in order to this comes the Children's Friend for 1867 (Seeley, Jackson, and Halliday), a work of very similar tendency. Old Merry's Annual (Jackson, Walford, and Hodder) is intended for boys, and contains both stories and illustrations which will snit that class of readers. For large and cheap pictures of a moral and useful kind we may go to the Band of Hope Review (Partridge), and the British Workman (published at the office).
Previous page
