THE STORY OF FLORENCE.
The Story of Florence. By Edmund G. Gardner. With 40 Illustrations by Nelly Erichsen, and many Reproductions from the Works of Florentine Painters and Sculptors. (J. M. Dent and Co. 10s. 6d. net.)—This charming book is a revised edition on a large scale of Mr. Gardner's Story of Florence in the series of " Mediaeval Towns." The letterpress, though corrected and brought up to date, is substantially the same ; but let no one, oven if he possesses the small edition, think that this new volume is not worth the extra six shillings Lovers of Florence ought thankfully to provide themselves with both. The enlarged illus- trations are far more beautiful, and there are about a dozen new ones, illustrating the best Florentine works of art from Messrs. Alinari's matchless photographs. Among these additions are to be found Ghiberti's Angels from the Shrine of St. Zenobius, the portrait of Dante from the Bargello, Botticelli's "Calumny," Fre Angelico's " Coronation of the Virgin " and " Christ and the Friars," and a most lovely detail from the Cantoria of Luca della Robbie. The literary and historical value of the book is too well known to need much remark here. We know no book of the size that gives a more complete and satisfactory account of Florence, her history, her heroes, and her treasures. It is not spoilt by prejudices of any kind, and is the best example of a "glorified guide-book " that we have ever seen.
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