Gems of English Art. With Illustrative Texts by F. T.
Palgrave. (Routledge.)—This volume commends itself by the admirable decoration of the binding. Within it contains twenty-four pictures, being copies of well-known works of English painters of this century, printed in oil from wood blocks. It is quite superfluous to say anything on such works as Turner's "Landing of William of Orange" and Mulready's "Choosing the Wedding Gown." And, indeed, all the twenty-four are old favourites, representing every school of recent English art. and each doubtless has many admirers. All that needs to be said is that the copies seem well executed. The mechanical processes of printing in oil need, however, much improvement. The results at present are, for the most part, very crude, and in more ways than one nnpleasing. Mr. Palgrave must pardon our postponing him to so trifling a matter. His" Illustrative Texts" are of course very different from the ordinary letter-press of illustrated books; and, indeed, deserve more attention and time than we can give them. We will mention only their most obvious merit, that they are eminently untechnical and readable.
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