Famous Beauties of Two Reigns. By Mary Craven. (Eveleigh Nash.
Ms. net.)—It is quite safe to recommend an inspection of the twenty illustrations in this volume. They are all excellent reproductions by the photogravure process of famous pictures. Sometimes we may have to call in the aid of imagination before we can realise that, the lady pictured was a beauty fair enough to set the world in arms. This, however, is a common experience. Mary Queen of Scots was without doubt one of these world- disturbing fair ones, but who would think it if her portraits were the only evidence? It is not so easy to speak of the narratives which Miss Craven supplies. It is not her fault if they do not make instructive or even pleasing reading. The introduction may be commended without reserve. It tells us something worth
knowing about the art and practice of portrait painting. But the story of the " Famous Beauties" ! What are we to say about Barbara Duchess of Cleveland and Louise de Keroualle ? These two occupy between them about a third of the volume (apart from the introduction). Perhaps the less said the better, unless we can get some satisfaction from comparing these narratives with the last in the volume, the story of Perdita. The Prince Regent may not have been better than Charles II., but any comparison between the Caroline Duchesses and Mary Robinson is im- measurably to the advantage of the latter. The other "beauties" are Molly Lepel, "The Beautiful Gnnnings," Mrs. Abington, Anne Seymour Damer, Anne Duchess of Gordon, Elizabeth Linley (Mrs. Sheridan), and Georgians Duchess of Devonshire.
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