Christian Iconography. By the late Adolphe Napoleon Didron. Translated by
E. T. Millington, and completed by Margaret Stokes. 2 vols. (Bell and Sons.)—This elaborate work, which, left unfinished by its author, owes very much to the completing hand of Mies Stokes, is one which it is quite impossible to notice adequately in these columns. About a third of the first volume is devoted to the treat- ment of the " nimbus " and the "aureole" (the " nimbus " is the brightness circling the head, the " aureole " is the " nimbus " of the whole body). It is worthy of note that the Eastern conception of the " nimbus " associated it with power either good or evil, the Western with sanctity only. The second part treats of the icono- graphy of the Divine Persons, treated first separately, then together as constituting the Trinity. The iconography of angels, good and evil, follows ; and something, though not much, ie added relating to the saints of the Old Testament and the New. In respect of these, a large field yet remains to be occupied. It is in this latter part of the work that Miss Stokes's elaboration becomes especially important ; in fact, of a part which may be roughly described as two- thirds of the second volume, she is the principal author. The illus- trations are curious and interesting, and the whole work is a remarkable addition to the history of religion. Messrs. Bell have done well in publishing it in an easily accessible form ; but it is worthy of a more splendid and sumptuous shape.
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