CURRENT LITERATURE.
GIFT-BOOKS.
The Boy's Own Annual. (56 Paternoster Row.)—The long serial stories of this volume, contributed as they are by such well-known writers as Mr. Hent,y, Dr. Gordon Stables, Mr. David Ker among others, we have commonly other opportunities of noticing. It will suffice to say at present that it is as well furnished with them as usual. We are inclined to attach at least as much value to the miscellaneous contents. Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci is a compliment which has been often paid, we do not doubt, to the periodical before, but it will not be unwelcome again. The "Interviews" are, of course, a prominent feature; and as the editor's views of "people worth knowing" are sufficiently broad, we have found them of wide and varied interest. Then there are articles on serious things and on sport, hints for collectors of all kinds of natural objects, curios, &c. We found the " Virgilian Oracle" a very amusing paper. The Macaulay parody," Kalendoe Apriles," is sufficiently clever. There are some useful and well- informed articles on fishing. One of the best kinds—chub-fishing in winter—might well have had a more particular description. Given favourable circumstances —and it must be confessed that they do not often come in complete combination—there are few things better. We can repeat with no less emphasis than before our hearty appreciation of The Boy's Own Annual.—With this we will also mention, according to custom, the sister publication, The Girl's Own Annual (same publishers). This magazine always seems to us to make a successful combination of the old and the new. What an accomplished creature ; how clever in art and letters on the one hand, in dressing, cooking, nursing, on the other, the girl would be who should take in all the counsels of these very well-filled pages ! We notice among the practical papers one on "Book-binding." This deals, and very properly, with the process as it is carried out in regular establishments; but some plain directions for the rough binding of papers, pamphlets, &c., such as any one might execute, would be useful. Among the literary papers we see one especially good by Mr. Frederick Langbridge on "Literary Infanticide." Young readers cannot have better nourishment for the mind than such wise criticisms as this.
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