26 DECEMBER 1885, Page 22

has been to try to bring before children, clothed in

simple language, the old story so beautifully narrated by Spenser ;" and she has accomplished the task successfully, within the very moderate Com- pass of 140 short pages, which are not strictly limited to the story; without this explanation, the appearance of "The Picnic" among the Spenserian headings has rather a startling effect. The tale is told in prose ; but it is graceful and poetical prose, employing in great part Spenser's own words, and, what is not less valuable, reproducing his images. The illustrations, eleven in number, are very pretty, and appreciably add to its other merits as a gift-book, for which we can recommend it with pleasure.