CURRENT LITERATURE.
CHRISTMAS BOOKS, ETC.
Picturesque Europe. With Illustrations on Steel and Wood. (Cassell and Co.)—This really great work continues, in its successive issues, to anaintain its character. We see no signs of the f.11ing-off which so often marks the progress of serials. We should rather say, on the contrary, that it improves. We know nothing of the kind which shows such consistently high quality, and which is so free from the scamped work- manship which it is so difficult to keep out of undertakings of this kind. Of the twelve subjects, two are from France, " Normandy and Brittany " and " The Forest of Fontainebleau ;" three from Italy, " The Italian Lakes," "Venice," and "Rome," while "The Cornice Road" belongs to both. Switzerland furnishes two, "The Passes of the Rhine " and " The Bernose Oberland ;" the Rhine two, the Pyrenees one, and Spain one. On the whole, if we are to express a preference, we think that " Venice " is the best. Tho illustrations seem to have a special interest about them, and it has been possible to deal with the subject, not exhaustively, indeed, for that would require a volume, but with some general completeness. The illustra- tions on steel number thirteen. Excellent as they are of their kind, some of the best illustrations on wood will probably please more tastes. As for delicacy of work, such engravings as that of "The Devil's Bridge, near the St. Gothard Road," " The Grimsel Hospice," " The Horses of St. Mark," to name a few out of many, leave nothing to be desired. The letterpress is not a mere accompaniment to the illustra- tions, but has a distinct value of its own. Of the articles, Mr. T. G. Bonney contributes four, Mr. Godfrey C. Turner two, Mr. R. J. King and Mr. A. Griffiths two each, and Mr. T. W. Hinchcliff and Mr. Oscar Browning one each. — Switzerland: its Mountains and Valleys, Described by Woldemar Baden. With 418 illustrations. (Bickers and Son.)—This very handsome volume succeeds, if we remember right, one that dealt with the subject of the Rhine last year. It has the advantage over that which we have noticed above of more unity and com- pleteness. It also attracts by the special attention which the writer and the artists who illustrate him give to the human element in the country which they seek to bring before the eyes. Some of tho most charac- teristic and interesting sketches are of this class. We may mention "The Guide from the Engadines " and "The Old Woman from Appen- zell," as specimens of what we mean. Both are very vigorous sketches. When the illustrations number more than four hundred, it is too much to expect uniform excellence. There are few, if any, however, that are unworthy of their place ; and some, though the frontispiece is scarcely one of them, are quite admirable. Herr Ration's " description " is eminently readable. Altogether, this is a work which, though it has more highly finished rivals, cannot be easily surpassed for the general pleasure it will give to the reader.—Caledonia. Described by Scott, Burns, and Ramsay, with Illustrations by John MacWhirter (Nimmo),
contains between thirty and forty illustrations of scenes described or mentioned in the three poets. Of Scott's poems, "The Lady of the Lake " and "Tho Lord of the Isles" naturally furnish the most important subjects. Of the latter certainly more might have been made. The representation of " Coriskin " is scarcely equal to the occasion ; and " The Voyage," which is one of the most graphic pictures in Scott's poetry, is but scantily represented by Staffa and Iona (which are described in a digression) and Loch Ranza. Burns does not give so much scope for characteristic illustration. Tho brook in " Hal- lowe'en " might belong to many counties besides Ayrshire. "The Brigs of Ayr" have nothing peculiar to themselves ; nor would it be easy to recognise Loch Turrit in the little drawing on p. 175. The book is prettily got up, and the illustrations, allowance made for what has been said, are good.—Pleasant Spots Around Oxford. By Alfred Rinsmer. (Cassell and Co.)—This is a delightful volume, which will revive many pleasant memories in those who have known— we are afraid that their number is not as great as it should be— what charming places there are within reach of Oxford, and will teach others to find them out. There is a common prejudice against the country surrounding Oxford, derived probably from the somewhat dismal aspect which is presented by one or two of the roads by which it is approached. And it may be granted that were we to take away from it all that has been done by the hand of man, all that has been builded and planted, not much would be left. This, however, would be a very severe test, and would be fatal to many landscapes. Taken as it stands, the country is full of interest, abounds in picturesque nooks, and affords opportunities for as many excursions as does any place in England. Of these, more would he known if the attractions and amusements of the place were not so various. Still, there must always bo a large minority who do not care about racquets, boating, or football, and these should read Mr. Rimmer's hook. When it has had its duo welcome as a Christmas book, why should it not appear as a handbook ? If the charming pictures could not bo reproduced in their entirety, there would bo still the letterpress, always entertaining, and sometimes instructive.—We have also to mention a new edition of the Beauties of Shakespeare, by the Rev. William Dodd, LL.D. With one hundred and twenty illus- trations, by Sir John Gilbert, ILA., Birket Foster, and others. (Rout- ledge.)—We have also the annual volume of Little Wide-Awake, by Mrs. Salo-Barker ; and a companion volume of Little abide-Awake Pictures (some of these are really excellent), described by Mrs. Sale- Barker. (Routledge.) Tle Child's Delight : a Picture-book for Little Children, by Jeanie Herring (Mrs. Adams Acton), attracts us by the genuine originality of its illustrations. Those are not the stereotyped things that we have seen over and over again, but have some real life and freshness about them. These three books are published by Messrs. Routledge, as is also the Child's Picture Scrap-book, which combines the useful with the sweet, by giving its young readers Natural-History pictures, by way of a serious preface to illustrations of the old familiar fairy-tales. Here, among the drawings, we should select as decidedly the beet those that picture the alphabet. Most of the others wo soom to know by heart, but these have a quite fresh and unconventional look. This artist has the trick of making a pretty face with half-a-dozon scratches. —The Curious Adventures of a F ield Cricket. By Dr. Ernest Candeze. Translated by N. D'Anvers. With illustrations by C. Renard. (Samp- son Low and Co.)—It is quite surprising to find the amount of interest which Dr. Candhze contrives to excite in the fortunes of his little hero. One positively follows him through the dangers of his course as if he were a creature of ono's own kind. This is so marked a feature in the Look—such histories being commonly didactic, rather than entertaining —that there is a danger of forgetting the familiarity with his subject which the writer displays. This has in reality much to do with the singular success of the narrative. It is only one who is absolutely at home that can write so easily. But Dr. Candeze evidently knows all about field-crickets, and spiders, and moles and ants. It is with this latter race that the most interesting adventures of the hero take place, if, indeed, any distinction can fairly be made ; nor can Dr. Candeze, when he describes how one tribe of ants felt it due to the national honour to make war upon another, refrain from a little satire, of which it is not difficult to see tho application. For the most part, ho writes in a quiet, simple-minded way, for the delight and instruction of young readers. Miss D'Anvers'a translation does justice to the merits of the book, as do the illustrations of M. Renard, which deal cleverly and tastefully with a difficult subject.— With Axe and Rifle; or, the Western Pioneers, by W. H. G. Kingston (Sampson Low and Co.), transports us to the Far West of America, as it was in days gone by, when there wore slave-hunters as well as Indians to bo reckoned with. Tho story is as interesting as Mr. Kingston always contrives to make his narratives. Young readers will follow the hero through the perils of field and flood, and rejoice in the success which rewards his steadfastness and courage.—In the Track of the Troops ; a Tale of Modern War. By R. M. Ballantyne. (Nisbet.)—Mr. Ballantyne sets himself with commendable alacrity to supply the probable demands of the time. He has got up the subject of torpe- does. He has even, as we learn from his preface, spent some days on board a man-of-war, in order to become acquainted with it. And certainly he contrives to set it forth in a very lucid and interesting
way. The chief part of his book, however, more directly answers to the description of the title. Mr. Childers, the hero, his much- enduring
servant Lancey (whose fortitude, under the trying experiments of his master, is very humorously described), and his future brother-in- law, the Russian officer, Nicholas Naranovitsch, contrive between them to see a good deal of the campaign in Bulgaria, Lancey being taken prisoner by the Turks, and Childers acting as a surgeon with the Russian army. Some of the horrors might, we think, have been spared ; we do not mean so much the ordinary horrors of war, which should never be allowed to be forgotten, as they are apt to be, amidst the excitement I of military history, but the special horrors of this particular time. Let these bo stated at the proper occasion, and not hushed up, to snit the interests of partisans or the susceptibilities of those who do not care that such things should happen, but do not wish to know about them ; but a Christmas book is not a proper occasion. Master Jack ought to know what he really means when he sighs for a redcoat and a sword, but he need not be told about the wickedness of Turkish Irregulars.
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