THE YOUNG LADY'S BOOK.*
Tills is an Encyclopmdia a fez rose. Of all the elegant introductions to ; the arcana of science, assuredly no path has ever yet been discovered so flowery, so sweetly scented, so crowded with objects that beguile the weariness of the way., and cheat the passenger into making progress, as the Young Lady's Book. Imagine a portly little volume, robed in the richest and most, costly embroidery, crimson silk, and burnished gold, frilled and lined with the most beautiful lace (or at least that which has all the semblance of such), and adorned at every turn and corner with all the lovely little inventions that a fertile fancy can conceive and transfer to wood : then fill this little wonder with all the ologies adapted to the pursuits and circumstances of well-bred females, and you have the Young Lady's Book,-a work which, we do nut hesitate to say, surpasses all the Annuals in its external splendour, and is far superior to them in the character of its object. At the same time that it is itself a medium of general instruction in science, it is an ictital wonder of art. The beauty of the imitation-lace lining has never been equalled; aml the idea is, as far as we know, perfectly 'The Young Lady's Book; a Manual of Elegant Recreations, Exercises, and Pursuits. Loudon, 18:20. Vizetelly and Branston. novel: on opening; the volume no eye can detect the illusion-it is lace-lace of the richest workmanship, a robe of true Valenciennesuntil the touch has undeceived the sense of vision ; when the fingerst cannot succeed in picking it off, then the eye consents to be convicted of error. This power of engraving in such a manner as to imitate embroidery, is again called into use in the body of the volume : in the article dedicated to this subject, the various kinds of work are detailed and exemplified with specimens of a most extraordinary beauty and t. accuracy. At this part of the work all eyes young and old will i? assuredly stop and marvel. It would take too much space to enumerate the contents of the Young Lady's Book: it is right, however, to say that it comprises nu
merous compact and intelligent treatises on Flowers, Botany, Concho
logy, Mineralogy, &c.; and under the heads " The Aviary," "The
Toilet," " The Escrutoire," " Archery," " &c., the young
lady will find an immense fund of pleasingand useful information. The treatises are not long, but they seem clear; and they have the great advantage of being exemplified at every turn with beautiful little wood-cuts. The treatise on Music is distinguished above some others that we have read, by originality and acuteness, as well as by the plainness and intelligibility of many matters which are usually presented in an abstruse and obscure form.
The collection of wood-cuts amounts to several hundreds ; and in general they are among the most successful and admirable efforts of the art that we have ever seen.
The .1--(Eing Lady's Book is not an annual-it is a perennial-the instruction and amusement it conveys are not for one year, but for many :
in short, it is admirably adapted for its object-an agreeable mode of putting a young lady in the way of instruction by means of a handsome present. We ought not to dismiss the volume without pointing out to notice the treatise on the art of female equitation. Young ladies will here find instruction they would in vain look for elsewhere ; and that too accompanied by plates which convey it in a manner not to be misunderstood.
We wish we could conclude our notice, as the Mang Lady's Book does, with a charming little vignette, which would say inure at a glance than we can say in a page. We allude to the little piece of the " Birthday Offerings."
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