Shakespeare's Garden. By Sidney Beisly. (Longman and Co.)—A moat unjustifiable
publication, which will nevertheless be welcome to a certain class of readers. The introduction has absolutely nothing to do with the subject of the essay, and contains no information about the early editions of Shakespeare which is not to be found in the preface to any good copy of his writings. And the first chapter which, under the pretence of collecting the passages in which plants and flowers are noticed generally, sets out a long extract in which the friar speaks of the roses in Juliet's cheeks; and another from "Hamlet," act i., se. 5, because the word hebenon occurs in it, is merely trivial. When, how- ever, the author collects the flowers mentioned in each play, gives us their botanical names, and by means of extracts from the medieval writers shows us the notions prevalent in Shakespeare's time as to their powers and virtues, he puts into a very readable form a good deal of a curious kind of learning, in which many people take more interest than its intrinsic importance entitles it to.
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