To aim at conveying a complete notion of what this Annual contains, assuming the reader to have no personal acquintance with it, would be the most hopeless of tasks. That the girls and young women of to-day are expected to know something of everything and everything of something is pretty well understood by most people, and rather too much so by parents. But since they must be crammed by books of knowledge, it becomes a sheer necessity, a charity, to let them feast on lighter mental food by way of dessert, to keep their heads from becoming befogged by ponderous booklore in all the ologies. This is the third annual volume of by far the best paper for girls that has been produced here or elsewhere. The conductors have hit the golden mean between dulness and frivolity. The indispensable story is here in full force, of course; but the severest Puritan will find no cause to grudge his daughters the pleasure they will get from these not only harmless but positively elevating tales. Little essays, always crisp and genial, suit the odd moments in which this be book is sure to picked up during the year, and the whole of the year to come, for its contents are practically inexhaustible, and quite as attractive to every member of the home circle as to the girls. House-work for the little women and fancy work for their fine-lady hours receive the consideration of writers

who know precisely how to tickle their readers into sensible industry as a pastime. Cookery, dress, puzzles, verses, and answers to correspondents form a sort of literary lucky-bag, into which nobo ly can dip without bringing up some sort of a Then there are pieces of prize, big or little. original music, and prize essays, and any number of pictures, including several good chromo plates, which are a silent education in themselves. illustrations, most of these have high artistic merit, such as the graceful sketch which we here reproduce.

As

The Girl's Own Annual. Illustrated. (Leisure Hour Office, Paternoster Row, E.C.)

The Interpreter's House and what I learnt there. By the Rev. J. E. Arnold. (Religious Tract Society.)-The admirers of Bunyan are legion. The author of this elegantly printed old-style book has so saturated himself with the spirit of the old Puritan writer that to carry on Bunyan's conception of the Interpreter's house is to him a work of ease and delight. This is the end and aim of this little work, and lovers of allegory, especially sacred allegory, and more especially Bunyanesque allegory will dwell with profit upon the author's fancies, whether they altogether approve his temerity or otherwise.

THIS handsome and wonderfully cheap volume, containing, as it does, an immense amount of information, amply illustrated with excellent wood-cuts, forms as suitable a work to present to any intelligent youth as any with which we are acquainted. The fact that it is a translation from the German of Dr. Herman and others, ably performed by I. Minshull, rather enhances its scientific value in our eyes than otherwise. The work consists of two parts, the first treating of the Earth as a Heavenly Body, Water, Waters of the Mainland, The Land, and The Atmosphere. Part two includes the Origin of Organic Life, the physical constructions and conditions of Asia, Africa, America, and Australia, the Organic Life of Europe, and the Organic Life of the Ocean. The work is primarily presented as a guide to the knowledge of natural phenomena. It also appeals to the lover of the picturesque, by upwards of 300 really excellent full-page and smaller illustrations and indeed, to all, as a carefully prepared work of the greatest interest. The descriptions of the physical features of the great continents are exceedingly well written and interesting; and any reader who will take the pleasurable trouble to peruse this book carefully, will find himself led on from page to page with increasing interest, till at last he will be in possession of an amount of information concerning the great gallery of nature, which will stand him in good stead all through his future life. Such a work as this may be trusted to awaken in the youngest a taste for acquiring more knowledge.

Land, Sea, and Sky; or, Wonders of Life and Nature. Illustrated. 8vo, pp. 832. (Ward, Lock, & Co.)

Hallam's Introduction to the Literature of Europe, in the 15, 16 and 17th centuries. New Edition. 8vo. pp. 846. (Ward, Lock, & Co.)-Any criticisms of ours on the merits of Hallam as a historian would be entirely out of place; suffice it to say, that the present one is issued by the enterprising publishers as one of that wonderfully cheap and good series of original and standard works, which they are producing so rapidly, so cheaply, and yet at low prices. The first edition of this standard work was originally published, in four volumes, 8vo., in 1837 and 1839. The author had previously secured for himself a high literary position-at a time, too, when "positions" in the world of letters were more difficult to obtain than they are at present-by his "View of the State of Europe during the Middle Ages," (1818), and his "Constitutional History of England (1827). The work was reprinted from time to time, and on the issue of the fourth edition, the text was carefully revised by the author. In the introductory part of the work Mr. Hallam fully confirmed the solid and substantial reputation which he had earned by his previous works. On its appearance it was at once reviewed in all the leading journals in London, Edinburgh, and by the American historian, W. H. Prescott, in the "North American Review;" and Sydney Smith, and all the literati of that important epoch, hailed the work with enthusiasm. To those who have forgotten, wish to renew, or, for youthful readers who wish to form the acquaintance of one of the greatest English authors of the present century, we heartily commend this handsomely got up new edition of his best work.

One prime element, gracefully acknowledged by the author, was the discriminating but enthusiastic faith of one of its publishers-the late Mr. Low, jr. in the merits of the story. But for his resolute faith in the story, a notable work might and probably would have sunk into the limbo from which genius alone cannot always save its creations. Yet, on the other hand, enterprise alone cannot manufacture a lasting success. Mr. Blackmore's book has that in it which entitles it to the confidence of publisher and purchaser. The elements of success in this case are the purity of the style, the charm of the story, the warm love of nature, and the power of kindling the like enthusiasm in the reader. All the graces of English rusticity seem to centre in the West country. Mr. Blackmore is a believer in Devonshire. Its moors and mountains keep no secret from his inquisitive eyes and ears. Its floral and rocky beauties he would deem it sacrilege to dissect and describe with the scalpel and hammer and jargon of the botaniser and geologist. Nature Devonshire Nature in particular-is to him a magnificent poem, which he reads and interprets for us with the enthusiasm of devotion. In Lorna Doone was set a new model for novel writers. Many who

have essayed to imitate Mr. Blackmore's masterly realisations of natural scenery have succeeded only in pointing the contrast between the real and the sham. Perhaps, in this charm of description lies the first secret of the popularity of this story. But not less fascinating are the photographs of character that brighten every page. The rugged human natures that form the picturesque features of the narrative, have their own grip upon the reader's interest. The entire work well deserves, on literary grounds, the honours it has won by intrinsic merit. It would be affectation to ignore the extrinsic merits which so considerably enhance the qualities of this book. Three artists of rare ability have, as a labour of love, done their best to realize the word pictures of the author in the charming engravings that accompany the text. Nearly fifty large illustrations by F. Armstrong, W. Small, and W. H. J. Boot, have been specially designed, and may be said to illustrate the highest styles of wood-engraving, apart from their beauty as pictures. Besides these, which we do not attempt to particularise, are many vignettes and head and tail-pieces, which are, without exception, gems of their kind.

THIS is the title of a charming book by Dr. Macaulay, the accomplished editor of the Leisure Hour, and other popular publications of the Religious Tract Society. The Sea in all its aspects is here presented to our view, with its ever-varying charms, and wonders, and mysteries, which seem more inexhaustible the more we try to fathom them. The poetry of the sea is among the noblest creations of our literature. Englishmen, with their inherited taste for its breezes, love to read and revel in what master hands depict of its endless beauties. In these pages we have the poetry of the ancients, Hebrew, Greek, Roman, of our own great kinsmen from Elizabethan times, all redolent of the briny waves. To read these glowing lines and be carried away to the cliffs and breakers by the charmingly graphic transcripts from nature, of which we give one above as example, is a recreation of no merely imaginary kind. The author has a bracing style, too; he loves the sea, and his relish in writing of it is contagious to the reader. The second division of this book is given to the Physical Geography of the sea, and here the reader will find a mass of information upon the latest achievements of scientific

*Sea Pictures, Drawn with Pen and Pencil. By James Macaulay, Editor of "The Leisure Hour," &c. Religious Tract Society.)

investigation presented in the way best calculated to give pleasure with profit. Arctic exploration, submarine geography, and the influence of the Gulf Stream on our climate: upon these great subjects we have here extremely valuable instruction, so heightened and lightened by the exquisite wood engravings that illustrate every reference that imbibing more knowledge involves no serious mental effort. Under the heading "The Harvest of the Sea," we gain considerable information, much of it new, and all of it agreeable reading, about fish and fisheries, and can gather from the figures cited some conception of the immense commercial importance of the harvest always being reaped. Then we have a fourth section on the sea in history. This is peculiarly interesting. Of our own maritime exploits and changes in naval architecture we have some fair notion, but it comes as new knowledge to learn all that is here told of the early Phoenicians, and Carthaginians, and hardy Norsemen, and their exploits on the sea. Dr. Macaulay is always instructive, and always entertaining. The admirable adaptation of picture to description and extract is evidence of his complete at-homeness with his subject. It is only barely due to say a good word for those who have produced this book.

THE old-time gloomy Sunday, well remembered by many of us, which was ushered in by the merciless hiding of every scrap of secular literature on Saturday nights, is happily a thing of the past to the majority of children. A brighter tone pervades the Sunday reading of both old and young in these more sensible times, and such magazines as these make Sunday a day of delight to the little ones. As a picture-book alone Sunday is quite an art treasure. Its engravings are without

Sunday: and Chatterbox. (Wells Gardner, Darton, & Co.)

exception admirable both in design and execution, as the specimen above sufficiently shows. No wonder so charming a book is the little one's delight. There is a fine chromograph as frontispiece.

CHATTERBOX.-This is another old favourite. Little folks and big ones alike can find excellent reading and entertainment in these profusely illustrated pages. The coloured pictures are well done, and the engravings just the right sort to please, and not only please, but create true taste for the beautiful in the children. Nothing could be a more welcome Christmas present.