AN AMERICAN CHRISTMAS BOOK. Snow Bound. A Winter Idyl. By John Greenleaf Whittier. (Boston, U.S.; Ticknor and Fields). -Having achieved a deserved success in New │England, and indeed throughout the whole of the United States, Mr. Whittier's charming Idyl now appears in all the glories of beautiful printing, admirable paper, wonderfully minute and graphic illustrations, and appropriate binding--the best specimen Gift-book produced in America; we had almost said the best book of its kind which has passed through our hands during the present season. The theme of the Idyl is probably familiar to many of our readers. A family in an American forest, snow-bound in their wooden house, and whiling away the time till a thaw shall give them liberty to visit their next-door neighbours, half a dozen miles or so away; their various occupations; the digging themselves a passage to the barn; the freeing of the prisoned animals; the games and stories by the roaring fire that makes a summer within, while all is frost and snow, and dreary waste without; the day dreams of the narrator; the homely duties of the other members of the household; the gradual breaking-up of the snow, and the return of the glorious sunshine, all this, and much more, in flowing verse, that speaks of the liberty that loves the fields, and mountains, and valleys of a land but yet only half-won from the primeval wilderness. The specialty in the production of this volume will, however, be found in its illustrations, which have been engraved on wood by Messrs. A. V. S. Anthony and W. J. Linton, from drawings by Mr. Harry Fenn, who visited the scene of the poem, in order to thoroughly realize its local colouring and peculiar character. Nothing in the way of wood engraving can be more truthful than the rendering of the pines and other forest trees in some of these pictures, which in their accuracy of detail, breadth of perspective, delicacy of tint, and thorough finish, present a contrast by no means flattering to the wretched black and white pen-and-ink drawings and rough, ungainly engravings with which many of our best English show-books are illustrated. A portrait of the author appears in the title-page to this volume, which is an excellent specimen of printing, executed by Messrs. Welch, Bigelow, and Co., of the Cambridge University Press a press of which Boston men may well feel proud, for there is none superior to it in all the States--and we suspect but few in this country. 照飯 a Mr. Sprouts, his Opinions (Hotten) is a rereprint of the articles by Mr. Richard Whiteing in the Morning Star. The idea attempted to be conveyed in these chapters is not new, nor is it very well carried out. Mr. Sprouts, having heard that a gentleman has passed himself off as "casual" pauper, thinks that he, a costermonger, might disguise himself as a gentleman, and go into society, and see for himself how the upper ten thousand behaved. He visits grand houses in Belgravia, Saturday concerts, Mansion House banquets, Parisian fêtes, the Houses of Parliament, political meetings, and whitebait dinners. His opinions" of these, and other resorts of wealth and fashion, and of the persons frequenting them, are given in the most vulgar tongue" in the most atrocious spelling. Indeed, in this, and in some of the "Artemus Ward" class of books, the wit consists mainly in bad spelling-phawks for forks, for instance, and kumfortabl for comfortable, and 80 on. Mr. Whiteing, as a man of some culture, might have known that unlettered people do not in their writing usually substitute the Greek ph for j, nor put in place of c. Though Mr. Sprouts is sometimes rather amusing, his wit has not the same spicy flavour as that of the American on whom he has founded his style. Told in the Twilight; or, Short Stories for Long Evenings. By Sidney Daryl. (Jackson, Walford, and Hodder.)-Several of these pretty little stories for children have already made a public appearance in the pages of "Aunt Judy's Magazine and 66 Merry and Wise." Young readers will, however, welcome "Joey the Tumbler, "Cousin Fanny, 66 and Little Johnny, " in their new and handsome dress, more warmly now than if they were complete strangers. Mr. Daryl has the faculty of writing attractively and picturesquely; and his stories have the recommendation of not being either dreary or unlikely. Little Johnny, with his crooked back and crutch reminds us of Dickens's Tiny Tim;" and Joey the Tumbler, of Gardner's Court, Bermondsey, is a thorough little gentleman, though he is only a "super" in a Whitechapel pantomime, and his father a returned convict, afraid of the police. Sterne's Sentimental Journey through France and Italy; to which is added Yorick's History of a Good Warm Coat and a selection of his Letters to his Wife and other persons, is issued by Mr. Tegg in a neat duodecimo, with a memoir, appropriate frontispiece, and engravings. The Tale of a Tub, written for the Universal Improvement of Mankind, by Jonathan Swift, Dean of St. Patrick (Tegg), appears in a cheap form, with a memoir, the Author's Apology, and explanatory notes by Wotton and others. To this is added Swift's Battle of Books, both treatises cleverly illustrated with engravings by Swain. The works of Swift and Sterne will always retain their position among the English classics, and every new edition of them may be looked on as a certain, though moderate, success. School-days at Saxonhurst. (Edinburgh: A. and C. Black.)- "One of the boys" tells us,— in trae schoolboy fashion, full of life, with here and there a slight-the slightest-touch of pathos. of which he seems more than half-ashamed-of the sayings and doings at " Saxonhurst," which was no common pedagoguish, birching, parlourboarder place, but a sort of college, with a dozen masters and accommodation for two hundred boys. To boys who have been to Marlborough or Rossall, this recital of the romps, games, mischiefs, barrings-out, and fights-with one sad episode of an expulsion, of course of the wrong boy-will seem familiar enough; to others, who have not matriculated in public schools, these stories of school-life will possess all the charm of novelty; while all will take interest in the events of a stirring narrative, told well enough to pass for truth, illustrated with characteristic sketches by the juvenescent pencil of Phiz. Culjo's Cave and the Three Scouts (Ward Lock, and Tyler) are two stories of the American Civil War, one being a continuation of the other, and both apparently of transatlantic origin. Carl, a young Dutch boy, and his friend Pomp, a negro, go through such a number of strange adventures, are engaged in so many startling incidents, and take part in such remarkable escapades and fiery encounters, as must recommend them to all hero-loving boys; for, more outrageous young dare-devil than Carl-albeit on the right side of the contest, according to Unionist views-it is scarcely possible to imagine a young gentleman who to a noble independence of the peculiarities of the English language adds a familiarity with warlike weapons that is, to say the least of it, prodigious! The Treasures of the Earth (Warne) is a popu lar account of mines, minerals, and metals, with anecdotes of men who have been connected with their discovery and adaptation to the wants of mankind in all parts of the world, by William Jones, F.S.A. The subject is interesting from every point of view; and, next to the actual possession of gold, silver, and precious stones, perhaps an account of how they are dug from the bowels of the earth and prepared for commerce is of the greatest importance to inquiring minds. In the several chapters of this volume we are initiated into the mysteries of gold finding, with a passing reference to the alchemists and the Then we learn all about philosopher's stone. silver, iron, copper, lead, coal, salt, &c.; with numerous interesting episodes in the lives of Stephenson, Trevethick, Fairbairn, Humboldt, and others, and various quaint stories concerning less well-known men, and curious revelations as to the manners and customs of miners, ancient and modern; the employment of the diviningrod in the discovery of metallic deposits; the modes in which lead, tin, copper, zinc, &c., are brought into a marketable condition; the dangers the of fire-damp and choke-damp in coal-mines; uses of the safety lamp; the method of prospecting and gold-washing in Australia, and anecdotes concerning the dangers incident to mining of all kinds, and the indomitable perseverance which has overcome apparently insurmountable difficulties-making up a volume which, to lads at least, is certainly as entertaining as a novel, especially as the several chapters are illustrated in a graphic and pleasing manner. Popular Readings in Prose and Verse, Vols. MESSRS. WARNE'S MINOR PUBLICATIONS. 46 'Hans in Luck "--the simple swain who changes his bag of money for a horse, his horse for a cow, his cow for a pig, his pig for a goose, his goose for a grindstone, which he is glad enough at last to drop into the river; the story of the Wolf and the Seven Little Kids, and scores of other delectable tales. The four following books are uniform in size, price, and general appearance; the size is 18mo; they each consist of 128 pages, printed on fine paper; they are bound in bright cloth, Lizzy Johnson; or, Mutual Help.-In th illustrated with tw pretty domestic story capital engravings-girls will learn how m better it is to practise the goodwill that gr out of mutual esteem and helpfulness, th nurse the selfish desires which seem to bas as by nature, to every uncultivated mind. One of the curiosities of the season is th Pilgrim's Progress, with thirty-two colore illustrations, bound in cloth with gilt edges for eighteenpence ! The prettiest Toy-book of the season is, with out exception, the Robin's Christmas Eve-t rature, design, and execution being all equally good. Such of our readers as have young fre will do well to procure copies without delay, † this is really a work of art, pleasing alike to di and young. Messrs. Warne also publish a number pretty books, illuminated texts, reward card &c., intended for the instruction and amass ment of young children. Among these are t Victoria Tales and Stories, consisting of eit packets, sold at a shilling each,-every pack containing from four to forty-eight complex stories, and each story illustrated with gravings by Dalziel and others. These Ett books, in stiff paper covers, printed in b and gold, are intended for Sunday-sch rewards and teachers' presents. younger of For st children there are the Alexand Alphabet, in golden letters and colour packets pictures; hymns, illuminates cartes, bijou texts, the Lord's Prayer, Ten Commandments, and other ornamente books, printed in colours, and sold at sixpe a packet. School teachers know the diffic of providing reward-books altogether free tr sectarian bias; but, so far as we can jus Messrs. Warne have provided a series wi in this respect is entirely unobjectionable. 1 a THE MAGAZINES, The People's Magazine now appears as monthly, with a new editor, who announces his intention to entirely "enlarge its scope, and, while amply providing amusing and instructive literature," to give to the work a "distinctly religious tone, in accordance with the doctrines of the Church of England." Thus we have a sermon by the Bishop of Lincoln, to be followed by one by the Bishop of Rochester; new story, entitled "Contrast; or, the Schoolfellows," which we are told will be "interesting, yet free from low sensationalism;" articles on natural history, papers on sanitary and physiological subjects, scientific notes, poetry, &c.; all of an educational or religious tendency. In future numbers we are promised essays and treatises on Church history, parish organization, co-operative societies, and self-improvement classes, with a series of "Comments on the Book of Common Prayer." In addition to woodcut illustrations, the new number has a chromo-lithograph, after Mr. Millais' picture of "Little Red Riding Hood." A litho graph, in black and white, of Sir Edwin Landseer's well-known "Pet," -a little girl feeding a tame fawn,-forms the other full-page illustration to the number. The substitution of lithography for wood engraving is a noticeable fact; and as Mr. Vincent Brooks is the lithographer, it is unnecessary to say that these pictures-for such, indeed, they may be truly called-are really works of art. The new number of the Contemporary Review contains an article by Mr. Reginald Stuart Poole, which may be regarded as a reply to that in the Quarterly, upon the "Talmud "--a paper which has excited great attention in religious circles. In the same number we have also an article from the pen of Professor Maurice, on the Irish Church Establishment. These, with the other contributions, make a more than usually attractive number of this erudite journal. The City Press informs us that a new penny weekly paper, to be called The Rock, is to be started in January, and that "its leading features will be independence of political party, opposition to Romanism, Rationalism, Ritualism, and 'all false doctrine, heresy, and schism.'" The Chromolithograph, Part I., 2s. 6d., published by Mr. W. J. Day, of Cockspur Street, contains fifteen pictures printed in colours by the lithographic process, and a considerable quantity of interesting and instructive reading on decorative art and cognate subjects,-The French Exposition, the Art of Wood Carving, Hints on Painting in Water Colours, Flower Painting, Figure Drawing, Illumination, &c. ; in addition to an Art Story, Art Gossip, and Literary Notices-altogether, a very novel and acceptable magazine. An ingenious method of mounting the chromo-lithographs has been adopted, whereby injury from folding or rolling them has been avoided, and at the same time affording the amateur a ready means of removing from the paper without inconvenience the particular subject he intends to copy. The Argosy for January contains the third and fourth chapters of Mrs. Henry Wood's interesting and well-written story, "Anne Hereford," illustrated with one of those intensely black and white engravings, which seem fashionable in spite of their ugliness; a pretty poem by Miss Rosetti; an irresistibly comic sketch, called "Shaving the Ponies' Tails ;" and an article by Dr. Doran, on "Old-new Jokes," to which the veteran essayist traces Hibernian witticisms 66 In to the times of Plato, and Scottish "wut " to Hierocles, the Alexandrian philosopher, who lived five centuries before the Christian eraaltogether, the best and most amusing bit of "padding" we have lately read. One example of an old joke revived is very funny. reviewing the Campaigner at Home," the Examiner quoted a passage which its author cited as an example of sad rustic ignorance. A friend of his, a clergyman, meeting a little girl, asked her whose child she was, to which she replied, "A child of wrath ;" and, on being asked where she was born, said simply, that she was born in sin." This grim joke, Dr. Doran informs us, actually appeared in the Examiner itself, forty or fifty years ago, having probably been invented by Leigh Hunt. The Argosy is now edited by Mrs. Henry Wood, which, with her son as proprietor and publisher, has much improved, and seems to have taken a new lease of popularity. Broadway has very discreetly discarded the meretricious wrapper in which it first appeared; it is also better printed, and on better paper, but we think that its contents require to undergo a somewhat similar process before " Broadway becomes a fitting guest for "Fifth Avenue." One valuable paper, stitched in at page 344-— "Practical Suggestions concerning the Selection of a Sewing Machine for Family Use"-does not appear in the list of contents. Beeton's Dictionary of Geography: a Universal Gazetteer, containing in all upwards of Twelve Thousand distinct and complete articles, illustrated by Coloured Maps, Ancient, Modern, and Biblical; with One Thousand engravings of the Capital Cities of the World, English County Towns, the Strong Places of the Earth, Courses of the principal Rivers, and Localities of general interest (Ward, Lock, and Tyler), appears in its first sixpenny part. It is to be completed in twelve monthly parts; and, as far as this first number will allow us to judge, fully bears out the promise of its title-page-the present section having maps of Asia Minor and Abyssinia, and twelve pages of engravings, separately printed on toned paper. The text, in a clear, new type, seems to be carefully and accurately compiled. The Play-Hour (Laurie) is a neat little threepenny monthly, designed for the perusal of the younger branches of the family, containing music, fiction, natural history, and miscellaneous articles of an amusing character. La Mode Illustrée is making the tour of the world-now in the Bazaar in Germany, now in the Bazaar in America, and in this present January in our own London, it takes a new form. The four large fashion plates, with descriptive letterpress, are to be published monthly, at eighteenpence, by Messrs. Asher & Co., under the title of The Toilettes. The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine, for January, has two novelties which will be admired by all ladies -the "Heraldic Arms of the principal States of Europe," with all their gorgeous blazonry, printed by Silberman, of Strasbourg; and a sheet of Comic "Invitation Cards" by the same printer; in addition to the "plates of fashions," sheet of working patterns, and other attractive features Good Words commences the new year with a good programme. The author of "John Halifax, Gentleman," contributes a love story; Alfred Tennyson, a poem, "The Victim;" Dr. Vaughan and the Dean of Canterbury, theological papers; while George Macdonald and Charles Kingsley have each a copy of verses. Mr. Ralstone intro duces us to a new author, the Russian fabulist, Krilof. There are also several other papers; but that which will attract most attention is the commencing article of a series, upon Ecce Homo," by the late Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Gladstone. Mission Life (Rivingtons) has completed its fourth volume. It is full of interest, not only to those who take a religious view of missions, but even to the mere outside reader-the ethnologist or the philologist. But to those who take a lively interest in the spread of Christianity, and especially to English Churchmen, no volume published during the year can be regarded as of greater value. It may be considered a supplement or addenda to the Acts of the Apostles. Mission Life" is published in monthly parts at sixpence, and is well illustrated. The Net (same publishers) is a smaller missionary journal, edited by Miss Anne Mackenzie. The new musical monthlies, Hanover Square and Bond Street, are to be followed, on the 1st of February, by another magazine of like character, called Exeter Hall. It will contain original sacred music, instrumental and vocal, especially adapted for Sunday evening performance in the family circle," and will be Co. Pleasant Hours, published by the National Society, is nicely illustrated; and its literary contents seem admirably adapted to instruct and delight young readers. THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE OWL It was about midnight, in Lady Palmerston's drawing-room, as some gentlemen stole away from the bustle incident to that hour betwee Saturday and Sunday, and remained standing in the recess of a window. Lord Palmerston advanced towards them from the next room. "What are you occupied with so secretly there?" asked he in jest. "We are just considering the possibility of establishing a new paper, to be published occasionally, in which your lordship, and whatever is to be found in this room-love, marriage, and diplomacy-may "What be heartily quizzed," was the answer. next!" rejoined the host. "A conspiracy in my own house? You owls! Would the gentlemen do me the honour to accept me as a contributor? In love I am no longer able to render you much assistance; but I'am said to be skilful in diplomacy. And there stands my private secretary amongst you! What may be your pay?" In ablished by Messrs. Metzler and Grdwicke) for then that window recess the establishment of January contains valuable papers by Professors Williamson, Church, and Ansted on "Freshwater Sponges," the "Food of Plants," and the Hurricane, Tornado, and Typhoon," in addition to various interesting scientific papers, reviews, and memoranda. Under the able direction of Dr. Henry Lawson, the Popular Science Review has taken a high place in the scientific literature of the day, and has become an authority on many questions of interest to naturalists, microscopists, and others.—Hardwicke's Science Gossip, which may be considered as a necessary supplement to the Review, has reached its thirty-seventh number, and contains, as usual, a large quantity of very interesting matter about animals, plants, fossils, lichens, &c., abundantly illustrated. The Sunday-school Teacher, issued by the Sunday School Union, is a magazine expressly designed for the use and recreation of teachers in the Sunday-schools. It contains all the features which distinguished the "Union Magazine," and the " 'Sunday-school Teachers' Magazine," of which it is at once the incorporation and successor. In addition to a variety of essays, poems, educational notes, Biblical teachings, and useful gleanings, it has a quantity of intelligence concerning Sunday-schools and their co-operaters, not to be found in any other publication. Consisting of forty-eight octavo pages, and a page engraving, separately printed on toned paper, the whole enclosed in a neat, coloured wrapper, and sold for twopence, this strikes us as certainly one of the cheapest, and most complete of the religious monthlies. The Victoria Magazine, edited by Miss Emily Faithfull, is also published by her at the Victoria Press, Princes Street, Hanover Square, the name of the Victoria Press being still retained by her inher new office. The magazine, which has reached its tenth volume, has long ceased to be looked upon as a curiosity, and has become the recog nised organ of thinking women, and shows that some at least of the sex are gifted with reason. In many of the articles there is a freshness and a vigour in the manner of treating homely subjects -subjects usually discussed by the sterner sex --so that the reader cannot fail to get new views, although he may not always be convinced of their correctness. the morning, the plan and the distribution of the parts for the first number were ready at the St. James's Club. As the undertaking was only a kind of gentle pastime, and the promoters had no thought of profit, the financial arrangements were soon made, a small newsvendor installed as publisher, and everything ready for a start on the following Wednesday. Among those who contributed to the early nubers were the chief-editor of the Post, Messa Borthwick and Laurence Oliphant, Palmerston's private secretary, the Hon. Evelyn Ashley, a st of Lord Shaftesbury. Lord Houghton, the He Mr. (?) Norton, Odo Russell, the Hon. E. sonby, Max Schlesinger, and others, have been since mentioned; but the secret of it was afterwards kept more carefully, for the paper was a remarkable success. People became confused as to what was truth or fiction, fun or earnest, in its contents; and, as it displayed a very deep insight into all the impending marriages in high life, and the gossip thereto appertaining, it obtained a large sale, inserted expensive advertise ments, and produced for its promoters what they had never dreamed of-a pretty sum of money. What to do with this, was the next question To devote half to charitable objects-the rest to neat dinners at Richmond, Epsom, &c., was the answer, which in the end was finally re solved upon. And certainly the "Owls" have since given many and sumptuous dinners for the benefit of themselves, their friends, and the ladies of their set. And they drove down to the Derby in drags filled with slender champagne bottles and still more slender ladies; and, in fine, the joke was a success. Then Palmer ston died, and the promoters were dispersed; some going to India, some to Canada. However, as the paper had become an agreeable source of wealth, the editor of the Morning Post stuck to it as an institution. But it is no longer what it was at the commencement. The freshness, the unbounded humour have departed. And mos of the sources from which the Owls" once drew their inspiration are dried up or exhausted. Still the success is sufficiently dazzling. The Oel, which will fly again when Parliament meets, even now yields a respectable amount of pocket money.-Owlet. POCKET BOOKS, DIARIES, AND ALMANACKS. The Stationers' Sheet Almanack (Brook and Roberts) is headed by a steel-plate engraving-a view of the Thames at Richmond-and forms a handsome-looking business appendage to a merchant's counting-house. The Northamptonshire Handbook (Taylor, Northampton) and the Border Almanack (Rutherford, Kelso) are excellent specimens of local almanacks; for, in addition to the calendar and suchlike general matter, they contain local directions, and a large quantity of information special to their several districts. Everybody's Year-Book: a Popular Annual for 1868 (Wyman) is one of the most original and interesting miscellanies, containing things worth knowing on cookery, every-day receipts, and a large variety of useful memoranda. The Seaman's Almanack (Brook and Roberts) is, as its name imports, a repertory of informa tion on all nautical subjects, concisely and popularly treated. The Gardener's Year-Book, Almanack, and Directory (Journal of Horticulture Office) edited by Dr. Robert Hogg, contains, in addition to the matter usual in such works, a complete directory of all the principal gardens belonging to noblemen and gentlemen, with the names of their gardeners, the nearest post towns, with some illustrations of new fruits. The Musical Directory (Rudall and Co.) contains a résumé of the music of the year, with a list of the principal published pieces, a directory of instrument makers, vocal and instrumental artists, musical societies, musical events of the year, &c.; in addition to the calendar and other useful memoranda. Punch's Pocket-Book, as usual, overflows with literary and pictorial jokes, with a frontispiece representing the "chairing" of the "person elected by a "free and independent constituency," under the ladies' "Reform Bill"-a fair bit at the slipshod way in which modern Acts of Parliament are worded. How to Use the Barometer (Bemrose, Derby) designed to record, numerically and graphically, the natural phenomena presented by the barometer, thermometer, rain gauge, clouds, winds, &c., is a work that will commend itself to all meterologists. A Christian Remembrancer (Suttaby) is a pocket-book and diary; the divisions for each day being marked by Scripture texts instead of the ordinary ruled lines, produced in the neat and complete style for which this house has long been noted. The Boy's own Pocket-Book (Routledge) contains, besides the usual almanack matter, the rules for Cricket, Football, and other outdoor and indoor amusements. Letts' Diaries appear this year to be published in fewer varieties, and in less elegant forms than usual; but in their place, we have a handy little volume of the British Tariff and Customs' Duties; a Parliamentary Register and Almanack, containing a ready-reckoner, tables of weights and measures, and other information useful to legislators; a Lady's Washing-Book, with the cheques perforated; and lastly, a well-arranged Housekeping-Book, ruled for every day in the year. The Diary marked No. 12 appears, in the only part we have looked into, namely, the postal information, to be rather behind the time,e.g., the postage of a letter to the United States is sixpence, and not a shilling, as stated; while the postage of newspapers should be twopence, instead of a penny, as given; the days when the mails are made up are also incorrectly stated. To the foregoing we may add Letts Office Calendar, nicely got up, and suitable for the counting-house or study. The City Diary (Collingridge) contains a specialty, namely, the large quantity of information relating to the City, its government, officers, &c. Like that admirably-managed newspaper, the City Press, from which office this diary emanates, it steadily keeps in view the one object of usefulness to citizens. Unwin's Indicator has a motto for every day, and is as much in place in the school-room, the study, the nursery, and the hall, as in the counting-house. It has the useful adjunct of a card almanack on either side. The Monthly Tablets, from the same publishers, would, we think, be more useful if larger spaces were allotted to each day's memoranda. FORTHCOMING SALES BY AUCTION. BY MESSRS. DEBENHAM, STORR, AND SONS, January 7 and 8-A large and valuable Collection of Books (unredeemed pledges), consisting of Medical, Chemical, Classical, and Legal Works; Cyclopædias, Dictionaries, Histories, &c. including the Galleries of Rome," a splendid specimen of printing and engraving. 66 BY MESSRS. PUTTICK AND SIMPSON. During January. -A large collection of English and Foreign Books, MSS., &c., including the collection of the late Mr. William Perkins, and an Autograph of Tasso. BY MESSRS. SOTHEBY, WILKINSON, & HODGE. February 10 and following days.-The first portion of the extensive stock of Mr. Henry G. Bohn, consisting of Works on History, Biography, Voyages, Travels, Greek and Latin Classics, with translations, Books of Prints, rare Aldine editions and early printed books, Ancient and Modern Divinity, and many others, both English and Foreign, in all classes of literature. BY MESSRS. SOUTHGATE & Co.. During January -The Fine Art Publications of Messrs. Moore, McQueen, & Co., (Limited), consisting of valuable Engravings, Lithographs, and Chromolithographs. CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the BOOKSELLER. SIR,Will you allow me space to give a hint to the bookbinders who make, and the publishers who issue, cases for binding their publications. In both cases they lose sight of the fact that publications which have been cut and read require cases somewhat smaller in the squares, and narrower at the back than is needed for new volumes issued by the publishers themselves. In the latter case they are never cut edges; in the former they require, as a rule, as much cutting as for leather binding, to cut away the soiled and rough edges; and with good sprinkled and burnished edges, case binding becomes neat and inexpensive. Messrs. Cassell, Petter, and Galpin are almost the only publishers who make the cases adapted for country binding, consequently their publications can be neatly bound after being read. The worst perhaps are, "All the Year Round," "Macmillan's Magazine," "Cornhill," and "Once a Week." The "Leisure Hour" and "Sunday at Home cases are only tolerable. Hoping the publishers will find it practicable to adopt this hint with respect to cases issued for sale, A COUNTRY BINDER. |