BLESS ME," SAID THE DOCTOR, "WHAT IS THIS?" (From "Davy Deniston.") Ir is a very pleasant task, though a attempting anything very profound in rather responsible one, to bring before our readers such books as can be fairly recommended to their notice. Without the way of criticism, we may yet do good service in directing attention to the pro minent points of various volumes and serial issues which from time to time are offered for public acceptance. of the deepest sympathiser with his fellow-men in every attribute of humanity and every condition of life. But they do not need any elaborate exhibition of the processes by which a text has been formed, an obscurity explained, or a critical principle established. They ask for results." A prolific crop of new books has appeared during the first month of the new year, and signs of active literary life and enterprise are observable daily. Our publishers, Messrs. Lea & Co., are not certainly among the least active of the caterers for the literary table. Among In carrying out his design, Mr. Knight their announcements we perceive a re- has produced a text of Shakspere's plays issue of Captain Mayne Reid's popular founded upon the best authorities; a novels in penny numbers and monthly commentary and glossary to each play; a parts, with illustrations by Harvey, Dal- notice of the various readings of disputed ziel, and other eminent artists; a new passages, and an analytical view of the illustrated edition of "Robinson Crusoe," plot and characters. The publisher has already noticed in the "Friend; " Colonel ably seconded the editor's view. He has "Tucker's Life of Nelson," with portrait of produced the work in beautiful type on the hero, and many excellent engravings; fine toned paper, with a series of new and and, last, but by no means least, a popular graphic illustrations, one of which we are edition of Charles Knight's admirable enabled to transfer to our pages. The "Stratford Shakspere," a work which, hav-"Stratford Shakspere" is, in many imporing already achieved a deserved reputation, tant respects, the best edition of our great is now published in a form at once elegant dramatic poet which has yet appeared; and cheap-in weekly penny numbers, the editions of Dyce, Collier, Singer. sixpenny monthly parts, and five-shilling Halliwell, and smaller men notwithquarterly volumes handsomely bound. standing. The name of Charles Knight is a sufficient guarantee for the bona fides of this capital edition, of Shakspere-an edition which may be emphatically termed the People's Shakspere.. Mr. Knight thus intelligently introduces the work :- Davy's School Lays; or, Deeds Sperk Louder than Words, is a capital book for boys from the prolific press of Messrs. Dean and Son. The story of David Deniston, the youthful hero, shows that a "By The People," using the term with wilful disposition is sure in the end to reference to literature, I understand, bring its possessor into trouble. The chiefly, that vast aggregate of persons who lad is of a roving disposition -runs away have become readers of books during the from school, gets lost, falls into a quarry last quarter of a century. For this great and breaks his leg. When he is taken class, who are sometimes called The back to school, the master at first refuses Million,' books must be provided that to receive him, and is very severe. Bat. will not only economise money but eco- all comes right in the end, for Davy has nomise time. The greater number of learned a lesson he never forgets--rethis host of readers have little leisure to forms, studies, and grows from an idle explore the by-places of criticism. They boy into an industrious man. The book need help for the proper understanding is very prettily illustrated, as may be of a writer who, although the most uni-seen by the engraving we have selected, versal of his time, or of any time, is often where Davy is making his first visit to obscure, has allusions which are not his schoolmaster after his accident. obvious, and employs phrases and words Other books in this series, very suitable that are in some degree obsolete. They as presents for young people of both sexes, need help to unravel the difficulties of a are "Remarkable Men," "Celebrated plot, to penetrate the subtlety of a cha- Women," "Men of Deeds and Daring," racter, to see the principle upon which "Women of the Reformation," the "Four the artist has worked. They need help-P's "-piety, prudence, patience, and perto seize the all-comprehensive spirit of severance; "Six Steps to Honour," and the greatest moral teacher of the world" Ministering Women; their Lives, Perils and Devotion." This last volume is pecially interesting, and well written and lustrate, and enjoys the advantage of Dr. Cumming's editorial supervision. Pilgrim Battles: the Cross and the Crescent. In this well-written book Mr. Edward Farr tells the story of the Crusades in the middle ages, one of the grandest episodes in the world's history. For nearly two hundred years the soldiers of the Cross and the Crescent met in mortal contest on the holy ground of Palestine, with alternate success and defeat, till at last the zeal of Christendom waned and the power of the Mohammedan prevailed. Taking up the story from the first appearance of Peter the Hermit at the gates of Rome, in 1095, Mr. Farr gives a brief but satisfactory account of all the chivalric deeds which characterised the holy war, to the withdrawal from Syria of the Christian soldiery at the end of the thirteenth century. The author also gives a good account of the origin of Mohammedanism in Europe and the doings of the Moors in Spain: together with an interesting description of the martyrdom of Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, who was torn to pieces by lions in the Colosseum at Rome, by sentence of the Emperor Trajan, early in the second century of the Christian era. The book is bound in a novel and attractive manner, and is altogether a favourable specimen of Messrs. Dean's publications. Try and Try Again.-This most interesting and successful book has already received the stamp of public approval, and now appears in a new and improved edition, with elegant type, on good paper, and imbellished with various wood engravings and a photographic frontispiece. It is hardly necessary to inform the readers that "Try and Try Again" is an outline of the lives of two youths who from very humble beginnings rose to become clergymen of the Church of England. The main points of the narrative are strictly true; and in the manner of telling the story, "Old Jonathan," the author, insists on the virtue of "trying," and illustrates the value of the principles he advocates in a great variety of ways. The book is not only an excellent book for boys and girls, but it is also a book that may be perused with profit by readers of all ages and conditions. It is published by Mr. W. Macintosh, of Paternoster-row, and we are happy to know that it enjoys a considerable share of public favour. Little Blue Hood.-In this charming story-published by Messrs. Low, Son, and Marston-our old friend Thomas Miller, the author of a vast number of popular books, has gained for himself a new reputation. We are not going to detail the plot of "Little Blue Hood further than to say that it is the story of a sweet little girl, and that her portrait, in the delightfullest of costumes-blue hood and blush pink and white frockforms the frontispiece. The City Diary and Almanack, for 1864 (Collingridge, Aldersgate street), is a most useful, compact, and instructive shilling's-worth. In addition to the usual almanack matter, it contains a vast quantity of information on subjects connected with the city; besides having a number of ruled diary pages interleaved with blotting paper-the whole neatly and strongly bound. STRANGE-VERY! "DOMESTIC life would never do My thoughts, all dove-like, hover; I'm partial now to trips by rail- Whenever I think of her! Then, as to outward charms," Ned sees Full many far above her; And still my thoughts, like many a dove, I'm sure I love her, though, by Jove! CARACRACKS HAIL to thy returning festival, old embarrassments not his own. It is scarcely Bishop Valentine! Great is thy name credible to what an extent this ephemeral in the rubric, thou venerable Arch-flamen of Hymen! Immortal Go-between! who and what manner of person art thou? Art thou but a name, typifying the restless principle which impels poor humans to seek perfection in union? or wert thou indeed a mortal prelate, with thy tippet and thy rochet, thy apron on, and decent lawn sleeves? Mysterious personage! like unto thee, assuredly, there is no other mitred father in the calendar; not Jerome, nor Ambrose, nor Cyril; nor the consigner of undipt infants to eternal torments, Austin, whom all mothers hate; nor he who hated all mothers, Origen; nor Bishop Bull, nor Archbishop Parker, nor Whitgift. Thou comest attended with thousands and ten thousands of little Loves, and the air is Brushed with the hiss of rustling wings. Singing cupids are thy choristers and thy precentors; and instead of the crozier, the mystical arrow is borne before thee. In other words, this is the day on which those charming little missives, ycleped Valentines, cross and intercross each other at every street and turning. The weary and almost ubiquitous penny postman sinks beneath a load of delicate courtship is carried on in this loving town, to the great enrichment of porters, and detriment of knockers and bell-wires. In these little visual interpretations no emblem is so common as the heart-that little three-cornered exponent of all our hopes and fears-the bestuck and bleeding heart; it is twisted and tortured into more allegories and affectations than an opera hat. What authority we have in history or mythology for placing the head-quarters of ged Cupid in this anatomical seat rather than in any other is not very clear; but we have got it, and it will serve as well as any other. Else we might easily imagine, upon some other system which might have prevailed for anything which our pathology knows to the contrary, a lover addressing his mistress, in perfect simplicity of feeling, "Madam, my liver and fortune are entirely at your disposal;" or putting a delicate question, Amanda, have you a midriff to bestow?" But custom has settled these things, and awarded the seat of sentiment to the aforesaid triangle, while its less fortunate neighbours wait at animal and anatomical distance. 66 Not many sounds in life- and I include all urban and all rural sounds-exceed in |