Two School Girls, and other Tales. By the Author of "The Wide, Wide World." Routledge. 38. 6d. Eight pretty tales for girls from the writings of the author of "My Brother's Keeper," a lady whose works are equally popular in America and on this side the Atlantic. The narratives are prettily illustrated with coloured engravings. We especially admire the story called the "Prince in Disguise," which belongs rather to what we are accustomed to read in the old fairy tales than to the home literature of America. The other stories present vivid pictures of domestic life in the smaller towns and villages of the United States, and are all interesting and gracefully written.

The Boy Pilgrims, by Anne Bowman, (Routledge, 3s. 6d.), relates to the experiences of a party of lads in the East, we get graphic glimpses of Malta, Egypt, Palmyra, Jerusalem, and the deserts of Arabia. There is an abundance of incident and adventure, with descriptions of the natural features of the countries visited, and the character of the people, especially the wild tribes about. the neighbourhood of Suez. Several spirited sketches, unusually well engraved, accom pany the story.

Original Double Acrostics. Routledge. The "Double Acrostic" is an interesting riddle of recent invention. It requires that two names or words should be spelled by means of the first and last letters of the several words indicated. Various modifications of the double acrostic, or acrostical rebus, appear in this amusing volume. We cannot do better than quote a short specimen, the solution of which is "Whig" and "Tory," leaving our readers to find the words indicated by the figures:

Two parties hold continued feud,

Each jealous of its right,

A petty civil war keep up,
Sometimes a lawless fight.

1. A great musician, there is no dispute.

2. Where our rich wine runs from the purple fruit.
S. A town in Ireland, one of no mean trade.
4. The best philosopher his age displayed.

The solutions to the acrostics in this volume are in no case given. We fancy their readers would have been better pleased had they been added at the end, after the usual manner of riddle-books.

New Charades. Routledge & Sons, 1s. Acting charades and proverbs are now recognised as forming part-and not the least amusing part-of the recreations of the country house. But it is not given to every company of young ladies and gentlemen to invent a charade, therefore clever authors have done well to write plays for home acting, which require very little in the way of dress, decoration, and scenic effect. The author of a "Trap to Catch a Sunbeam" has produced a dozen drawing-room plays, which in construction and interest are quite equal to anything of the kind lately produced. Young people in search of means for home pleasures will do well to purchase his pleasingly-written books.

The Sedan Chair, and Sir Wilfred's Seven Flights, by Madame de Chatelain (Routledge, 3s. 6d.), are interesting tales illus trated by Miss M. E. Edwards in her best manner. The first relates to the troubles, domestic and political, of a family who, in the times of the commonwealth, had fled from England to Holland, because of their attachment to the Stuart cause. The other seven stories are fairy tales supposed to be found in an old muniment chest belonging to the emigrants, which tales are told round a Christmas fire for, the amusement of the younger branches.

The Naughty Girl of the Family (Routledge, 3s. 6d.) is a domestic story of considerable interest by Mrs. Henry Mackarness, author of the well-known tale, A Trap to Catch a Sunbeam," and illustrated with eight sepa rately-printed engravings from drawings by F. W. Lawless. The story relates to the mistakes, sometimes wilful, committed by Carry, "the naughty girl," and the circum stances under which she was brought to believe that obstinacy and bad temper are anything but recommendations to a young lady, no matter how pretty or clever she may be.

Balderscourt: a New Book for Boys. By the Rev. H. C. Adams. Routledge. 38. 6d. Sitting round a winter fire, in an Elizabethan mansion in the West of England, the elders of a kindly and wealthy family fall to telling stories for the benefit of the younger branches. The uncle tells a story about smugglers in the early part of the present century; and then the doctor relates a tale of the reign of Henry the Second; which is followed by a fairy legend by the mother; and so each person in the company in turn relates some thing of his own experiences, or gives, as well as his memory will allow, some narrative of interest or some pleasing anecdote. This plan of making a story-book is not very new: but it serves as sufficient introduction for the stories themselves, which are generally well written. A number of excellently drawn engravings illustrate the principal points of the several tales.

The Lighthouse. By R. M. Ballantyne. (Nisbet, 58.) For the purpose of seeing what sort of fight it is that man is continually waging with the sea, Mr. Ballantyne, by permission of the Commissioners of the Northern Lighthouses, spent a forthnight in the Bell Rock Lighthouse, in the Firth of Forth. This expedient opened to him a series of fresh ideas concerning the sea and sailors; and hence the tale before us, which is full of adventure of a novel character, and well-drawn descriptions of scenes and people rather out of the range of ordinary observation. Eight engravings illustrate the text. One of these, entitled "War Without, and Peace Within," shows us the lighthouse in section, so that at one view we can see inside the structure, where all is peace, com fort, and security; and the outside, where the madly raging waves seem to threaten to tear down the sturdy column, and whirl it to the bottom of the sea.

scarcely be over-estimated; but in these memoirs credit is not accorded alone to those great men, but generously awarded to their coadjutors in the work of conversion and evangelization which they set themselves to do, and in which they were singularly and wonderfully successful. The Bible in India travelled indeed with the sword of the warrior and the ledger of the merchant; but it produced results which the government, ever the last to discover the real worth of the most effective arm in its service, certainly never anticipated, and as certainly never very cordially or sincerely recognised. Each volume is complete in itself; but, read together, the work presents a clear and succinct account of missionary enterprise in the most important of its aspects and centres of usefulness.

Perry's History of the Crusades. 2s. 6d.— One of the grandest and saddest episodes in the world's history is that of the Crusades of the Middle Ages. Though the whole story is familiar to scholars, its details are comparatively unfamiliar to the young, from the want of a popular and easily accessible account of its principal features. In France and Germany the history of these wars has been well told by Michaud and Wilken; and it is on one of these, and more especially the former, that Mr. Perry's book is based. For the Fifth Crusade, Gibbon is the great authority; while the works of De Joinville and Dean Milman have been freely used in the preparation of the account of the later wars. For two centuries-1093 to 1292-the soldiers of the Cross and Crescent met in mortal feud on the plains of Palestine; and out of those wars has come a story in many respects as strange and absorbing as a romance. Many a lad who has gazed and wondered at the cross-legged effigies of Crusaders in the chancels of our cathedrals and older churches, will here find a narrative that will lead him to consult larger and more important histories.

The Animal Creation, by Thomas Rymer Jones, F.R.S. (78. 6d.), is a popular introduction to zoology, which, besides being written in such terms as young students can easily comprehend, is illustrated by nearly five hundred exceedingly beautiful woodcuts of the several objects described. The chapter on conchology is especially graphic and complete, as also is that devoted to the zoophytes, a sort of animal of which our information is by no means full or perfect, notwithstanding the researches of recent inquirers. Boys who feel inclined to study sea-weeds and the common things of the sea-shore," will find more information in this book than in many devoted especially to the aquarium; while for others, who think a visit to the Zoological Gardens one of the grand treats of the holidays, the chapters on mammalia, reptiles, and birds, will provide an incredible amount of amusing and scientific information.

Birds' Nests. 48. 6d. All boys are fond of birds'-nesting; some from pure love of

mischief, some from a desire to make a collection of eggs, some few perhaps from a wish to know something of the natural history of birds. To boys with a taste for inquiry into the nature and character of birds and their nests and eggs, this book will be very useful, for it contains not only a clear description of various birds and their nests, but pictures of the eggs of more than a hundred feathered inhabitants of our woods and fields, all of their true size and coloured after nature. The information concerning the birds and their habits is conveyed through the medium of a pretty domestic story; and much conversation between a father and his natural history loving son.

Rob Nixon. 18. 6d.-Mr. Kingston has made for himself a name as a teller of stories for boys; and this story is not a whit inferior to its predecessors. The description of life among the Indians, the account of the methods whereby wild animals are trapped in the rolling prairies of the far West; the success which attended Rob Nixon in his humble unpretending mission among the red-skins, and his happy escape from many dangers, all go to make up a highly interesting narrative.

Gilpins and their Fortunes. 1s. 6d.-Australia is the scene in which the incidents of this story occur; and very vivid are some of the descriptions of bush life and wild adventure which the Gilpins are made to encounter. But all comes right in the end, for in all that the settlers undertook they prospered; and, better than that, from careless rovers they became not only good citizens of the world, but devoted soldiers of the Cross.

Philip Mason. In this pretty story Mr. Kingston takes his young readers with him to the land of the Kafirs, and tells them much that is curious of the life and manners of the native tribes of South Africa. How the missionary and his family strove to spread among the benighted heathen the glad tidings of salvation, and how they laboured on through danger and discouragement; and how, at last, they had the satisfaction of feeling that their labour had not been altogether vain, are well told in this little book.

Jane Wright.-Jane Wright is a careless young servant girl, who, through temptation and discouragement, learns the important truth that only by humbly striving to do her duty, and by reliance upon religion, can she or others hope to attain the regard of friends or a honourable position in life. Young readers are warned not to fancy that Jane is only a girl in a book," and that "they cannot be good as she was. The same help is offered to all, the same encouragement may be theirs, and if they, like Jane, seek grace from the only fountain, it will assuredly be given."

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Harry and Phil. 18.-Harry and Phil are two good little fellows who are early made acquainted with the miseries of poverty. They are assailed with temptations, and suspected of dishonesty, but eventually the happiness

of both is assured, for the one is taken from a world of trouble and anxiety, and the other is taught that in patience and prayer are to be found the true anodynes of life.

Modesty and Conceit. 18. 6d. Prettily told, this little story shows how modesty wins regard and conceit makes enemies, for all who possess either the one quality or the other. The scene is laid in a village, and among its simple inhabitants the several incidents take place which carry forward the story to a pleasant end.

Rome and its Ruins. 2s. 6d.-A capital account of the present aspect of the Eternal City, with such references to its past history as are necessary to a good understanding of the reasons for its decadence. A map and several engravings of the notable buildings in pagan, papal, and modern Rome, add value to this epitome. The author, Mr. Wm. Forsyth, Q.C., is favourably known by his "Life of Cicero," and a learned History of "Trial by Jury.'

The Trial of Obedience is a pretty story for children, showing how happiness is the sure result of right-doing, while misery as certainly attends a departure from rectitude. Several engravings illustrate the tale.

The Useful Little Girl.-Holidays in the country, spring flowers, birds and sunshine -these are the surroundings of a story which shows how bad temper and carelessness, mischief and ungracious manners, may be amended by the influence of a patient and cheerful attention to the duties of life, and a steady reliance upon higher aid than that derived from ordinary considerations of expediency. Various incidents are introduced to make this understood, and it is only after having gone through trial and temptation that the goodness of the "useful little girl is rendered apparent.

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Stories on the Commandments. 28.-Each of the Ten Commandments is made the text of an appropriate story, delicately told. A story illustrative of the seventh commandment is exceedingly touching; but all the tales are not of a particularly grave character; in one of them, indeed, we have a capital description of a cricket match; and in another a well-written account of the loss of a new half crown: these will amuse while they warn the young readers for whose edification they have been written.

Ida. 1s. 6d. Boys and girls will find in this little story much to remind them of their own experiences; and much also that will teach them that the sunshine of life is derived rather from consciousness of welldoing and perseverance in rectitude and religion than from any circumstances that surround their life itself. Forbearance and kindness are the talismans of happiness, and so, says the author, the humblest may "take comfort from doing good, hoping for nothing again, and scatter precious seed-which shall, by God's grace, spring up and bear fruit in the most hard and sterile soil."

Rachel's Marriage. 1s. 6d.—A pretty little story, showing how Rachel, a servant in a

respectable family, captivated by the words and looks of a scapegrace young gamekeeper, makes an imprudent marriage with him, and, of course, has to repent it. The story contains a graphic picture of village life and manners, with a moral easy to read, but not too obstrusively put forward.

Schoolmaster's Warning. 18. 6d. The lads at the Woodgate school, like most lads, were fond of having their own way, in spite of the advice they received and the example which was set them. But the time came when some saw the errors of their ways and amended, while others went on badly and got into trouble. We need not say how these results were brought about; for those who begin the story will discover that without our assistance. But the story is, we may say, very interesting.

Hubert's Crusade. What was the "Crusade" which Hubert made? We leave young readers to find an answer for themselves, merely stating that it was not the Holy Land, and that the enemies against whom he fought are to be found in almost every home. But he conquered | and rejoiced in his victory, and every boy who reads his story will agree with us that the fight was not without glory, and that the victory was worth the winning.

Stories for Ploughboys. 1s. 6d.-Nine stories for boys about boys are here gathered together all interesting and all written with "a purpose," which may be found in the opening paragraphs of the volume-"There is no one in the world so poor or insignificant, but can and does exercise some influence either for good or evil on his fellow-beings. How carefully, then, ought we to weigh every word and action, lest by any means our example may lead another astray.'

Winifred Leigh. 1s. 6d.-Winifred's story is that of many a pretty girl in both town and country. Her life is one of unsatisfied longings, vanity, selfishness, and pride: she seeks for pleasure in mere amusement, and finds all dull and vapid after the excitement of the hour has passed away. She goes through the states of mind usual to romantic young ladies, and at last does that which all young ladies do not-leaves off dreaming and acts out her part in the world with earnestness and zeal.

Battle Worth Fighting. 28.-The four tales contained in this volume are written in good taste; and though intended for children, are not childish. Writers of books for the young often fall into the mistake of making their stories namby-pamby. Never was error so fatal, for children are the keenest of critics. and quickly discover the weak points of their books. The "Battle Worth Fighting" is a battle in which we must all engage at some or other time of our life, for it is a contest with self. The other stories are "Lena's Offering," the "Quiet Witness," and "Thorns in the Way:" all of them stories written well, and worth reading.

Carpenter's Family. 28-Temptation, right and wrong, gossip, change, suspense, trou