THE strange and remarkable adventures of the puissant Knight of La Mancha are in this handsome volume illustrated by a hundred illustrations by Mr. Houghton, engraved in the realistic manner, now so popular, by the Brothers Dalziel. One of these illustrations, with the passage to which it refers, we transfer to our columns.

"Two beautiful damsels advanced and threw over Don Quixote's shoulders a large mantle of the finest scarlet, and in an instant all the galleries of the court-yard were crowded with men and women, the domestic household of his grace, crying aloud, Welcome the flower and cream of knights-errant." Then they sprinkled whole bottles of sweet-scented water upon the knight, and also upon the duke and duchess; all which Don Quixote observed with surprise

and enjoys a reputation second to that of no romance ever published. At various times "imitations" and "continuations" of the "Adventures" have been attempted-notably by a writer calling himself "the licentiate Alonzo Fernandez de Avellenda;" a year before the second part, by Cervantes himself, appeared. But the work of the original author lost nothing by this mean anticipa tion; and the inelegant and indecent volume of his rival is now deservedly unread and unknown. The character of the simple Knight and that of his faithful servant Sancho Panza are drawn with such evident truth, and the author has so intermingled his own wit, fancy, and learning in the

and pleasure; being now for the first time thoroughly convinced that he was a true knight, and no imaginary one, since he was treated just like the knightserrant of former tin.es."

The text adopted is that of Charles Jarvis, whose translation from the Spanish of Cervantes is deservedly admired. Various foot-notes explain the meaning of doubtful phrases and old Spanish customs; and the whole forms a delightful addition to the Christmas books for the year. Don Quixote is as popular as ever. It has been translated into all the languages of civilization,

*The Adventures of Don Quixote de la Mancha. Translated from the Spanish of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, by Charles Jarvis. With 100 Illustrations by A. B. Houghton, engraved by the Brothers Dalziel. Warne and Co. 12s. 6d.

story, that we cannot but admire the genius that produced it. Not the least interesting trait in the character of the Don is his simple and unwavering faith in his chivalric mission; but what the Knight wants in knowledge of the world Sancho makes up in shrewdness and affection. They form an exceedingly well-matched pair; and whenever they and the renowned steed Rosinante appear in Mr. Houghton's sketches the reader is provoked to smiles. Numerous artists-especially Gustave Doré and Tony Jobannot have attempted the delineation of the characters in Cervantes' admirable book; and it is satisfactory to find that the illustrator of Messrs. Dalziels' edition is by no means the least successful of the throng.

MONTGOMERY does not take first rank as a poet; but he has left behind him many delicate and thoughtful pieces which will be prized as long as the English language exists; and certainly there is no danger of his being forgotten while this beautiful volume remains upon our drawing-room tables. Born of humble parents, in 1771his father was a poor Moravian minister-in the neighbourhood of the great manufacturing and commercial town of Leeds, the lad Montgomery early manifested a turn for imaginative verse. Turned out of school for idleness, he took to writing for amusement, and made Kirkstall Abbey the subject of one of his most juvenile efforts. He was sent to earn his living as a baker's boy, and

"Edinburgh Review." But this did not deter him, for he afterwards became a critic and leader writer himself, and probably took his revenge in kind upon Jeffrey and his coadjutors. He never married; but, like Cowper, had a host of female admirers, whose criticisms were more favourable, if not more true, than that of the Reviewers. The "Wanderer in Switzerland," which comes first in this volume, was followed by many other poems, among which are "Pelican Island," which contains some vivid sketches of the inhabitants of the woods and glades, and an extraordinary appreciation of natural history; the "Vigil of St. Mark," a pretty rural conceit; the "World before the Flood," a long and very imaginative poem;

disliking the employment chosen for him, incontinently ran away. Then meeting a companion, he determined, like many other lads, to try his fortune in London. But he was not destined to shine in the metropolis; so he settled in Sheffield as a bookseller's clerk, eventually becoming editor and proprietor of a newspaper. After sundry troubles, he produced his most important, and perhaps most beautiful work, the "Wanderer in Switzerland;" a poem which elicited the commendation of Wordsworth, and secured-as was then the usual custom of critics-a severe castigation in the

Poems of James Montgomery. Selected and edited by Robert Aris Willmott. Illustrated with 100 designs by Birket Foster, etc. Warne and Co. 12s. 6d.

"Greenland," a highly-coloured and interesting word-picture of the icy north; at "Voyage Round the World," and various smaller pieces, the best of which have been selected by the editor of the present volume. As to the book itself, we can speak in terms of high praise of the style in which it has been produced. It abounds in engravings from drawings by such practised artists as John Gilbert, Birket Foster, F. R. Pickersgill, G. Duncan, William Harvey, and Harrison Weir; our illustration, from the eloquent pencil of the latter, will convey a notion of the style in which the book is illustrated; and we have only to add that a biographical preface, by the late Mr. Willmott, adds value to the Poems.

"Twas a hard, hard task for that workwoman
To keep body and soul together,
To find a crust for the hunger-fiend,
And a shed from the biting weather.

A moment-ah, true Samaritan,

Thou hast heard of the widow's mite;
Thou hast not a heart that can look unmored
On that doorway, and on that sight!
Then held she forth her transparent palm
With her hard-earned penny fee,
I am poor. How poor, God only knows,
But thou wantest it more than me.'

Mechanically took the starving girl

From the blessed sister-hand

The small copper coin that might match the gold-
Yes, the gold of this Christian land.

For it brought new life to a starving frame,
Though it only purchased a roll;

And it brought a greater blessing than that,
New hope to a starving soul.

Her white lips moved, but never a word,

Never a word spoke she:

Oh, woman, as thou to thy neighbour deal'st
Will God deal unto thee!

ASTLEY H. BALDWIN.

Poem and picture are both conceived in the true Christmas and Christian spirit; and few will read the one and gaze on the other without feeling that a little charity, well bestowed, will add a deeper zest to their pleasure, and give a more piquant flavour to their feasts, and a higher tone to their merriment, at this glorious season.

"Christmas-day in Trafalgar Square," being the earliest recorded instance of kissing under the mistletoe, is a poem of a different character, full of real fun and pleasant touches of irony, after the favourite manner of the "Ingoldsby Legends." "Flirtation à la Mode" shows how the delights of the ballroom are not altogether without alloy; and an article on "Christmas Games" introduces some old-fashioned amusements for the drawing-room in a very pleasant manner. Among the announcements for the New Year we find a series of papers on the London Streets by Mark Lemon, and various novelettes by competent writers, to be illustrated by able pencils.

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Illustrated Ditties of the Olden Times (4to. Dean and Son. 58.) is an exquisite series of steel engravings, illustrating the time-honoured nursery rhymes, of which Humpty-Dumpty who Sat on a Wall" may be taken as the eloquent representative. The artist's name is not given; but, from the grace of outline and delicacy of touch observable in all the sketches, we suspect the work to be that of a highlycultivated lady. The book was originally published at a guinea, but it had no great circulation, probably from the fact that the publishers paid less attention to it than it deserved; but now that it has come into the hands of Messrs. Dean and Son, and appears in a new and cheaper form, it will, we feel certain, soon find its way into thousands of homes, and be welcomed by the bright eyes and joyous voices of tens of thousands of those most acute of critics, well-taught children.

PICTURES OF SOCIETY* is an elegant Christmas book, selected from the pages of

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London Society," a monthly Magazine which seems to have established itself in the estimation of readers belonging to the upper ten thousand. Characteristic sketches from the educated pencils of such artists as Millais, Huard, Pickersgill, Du Maurier, Thomas, Watson, Lawless, Cooper, M. Ellen Edwards, and Florence and Adelaide Claxton, illustrate the prose and poetry of Mrs. S. C. Hall, Thomas Hood, Walter Thornbury, Frederick Locker, Barry Cornwall, the author of "The Morals of May Fair," and other less-known writers. These "Pictures of Society" will doubtless be recog nised and appreciated by many; but, though the engravings are bright and pleasant to look upon, some of the prose which accom panies them is, it must be confessed, rather dreary reading; and although the editor apologises for curtailing the writing of some of his contributors, we think he owes an apology to his readers for inserting some of the pieces which he has admitted. Yet, taken as a whole, the volume is a pleasing one, and, if we mistake not, will afford many hours' amusement, when more pretentious books would be shunned. The binding is of novel design, and displays more artistic skill than most other books of the season. The illustrations are of the same description as that selected from the Christmas number of" London Society."

THE CHURCHMAN'S FAMILY MAGAZINE, a sort of clerical brother to "London Society," deserves mention; it is issued by the same publishers, Messrs. James Hogg and Sons, and unostentatiously performs good service by affording amusement for leisure hours; with some remarkably clever articles upon church matters, also, neatly written biographies of deceased prelates, and articles upon a variety of subjects interesting to lay as well as to clerical readers.

Reminiscences of a Raven. Beeton. 18. 6d. SELDOM do those tales in which animals are made the narrators of their own histories possess the charms which belongs to these

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Reminiscences." The raven's story is na tural, and because it is natural it is inte resting. Peg, the raven, and his friend the terrier, act as story-teller and listener; and the shrewd remarks of the bird about all manner of subjects excite the wonder and admiration of its canine auditor. Nor is there any lack of plot in the story, for we find that Peg is more or less concerned in a murder, a robbery or two, some fortunetelling, and a fight; and, finally, in the good old tell-a-story fashion, is made, like many a human biped, the better for the discipline he undergoes. The talking bird never loses its individuality, and throughout the story the reader's attention is never allowed to flag. Mr. Greenwood's raven can be sly and comic, while displaying all the wisdom and gravity with which his tribe are proverbially endowed.