Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 8.djvu/600

 498

NOTES AND QUERIES, no s. mi. DEC. 21, 1907.

can suppose that Shakespeare at some time in his life saw friendship arid passion on either hand of him, and allowed his imagination to trace each to its furthest conceivable point, we may find a reason- able solution of the question at issue. At any rate, it is far more likely than the alternative views which have been suggested that he was writing a set of academic exercises, that he was satirizing Drayton and Davies, or that he was constructing an elaborate bloodless allegory of the Ideal Self and the Catholic Church."

We agree. The lady of the Sonnets was no more a "bloodless allegory than Dante's Beatrice. We cannot at present enter on thediscussion of a problem fraught with dark issues, but we advise students of the Sonnets not to neglect the remarkable study of them by the author of 'Erewhon' issued in 1899, and written with the trenchant lucidity which distinguished all his writings.

Who 's Who (Black) for 1908 has reached us, and shows an increased bulk. It is one of the books most frequently in our hands, supplying, especially on the journalistic side, details or addresses which we need. In what may be called the personal exploits of the various and eminent persons chronicled we are not greatly interested. But in an age crowded with honorific titles, any one may easily forget the particular label to be affixed, and may offend if he has not some book of ready reference like this at his elbow. The philosopher may smile at some of the conceit here exhibrted, while he frowns on the undue publicity fostered by modern ideals of journalism.

DR. SMYTHE PALMER has added a brief but satis* factory introduction to Trench's book on The Parables of Our Lord, \vhich is reprinted in Messrs. Routledge s " London Library." It fully deserves its position in a series which has given us so far books of assured, when not classic, merit. The learned editor provides a list of recent works on the literature of parables, in German and English, which will be of use to those who wish to supplement Trench, and his Introduction is just what is wanted, putting readers on the right lines without pedantry. We only object as a matter of style to the use of the word " religionist," which does not please us.

The Poem-i of William Collins, edited by Christopher Stone (Frowde), is one of the many sound contributions to English letters which are lavished on us by the famous press. Collins has been overshadowed by Gray, but good judges have long taken to their hearts his exquisite ' Ode to Evening,' which is his best piece, preferable, we think, to the ode on ' The Passions.' The memoir prefixed to the poems deals ably with the short and painful life of one whom Johnson remembered

with tenderness," and whose classical scholarship lent a concinnity to his verses ; while his imagination placed him ahead of contemporaries mostly hide- bound in Augustan traditions and lifeless conven- tions. Mr. Stone perceives the importance of his subject in literary history, but is no such blind advocate as others in a later time were of a poet resembling Collins, Shelley. The text is beautifully printed, there are three pictures of Chichester, and a frontispiece of Collins, besides facsimiles of the original title-pages of his books. When Warton and Collins, schoolfellows and friends, both pub- lished their odes, the first alone had any success ; but while Warton's reached a second edition, Collins's unsaleable work brought him the admiration of

Thomson and Johnson, and will, we hope, introduce him to many more readers worth having in this, pleasant issue.

BOOKSELLERS' CATALOGUES. CHRISTMAS.

MOST of the Catalogues noticed below have many books handsomely bound, suitable for Christmas, and New Year's gifts.

Mr. Thomas Baker's Catalogue 518 contains some choice theological works, including Wycliffe's Bible, edited by Forshall and Madden, Oxford, 1850, 4 vols., imperial 4to, 4. ; a set of ' Cursus Scripturse Sacrse/ Paris, 1896, 24 vols., 22 of which are in half- vellum, 11. 15s. ; the first 10 vols. of Pezius's ' Bibliotheea^ Ascetica,' 12mo, vellum, very rare, 91. 10s. ; and Paz's 'Opera Spiritualia,' 1623, 3 vols., folio, 81. 10s. A unique copy of the London Polyglott, 6 vols., 1657, with Castell's ' Lexicon, '2 vols., 1669, is 161. 16-s-. There is a supplementary list of new books at reduced prices.

Mr. Andrew Baxendine, of Edinburgh, opens his Catalogue 108 with a cheap set of the Waverley Novels, A. & C. Black, 1901, 25 vols., cloth, 21. 2s. ; while a [copy of Napier's ' Homes and Haunts of Scott,' very scarce, is 21. 10s. 6d. Among Burns items is the rare edition known as the " Stinking Edition," from the misprint of "stinking" for " skinking " in the ' Address to a Haggis,' a tall, hand- some copy, London, 1787, 31. 10*. 6d. Under DeFoe is the Oxford edition of 1840-41, 20 vols., half- morocco, 10/. 12s. 6rf., and under Dickens are many handsome sets. A set of Ritson's works, mostly first editions, is priced 4. 17s. 6d., the twelve volumes being in full tree calf.

List 219 of Mr. Richard Cameron, also of Edin- burgh, contains, as usual, many Scotch items. We may mention the Liverpool poems on the death of Burns, 1796, 11. 5s. ; ' Edinburgh Life in the Eigh- teenth Century'; 'Edinburgh Exhibition,' 1886; 'Ye Gilty Goddess,' with humorous portraits ; ' Old Edinburgh Houses,' 54 plates, 4to, U. 5s. ; views of scenery ; Harvey's picture of ' The Curlers,' 1838, \l. 15s. ; and the Hunterian Club publications,, complete set, 61. 10s.

Mr. Thomas Carver, of Hereford, sends his Fifty- Third Catalogue. It is, of course, full of works on Hereford. These include a fine complete copy of Duncumb, 5 vols., 4to, 121. ; also Robinson's 'Manors,' very rare, 67. 6s. There are books for collectors of prints, old china, pottery, furniture, &c. Other works comprise ' The Complete Angler/ Pickering, 1836, 61.; the first issue of the first edition of Elia, morocco gilt, 4/.; the first edition of ' Esmond,' 3 vols., half-bound in crushed morocco, a choice copy, 11.', and '^Esop's Fables,' 1649, with Garrick's book-plate, 11. There are a number of works relating to Wales.

Mr. H. Cleaver, of Bath, has in h\s Catalogue 39,. three interesting autographs : a military order of Bonaparte's, Cairo, 4:1. 4s. ; a letter of Nelson, 2 pp., 4to, 25 Dec., 1803, 31. 15s. ; and one of Lord Lytton's, 10s. 6d. The books include first editions or ' Dombey and Son,' original cloth, uncut, 11. 5s. ; ' Oliver Twist.' 21. 15s. ; ' Martin Chuzzlewit,' 11. 4s. : and ' Boz,' 31. 3s. There is a set of the " Authentic Edition," new half - levant, 21 vols., 101. 10s. A set of Prescott, 12 vols., half -calf, is 4. 4s. ; and Rousseau's ' Confessions,' unabridged, Philadelphia, 1904, 4 vols., 60 etchings by Leloir, 11. Us. 6d. There