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NOTES AND QUERIES, no s. VIIL JCLY 20, 1907.

NOTES ON BOOKS, &o.

Beowulf. Translated and Edited by Wentworth

Huyshe. (Routledge & Sons.) THIS popular edition of our earliest English epic, the morning star of the noblest literature the world has seen, is a welcome addition to Messrs. Rout- ledge's excellent half-crown series of our native classics. We can congratulate Mr. Huyshe on having achieved a distinct success in an under- taking which all who have read the ' Beowulf ' will admit is no easy one to give a close and intelligible rendering of a poem which is often disconnected, being loosely strung together on a slender thread of unity, and abounding in those obscure poetical phrases, known as "kennings" in Icelandic litera- ture, which are remote from our modern modes of expression. The translator has very happily sur- mounted these difficiilties, and, what is more, has succeeded in preserving a large measure of the spirit of the original, which is full of the freshness and mystery of the sea.

The value of the version is much enhanced by a judicious selection of illustrations taken from the Northern museums, which really do illustrate the allusions to arms and antiquities which occur in the poem ; they give actuality to the story, and enable the reader to visualize what the semi- barbarous life of our forefathers must have been like. Many of the objects depicted were disinterred in the very regions from which these old sea- warriors sallied forth, such as the Thorsberg Moss in Sleswig and Uby in Denmark.

The explanatory notes in which the editor dis- cusses the difficulties of the text and the local allusions are much to the point. But one sin of omission we have to complain of, where we naturally look for some illumination. He has not a word to say as to the origin, meaning, and character of that mysterious being Grendel half demon, half dragon which looms largely through the story. Though much has been written about the monster, its name still awaits a satisfactory explanation. We may perhaps trace a reference to it on a Runic monument where a mounted champion is depicted destroying a dragon, with the inscrip- tion, " Behold a mighty king here graven who slew this dragon " (Prof. G. Stevens, ' The Runic Hall,' p. 17). VVe much doubt Mr. Huyshe's interpre- tation of waeg-sweord (1. 1488) as a sword with a "wavy" pattern damascened upon its blade. Per- haps it only means a sword that is swung or brandished (en-sin rersatilis or vibratus). We can recommend the book to all who love their mother- tongue.

The Burlington Magazine for July opens with a charming photogravure, ' Evening on the Lake,' by Corot, in which the trees are very characteristic. An editorial article is devoted to ' The Progress of American Collecting,' and points out that in supreme Italian works and the no less rare primitive masters, as well as in later masters, Europe holds, and will retain, the precedence. ' The Case for Modern Painting ' is illustrated by a ' Mother and Child' of Mr. Ambrose McEvpy, an admirable picture shown at the New English Art Club. Dr. R. F. Burckhardt deals with some little gems of boxwood modelling by Hans Wydyz the Elder, who

was working at Basel in 1505, and later in Central Bavaria. 'The Cottage,' by F. W. Watts, which is reproduced, is a delightful picture of English scenery ; it is in the Louvre, where it was attri- buted to Constable. Another portrait reproduced in colour, of an unknown man by Bartolommeo Veneto, has real distinction about it. Nothing is more striking in the history of art than the modern discovery of lesser masters whose work has borne the names of greater men. It is generally fine enough to stand on its own merits. Prince Duleep Singh clears up some uncertainty concerning Nathaniel Bacon, artist. Prof. Holmes has an interesting article concerning the question, ' Where did Michel- angelo learn to Paint?' and Mr. Cyril Davenport writes on 'The Book Ciphers of Henri II.,' which are confused by the fact that the King as Dauphin adopted a D in his cipher, which was also used by Diane de Poitiers. There are many other notable things in this excellent magazine, which has now won an enviable position as an expert record of all that concerns art.

BOOKSELLERS' CATALOGUES.

MR. THOMAS BAKER'S List 512 is mostly theo- logical. There is a fine set of the works of Luther, 93 vols. in 73, half red morocco, 9/. 9s.; a complete set of the Henry Bradshaw Society, 181.; Philo Judseus, 'Opera Omnia,' 2 vols., royal folio, 107. 10.;. Walsh's 'Irish Remonstrance,' 6/.6s.; Dod's 'Church History,' 10s. &d.; Dollinger's 'First Age of Chris- tianity,' 12*-. 6d. ; Hilton's 'Ladder of Perfection,' 1659, II. 18s.; and Muratori, 'Liturgia Romana Vetus,' 1748, 3/. 18s. The general literature includes many works by standard authors.

Mr. L. C. Braun sends two catalogues, the first being a Short List of Topographical Prints and Portraits, suitable for extra - illustrating : The second, No. 52, contains under Art works illustrated by Crane, Dore, Doyle, Cruikshank, and others. Under Literature are Hawthorne's Works, 12 vols., 21. 15s.; Pope, 9 vols., 1752, 11. 5s.; Knight's 'Shake- speare,' 8 vols., royal 8vo., 20s.; Guizot, 23 vols., fine library set, 21. 10s.; Le Sage, 16 vols., 11. 15s.; and Wordsworth, Moxon, 1836, 6 vols., limp morocco, 11. 10s. Under Topography we find an extra- illustrated copy of Morant's 'Colchester,' folio, 1748, 2L 10s.; Smith's 'Antiquities of Westminster,' 1807, 11. 12s. 6d.; and ' Londiniana,' containing 100 views, 4 vols., 1828, 11. Under Theology is Alban Butler's 'Lives of the Fathers,' 12 vols., 3/. 3s. There are some purchases from the library of Mrs. Craigie.

Messrs. Browne & Browne, of Newcastle, open their Catalogue 89 with two interesting American items, the first being the two charters granted by Charles II. to the Proprietors of Carolina, with the first and last Fundamental Constitutions of Caro- lina, in 1 vol., crushed crimson morocco by Riviere, very rare, 1704, 30/. The second item is De'Herrera's ' History of the Vast Continent and Islands of America,' translated by Capt. Stevens, 6 vols., 1725-6, 10/. The general'list includes the first folio- edition of ' Don Quixote,' 1652, 51. 5s. ; The New Bon Ton Magazine, with 31 coloured plates by Cruikshank and others, 1818-21, 51.; De Morgan'^ 'Budget of Paradoxes,' 1872, 21. 10s.; Dibdin's. ' Reminiscences,' 1836, 11. 2s. 6rf. ; Dickens'* 'Sketches of Young Ladies,' 1837, 4?.; Hepworth Dixou's Works, 13 vols., 11. 10s.; Evelyn's 'Memoirs.