Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 1.djvu/108

 100

NOTES AND QUERIES.

[9 th S. I. JAN. 29, >98.

cerned, proving a success. Admirable use has been made of the ample materials at Mr. Hadden's dis- posal. If the ghost of George Thomson could revisit the glimpses of the moon and take an interest in human proceedings, it would feel a little shocked, mayhap, at the manner in which his prosaic emendations of the writings of men immeasurably his superiors are set before a later generation ; but it could not be otherwise than gratified at the luxury of type, paper, &c., afforded him by his publisher, and at the seriousness with which he is treated by his editor. The book thus obtained will be accepted in England and prized in Scotland, and is one the lover of literature and of music will be glad to possess.

On a Sunshine Holyday. By the Amateur Angler.

(Sampson Low & Co.)

IN assigning to Mr. R. B. Marston, the editor of the Fishing Gazette and of one of the best of recent editions of ' The Complete Angler,' the authorship of this delightful volume we are betraying no secret. The " Amateur Angler " is one of the most trans- parent of pseudonyms. It has appeared to half a dozen works, some of them reviewed in our columns, while to some, such as ' Fresh Woods and Pastures New,' the present may be regarded as a companion. As in previous cases, moreover, the separate sketches first saw the light in the Fishing Gazette, from which they are now reprinted. They are among the pleasantest works with which the lover of nature can console himself, and are especially the kind of volumes to have in the pocket on the days when the trout are " tailing." Excursions in the time of the May fly, and records of victories and defeats, take up a fair share of the present volume, but do not monopolize it. There are descriptions of happy days on Salisbury Plain and in the Valley of the Avon, on the Edge of Exmoor and in the Doone Valley, with abundant references to R. D. Blackmore. There is an account of Hampstead Heath on Bank Holiday, and there are a few notices, even, of books bearing on Mr. Marston's favourite pursuits. Anyhow, the work is all about natural objects, in the description of which our author is at his best. We never weary of reading his account of birds and beasts, his observations on the former being especially delightful. Witness what is said about the woodpecker, about the moorhens on the Leg-of-Mutton Pond, Hampstead, about the wagtail and the buzzard. The pretty little plates of animals and scenes add greatly to the attractions of a captivating volume.

Burns' 's Life, Genius, Achievement. By W. E.

Henley. (Edinburgh, Jack.)

FROM the "Centenary Burns," the most desirable edition of Burns's poems extant, Messrs. Jack have reprinted Mr. Henley's splendid essay on Burns, the best, wisest, and most appreciative words that have been spoken concerning the poet. In its new shape the essay, which is treasured by the few, must become generally known and appreciated.

A Bibliography of British Municipal History, in- cluding Gilds and Parliamentary Representation. By Charles Gross, Ph.D. (Longmans & Co.) THIS American bibliography contains many refer ences to ' N. & Q-,' though the names of papers are not included in the index. It will be found invalu- able by all those who are undertaking researches nto the history of places.

Book of the Year 1897 : a Chronicle of the Times and a Record of Events. By Edmund Routledge. (Routledge & Sons.)

]R. ROUTLEDGE has compiled a work of great utility to various classes of students. Under each day of the past year he has given a summary of events, including marriages, deaths, politics, weather, crime, the stage, sport, and general pro- ceedings. An elaborate index, occupying over seventy pages, facilitates the task of reference. There is no doubt that this serviceable little volume las come to stay, and will for the future count among the annuals most in request. It is not easy to indicate how large a field is covered.

Directory of Titled Persons for the Year 1898.

(Whitaker & Sons.)

WITH this no less indispensable supplement to Whitaker's indispensable ' Almanack is now in- corporated the ' Windsor Peerage,' formerly edited
 * >y the late Edward Walford. The Jubilee honours

add, of course, greatly to the bulk of the volume, ntroducing some hundreds of new names. Among
 * resh improvements in a work which, on its

second issue, is practically rewritten, are the in- sertion under each peer of his issue and other titled relatives, the insertion of the maiden names of wives, the addresses of peers and others, when obtainable, and a record of leading services of each companion of knighthood.

THE first series has been issued by Mr. Horace Cox of a Barrister's Collection of Stories, which have been sworn upon oath to be true. These, which are taken from various reports of cases, constitute stimulating reading. Some of them will come as revelations to barristers as well as to students of human nature and of history. A good idea is well carried out.

We must call special attention to the following notices :

ON all communications must be written the name and address of the sender, not necessarily for pub- lication, but as a guarantee of good faith.

WE cannot undertake to answer queries privately.

To secure insertion of communications corre- spondents must observe the following rule. Let each note, query, or reply be written on a separate slip of paper, with the signature of the^writer and such address as he wishes to appear. Correspond- ents who repeat queries are requested to head the second communication " Duplicate."

NEMO ("Though lost to sight," &c.). See 'N. & Q.,' 5 th S. x. 106, 134, 417; 6 th S. xii. 260, 344.-("Tout passe, tout lasse, tout casse "). This has been asked before without eliciting a reply.

H. ANDREWS ("Acting or Doing Gooseberry"). See 'N. & Q.,' 2 nd S. x. 307, 376; xii. 336).

NOTICE.

Editorial Communications should be addressed to " The Editor of * Notes and Queries ' "Advertise- ments and Business Letters to "The Publisher" at the Office, Bream's Buildings, Chancery Lane, E.G.

We beg leave to state that we decline to return communications which, for any reason, we .do not print ; and to this rule we can make no exception.