Page:The Story of the House of Cassell (book).djvu/210

 by "The British Isles," an entirely new work, lavishly illustrated from photographs. This opened with an eloquent Introduction from a virile pen which failed to make its due impression upon an otherwise appreciative subscriber, who wrote to the editor to say that he was particularly delighted with the introductory article, and was sure, from the charming sentiment that pervaded it, that the writer was a lady! "Rivers of Great Britain" was another considerable topographical work, in three volumes, one dealing with the rivers of the East Coast, another with those of the South and West Coasts, and the third with the Thames, "the royal river." Another group of topographical works consisted of large full-page photographic reproductions, with explanatory text in the legend. They included "The Queen's London," "The Queen's Empire," already mentioned in connexion with H. O. Arnold-Forster, and "Pictorial England and Wales." With them may be included a work by a very expert amateur photographer who was fortunate in his opportunities; it was published under the title of "Sir Benjamin Stone's Pictures: Records of National Life and History," in two volumes, one devoted to festivals, ceremonies and customs, the other to Parliamentary scenes and portraits. These works also were very popular.

The "Illustrated History of England," of which something has been said already, was the first of many histories published at La Belle Sauvage. Several of them were from the pen of Edmund Ollier, who may be said to have been born into the literary life, for he was the son of Charles Ollier, well known in his day as a publisher and romance writer, and it is recorded of him that "he beheld Charles Lamb with infantile eyes and sat in poor Mary Lamb's lap." He was a man of considerable attainments, and though it cannot be claimed for him that he did original work in history, he knew to what sources to go for his material. The first piece of work he did for the