All who take an interest in English philology will join in the wish
expressed a few pages back by one of the highest authorities on the
subject, Mr. Albert Way--namely, "that the Philological Society has not
abandoned their project of compiling a complete Provincial Glossary;" and
will greet as a valuable contribution towards that great desideratum, every
skilful attempt to record a local dialect. As such, Mr. Sternberg's
valuable little book, _The Dialect and Folk Lore of Northamptonshire_, will
meet a hearty welcome from our philological friends; and no less hearty a
welcome from those who find in "popular superstitions, fairy-lore, and
other traces of Teutonic heathenism," materials for profitable speculation
on the ancient mythology of these islands. We are bound to speak thus
favourably of Mr. Sternberg's researches in this department, since some
portion of them were first communicated by him to our Folk-Lore columns.
BOOKS RECEIVED.--_Vestiges of the Gael in Gwynedd, by the Rev. William
Basil Jones, M.A._ A learned essay on the subject of deep interest to the
antiquaries {215} of the Principality, involving, as it does among other
questions, that of the claim of the Gael, or the Cymry, to be the
aborigines of the country.
_The Book of Family Crests, comprising nearly every Family Bearing,
properly blazoned and explained, accompanied by upwards of Four Thousand
Engravings, with the Surnames of the Bearers, Dictionary of Mottoes, and
Glossary of Terms_, in 2 Vols., Sixth Edition. The best criticism on this
popular work, with its _well blazoned_ title-page bearing the words SIXTH
EDITION on its _honour point_, is to state, as a proof of its completeness,
that it records the Crests of upwards of ninety _Smiths_, and nearly fifty
_Smyths_ and _Smythes_.
_Illustrations of Medieval Costume in England, collected from MSS. in the
British Museum_, by T. A. Day and J. B. Dines. When before did English
antiquaries see four plates of costume, some of them coloured, sold for one
shilling? As an attempt at cheapening and so popularising archæological
literature, the work deserves encouragement.
CATALOGUES RECEIVED.--William and Norgate's (14. Henrietta Street, Covent
Garden) German Book Circular, No. 27.; G. Bumstead's (205. High Holborn)
Catalogue Part 49. of Interesting and Rare Books; Cole's (15. Great
Turnstile) List No. 33. of very Cheap Books; B. Quaritch's (16. Castle
Street, Leicester Square) Catalogue No. 26. of Books in all Languages.
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