Every one who had an opportunity of inspecting the glorious assemblage of
masterpieces of workmanship and design which were collected together at the
_Exhibition of Ancient and Mediæval Art_ last spring, must have felt a
desire to possess some more lasting memorial of that unparalleled display
than the mere catalogue. {14} So strong, indeed, was this feeling at the
time, as to call several announcements of works in preparation,
commemorative of the Exhibition, including one by the accomplished Honorary
Secretary of the Committee, Mr. Franks. Mr. Franks has, however, we regret
to hear, now abandoned that intention, so that of these promised memorials,
we shall probably only see the one which has just been published under the
title of _Choice Examples of Art Workmanship, selected from the Exhibition
of Ancient and Mediæval Art at the Society of Arts_; and, whether as a
pleasant record to those who visited the collection, or as a compensation
for their disappointment to those who were not so fortunate, the book will,
doubtless, find favour with the rapidly increasing class who take an
interest in works of this character. That the publishers anticipate a large
sale, is obvious, from the remarkably low price at which they have
published this beautiful volume, which contains upwards of sixty
engravings, drawn from the gems of the collection, by Mr. De la Motte, and
engraved under his superintendence; and furnishes representations of
objects of the most varied kinds, from the _Nautilus Cup_ belonging to Her
Majesty, to Mr. Vulliamy's _Ivory Bas-reliefs_ ascribed to Fiamingo, Mr.
Slade's matchless specimens of _Glass_, and Dr. Rock's _Superaltare_.
Mr. Charles Knight has just put forth a small pamphlet, entitled _Case of
the Authors as regards the Paper Duty_, in which he shows most ably and
most clearly the social advantages which must result from the repeal of a
tax which, as Mr. Knight proves, "encourages the production of inferior and
injurious works by unskilled labourers in literature."
The _Gentleman's Magazine_ of the present month is a capital number. Mr.
Cunningham has commenced in it, what promises to be an interesting series
of papers upon a subject which that gentleman's well-known tact and
judgment ill prevent from being objectionable, _The Story of Nell Gwyn_;
and the numerous friends of the late Mr. Amyot--and how numerous were his
friends!--cannot but be pleased with the characteristic portrait which
accompanies the interesting memoir of that kind-hearted and accomplished
gentleman.
_Oracles from the British Poets, A Drawing-Room Table Book and pleasant
Companion for a Round Party_, by James Smith exhibits a good idea carried
out with excellent taste, and justifies the author's motto:
"Out of them scatter'd Sibyl's leaves,
Strange prophecies my fancy weaves."
A game which, while it amuses the family circle, will make its members
acquainted with so many beautiful passages from our poets as are here
assembled, must find a welcome in many a home at the present season. The
publisher of the _Oracles_ has availed himself of the demand, at this
period of the year, for "Song of knight and lady bright," to re-issue in
one volume instead of two, and at a reduced price, his _Pictorial Book of
Ballads Traditional and Romantic_.
_A Monumentarium of Exeter Cathedral_, carefully compiled by the Rev. J.W.
Hewett, the result of six months regular labour, has been printed in the
_Transactions of the Exeter Architectural Society_. By this work Mr. Hewett
has done good service to all genealogists, local and general historians,
&c., and we know no greater benefit that could be conferred on this branch
of literature, than that some of our now super-abundant brass-rubbers
should follow Mr. Hewett's example, and note with accuracy all the
inscriptions, monuments, coats of arms, &c., preserved in the churches in
their respective neighbourhoods. They may then either hand them over for
publication to the nearest Archæological Society, or the Archæological
Institute, or the Society of Antiquaries; or transmit a copy of them to the
MS. department of the British Museum.
Messrs. Sotheby and Wilkinson, of Wellington Street, will sell, on Monday
next and two following days, the valuable Collection of Ancient and Modern
Engravings of the late James Brown, Esq.
We have received the following Catalogues:--W.S. Lincoln's (Cheltenham
House, Westminster Road) Sixty-fourth Catalogue of Cheap Second-hand
English and Foreign Books; John Miller's (43. Chandos Street) Catalogue
Number Sixteen of Books Old and New.
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