A deputy-assistant of the Baron has been perusing with great
contentment _The Catch of the County_, by Mrs. EDWARD KENNARD, a lady
who is already responsible for _The Hunting Girl_; _Wedded to Sport_,
and a number of other romances dear to the heart of those who follow
the hounds. The deputy-assistant reports that he was delighted with the
newest of the authoress's novels, and found the three volumes rather
too short than too long. Now that London is in the midst of November
and its fogs, those who dwell near the frosted-silvery Thames can take
a real pleasure in stories of the country. To sum up, _The Catch of
the County_ must (to adopt the slang of the moment) have "caught on."
A fact that must be as satisfactory to Mrs. KENNARD as to her readers.
And when both supply and demand are pleased, Messrs. F. V. WHITE & CO.,
the publishers, must also (like _Cox_ and _Box_) be "satisfied."
[Illustration]
A Baronitess writes: "Gaily-bound Christmas books have been facing me
for some time, and, with an insinuating look, seem to say, 'Turn over a
new leaf.' We do; many new leaves."
BLACKIE AND SON could be called first favourites in the boys' field
of literature. They make a good start with _Wulf the Saxon_ and _In
the Heart of the Rockies_, both by G. A. HENTY. They are both capital
specimens of the Hentyprising hero.
_In Press-Gang Days._ By EDWARD PICKERING. A story, not a newspaper
romance, though it is a new edition of the type of the wicked uncle,
who makes use of "the liberty of the Press" to have his nephew
bound--as if he were a book worth preserving--and taken off to sea.
This proceeding made an impression on our good brave youth, who, after
fighting with NELSON, learnt that "an Englishman should do his duty,"
escapes a French prison, and returns to "give what for" to his uncle.
Most interesting and practical is _The Whist Table_, edited by
PORTLAND, especially to those whose only idea of the game is after the
style of the man in _Happy Thoughts_ who knows that the scoring had
something to do with a candlestick and half-a-crown. In this book they
will find a helping hand which gives the "c'rect" card to play. Both
these books, published by JOHN HOGG, are pig-culiarly good.
"A powerful finish," quoth the Baron, leaning upon the chair-arm,
and, like the soldier in the old ballad, wiping away a tear which
he had most unwillingly shed over the last chapter of _Children
of Circumstance_, "a very powerful finish. There is some comedy,
too, in the story (which, I regret to say, is spun out into three
volumes)--rather Meredithian perhaps, but still forming some relief to
the sicknesses, illnesses and deaths--there are certainly three victims
of IOTA's steel and one doubtful--of which the narrative has more
than its fair share." Of the comedy portion, the courtship of _Jim_
and _Rica_ is excellent. But where other novels err in superfluity
of description and lack of dialogue, the fault of this one is just
the other way, and the dialogues may be, not "skipped," but bounded
over. Nothing of the earlier portion, nor the powerful final chapter
of this story can be missed: as for the intermediate stage, when
the intelligent and experienced novel-reader has once grasped the
characters, he can drop in on them now and then, in a friendly way, and
see how they are getting on.
The Baron congratulates Messrs. MACMILLAN on a charming little book
called _Coridon's Songs_, which are not all songs sung by that
youthful Angler-Saxon whose parent was IZAAK WALTON, but also songs
by GAY, FIELDING, and Anonymi. To these worthy Master AUSTIN DOBSON
hath written a mighty learned and withal entertaining preface, the
gems of the book being the illustrations, done by HUGH THOMSON in
his best style, "wherewith," quotes the incorrigible Baron, "I am
Hughgely pleased." 'Tis an excellent Christmas present, as, "if I may
be permitted to say so," quoth the Baron, _sotto voce_, "to those whom
Providence hath blest with friends and relatives expecting gifts in
the coming 'festive season,' is also a certain single volume entitled
_Under the Rose_, an illustrated work, not altogether unknown, as a
serial, in _Mr. Punch's_ pages, and highly recommended by