It having occurred to Mr. Hudson Turner that our national records might
be made available to illustrate the history of architecture in England,
he has for the last sixteen years "made a brief in his note-book" of
every fact bearing on the subject which came under his notice in the
course of his daily reference to those documents for professional
objects and he has now given to the world some portions of the valuable
materials thus collected in a handsome volume published by Mr. Parker,
of Oxford, under the title of _Some Account of Domestic Architecture in
England, from the Conquest to the end of the Thirteenth Century, with
numerous illustrations of existing Remains from original Drawings_. It
is not, of course, within our limits to trace even briefly the results
of Mr. Turner's labours, or to point out how much light he has thrown
upon a branch of architectural study which, although involved in great
obscurity, has hitherto received but little attention. But we may remark
that its perusal shows, that to an intimate acquaintance with the
invaluable materials for elucidating every department of historical or
antiquarian knowledge to be found in our records, Mr. Turner adds
considerable tact in the employment of his materials, and has
endeavoured therefore, and very successfully, to make his history of
domestic architecture an important contribution towards that of our
social progress. The consequence is, that while, thanks to the valuable
assistance of Mr. Parker, the architectural student will find in this
handsomely illustrated volume much to instruct and delight him, it may
be read with interest by those who are altogether indifferent to the
subject to which it is more immediately devoted.
Our able and indefatigable contributor, Dr. Rimbault, has put forth for
the especial delight of those who, like Mopsa, "love a ballad in print,"
_A Little Book of Songs and Ballads gathered from Ancient Musick Books
MS. and Printed_. The various pieces contained in it have been selected
from many volumes of considerable rarity, and are illustrated by
numerous notes, which are characterised by Dr. Rimbault's accustomed
ability and industry.
Mr. Delf has received from America some copies of an octavo volume
bearing the title of _A Library Manual, containing a Catalogue Raisonnée
of upwards of Twelve Thousand of the most important Works in every
Department of Knowledge_. Although very imperfectly executed (and the
circumstances under which we are informed it was executed may perhaps be
pleaded as some excuse for such imperfections), it is still a book which
might with advantage be placed on the shelves of newly formed literary
societies, as a means of informing the members as to the principal works
existing in the various departments of learning. The idea upon which the
book is founded is so good, and its object one of such obvious utility,
that we have little doubt but it will ere long be much more successfully
carried out.
CATALOGUES RECEIVED.--J. Russell Smith's (4. Old Compton Street, Soho)
Catalogue Part 4. for 1851 of Choice, Useful, and Curious Books; W. S.
Lincoln's (Cheltenham House, Westminster Road) Sixty-ninth Catalogue of
Cheap Miscellaneous English and Foreign Books; J. Petheram's (94. High
Holborn) Catalogue Part 123., No. 4. for 1851 of Old and New Books.