Messrs. Longman have this month given a judicious and agreeable variety
to _The Traveller's Library_ by substituting for one of Mr. Macaulay's
brilliant political biographies a volume of travels; and in selecting
Mr. Laing's _Journal of a Residence in Norway during the Years 1834,
1835, and 1836_ (which is completed in Two Parts), they have shown
excellent discretion. For, as Mr. Laing well observes, "few readers of
the historical events of the middle ages rise from the perusal without a
wish to visit the country from which issued in the tenth century the men
who conquered the fairest portion of Europe." But as, even in these
locomotive times, all cannot travel, but many are destined to be not
only home-keeping youths but "house-keeping men" also, all such have
reason to be grateful to pleasant intelligent travellers like Mr. Laing
for giving them the results of their travels in so pleasant a form; and
especially grateful to Messrs. Longman for giving it to them at a price
which places it within the reach of every one.
_The Literature of the Rail; republished, by permission, from_ The Times
_of Saturday, August 9th, 1851, with a Preface_, has just been issued by
Mr. Murray, in the shape of a sixpenny pamphlet. This will be a
gratifying announcement to those who read and wished to preserve this
startling article on a subject which must come home to every thinking
mind,--to every one who has witnessed, as we have done, the worse than
worthless, the positively mischievous trash in the shape of literature
too often to be found on the bookstalls of railway stations. But there
is hope. The success which has attended the wholesome change effected on
the North-Western line is sure to lead to an extension of the better
system; and we are glad to see that the endeavours making by Messrs.
Longman to supply, by means of _The Traveller's Library_, the growing
want for _good and cheap_ books, are to be seconded by Mr. Murray, who
announces a Series under the title of _Literature for the Rail_, and the
opening number of which is to be _A Popular Account of Mr. Layard's
Discoveries at Nineveh, abridged by himself from the larger Work, and
illustrated by numerous Woodcuts_.
We are glad to see that the Trustees of the British Museum have printed
a _List of the Autograph Letters, Original Charters, Great Seals, and
Manuscripts, exhibited to the Public in the Department of Manuscripts_.
The selection does great credit to the intelligent Keeper of the
Manuscripts; and the exhibition of these treasures will, we trust, do
something more than merely gratify the curiosity of the thousands of the
people who have visited them, namely, encourage their representatives in
Parliament to a more liberal vote for this important department of the
Museum. Valuable manuscripts are not always in the market; when they
are, the country should never lose them through a mistaken parsimony.
Mr. Lumley, of Chancery Lane, has purchased from the Society of
Antiquaries the remaining stock of the _Vetusta Monumenta_, and proposes
to dispose of the various plates and papers separately, in the same
manner as he did those of the _Archæologia_. This arrangement is one
well calculated to answer the purpose of collectors, and therefore we
desire to draw their attention to it.
Messrs. Puttick and Simpson (191. Piccadilly) will sell, on Tuesday and
Wednesday next, some very interesting Autograph Letters of the late John
Davies of Manchester, and of another Collector, comprising many Royal
Autographs; a series of interesting letters addressed to Elizabeth,
Queen of Bohemia; and some rare historical letters from the Southwell
and Blathwayte Papers.
CATALOGUES RECEIVED.--J. Miller's (43. Chandos Street) Catalogue Number
27. of Books Old and New; J. Russell Smith's (4. Old Compton Street)
Catalogue Part VI. for 1851 of Choice, Useful, and Curious Books; W.
Heath's (497. New Oxford Street) Catalogue No. 5. for 1851 of Valuable
Second-Hand Books; J. Petheram's (94. High Holborn) Catalogue Part 126.
No. 7. for 1851 of Old and New Books; W. S. Lincoln's (Cheltenham House,
Westminster Road) Catalogue No. 72. of English and Foreign Second-hand
Books.