_The Dead Man's Gift_, by HERBERT COMPTON; the title of which might
lead one to imagine something very weird and uncanny. Nothing of the
sort. Mr. COMPTON doesn't wish to "make your flesh creep" like the Fat
Boy in _Pickwick_. It is only the story of a tea-planter's romance,
though the finding of the gift is most exciting. Interesting and well
written.
_The Cabinet Portrait Gallery_, published by CASSELL & Co., with
portraits of most of our Celebrities, by Messrs. DOWNEY, is excellent.
[Illustration: "Blackie and Son."]
Christmas Books now make their appearance, and the first and principal
offenders in disturbing the Calendar are Messrs. BLACKIE & SON.
"Among the names," says the Baron's juvenile assistant Co. Junior,
"we recognise one of our boys' most favourite authors, G.A. HENTY, who
this year gives them another exciting historical tale, _By England's
Aid_, which deals with the closing events of the War of Independence
in Holland. Also _Maori and Settler_, a story of the New Zealand
War, when young England was quite a settler for the Maori. Both
recommended. _Hal Hungerford_, by J.R. HUTCHINSON, is a good book for
boys, and _A Rash Promise, or, Meg's Secret_ by CECILIA SELBY LOWNDES,
is an equally good one for girls, and finally _The Girls' Own Paper
Annual_, and _The Boys' Own Paper Annual_, are two very handsome
capitally illustrated gift-books." Now the Baron's cheerful assistants
have done their work, he himself, has something to say.
"No, my dear and venerable Mr. T. SIDNEY COOPER, R.A.," says the
Baron to that eminent octogenarian Academician, whose "reminiscences"
BENTLEY AND SON have just published; "if you are correctly quoted in
the _P.M.G._, your memory is absolutely at fault in describing DOUGLAS
JERROLD as 'Editor of _Punch_.' He never was. Your account of the
doings at the hebdomadal board of the _Punch_ Staff College must be
taken with several pinches of salt, as never once in your lengthy
career have you been present at any one of these symposia. No matter.
Your health, and book!"
[Illustration: A Cigarette-Maker's Romance.]
Permit the Baron to strongly recommend MARION CRAWFORD's _A
Cigarette-Maker's Romance_. Slight indeed is the plot, and few the
_dramatis personæ_: but the latter are drawn with a Meissonier-like
finish, and the simple tale is charmingly and touchingly told. The
wonder of it is that so little to tell should have occupied two
volumes; and a greater wonder remains, which is, that, at the close,
the reader should wish there were a third. To create this desire
is, after all, the very perfection of the art of novel-writing. The
novelist who does not make the reader "wish as there was more on it,"
according to the philosophic _dictum_ of _Sam Weller_ on the art of
epistolary correspondence, has failed. Henceforth this novel of Mr.
CRAWFORD's goes forth to the world with the Baron's best _imprimatur_.
This poor little cigarette-maker requires no puffing of her wares.
Enough that the Baron should say to his readers, "_Tolle lege!_" You
will be delighted with it, "_Il cigaretto per esser felice_." It is a
charming story, says emphatically,