The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-11 00:00:00

CHRISTMAS BOOKS.

The Christmas Season brings its customary store
of goodly volumes, gay and gorgeous without,
and for the most part light and attractive within.
The majority of the bright books now before us are
children's books, and among these conspicuous in
its beautiful appearance is the volume on Our
Children's Pets, by Josephine (S. W. Partridge).
On the crimson cover of this book, surrounded by a
gilt frame, is the portrait of Robin Redbreast in full
song, and this picture, which is glazed and
shining like glass, is, in some mysterious manner,
let into the cover so as to appear like a veritable
picture in a frame. It is quite a curiosity in book-
binding, and most appropriate for a drawing-room
table book at Christmas time. A. series of charming
illustrations, a chaffinch feeding its young, the pet
lamb, teaching to fly, and other kindred subjects,
with pleasant little sketches in prose and poetry,
render the interior of this volume not unworthy of
its very attractive outside.—Of a very different
character is a book lying by its side, a book illus-
trated with a pencil kindred to that which some
years back adorned the " New Tale of a Tub," and
evoked roars of laughter from all who caught a
glimpse of its marvels, the Hatchet Throwers,
by James Greenwood (John Camden Rot-
ten), illustrated by Ernest Griset, from his
original designs, and, assuredly, most original de-
signs they are ! Three separate stories are con-
tained in this amazing work. " The Astonishing
Adventures of Three Ancient Mariners," " Brass,
Brothers of Bristol, their Travels and Perils," and,
lastly, " The Crocodile Witch." The illustrations
are coloured, and are grotesque beyond the power
of:description. The Three Ancient Mariners are
first discovered " approaching the barbarous shore,"
clinging to a broken mast, with dilapidated gar-
ments, dishevelled hair, and distorted features.
More deplorable yet is their appearance while
" traversing the thirsty sands," their tongues
hanging half a yard out of their mouths A
few pages later on we behold them swinging on
the branch of a tree above the open jaws of a
ravenous tiger; in the next picture " showing the
end of the tiger, but not of the peril;" the tiger
has been dashed over a precipice by a lion, who
has taken up his watch in the tiger's stead ; then
follows " Rhinoceros to the rescue," and rhinoce-
ros and lion are both flying in the air over the
chasm, while the rescued mariners swing trium-
phantly on their tree. Shortly afterwards they
encounter a band of cannibals, who, despising their
abject appearance, feed and fatten them for the
table, and when a little while afterwards the
mariners make their escape, and are then seen flying
for their lives, they appear 'so plump and fat that
it is with difficulty they can avoid being over-
taken. From 'what we have said some idea,
but a very inadequate idea, may be formed
of the humour of these extravagant illustra-
tions.—Routledge's Every Boy's Annual contains
its usual amount of diversified articles on all matters
likely to interest boys. Carpentry and joining,
riding, rigging a boy's boat, with tales of interest
and adventure, such as " Paul Gerrard, the Cabin
Boy," by H. G. Kingston ; " Fort Desolation," by
R. M. Ballantyne ; " The Pirate Island," by Anne
Bowman ; and some interesting " Anecdotes of
Dogs," by the Rev. C. Williams.—The author of the
" White Brunswickers" is favourably known to the
schoolboy, and that favourable reputation will be
increased by his new volume of romantic tales.
Balderscourt, or Holiday Tales, by the Rev. H. C.
Adams (Routledge), which amused the holiday
homes of the juvenile inhabitants of Balderscourt,
will enliven the holidays of many other juveniles
this Christmas time. First and foremost of the tales
is the " Smuggler's Cave," which is adorned with a
very spirited illustration of the escape of Charlie
Goring from the cave. He is descending a precipi-
tous rock by means of a rope, to which he clings
with desperation. The fight with the wolves is
another exciting picture, and the imploring entreaty
of the Marcher's Heir will make many anxious to
inquire as to his fate.—Madame de Chatelain has
presented a charming Christmas gift to youthful
readers, in the marvellous and mysterious history of
The Sedan Chair, and Sir lVilfred's Seven Flights
(Routledge). The secret of the chair itself, and
the mystery that hangs over it, is admirably well
contrived, and displays no inconsiderable powers of
imagination. The " Sedan-chair" will be treasured
in the juvenile library side by side with the fairy
tales and the legends of Eastern romance.—The
authoress of " The Wide, Wide World" contributes
two very delightful books for youthful damsels--
The Two School Girls, and Helen Montgomery's
Bookcase (Routledge), each volume illustrated with
some charming coloured pictures, and each containing
severaltales interesting in style and beneficial in pur-
pose. The two school girls, the self-sufficient Annie
Shaler and the gentle Annie St. John are a perfect
contrast to each other. In the school room and
the play room these two volumes will find many
admirers.--Another very interesting story for young
people is Try and Trust, by the author of " Arthur
Moreland" (Routledge.) Mary and George, and
Fred and Charlotte Whitmore, with their various
faults and follies, struggles and successes, are the
heroes and heroines of a very attractive story—a
story containing a good moral lesson.—For younger
children Aunt Emma, by the author of " Rose and
Kate," is to be highly commended. It is just the
book to please little children, being full of the ad-
ventures of little children like themselves.—While
speaking of little readers, let us not pass over The
Children's Friend (Seely), with its capital illustra-
tions, and instructive stories in prose and verse.—
Tem Hood has, in a spirit worthy of the " Little
Piggy" that appeared some few years back, indited
some Jingles and Jokes for the Little Folks (Cassel,
Petter, and Galpin). The illustrations, by C. H.
Bennett, W. Brunton, Paul Gray, and Martin, are
capital. Some are charmingly graceful, and others
comically grotesque. Of the first class is the
exquisite little picture of Bessie at the ball—

" With her dancing eyes and her dancing curls,
The daintiest dancer of all the girls."
Tom Hood has also edited a Christmas book for
older readers, written by the authors of " The
Bunch of Keys," which was among last year's
Christmas books. The name of this volume is
Rates and Taxes (Groombridge and Sons). We
cannot think the present title a very happy one,
for although, as the editor remarks, rates and taxes

are " things that come home to every man," they are
not usually the most welcome of Christmas visitors.
This pleasant volume of lively tales by a group of
favourite authors must, however, we presume, be
regarded as the exception to the rule.—We have
taken up our books at random, or we should already
have mentioned one of the most charming Christ-
mas books of this season—a new edition ef Hans
Christian Andersen's exquisite " Picture Book with-
out Pictures." In this instance we have the picture
book gracefully sketched and gorgeously coloured by
the pictorial fancy of the artist-poet ; but we have
the picture book and the pictures also ! The graceful
pencil of A. W. Bayes, and the skilful graver of the
Brothers Dalziel, have--not in vain--endeavoured
to illustrate and emulate the beautiful imaginings of
the Danish dreamer. What the Moon Said GRout-
ledge) is the title of this new series of the tales of
Andersen, a companion volume to the " Stories
and Tales" of the same author, published last year.
Together they form a complete collection of the
tales of Hans Christian Andersen—the Fairy Tale-
Teller of Modern Days, the Poet of the Play-room!
—Another gift-book which now makes its seasonable
appearance, a gift-book which, for that matter,
should be always in season is the Standard Poetry
Book (Routledge), a concise collection of those
standard poems :which are household words with
us all. Grey's Elegy, Campbell's Mariners of
England, Goldsmith's Deserted Village, Milton's
Sonnet on hisßlindness, and others of equally world-
wide :celebrity.—Among writers for the young, espe-
cially for boys, Anne Bowman is a deserved favourite.
Her tales of peril and adventure are always de-
lightfully sensational and romantic. She has
been fortunate in the selection of a theme for her
Christmas book. The Icoy Pilgrims (Routledge),
beautifully embellished with golden camels traversing
the desert on the exterior, and very effectively
illustrated by some spirited sketches of " the
Fight with the Ibex," " the Landing at Beyrout,"
" the Leopard at the Watch-fire," and many others.
We have here a very interesting account of the
extensive travels of two schoolboy friends who
make a tour of the Holy Land, and meet with
most marvellous adventures. It may readily be
supposed ho w, in skilful hands, as are those of
this popular authoress—this theme may be pro-
ductive of much instruction as well as of no small
entertainment to the youthful reader.—Another
charming volume, The Butterfly's Gospel (Jackson,
Walford, and Hodder), contains three beautiful
tales of Frederika Bremer, very happily translated
by Mary Howitt. These stories, one of which
tells about " a little girl who is worth her weight
in gold" are also contained in Old Merry's Annual
(Jackson, Walford, and Hodder), together with
a pleasant variety of articles, some gay and some
grave and serious—the object of the compiler bein gto
illustrate the motto " Merry and Wise." Another plea-
sant children's miscellany is Beeton's Annual (Warne
and Co.) Among the illustrations of this volume
is a coloured picture of the Indian Suttee, which is
rather an alarming subject of contemplation for a
youthful reader !—Sundays at Encombe (Warne and
Co.), by the Rev. H. C. Adams, is intended as a
book for Sunday reading, and contains stories illus-
trative of the narratives of the Old Testament.—
Lost and Found : a Pastoral, by J. Crawford Wil-
son (Freeman), is a sweetly pathetic little poem,
which may rank with the Christmas books, as its
theme, though tender and tearful, is full of charity
and love.—Among the boys' books we have omitted
to class Ernie Elton, the Lazy Boy, by Elizabeth
Eiloart (Routledge). This work is dedicated
to her own boys by the authoress, who says that it
is the amusement which they have derived from it
that has induced her to publish the volume.
Happily for other little boys she has done so,
for Ernie Elton is a capital book, full
of amusement and adventure. The appear-
ance of Ernie in Martha's dress, after he has
been stripped by the gipsies, is ludicrous in the ex-
treme, and the whole account of that adventure will
be read with breathless interest.—To add new mer-
riment to the Christmas gathering, the delightful
author of " A Trap to Catch a Sunbeam " has
arranged some New Charades for the Drawing-room
(Routledge). These charades are very cleverly
contrived, a separate scene being devoted to each
syllable of the word selected, and all these scenes,
taken together, forming a little romance in them-
selves.—Another amusing little volumette, entitled
Double Acrostics (Routledge) gives a series of ori-
ginal and ingenious acrostics, each question having
a double illUstration.—Reminiscences of a Raven, by
James Greenwood (Warne and Co.), gives the won-
derful adventures of a raven who has mingled in
rather dubious company. London Society and
Chambers's Journal have each as usual their Christ-
mas number, each containing several interesting
tales. The cover of London Society gives a beau-
tiful representation of Old Christmas, with his fir
tree in his hand, out in a snow scene, which is
most felicitously depicted.—Sam Spangles; or, The
History of a Harlequin, by Stirling Coyne (Rout-
ledge), illustrated with some ridiculous engravings,
will afford much merriment to boys and girls.—
The Boy's Wonder Book, No. 1, edited by Dr. Prim-
rose (Kent and Co.), is one of the best boy's serials
we have seen, and it commences auspiciously at
Christmas time.—From what we have said it will
be seen that there is no lack of amusement provided
for this Christmas season.