The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-14 00:00:00

THE BOY'S SUMMER BOOK. By Thomas
Miller.

This is the first volume of " The Boy's Own Li-
brary," a series of works intended to be issued peri-
odically, which promises to furnish both instruction
and amusement for juvenile readers. The prospectus
contains some very just remarks respecting juvenile
literature. The writer observes, that authors who
have failed in other ways often take, as a last resource,
to " writing for the young ;" hence the great defi-
ciency of merit too often manifest in this very im-
portant branch of literature. " The Boy's Own
Library " is, however, to be conducted on a different
system. It is proposed to enlist the services of really
able writers, who, though capable of commanding
attention in a more ambiti, us line, \rill think it no
degradation to devote a portion of their time and
talents to the instruction and entertainment of youth.
Should this excellent design be efficiently carried
out " The Boy's Own Library " will be a most valu-
able and must be a most popular work. The first
volume is from the pen of Thomas Miller—that pen
by which he literally speaks to us when the beauties
of the country are his theme. He is not an author who
requires to change his tone when addressing the young,
because he always writes in a natural manner, and
is, consequently, intelligible to all. This little
volume—the Boy's Summer Book---relates, of course,
to summer scenes, and is addressed to boys ; but, to
describe it more correctly, we should say that to its
youthful readers it would in some degree bear the cha-
racter of a genial, cheerful companion, come to pass a
bright sunny day with them. They stroll out toge-
ther amid beautiful scenery, every passing object is
noticed by their friend, and suggests some interesting
remarks, or elicits some useful explanations. Now he
expatiates on the beauty of the surrounding landscape ;
now he recalls the years of his own youth, and many
a hearty laugh or sympathising sigh are evoked by his
varied reminescences. •Many an interesting anecdote
or strange adventure does he relate—he would be ill-
fitted for a companion for youths, who had no "stories"
to tell them—and thus they ramble on without the
trouble of walking, and the reader reads on without
thinking he is reading. The little volume is illustra-
ted with numerous woodcuts.

The RAILWAY SHAREHOLDERS' MANUAL;
or, Practical Guide to all the Railways in the World,
Cornpletd, in Progress, and Projected; forming an
entire Railway S)nopsis, indispensable to all in-
terested in Railway L-o.motion. To which is added
a Correct List of the Offices and Officers of Existing
and Projected Railways. Eighth Edition. By Henry
Tuck.

This, the eighth edition of Tuck's Manual, which
is, perhaps, the most complete work on railway sta-
tistics that has ever been published, contains the
Report of the Select Committee on Railway Acts
Enactments in extenso—copious abstracts of the ge-
neral Acts affecting railway companies which were
passed during the last session—instructions to share-
holders as to the powers which they possess under the
various Acts of Parliament—rates of brokers' com-
mission—the laws regulating shareholders, specu-
lators, and brokers—the statistics of all the railways
now complete—a list of the railway Bills introduced
into Parliament during the session of 1846, and the
proceedings in each—a list of amalgamated railways
—another of new schemes—a table showing the
prices of shares every half year for the last eight
years, &c. &c. &c. In short it is all but impossible
to require any information on the subject of railways
in general, or of any individual railway in par-
ticular, that cannot be found in Tuck's Manual.

MUSIC.
CAROL FOR THE NEW YEAR. Written by Miss
A. Sainuda. Music by Charles. F. Desanges
This is the best New Year's Carol that has appeared
for many a season. Miss Samuda has given us a
poem, a beautiful poem in English, which Mr. De-
sanges has admirably translated into the universal
language music. We cannot convey to our readers
a better idea of this work than by transcribing the
words of Miss Samuda, and then desiring the reader
to recollect that the composer of the melody has ac-
curately given expression in music to the feelings
which the perusal of the poem is calculated to excite.
llail ! all hail ! to the dawning new year,
The mother of months is laid on her bier,
But we sing no dirge, and we shed no tear,
We look to the future with hope not fear.
Then with dance and song, and wassail we'll throng,
To welcome the advent of this new year.
The fair young year hath never a stain,
Nor a blighted hope nor a throb of pain,
Its hours are are whisp'ring of Spring again,
And fancy is weaving a rainbow chain :
Then with dance and song, and wassail we'll throng,
To welcome its beams with its fairy train.
The dark old year dealt many a blow,
Struck down here a friend foster'd there a foe :
Show'd us bright things begun to end in woe,
Bade us heart sickness and rain to know.
Let the old year die, we'll not heave a sigh,
Away to her tomb she may gladly go.
But the rising year will alas grow old,
All unknown the fate her seasons unfold,
When time the record in his hand shall hold,
And many of these merry hearts be cold.
Oh then let us pray in the hour that we may,
By mercy and love its course be controll'd.
Thy lesson old year, be ne'er forgot,
Tho' full of the pangs of onr mortal lot,
It may teach us yet in the future hours,
To shun the thorns as we pluck the flow'rs ;
Then a smile and sigh, hope and memory,
To the new year's sun, and the old year's shovers.

SONGS OF CHRIS-7'MAS FOR FAMILY

CHOIRS. Selected and adapted by a Clergyman of
the Church of England, and arranged in Vocal Score,
with Symphonies and Accompaniments for the Piano•
forte. By W. H. .Kearns.
This is an adaption of sacred words to secular
tunes. Such is object of the editor, as stated by
himself in his preliminary advertisement ;—the vocal
score, the symphonies, and the accompaniments,
have been arranged with considerable ability by Mr.
Kearns, the organist of Verulam Chapel, Lambeth,
and a member of the Philharmonic Society, and those
who, like Rowland Hill (the preacher, not the post-
man), are of opinion " that it is a shame that Satan
should have all the pretty tunes," and who, therefore,
do not disapprove of these somewhat incongruous unions
of the sacred and the secular, will be pleased with this
volume.