The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-30 00:00:00

A BOOK OF STORIES.

The name of this little volume is surely a sufficient
advertisement for youthful readers. " A Book of
Stories"—what an attractive title ! And fully do
its contents realise the favourable anticipations which
its title is likely to excite. The six " stories " here
assembled are all charming, and all interesting. Two
of them are from the pen of Mrs. S. C. Hall —that
pen which infuses actuality and vivacity into the
merest sketch ; two are by Mary Howitt, full of
simple pathos and exquisite naturalness; and of the
remaining two, one is a fairy tale—" The Princess
Narina, and her Silver-feathered Shoes," and the
other an illustration of the happy effects of " Perse-
verance," by Mrs. Cowden Clarke. The little volume
is elegantly bound, and daintily embellished with
many attractive pictures. As the love of all children
for a " story " is proverbial, the " Book of Stories"
will undoubtedly be a favourite.

7RE GIRL'S OWN BOOK. By Mrs Child.

Fourteenth Edition.

Is it necessary to criticise a work which has
reached a fourteenth edition ? So great a popu-
larity is a sure evidence of merit ; we have,
consequently, only to recommend " The Girl's
own Book" as a most useful Christmas gift to such
persons as may chance not to have met with it al-
ready. Although one hundred and sixty-seven pages
of this volume are entirely devoted to " Games," con-
sisting chiefly of those appropriate to the fireside,
and although nearly sixty pages besides are filled with
various "Enigmas" and "Charades," yet useful in-
struction is not omitted. The fair damsel may here
be initiated into the various mysteries of " fancy
needlework," and even learn how to mend stockings.
In her preface, Mrs. Child makes the following very
judicious observations respecting the object for which
she compiled the various materials of her book :

"In this land of precarious fortunes, every girl should
learn how to be useful ; amid the universal dissemina-
tion of knowledge, every mind should seek to improve
itself to the utmost ; and in this land of freedom as
much time should be devoted to elegant accomplish-
ments, refined taste, and gracefulness of manner, as can
possibly be spare'l from holier and more important
duties ; and in all countries it is peculiarly necessary
that daughters should be so educated as to enable them
to fulfil the duties of a humble station, or to dignify and
adorn the highest. This is the reason why I have
mingled a little of everything in The Girl's Own
Book."
The work is embellished with numerous engravings.

THE THREE PATHS. By Julia Kavanagh.
This is a most beautiful little tale of exceeding
simplicity of design, but natural and interesting
throughout. It relates to the early adventures of
three youths of the same age, but of different ranks
and different characters—Frederick, Marquis of St.
Gildas ; Eugene Dermont, a doctor's son; and Louis
Mathurin, a gipsy child, adopted by a peasant. At
an early part of the tale a fable is narrated, which
demonstrates the purport of the three paths.
We aro told that a king, who had three
sons, declared that the one who should first
arrive at a distant castle and bring him back a
crown that was kept there, should be his successor.
The three brothers set out together, and remained in
company till they came to three diverging paths;
here they parted. " The elder brother, who was very
bold, and loved danger, took the first path ; it lay
through rocks and precipices, but beyond these the
castle could be clearly discerned. The second brother,
who was of a contrary disposition, chose another
path : though rather crooked, it was both broad and
easy, and he calculated that the smoothness of
the road would make up for its tortuous-
ness.", But the third and youngest brother,
who cared not for unnecessary danger, and yet did
not wish to delay, took the path that remained, for,
though very narrow and steep, it was also straight and
open." Such are the " three paths," emblematic of
the paths of life, as chosen by the rash and ambitious,
by the cunning and crafty, and by the straightfor-
ward and persevering. The three youths meet with
many strange adventures, which are narrated in the
most pleasing and natural manner possible. The
young peasant's " pursuit of knowledge under diffi-
culties" is both interesting and worthy of imitation.
It is hardly necessary to say that the volume is ele-
gantly bound and abundantly illustrated, for such
qualifications appear inseparable from a Christmas
book.

THE STORY WITHOUT AN END, from the
German of Came. By Mrs. Austen.
This little work is so universally known, and so
universally admired, that it seems hardly necessary
to do more than announce a new edition, which
makes its appearance with the Chrismas books.
" The Story without an End," simple and unpre-
tending as it appears, is one of those books—so rare
among the millions published—which fix themselves
tenaciously upon the memory, and which are so pecu-
liarly fascinating to childhood. As regards this in-
dividual work these effects are easily accounted for
by analysing its character—it is natural, it is poetical,
and it is German. Such a combination cannot fail to
charm, for nature is ever pleasing, and poetry united
with it enhances its attractions, and when both nature
and poetry become enveloped in the mystery and
allegory so peculiarly conspicuous in German litera-
ture (but which is only attractive when, as here, it is
founded on truth), the effect is irresistible. Nothing
could be more simple than the the:ne of this " story,
—a child, for by that name alone is the hero desig-
nated, in all the unconscious innocence of his age,
wanders amid the scenes of Nature, conversing with
birds and flowers, finding "sermons in stones, and
good in everything." How beautiful is the following
description of morning :
" Softly and soundly he slept till the rosy morning
clouds stood upon the mountain, and announced the
coming of their lord, the sun. But as soon as the tidings
spread over field and wood, the thousand-voiced echo
awoke, and sleep was no more to be thought of:And
soon did the royal sun himself arise; at first his dazzling
diadem alone appeared above the mountains; at length
he stood upon their summit in the full majesty of his
beauty, in all the charms of eternal youth, bright and
glorious, his kindly glance embracing every creature of
earth, from the stately oak to the blade of grass bend-
ing under the foot of the wayfaring man.
" Then arose from every breast, from every throat,
the joyous song of praise; and it was as if the whole
plain and wood were become a temple, whose roof was
heaven, whose altar the mountain, whose congregation
all creatures, whose priest the sun.
" But the child walked forth, and was glad, for the
birds sang sweetly, and it seemed to him as if every-
thing sported and danced out of mere joy to be alive.
Here flew two finches through the thicket, and, twitter-
ing, pursued each other; there, the young buds burst
asunder, and the tender leaves peeped out and expandsd
themselves in the warm sun, as if they would abide in
his glance for ever; here, a dewdrop trembled,
sparkling and twinkling, on a blade of grass, and knew
not that beneath him stood a little moss, who was
thirsting after him; there, troops of flies flew aloft, as
if they would soar far, far over the mood; and so all
was life and motion, and the child's heart joyed to
see it."
An idea somewhat similar to the above, which likens
the rising sun to a priest, the earth to a temple, and
all creatures, animate and inanimate, to a congrega-
tion of glad worshippers, is beautifully expressed in
the " New Timon : '—
" Behold the Sun! how stately from the east,
Bright from God's presence comes the glorious priest,
Deck'd as beseems the mighty one to whom
Heaven gives the charge to hallow and Rime!
How, as he comes, through the great temple, earth,
Peals the rich jubilee of grateful mirth!"

LITTLE POEMS for LITTLE PEOPLE. By
M. S. C.
The "Nursery Rhymes" of Miss Jane Taylor
and her sisters have long enjoyed a universal celebrity
in the nursery. " Little Poems for Little People '
now aspires to share their honours, and if not quite so
meritorious as those inimitable little poems, it is well
worthy of the consideration of the " Little People "
for whom it is designed. The versification is, of
course, exceedingly simple, and the subjects are those
most appropriate for juvenile readers—" The Bees"
"Th
to
eßaby"The Robins," &c. Occasion is
taken introduce moral and religious sentiments in
a way most likely to impress, without wearying, the
childish mind. Some of the illustrations, that of
birds building their nests and others, are exceedingly
well done.

CHARLES BOOK. Illustrated by
Count Pocci.
Charles Boner is already familiar to us as the
translator of " Andersen's Danish Tales ;" he now,
however, appears in the more ambitious character of
an original author. His "Book," we are told on the
title•page, is intended—.