The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-14 00:00:00

selection and arrangement of the expressions) from a
passage in the "Christmas Carol" of Boz—where
old Scrooge is carried by the spirit of the present,to
the drawing-room of his nephew. As inculcating
virtue and good fellowship this little book is right
welcome : it will not detract from the fame which the
author has already acquired by his " Old English
Gentleman."

TEE ILLUSTRATED MUSICAL AL .11ANACK.
Edited by F. W. N. Bayley.
Cheapness has latterly become so essential in lite-
rature that an extraordinary number of publications
have been issued so ephemeral in character, so mere-
tricious in appearance, and so meagre in talent as to
threaten the deterioration of public taste. This is
lamentably apparent in those productions which may
styled " seasonable." Annuals, almanacks, Christ-
mas stories, Easter offerings, and the like, are espe-
cially remarkable in this particular. There is so
much competition nowadays in the book trade as well
RS elsewhere that a vast number of periodicals have been
palmed upon the people having no higher claim upon
attention than showy decorations, evanescent merits,
and moderate price. It is refreshing, therefore, when
anything appears possessing intrinsic excellence as
well as external beauty—real ability as well as posi-
tive cheapness—elegance as well as novelty. " The
Musical Almanack " is an exquisite production.
Without any puffing, without any adventitious as-
sistance, without a vain-glorious announcement of
any description, it has been published, and its extra-
o. rdinary amount of talent must necessarily ensure for
It every success. Its lavish embellishments by the
first draughtsmen, and its musical compositions by the
first composers of the day, demand the very highest
praise. Among the illustrators are —Phiz (the
inimitable Hablot Knight Browne), Kenny
Meadows (the Shaksperian), Doyle Weigqll,
Hine (the most comical of the caricaturists
in outline,) Hammerton, Warren, and Crowquill.
Among the musical composers are—Balfe, Wallace,
Alexander Lee, Crouch, Hatton, and Florimel. With
such contributors, guided by the enterprising origi-
nator of the publication, Mr. F. W. N. Bayley, it
is not surprising that " The Illustrated Musical Al.
manack" is immeasurably beyond anything of a
similar kind hitherto produced. Taking the songs
in succession :—" Her Heart is the Prize I will
gain ;" written, in four sharps, by Florimel,
is a sprightly and agreeable air, with an
accompaniment of most appropriate simplicity,
The embellishment by " Phiz" is right fanciful,
from the centre group, where the gallant is
pledging the health of his mistress in a bumper, to
every separate figure in the margin. " The Lay of
the May," by Wallace. This charming song, in A
fiat, is daintily conceived. Throughout the music is
most happily illustrative of the words, and both are
graceful, almost beyond measure, The concluding
bars of the first verse are a felicitous adaptation of the
idea :

" Oh, laugh at the winter gone ! Mine is s melting eye,
Smiling at frost till its heart is lost,
And its ice goes weeping by."
In the concluding verse again there is a freshness and
delicacy which is imbued with the very essence and
spirit of May. The engraving of " May," by Kenny
Meadows is a masterpiece. " I then will breathe my
vow," by Hatton, a love song in G major, beginning
with an allegretto movement, possesses no marked
originality, but is singularly pleasing nevertheless.
" Love and Prayer," in B flat, by Balfe, may be
almost regarded as a sister melody to " The light of
other days." The pathos for which the former
writings of our eminent composer are so gene-
rally remarkable, is the pervading characteristic of the
present, and the words themselves by F. W. N. Bayley,
are fraught with sentiment. The most exquisite
ballad in the collection, however, the gem of the
entire book—the picture by Phiz—the poetry by
Bayley—the music by Crouch—is "My Heart will
be broken for Erin." This is written in three sharps,
commencing dolce, espressivo, as the very title itself
would suggest. Every break, every note, every pause,
has a beauty of its own ; they seem to be the veritable
utterances of a breaking heart. The abrupt swelling
and falling of the melody, the transition from force to
feebleness, from the crescendo to the piano, from the
lamentavole to the declumato, from the espressivo to
the lamentavole again, are all done with infinite art,
and yet, be it said, with infinite nature. Crouch has,
if
delicious ballad; he has given us here a companion to
his " Kathleen Mavourneen," that song which, deli-
vered in a musical voice and uttered by Irish lips, has
such a ravishing melody. " Hearts may warm the
winter," by Alexander Lee, in the key of D major,
is doubly welcome, first as an addition to the many
delightful compositions of Lee, and, secondly, as pe-
culiarly appropriate to this festive and domestic
season. The frontspiece, by that distinguished
artist, " Phiz," entitled " Love is a Sly
Boots," is the most highly finished drawing we re-
member to have met with from his pencil. Without
any disparagement to his confreres, it is imtneasur
ably the best illustration in the almanack. Those
who only know " Phiz " through his masterly little
etchings to the works of Charles Dickens, will be
amazed at the exceeding grace and delicacy of this
drawing; the grouping is admirable; the counte-
nance of the damsel with the white plume in her hat
is beautiful—no wonder love is a sly-boots! It
would be impossible to do justice to the prelusion of
facetious embellishments and fanciful conceits scat-
tered over the pages, both by the draughtsman and
the editor, without encroaching to an impossible ex-
tent upon our columns. We must allude, however, to
the extravagant caricature of the Prime Minister and
Sir Robert Peel, the former being represented as
squalling at the highest pitch of his voice, "Robert,
toi que feline!" The preservation of the likeness
upon the distorted face is one of the drollest things
imaginable. Mr. F. W. N. Bayley merits every
commendation for the admirable manner in which he
has performed the very arduous duties of editorship.
The almanack would be cheap at six times its price.
It is the most beautiful and valuable gift book for
1847 yet published.