The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-09 00:00:00

secret ; but the next chapter will probably have
some startling revelations. Francis Jacox reappears
in this part in a discourse about Wordsworth's
" Intellectual all-in-all." The romance of " Idalia"
is continued, its stately heroine being now in the

hopeless depths of a Neapolitan dungeon. There are
also essays on " Sir Jeffrey Hudson," on Italy and
its ancient remains, and Egypt and the Isthmus of

Suez.

ONCE A WEEK.—" Once a Week" has started on
a new career with every promise of brilliant success.
Tale and sketch, and saying and legend enliven

its pages with more than usual spirit, and the style
and character of its contents are full of•variety and
animation. There are novels running on from
number to number after the fashionable manner,

and also stories whose authors, believing brevity to
be the soul of wit, give us introduction, crisis and
denouement, all within the compass of a few pages.

Pleasant are such easy tales to the casual reader,
who does not make novel reading the serious busi-
ness of his day, and who is apt to mix Chap.
XXXIII. of one romance with Part. XLVII. of

another, and to confuse the hero of one fiction with
the villain of another, if he ventures on taking in
more than one magazine. The contents of " Once
a Week" are not all romance, though they may all

fairly be classed under the head of light reading,
And what with the clear type, the plentiful illustra-
tions, and the liveliness of the general tone and
style, " Once a Week"i must decidedly be classed
among our most attractive serials.
LONDON SOCIETY.--As usual, there are several
subjects of interest in this periodical. " Much
Ado about Nothing" is a romantic tale, which pre-
sents us with some entertaining sketches. " Patty's
Revenge " is continued in a second part, and is a
powerfully written tale ; the character of the

heroine is well described, and she-forms a strange
contrast to her vacillating lover. " Tie Romance
of an Evening Party" is not a very probable but a
perfectly possible narrative, which illustrates the
folly of jumping at conclusions. "Up and Down
the London Streets" presents us with a good deal
of instructive and interesting information, and
famous London town is hardly recognisable in its
antiquated appearance of generations back. " Paris
before Easter" furnishes us with some very curious
sketches and strange modes of showing off the
fashions of the day. The figures are most comical.
" Four Hours in London" contains an account of
the adventures of a Frenchman, who was not at all
satisfied with the reception he met with, nor with
the fare provided for him. " The Merchant Princes
of England" has for subject this time " The Barings
of Loudon." The Two Brides" is an effective sketch,
well illustrated. The " Inter-University Athletic
Games," and " Notes in Rome, Artistic and Social,"
are among the other articles met with in this num-
ber, and " The Crochetters" is a lively sketch in
verse, which is written in a characteristic style.
GOOD WORDS.—Mr. Oliphant's story of " Ma-
donna Mary" is continued with interest. Poor
Mrs. Achtealony's troubles are evidently not half
over, and her prospects of a peaceful home for her-
self and her boys is as remote as ever. " A Day
with the Out-Patients of an Hospital" gives us a
glimpse or two of the world of suffering that goes
on outside the walls of infirmaries and dispensaries.
"A Night with the Ramsgate Lifeboat," by the Rev.
J. Gilmore, is a thrilling narrative of perilous ad-
venture and heroic daring. It cannot fail to excite
the deepest interest. " Our Common Faith," by
Professor Plumptre, is the first of a series of papers
dealing with those grand cardinal points of religion
on which all Christians must unite alike. " Peggy
Melville's Triumph" is a story complete in the num-
ber, and among the remaining papers are " A Plea
for Criminal Boys," by William Gilbert, and "A
Sabbath Visit to the Jews' Synagogue."
THE FLORAL -WORLD. No. 4. New Series.
Groombridge.—Here is a monthly manual for the
botanical and amateur gardener, who may learn
how to design his flower beds, to cultivate his
grapes, to manage his grass lawns, to obtain the
best varieties of asters, and acquire a good deal more
information in the sixpenny number before us.
THE INTELLECTUAL OBSERVER. No. 41. Groom-
bridge.—This is a valuable miscellany of scientific
information, in which recent discoveries are chroni-
cled as well as older questions discussed. The
_liners" is full of interesting zoological knowledge.
THE ENGLISH MECHANIC Part 12. Vol. 2.
Office, 147, Fleet-street.—This useful serial is
described as " a record of mechanicle invention,
scientific and industrial progress, civil and me-
chanical engineering, and architecture, and it
fulfils its promise in the extent and variety of
its contents. The illustrations are numerous and
very good, and it is published at so low a rate as
to put it within the reach of every working man.
THE SUNDAY MAGAZINE.—A well-written pe-
riodical, less adapted for general reading than " Good
Words," but very praiseworthy and readable for
those more of the editor's way of thinking. Several
of the papers are of more than average merit, and
there are also some good verses.
THE BOY'S OWN MAGAZINE—THE BOY'S MONTHLY
MAGAZINE (BEETON).--These two pleasant little
periodicals are well adapted to pass away a holiday
afternoon pleasantly and harmlessly.