The Atherstone, Nuneaton, and Warwickshire Times. — 1888-12-29 (Atherstone, Warwickshire, England)

BOOKS RECEIVED.  TM, CYCLIST CilitiliTlOLS Numsaa Y EAR BOOK ron 1889" (lliff° and Son, 98. Fleet Street. London, and Vicar lane, Coventry). —This. must. is one of the brightest and best of all the annuals. It is entitled Professor Gorilla, Report." and is a satirical sketch of matters affecting cycling past and preaent viewed from an advanced period of time, called "To year i 19880 of yo Quadrunianian era." Of course, to those outside the cycling world the number is something of • scaled book—we Foe the inaming, so to speak, is. glass darkly, and recognise that there is a great deal more M it thao is dreamt of , in the philosophy of ordinary individuals. It is a cycling book written and compiled for cyclists, and we have been assured by thate who know that it is what the editor (Mr. 0. L. Hillier) • claims for it. "A combination of fact and fancy which resettles form a mrisplete history sod record of cycling during the peat year.-. The statistical information, the Edit(sr asserts, will be found to be the most complete and .curste of its kind ever published. The "Gorilla's Report" .or quaintly and cleverly illustrated by Cresrge Moore, whme fame au an artist is rapidly becoming world wide ; the writing is pointed sod telliog ; and the rhymes and poems, which plentifully besprinkle the pages. are from the facile pen of Fred Smith. the ••F.P.S." of Rieveir, News, whose verses aro quoted wherever cycling is lumwn. Theremainder of the pages are devoted to a rem. 4 of cycling in 1888; a racing record of the same year; tables of ams.ur path records ; English professional bicycle r.orda ; the dubs of the iinited Kingdom: " WhO, Who in GYeling 0 Making C) clieg Lea .rn Pictures," dm. The printing and get-up are marvellously good—as might have been exp.ted from a firm with such a reputation. The cover is a perfect study of harmony of design and colour, and is one of the best frontispieces we have .en. Altogether, to ues a cyclmg term, the number beats record, and no cyclist's library ll ho ooroplets without a copy of it. Ws have received the Christmas Number of "The Qu.n" (Horace Cox. 046, Eltranal).-11 is • part of special interest to ladies, the fashion pla.s being numerous and well designed. There ma besides these and valuable information on dress, many general illustrations, and much seseonable matter ; and a coloured plate, ° My Lady sledging" (time of Geo. IV.), is presented gratis. It is altogether an excellent shillings. worth. -  CANTEIMMIT Poses (London : Walter Scott. 24, Warwick Lane). A selection of the pcetical works of George Crabbe, with prefatory notice, biographical and critical, by Edward Lamplaugh, fornis tho January Mime of this haridaorne series. "No very difficrilt task" (say. Mr. Lamplough) ie imposed upon the critic when he is called upon to estimate the poet's object, and the ineasurc of his nue... Crabby was essentially of the people ; • student of human nature, yet not b arid theory, but by observation.y Ilspeculatione informs YR that his aim is the representation of character— and his success is, beyond denial, emMent. Cetiainly he has not embraced every phase of lids; he has not affected the heroic; he has not brought upon • mimic stage princesand peers and , ministers and pimps lying like a couoier while he did Yellenos to true art. On the contrary, he dealt with the people. tho poor and newly, the proeperous middle-class. Ilstein he woo true to himself, true to his Cot; and in the noble company of poets he fills & position as pronounced, maintains as masterly an individuality, do Hogarth sod Wilkie in the graphic  --;:Gssise Fainciers" A. W. Hall, 132, Fleet html. London).—The weekly numbers for December and the Christmas Number are i.ued as the January part of this in.resting and valuable publication. Some of the best thoughts of the very be. writers appear on every page, and one may read all with a keen appatiri. In a letter to the readers, the Editor says.._ • "Msters a the Gospel, arid public speakers generally. have found our columns rich in suggestiven.s ; debating societies have been provided with fruitful topics for consideration, and with characters on whomthey loved to linger; doubrirs have learnt that atheism it not merely the negation of belief, but the suicide of rea.n men of business have caught, amid the rush of • life, some echoes of celestial melodies and many to whom our glorious literature was an unknown land have formed a fair riquaintance with some of its great masters."