General Chorus.
See Christmas is upon us and the world around us living,
Seeks us and asks the pretty gifts it soon would fain be giving.
The stories thrilling, tender, sweet, to suit all tastes and ages,
All gleaming with their covers gay and picture-covered pages;
The dainty illustrated leaf, the paper softly tinted,
In type, to suit young eyes and old, all exquisitely printed:
Of artist's pencil, author's pen, the choicest, fairest flower,
Behold as the glad season comes we thus upon you shower.
Messrs. Blackie & Sons.
Christmas leaves? Would you pick up the handsomest ones,
First look at these scattered by Blackie & Sons.
Here tales of home life and adventure in plenty,
Have good names to vouch for them. Take G. A. Henty,
In "Bonnie Prince Charlie" and "Orange and Green,"
He lays first in Scotland, then Ireland his scene,
And thrills you with reading the hairbreadth escapes,
Of the heroes he rescues from numberless scrapes.
But while in "For the Temple," he ventures to tell
How in ages long past great Jerusalem fell;
Yet if less ancient horrors are more to your mind,
In the reign of the "Terror" material you'll find;
And if you would learn how pluck never goes wrong,
You've but to go straightway to "Sturdy and Strong."
Next Elizabeth Lysaght in "Aunt Hesba's Charge,"
On the virtues of old Maiden Aunts doth enlarge,
And relates in "Our General" by a small head,
How a family through all its trials may be led.
Then J. Percy Groves in "The War of the Axe,"
Tells a stirring Cape story of Caffre attacks,
And "The Seven Wise Scholars" supply Ascott R. Hope,
For knocking off seven good tales, ample scope,
He in "Old Renown" stories, too, brilliantly writes
Of the deeds done of old by brave heroes and knights;
While E. Brookes harking back with his "Chivalric Days,"
Of the boys and the girls of old times sings the praise.
"Girl Neighbours," allows Sarah Tytler to say,
On the whole she prefers the girl of the day;
In "Miss Willowbrown's Offer," how traitors may fail,
Sarah Dowdney describes in a well-written tale.
With "The Babbling Teapot," to a little girl changed,
Mrs. Champney has well into Wonderland ranged.
Out of "Willie," who here "Gutta Percha" is named,
George Macdonald, an excellent story has framed,
And has shown how he finds life's troubles prove plastic,
Possessing a brain which his friends deem elastic.
In "The Princess" and "Goblin" he tries a new scheme,
And sweeps you along with his mystical theme;
But when she meets "Curdie" he now and then treads
On ground that is over his young readers' heads.
If a truant's adventures, fair reading you find,
The good ship "Atalanta," you'd bear in your mind,
And you'll follow "aboard" it, the hero whose fate
Henry Frith's thrilling pages know how to relate.
Next in "Chirp and Chatter" from field and from tree,
Young children taught lessons by L. Banks you'll see.
"Queen Maud," with her "orders" by Louisa Crow,
Shows pride in a haughty young maiden brought low:
While in the "Squire's Grandson," J. Callwell proves how
A small boy can make up a family row.
The stories of Wasa and Menzikoff tell
Two historical tales, and do it right well.
In his "Dick o' the Fens," one Fen,—Manville Fenn,—
Gives some capital studies of Lincolnshire men;
But in "Sir Walter's Ward," the age of Crusades,
Mr. William Everard brightly invades.
The "Girlhood" of "Margery Merton" relates,
The struggle that oft a young artist awaits,
And how in the end her brave efforts prevail,
Alice Corkran unfolds in her well-written tale.
And if "Clogs," well selected for children to wear,
You're in need, Amy Walton will find you "a pair."
If the "Secret" of "Rovers" is more to your taste,
Harry Collingwood follow,—your time you'll not waste.
In field, forest, or stream, would you "Insect Ways" learn,
For their "Summer Day's" life to J. Humphreys turn.
But to close:—Gordon Browne, whose famed pencil so skilled,
Of the foregoing pages so many has filled,
Crowns the whole by contributing last, but not least,
His new "Hop o' my Thumb" and "The Beauty and Beast."
George Routledge & Sons.
Are you seeking for young children picture-books to please the eye?
Then your need George Routledge and his Sons will readily supply.
Here's "Little Wide-Awake," designed to suit the earliest age,
Bound brightly, with a picture too on nearly every page;
And then there's "Sunny Childhood," with its colouring so gay,
Where Mrs. Sale Barker has such pleasant things to say;
And in "Our Friends" and in "Our Home" she takes them by the hand,
And talks to little readers in the words they understand.
"Our Darlings," too, by Mars, show how our little darlings fare
Who by their Mars (and Pa's as well) are taken everywhere.
If "Fairy Tales" you're seeking, Laboulaye's collected lore,
With new ones, and unheard before, will furnish up your store.
And if young heroes of all climes should come within your scope,
You'll turn to "Youngsters' Yarns," and will have faith in Ascott Hope.
Then "Herbert Massey's" doings in "Eastern Africa" you'll find,
Told by Commander Cameron, quite of a thrilling kind.
"The Children of the New Forest," that Marryat wrote of yore,
Paul Hardy and John Gilbert join to illustrate once more.
"Round Nature's Dial," by H. M. Burnside, tells full and clear
The shifting story of the times and seasons of the year.
The "Annual" for "Every Boy" affords all boys a treat,
Which, thanks to Edmund Routledge, may be held as quite complete.
Here "Caldecott's last 'Graphic' Pictures" come in handy guise,
While by her "Book" consulting, the "Young Lady" may grow wise.
How good we'd be if all, before they do, to think would tarry
On what Miss Edgeworth taught to "Lucy," "Rosamond," and "Harry."
"Natural History," Illustrated "for Young People," must do good,
As a text-book for young children, ably done by F. G. Wood.
The "Funny Foxes and their Feats" and doings "at the Fair,"
With some of Ernst Griset's happiest efforts may compare.
"The 'Shall Nots' of the Bible" and "Loving Links" combine,
In page illuminated, human verse and text divine.
"Play and Earnest" tells of children who their playing much enjoy,
In a story quaint and charming of a plucky little boy.
Then "Sunbeam Stories," "Storm" and "Sunshine," told in prose and rhyme,
And "Stories" for a "Holiday," as also "Pets' Pastime."
These, with "Sindbad's" famed Adventures, new to many we suppose,
With Kate Greenaway's bright Almanack our list must fitly close.
Messrs. Macmillan & Co.
Surely "Little Miss Peggy" will work you the spell
Mrs. Molesworth's charmed pen weaves so deftly and well,
For this quaint little lady, with ways sweet and bright,
Her small nursery readers can't fail to delight.
In "An Unknown Country" pen and pencil beguile
Him who tempts it to visit his own Sister Isle.
The text he'll find art a true handmaid to wait on
In the exquisite work of F. Noel Paton.