⁂ The Irish Beauty is the Hon. Mrs. Calvert, daughter of Viscount Pery, Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, and wife of Nicholson Calvert, M.P., of Hunsdon. Born in 1767, Mrs. Calvert lived to the age of ninety-two, and there are many people still living who remember her. In the delightful journals, now for the first time published, exciting events are described.
THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. By Stewart Houston Chamberlain. A Translation from the German by John Lees. With an Introduction by Lord Redesdale. Demy 8vo. 2 vols. 25s. net. Second Edition.
⁂ “A man who can write such a really beautiful and solemn appreciation of true Christianity, of true acceptance of Christ’s teachings and personality, as Mr. Chamberlain has done. . . . represents an influence to be reckoned with and seriously to be taken into account.”—Theodore Roosevelt in the Outlook, New York.
⁂ “It is a masterpiece of really scientific history. It does not make confusion, it clears it away. He is a great generalizer of thought, as distinguished from the crowd of mere specialists. It is certain to stir up thought. Whoever has not read it will be rather out of it in political and sociological discussions for some time to come.”—George Bernard Shaw in Fabian News.
⁂ “This is unquestionably one of the rare books that really matter. His judgments of men and things are deeply and indisputably sincere and are based on immense reading . . . But even many well-informed people . . . will be grateful to Lord Redesdale for the biographical details which he gives them in the valuable and illuminating introduction contributed by him to this English translation.”—Times.
THE SPEAKERS OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS from the Earliest Times to the Present Day, with a Topographical Account of Westminster at Various Epochs, Brief Notes on Sittings of Parliament and a Retrospect of the principal Constitutional Changes during Seven Centuries. By Arthur Irwin Dasent, Author of “The Life and Letters of John Delane,” “The History of St. James’s Square,” etc., etc. With numerous Portraits, including two in Photogravure and one in Colour. Demy 8vo. 21s. net.
ROMANTIC TRIALS OF THREE CENTURIES. By Hugh Childers. With numerous Illustrations. Demy 8vo. 12s. 6d. net.
⁂ This volume deals with some famous trials, occurring between the years 1650 and 1850, All of them possess some exceptional interest, or introduce historical personages in a fascinating style, peculiarly likely to attract attention.
The book is written for the general reading public, though in many respects it should be of value to lawyers, who will be especially interested in the trials of the great William Penn and Elizabeth Canning. The latter case is one of the most enthralling interest.
Twenty-two years later the same kind of excitement was aroused over Elizabeth Chudleigh, alias Duchess of Kingston, who attracted more attention in 1776 than the war of American independence.
Then the history of the fluent Dr. Dodd, a curiously pathetic one, is related, and the inconsistencies of his character very clearly brought out; perhaps now he may have a little more sympathy than he has usually received. Several important letters of his appear here for the first time in print.
Among other important trials discussed we find the libel action against Disraeli and the story of the Lyons Mail. Our knowledge of the latter is chiefly gathered from the London stage, but there is in it a far greater historical interest than would be suspected by those who have only seen the much altered story enacted before them.
THE OLD GARDENS OF ITALY—HOW TO VISIT THEM. By Mrs. Aubrey Le Blond. With 100 Illustrations from her own Photographs. Crown 8vo. 5s. net.
⁂ Hitherto all books on the old gardens of Italy have been large, costly, and incomplete, and designed for the library rather than for the traveller. Mrs. Aubrey Le Blond, during the course of a series of visits to all parts of Italy, has compiled a volume that garden lovers can carry with them, enabling them to decide which gardens are worth visiting, where they are situated, how they may be reached, if special permission to see them is required, and how this may be obtained. Though the book is practical and technical, the artistic element is supplied by the illustrations, one at least of which is given for each of the 71 gardens described. Mrs. Aubrey Le Blond was the illustrator of the monumental work by H. Inigo Triggs on “The Art of Garden Design in Italy,” and has since taken three special journeys to that country to collect material for her “The Old Gardens of Italy.”
The illustrations have been beautifully reproduced by a new process which enables them to be printed on a rough light paper, instead of the highly glazed and weighty paper necessitated by half-tone blocks. Thus not only are the illustrations delightful to look at, but the book is a pleasure to handle instead of a dead weight.
DOWN THE MACKENZIE AND UP THE YUKON. By E. Stewart. With 30 Illustrations and a Map. Crown 8vo. 5s. net.
⁂ Mr. Stewart was former Inspector of Forestry to the Government of Canada, and the experience he thus gained, supplemented by a really remarkable journey, will prove of great value to those who are interested in the commercial growth of Canada. The latter portion of his book deals with the various peoples, animals, industries, etc., of the Dominion; while the story of the journey he accomplished provides excellent reading in Part I. Some of the difficulties he encountered appeared insurmountable, and a description of his perilous voyage in a native canoe with Indians is quite haunting. There are many interesting illustrations of the places of which he writes.