E. S. TAYLOR.
Miscellaneous.
NOTES ON BOOKS, SALES, CATALOGUES, ETC.
Messrs. Longman have commenced the publication, under the title of The Traveller's Library, of a series of shilling volumes which is intended to comprise "books of entertaining and valuable information in a form adapted for reading while travelling, and at the same time of a character that will render them worthy of preservation." The 1st Number contains Mr. Macaulay's brilliant sketch of 'Warren Hastings' which has been appropriately followed by that of 'Lord Clive,' from his Historical Essays and will be succeeded by 'The Earl of Chatham,' 'William Pitt,' 'Horace Walpole,' &c., from the same pen; and these again by other works of acknowledged merit, the price of which has hitherto confined them within a comparatively narrow circle of readers. The 3d Number, 'London,' by Mr. McCulloch, belongs to this class. As a really cheap and not merely low-priced series of valuable books, this well-printed Traveller's Library deserves, and, we trust will meet with, every success.
At a moment like the present, when so much inquiry is directed to the subject of public health and indeed of health generally, we may be excused for directing the attention, of our readers to 'The Laws of Health in relation to Mind and Body, in a Series of Letters from an Old Practitioner to a Patient,' by Lionel J. Beale, as a small volume of useful hints and suggestions from one who obviously combines shrewd observation and professional knowledge, with that most useful of all qualifications for a writer on such a topic, namely, sound common sense.
BOOKS RECEIVED.—Illustrations of Mediæval Costume in England from MSS. in British Museum, &c., by C. A. Day and J. H. Dines, Part 3. The present number of this very cheap work on costume contains no less than three coloured plates—curiously illustrative of the subject, though not so strictly English as the title-page would indicate.
Hurry-graphs, by N. Parker Willis, and The House of Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, form the new volumes of Bohn's Cheap Series. The former is characterised by the usual light, off-hand style of the writer. The latter will add to the reputation which Mr. Hawthorne has won by his 'Scarlet Letter.' They are two pleasant volumes for the steam-boat or the railway carriage.
An Essay of the Authenticity of the Four Letters of Atticus, included in Woodfall's Edition of Junius, by William Cramp, is an attempt, and we must add an unsuccessful attempt, to prove that the Letters in question were written by Lord Chesterfield.
Messrs. Sotheby and Wilkinson will be occupied during the next week in the sale of the fifth portion of the singularly curious and valuable Library of Thomas Jolley, Esquire, including, among other interesting autographs, Literary Assignments, Receipts of Pope, Swift, Thomson, Fielding, &c.
CATALOGUES RECEIVED.—J. Miller's (43. Chandos Street) Catalogue of Books Old and New; B. Quaritch's (16. Castle Street, Leicester Square) Cheap Book Circular No. 30. of Books in all Languages.