GIFT - BOOKS.
ILLUSTRATED WORKS AND REPRINTS.
TiIE prettiest book of the season is unquestionably .Kate Green• away Pictures, with an appreciation by Mr. H. M. Cundall (F. Warne. 21s. net). The originals were given to Ruskin and other friends and, with one exception, have not hitherto been published. .They are now reproduced in colours with special care, apparently on the same scale as the drawings, and they unquestionably give a truthful idea of the charm and delicacy of Miss Greenaway's water-colour designs. Indeed, she never did better work than when she was drawing a birthday or Christmas gift for her old friend Ruskin. The book should have had a list of the drawings, otherwise it is perfect.— Everyone who .cares for country sport will delight in the new edition of Thomas Smith's Diary of a Huntsman, edited by Lord Willoughby de Broke (Arnold, 21s. net). It first appeared in 1838, but it is as fresh and instructive as ever. The coloured illustrations, reproduced from- hunting pictures by J. F. Herring, H. Aiken, J. Pollard and T. Smith, are exceedingly good, and the editor's preface is worth reading.-Mr. Cecil Aldin has written and illustrated a capital book on Old Inns (Heinemann. 25s. net). Helook the 1831 edition of Patterson's road-book and visited all of the inns there mentioned that were still in existence. He went as far west as Gloucester and Tewkesbury, and he journeyed through the Home Counties and down into Kent and Sussex for the 'Chequers' at Tonbridge, the 'Mermaid' at Rye, and the Spread Eagle' at Midhurst. His narrative is as entertaining as his illustrations, in line and colour, and will interest many people besides the antiquarians. It is pleasant to know that so large a number of old inns still retain some at least of their picturesqueness.
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