NEW EDITIONS.—Dictionary of National Biography. Edited by Sidney Lee. Vol.
XIV. (Smith, Elder, and Co. 15s. net.)—This volume includes XL.-XLII. of the original edition, and takes in from " Myllar " to "Owen." It is, perhaps, especially rich in famous names ; among them are the Napiers (from John of Merchiston, inventor of logarithms, down to Robert, first Baron Napier of Magdala), Lord Nelson, the Norths, Daniel O'Connell, Sir James Outran), and Robert Owen.—Wo have received another instalment (fifteen volumes, completing the first hundred) of "The People's; Library" (Cassell and Co.) Fiction, as one might expect, preponderates, but not excessively,—it claim's three-fifths. These are Sir Walter Scott's Guy Manncring and Heart of Mid- lothian; Marryat's Peter Simple ; our old friend The Swiss PamtitY Robinson ; C. Kingsley's Tivo Years Age; Charles Reade's Hard Cash; A. Trollope's Dorchester Towers ; Whitefriars, by Mary Robinson (a revival of an old favourite which deserves to succeed) ; and Edgar Poe's Tales of Mystery and Imagination, especially appropriate to this, the centenary year of Poe's birth. Outside the province of fiction we have Farrar's Life of Christ (who would have thought when this was published thirty-four years ago that it would be purchasable at eightpence I it is full measure, reckoned by pages) ; Izaa,k Walton's Complete Angler ; Goethe's Faust; Southey's Life of Nelson; Adelaide A. Procter's Legends and Lyrics; and Walt Whitman's Leaves of Gross. The price of the volumes is 8d. in cloth, and is. 6d. in an excellent binding of pliant leather.—Pandita Ramabai: the Story of her Life. By Helen S. Dyer. (Morgan and Scott. Is. net and Is. Od. net.)—Rams,bai has devoted her life to the cause of woman in India. The story of how she was taught by her father, how she prospered in her learning—she is the only bearer of the title of "Pandits," (the feminine of what is commonly spelt "Pundit")—how she became a widow, and was led to take up especially the widows' cause, is profoundly interesting. In 1882 she was examined by the Education .Commission in India, and in the following year visited England and was baptised. A year and a half was spent in teaehing Sanscrit under bliss Beale at Cheltenham. A visit to America of three years' duration followed. Then she returned to India, and 111 1889 tho "Widows' House" was opened. The twenty years °woe that time have been passed in developing the work, which Roes on with increasing .energy. (Miss Dyer, Aldingtou, near nythe, will give further particulars.)—PictoriaI Guido to gardening. By the Editor of Garden Life. (Cable Printng and Publishing Company. is. net.)—Papers for Thinking Welshmen. BY A. W. Wade Evans. (T. Fisher Unwin. is. net.)—" Welsh History must be made the basis of all historical study in Wales." Is not this to narrow the outlook of the learner? Apply the Inaaim elsewhere. How about the Eskimo ? Why are they not to have the same treatment as the Welsh ? But the "basis" would be narrow. The most enthusiastic Welshman could hardly maintain that the history of his country has anything to match the great world-issues of Greece and Rome.
Previous page
