28 NOVEMBER 1885, Page 23

Men of the Reign. Edited by Thomas Humphrey Ward. (Routledge

and Sons.)—This volume is intended to fulfil the useful function of supplementing that which is known as "Men of the Time." The latter work gives biographical sketches of living persons more or less eminent in politics, literature, the arts, professional life, com- merce, &c. Men of the Reign goes back to all persons that have died daring the reign. It would be an interesting and instructive under- taking to see who drop out of the list of the eminents when they cease to live, and who pass into it (if there are any such) on the same occasion. As far as we have been able to examine these thousand and odd pages, the work has been well done by the editor.