The Stock - Exchange Ogicial Intelligencer. Edited by the Secretary of the
Share and Loan Department. (Spottiswoode and Co. 50s.) —The editor is careful to explain that though this volume is diminished in size as compared with the issues of previous years, this diminution has been brought about, not by any curtailment of information given, but by an economy in space resulting from a new arrangement of matter. Nor, indeed, is the change of size very marked. The volume is still very far from Dr. Johnson's ideal of a book with which one could sit over the fire. It must weigh about eight pounds, and contains close upon two thousand pages, quarto and closely printed. In ordinary book-shape it might run to some fifty volumes. There are, as usual, special articles ; one is by Mr. A. J. Chitty, on "Company Law in 1900," another by the Hon. H. Copeland (Agent-General for New South Wales), on "The Commonwealth of Australia."—The Literary Year- Book, edited by Herbert Morrah (George Allen, 3s. 6c1.), is, at present, in point of size, far inferior to the volume noticed above. But what it may grow to no one knows. For are there not one hundred and twelve pages of authors, each with twenty- five names, taking an average ? This makes a total of two thousand eight hundred. There are various essays on literary or quasi-literary subjects. The editor writes on "The Year's Work," and says many true things. He points out some defects of the copyright laws (a topic treated at length by Mr. W. F. Drake), deplores the stagnation in some departments, especially that of belles-lettres, pronounces for net prices, and is dissatisfied with the critics. Mr. Weekes has some words of wisdom about
agreements "Anthony Hope" commends the "Authors' Pension Fund" to notice, and Mr Eden Phillpotts contributes a "Note" on R. D. Black more. Finally there are statistics of book sales, lists of publishers, &c.
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