Diaries, Calendars, Christmas Cards. (Thos. De la Rao and Co.)—
Among the thick-coming signs of the near approach of the season when young England expects every relative to do his (or her) duty, we have to note the appearance not only of the excellent diaries bound in plain russia or ornamental coloured leather, by which Mr. De in Ruo yearly lightens for us the somewhat difficult task of choosing suitable Christmas gifts, but of a large assortment of painted and illuminated cards, dis- playing in shape, design, and colouring much ingenuity and artistic skill. In one little box we find a dozen cards, each illustrating some well-known proverb. Opening one of the numerous envelopes (No. 3 of the series) which will soon give employment to many busy little fingers, we come upon fruit ; opening another (No. 2), upon flowers, delicately and truthfully painted, on cards so folded that the sides over- lap and protect the picture ; the background is gilt, and on the folding sides neat and original verses call up the " kindred thought " attached to flower or fruit. Of these (there are six of each) the poppy and the peach strike us as particularly truthful. One envelope (No. 4) reveals six "floral greetings," whore the central verse is written on a plain card, and surrounded by a bordering of flowers of really exquisite delicacy and beauty. Six birds, among which the goldfinch is especially good, greet us from another (No. 5); the robin in this set is too much the conventional robin,—he lacks the touch of nature ; and the blue-tit is too light in colouring. For No. (3 we predict a well-deserved popu- larity ; it contains six emblematic crosses, some plain, others highly illuminated, and all wreathed with beautiful flowers. The lilies at the foot of one are so extremely delicate that it is difficult to believe they are not band-painted ; but the prettiest of all is " No. 1, six al-fresco studies," where the delicate chromo-lithographs are mounted upon brown and gold easel-shaped cards ; the subjects are birds in their natural haunts, snipes amid winter snows, a heron fishing, or sea-gulls flying over a stormy sea. In many of these, particularly in the last, both the idea and execution are full of true artistic feeling. We miss in the Indelible Diaries of this year the astronomical photographs which have often given theta additional attraction; but both in external appearance and internal arrangement they keep up the high reputation they have deservedly earned.
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