PRETTY BOOKS.
Tile tribe of Annuals is increasing in size and splendour. At first they appeared in delicate covers of silk or embossed paper, enclosed in a ease, altnanack-wise—a sort of book-bijouterie. Next they donned the leathern livery of the library, with its gold embroidery, and claimed a place on the book-shelf. Anon the little duodecimo became ampli- fied to an octavo, assumed the dignity of " large paper," and chal- lenged admiration in its twofold character of a book of travels and a collection of views. And now they are expanded into goodly quar- tos, and demand room among the print-books on the lower shelf appropriated to folios ; nay, the last new one, Findens' Tableaux, is almost a folio in size. They cover the table like a service of (copper) plate ; and when arranged on the " what-not," their gorgeous array of embossed and gilded covers shows like a sideboard of salvers. Whe.. ther they will attain to the stupendous size of elephant, or compete for public favour by descending the scale, and vying with each other in diminutiveness, until they make the finger-nail Almanack seem bulky in comparison, and require the aid of a microscope to per- ceive their attractions, time only will show. Both extremes will perhaps be tried in turn. Findens' Tableaux for 1840, for instance, may be wheeled into our study on an elegant rosewood stand, and the Forget-Me-Not of the same year be transmitted, wrapped up in pink wool and enclosed in a little card-board box, like a brooch !
Fiuden's Tableaux is an Annual of the same class to which the Flowers of Loveliness and Gems of Beauty belong; and it is superior to both in its plan and execution. It consists of a series of thirteen pictures, composed of groups of figures with scenic accessories, illustra- tive of the national character and costume of as many different coun- tries, accompanied with letterpress, and forming a superb volume in green and gold. The plates are engraved from paintings by various artists accomplished in the craft of eye-pleasing by means of pictorial combinations of fascinating forms and faces and tasteful arrangements of rich dresses, after sketches by W. PERRINO. They ought rather to be called Perring's Tableaux, seeing that PERR1NG is the designer; for Messrs. FINDENS' name is put to but half the number of plates. But we suppose Messrs. FINDEN give their name to the book in virtue of their proprietorship, as is the fashion of the day ; the idea being adopted, probably, in imitation of those speculators who baptize new streets with their own surnames. Authors, artists, and engravers, thus contribute to swell the fame as well as the wealth of the publishers. The fashion has not universally obtained in the book trade, how- ever : we have not yet seen advertised Murray's Broths, by But" or Cadelts Novels, by Scorr.
By way of giving an idea of the book, let us take two or three plates as specimens. " Naples " is illustrated by a group of peasants In their holyday clothes, bedecked with garlands in honour of the Festa of Madonna del Arco. The principal figure is a girl bearing offerings awl a picture of the Virgin on a rod, and looking back at the spec- tator, while a lusty young urchin is tugging at her scarf ; a man blow- ing a conch shell, and a mother carrying her child on her shoulder, complete the picture ; which is treated by Mr. UwiNs in his gayest
style. " Albania" furnishes us with a pair of Greek lovers, seated, Conrad and Medora fashion, on a basement of ruins ; and "Switzerland" is represented by a melodramatic maiden, with legs such as the heroines of WEST'S theatrical characters display, summoning the monks of St. Bernard and their dogs to rescue a traveller from the snow. These two are by F. STONE; who has likewise taken " Turkey" in hand, and added a tall and beautiful Circassian to the harem of a Turk, who has actually taken the pipe from his mouth, so struck is he with the charms which the black eunuch has just unveiled to his gaze. " Poland" in- troduces to us a triad of exiles, by H. Coanotan, in full dress, as if they had been sketched from the ballet of Benimoshy,—a venerable fa- ther, weeping mother, and imploring daughter, standing in graceful atti- tudes, so as to form an elegant group. "Arabia" yields a "flower of loveliness" in the desert, in the shape of a beautiful maiden in a rich negligee costume, who is come to fetch water in a superb antique vessel. Well may the Arab who is galloping off look behind him : we only wonder how he can resist the charms so liberally revealed. Miss CORSAUX is the artist. F. STEPIIANOTT, Mrs. SETFrnRTII, J. BROWNE, and Mr. PERILING himself, furnish the pictures of France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Mica, and Persia. Mr. PERRING'S picture of African slavery—where a bland slate-dealer with a hand- somely-fierce look, picturesquely dressed in flowing white trousers, broad.leaved straw hat, and embroidered jacket and scarf, is gently reminding a pair of lady-like Negresses, with European features and skins of a becoming bronze hue, tastefully attired in a half-undress, that they must " tempt the wave" with him—is a very promising example of that ornate style which is a favourite with the painters, if not with the public. We should object to these Tableaux, that they are deficient in national character, both as regards costume and fea- ture, and that the style of the art is meretricious, and the sentiment expressed is either false or feeble, when it is not both. But perhaps we are hypercritical. It is scarcely necessary to say that the engravings are highly finished ; and those by Messrs. FINDEN and Mr. Hord. are especially brilliant.
The work is edited by Mrs. S. C. HALL, who contributes lively and characteristic tales descriptive of several of the subjects : the other plates being illustrated by the pens of L. E. L., Lady BEES- SINGTON, LEIGH HUNT, LAMAN BLANCHARD, ALLAN CUNNINGHAM, and CHARLES SWAIN.
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