BLACKIE AND SONS' NEW BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9285, 12 February 1889, Page 6

BLACKIE AND SONS' NEW BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

We have to acknowledge receipt of a series of Blackie and Sons' (London) new works for young people. They are handsomely got up and profusely illustrated, and have a healthful tone running through them, as well as impart a good deal of useful information." Two works are by G. A. Henty. The first is " The Cat of Bubastes : A Tale of Ancient Egypt." It gives an outline of the manners and customs of the Egyptians, of their methods of work, their sports and amusements, their public festivals and domestic life, aa drawn from the pages of Sir J. Gardner, and other writers. The scene is laid in the time of Thothmes 111, one of the greatest of Egyptian monarchs. "The Lion of St. Mark," by the same author, is a tale of Venice. The story is laid not in the time of her triumphs, but of her hardest struggle for existence —when she defended herself successfully against the coalition of Hungary, Padua, and Genoa, and the historical portion of the story is drawn from Hazlitt's "History of the "Republic of Venice," and with it is woven the adventures of an English boy. As a writer of stories of adventure for boys Mr. Henty takes a fir3t rank. "Giannetta : A Girl's Story of Herself," by Rosa Mulholland, is a uile narrating that the daughter of an Anglo-Irish gentleman, who had married a poor Swiss girl, was stolen as an infant by some of her mother's relatives. The child having died, they afterwards, for the sake of gain, substituted another child for it, and the changeling, after becoming a clever modeller of clay images on too mountain sido, is suddenly transferred to the position of a rich English heiress. She develops into a good and accomplished woman, and though the imposture of her early friends is finally discovered, she has gained too much love and devotion to be really a sufferer by the surrender of her estates. " Storied Holidays" Ls a cycle of historic red letter days, by E. L. Brooks. A volume of short and pleasant historic tales, each connected with one of the le«ding holidays of the year. " Little Lady Clare," by Evelyn Everett-Green : The little Lady Clare inherits the responsibilities of an ancestry and a family feud, but the estates and title of her father fall to the hated branch of the family. Tho child, however, works out for herself the problem of the divided house, which is at last curiously reunited again. "Jasper's Conquest," by Elizabeth J. Lysaghfc, a tale of English life, is pleasantly told. " The Mis.sing Merchantman," by Harry Collingwood. This is a tale of the merchant marine, and full of incident. "Hugh Herbert's Inheritance," by Caroline Austin. The story is of a widow and her four children suddenly reduced from luxury to poverty. The elder son goes to India and passes through the perils of the Indian mutiny. By a curious train of events their, ill - fortune is again reversed, and they regain wealth and happiness. "Quicksilver, or the Boy With No Skid to His Wheel :" The theory laid down is that any boy, if rightly trained, can be made into a gentleman and a great man. Dr. Dayton chooses a boy with a bad reputation, but excellent instincts, and adopts him, the story narrating the adventures of the mercurial lad, viho finds himself suddenly lifted up in the social scale. "The Saucy May, or the Adventures of a Stowaway," by Henry Frith : The author describes the escapades of a youth who was engaged in rough fishing experiences in the North Sea. "Meg's Friend, by Alice Corkran : Meg, a child of unknown parentage, has been brought up by a woman who abuses her trust. After some adventures she is ultimately taken into the house of a mysterious benefactor, who proves to be her grandfather. " Self-Exiled, a Story of the High Seas and East Africa," by J. A. Stewart: The tale is the adventures of a youth who gets into disgrace, and takes ship to America. After various hairbreadth escapes by sea and land, the hero is landed on the coast of Africa, and ultimately succeeds in reaching home. " The Brig Audacious," by Allan Cole. This is an exciting sea yarn, which includes a desperate but victorious fight with a pirate. The brig is subsequently wrecked on a curious island used by one of the neighbouring savage races as a burial place, and the relief, of the survivors is not effected-until they have been reduced to extremity. " Under Habchef, or Ned Woodthorpe's Adventures," by F. Frankfort Moore : In rescuing another lad from drowning the hero of the tale is compelled to take refuge in a lightship, from which he is involuntarily transferred to an outward bound convict ship. The ship is captured by the convicts and tho mutinous section of the crew, bufc 'after s6me exciting adventures 'the ship is again recaptured. " Under False Colours," by Sarah Doudney : This is a story which while it is eminently suitable for girls roading because of the purity of ita stylo, its genuine pathos, and healthy sentiment, has in it so strong a dranmtio element that it will attract readers of all ages and, of either sex.