REGENT REPRINTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13859, 23 March 1907, Page 13

REGENT REPRINTS.

Messrs Sampson- Low, Marslon, and Co. (Ltd.) have just, issued a sixpenny reprint of Blackmore's masterpiece ' " homa Doonc." The same firm are also issuing a pocket volume of the same old favourite at 2s 6d net. Tho latest series of reprints is Longman's pocket Library. The announcements include Stevenson's "Dr Jekyll and MiHyde " and " A Child's Garden of Verses." also Newman's "Apologia Sua Vila/' Jeffries's "Story of My Henri," and Mackail's "Epigrams from the Greek Anthology.'.' Messrs T. C. and K. C. Jack have just published a reprint., of the Centenary J'.dition of the "Poetry of Hubert Burns," containing all the matter of the original two guinea net ,edition, together with W. JO. Henley's famous essay in four admirable little volumes at 6s net the set, with photogravure frontispiece to each volume. Jl is because this edition was first, published at the higher price that it can now be sold at the lower one. ltuskin's " Unto This Lust'' can now be had for .threepence—which will ba good news to many. Mr 0. Fitiold is able, owing to tho expiration of the copyright, to issue the famous four essays in a halidy paper-covered volume. Buskin's own favourite among his political economv tracts, its splendid idealism, clothed in glorious words, keep it ever new and inspiring. Three particularly enticing volumes appear in Blackie's "Red Letter Library." which, at 2s 6d net. per volume, periodically gladdens the eyes and tempts the purse of the bookshop-hunter. "Poems by Rolttrt Jiurns " is enthusiastically prefaced by Mr Neil Munro, "Poems by Matthew Arnold" is judiciously "placed" by Mis Meynell, and " Essays by William Hazlitt" are introduced by Mr Charles Wibley.

l'oems of HVirriek,'" selected with an introduction by .Canon Beeching, makes it desirable volume in the "Golden Poets" series (Messrs T. C. 'and K. (.'. Jack; 2s 6d net). We foil ill love with tho "Golden Poets" when they first appeared, and aie glad to see the ever-vernal Herriek in their purple and gold livery. The volume is worth buying if .only* for the delightful sketch of tho poet-parson in the frontispiece—" Hesperides" in his eyes and mouth and "Noble Numbers" in his clerical gown.

A new and enlarged edition of " Schoolroom Humour," by Dr Macnamara. is issued by Mr J. W. "Arrow-smith (Is). How much of this delicious compilation is genuine schoolboy and how much the witty parliamentarian must remain a mysterv: but, at- all events, it is all delightful reading. .Vlanv new stories, quaint definitions and '"letters from parents ".are included. We do not know whether this is new: "Faith is what makes you beliero what vou know to be untrue.''—attributed to "'.Tames, aged 10." At tho moment when the works of the earlier writers of British fiction are being so feverishly scanned to see what features of perennial interest they still command, it was suitable and right that such excellent, and such unfairly forgotten journeyman's work as Sir Walter Scott's " Lives of til© Novelists" (Henry Frowdc, Is net) should be revived. It was not less right that- this old book of biographies, almost unknown to readers of to-day, should be introduced anew by Mr Austin Dobson. His little preface and his notes are the perfection of what such work should hesound, laborious, and yet graceful. This is one of the moet attractive of a particularly useful series of reprints, "The World's Classics." to which now, as ever, we offer a cordial welcome. Volumes V to VIII of the' handsome Pentland Edition of the "Works of Robert Louis Stevenson (C'assel and Co.)-contain "Treasure Island," "Dr Jekvll and Mr Hyde," " Prince Otto," " The Wrong Box," and "The Black Arrow." as well as shorter stories less universally known, such as tho curious piece of old Edinburgh life called "The Misfortunes of John Nicholson." The biographical introductions to the separate writings give a good deal of new information respecting the modo in which Stevenson worked. This is particularly the case with regard to "Treasure Island" and "The Dynamiter." The illustrations include a view of Chalet, la Solitude, tho novelist's home .at. Hyeres, as it now exists; a fine head of Stevenson, taken in Sydney in 1892; and portraits, of his parents. We have not (remarks the Bookman) vet reached the limit at. which it would 110 longer be possible to add to the cliimii and interest, of Boswell's "Life of Johnson" by exhibiting it in a new setting. There is, or was, until now an opening for a greatly enlarged use of pictorial aids, tho time in which Johnson talked and lioswefl recorded being now so remote, that sucli aids, if not- absolutely necessary, are certainly most valuable and interesting. Mr Roger Jngpen is the editor of a new reprini, shortly to .be issued by Sir Isaac Pitman and 'Sous, and the claim is made by editor and publishers on its behalf that no edition of the work has hitherto appeared equalling this in t-lie wealth of its illustrations. Thero are in fact, some 100 of these, with the'addition of 12 photogravure plates, reproducing tho likenesses of all the men and women famous in literature, and most of the celebrities in the arts, drama, and social life of the period, Cure has been taken by t.lie editor, whose knowledge, of the Johnsonian age is beyond qucstiou, to collect authentic pictures, and to make bis illustrations as complete and as diversified as possible, by the inclusion of autographs, title pages, and views of places. The book will be issued in twelve monthly parts at- the price of one shilling each. The übiquitous sixpenny will receivo undoubted impetus from tiie publication of the Daily Mail sixpenny novels. The Amalgamated Press (Ltd.). as Messrs Harmsworth now style themselves, are in their latest literary enterprise making a bold bid for public* favour. Their programme aims at bringing out- cheap reprints of many of the most popular novels of recent years by the greatest living authors. These books, in addition to being well illustrated by well known artists, are to be bound in strong limp cloth covers. Unfortunately for the. success of this series in New Zealand, the colonial edition is buund in ordinary paper covcrs. which r.f.arcely differentiates them from the sixIKrimies issued in such increasing numbers by other publishing firms. The novels are. to lie issued at the rate, of about three per month, and'arrangements have been already completed for books by siteh well known writeis as Hall'Caine, Koliert Hichens, W. ]!. Maxwell, Anthony Hope, A. T. QuillerOouch, Horace A. Vachell. Jolui Oxenbam, W. Pett Piidge, Beatrice Harraden. Helen .Mathers, Madame Albanesi. William l,e Queux, Miss Braddon, Mrs 15. M. Croker, and Robert Chambers. We have received from Messrs J. W.

Prictor and Co., local agents for Gordon and Gutcli. vim are numing these novels through New Zealand, the first three issues. These are "The Woman with the Fa-iij"'by Hubert Hicheiis. author of "The (iardein>o'f Allah ; Vivien.' by \\. I>. Maxwell, author of "The Guarded Flaine"; ami "The Klernal City," by Hall Caine. The arc well wot- up in the 'mutter of paper, printing, and illustrations, and the assured reputations of th« several authors should ensure them a wide circulation.