PUBLICATION RECEIVED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2210, 9 July 1896, Page 40

PUBLICATION RECEIVED.

We hare received from the Melbourne office of the Review of Reviews a selection of the abridged novels which Mr Bte*d is issuing coder the title of the " Masterpiece Library." The selection of high-class novels which would bear abridging without losing their claim to interest! and admiration was no doubt difficult, and the scheme deserves success on account of its object;. Before as, lie 6uch sterling novels as "Jane Byre," "Pride and ißrejudioe," "Hypatia,"'* •,'Ben-HUr;" "She," &a., all isined ab the uniform' price of 2d! What a mine of wealth..!* here for.. the modest purse fcheit dare nob. indulge inihe luxury of' standard Bditious, and yet -desires something better than the "twopenny shocker.'' • -.Hew, too, lies » selection of " PtnayPoete"— Milton, Longfellow, James Russell, Lowell, aud Tom Hood; while the children are remembered in the section "Books for the Bairns," of which we have received- Nos. 1 and 2, being respectively "2Eiop's Fables n , and "The Tales and Wonders of- Jesus." It may be as well to mention that the subscription to the Australasian edition of the "Masterpiece Library" is 10s 6d, which entitles the subscriber to the whole 52 volumes contained in the library, and issued at the rate of one each week, or four every mouth.

The Review of Reviews for Jane is an unusually interesting number so far as illustrations are concerned. New Zealand occupies the frontispiece with a capital photograph of the members of the N.Z. Women's Conference held at Chris* church a couple of months ago. The reproduction is somewhat marred by the poor quality of paper and ink used, but it is never* theless of considerable interest. The whole of the illustrated papers of the colonies (including South Africa) are laid under tribute as usual, and the result is certainly interesting as showing the advances that ace being made in newspaper illustrating in the southern hemisphere. Ladies will be specially attracted by a homely picture of the Czar, Czaritza; and their child, and needless to say the accompanying character sketch of the Czar by Mr Stead it full of interest from beginning to end. Altogether the E' view continues to maintain both its interett »:d its unique position in the literature of the tlay.

Scottish songs and Scottish moiio never fail to appeal to the heart, whether the listener comes from north of the Tweed,. south .of the Tweed, or west of the Tweed, and the offer made bj Mr Mozart Allan, music publisher, Glasgow, in another column will therefore be of interest to readers. Mr Allan has for long made a specialty of supplying music by post, and he ha« established a world-wide connection. He Relieves in bringing the nation*! musio within

the reach of si!, and in pursuance of this intention, ha has published "Two Hundred and Twenty-two Scottish Songs," both words and music, with neat readable type, "and music distinct; and cleanly printed. For the benefit of singers in the tonic sol-fa, an edition in that notation has also bson published. Another capital work is "AlUn'e Reels Strathspeys, and General Dance Music for the Piano," which contains a large eeleotion of reels, strathspeys, jigs, Highland Echottischef, quidrilles, country dancei, and waltzes. This volume comprises over 50 pages of music, and is in fact a whole portfolio in itself. •• Allan's One Hundred and Ten Songs of Soofclacd," without words, for the piano, is equally meritorious.