PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2396, 1 February 1900, Page 51

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

The Pall Mall for January, with its splendid photogravure of Holbien's " Anne of Olives" as frontispiece, is full of good things. The fiction, of which there is plenty, is distinctly above the average ; Gilbert Parker'a series of Indian stories is proving very readable: and " Jasperson's Best Girl," a Californian story, taps a fine vein of humour. Among the articles, those on " Notabla Houses in South Africa," " Morocco, the Imperial City, " Military Heroes at Westminster Abbey," and "The American Stage," may all be noted as being well written and beautifully illustrated. Some dainty scraps of verse pleasantly serve to vary an excellent table of contents. •Unwin's Chap Book, courteously sent us by Mr TJnwin, is pleasantly varied, and fulfils the mission indicated by its title remarkably well. In its pages we find a brightly written and well illustrated resume of the publisher's

various literary wares with portraits of their authors, short biogrophical notices, and illustrations from their volumes. That the tone of such notices and articles throughout is entirely eulogistic is but natural in an avowed Uhap Book, for the claims of the Chap Man to excellence must depend on his ability in purring his wares ; and we can all supply our " grain of salt," the commodity is always cheap and in stock ! The introduction to _thi3 pleasant conceit in the advertising line strikes us as suitable for quotation: —

This Chap Book is a Book for Chaps, And women too, and girls (perhaps), This Chap Book's not a "homely tract" To make you go to sleep ; in fact This Chap Book staves off idle naps, For it a town of books was sacked. — W. H. C.