Eighteenth Century Waifs - free ebook by John Ashton

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Eighteenth Century Waifs

John Ashton

123 chapters

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123 chapters

PREFACE.

PREFACE.

It was probably Solomon, who, in Ecclesiastes, cap. 12, v. 12, said, ‘Of making many books there is no end.’ But, if this book had to have been written by him, he might, probably, have modified his opinion. I have read some books in my life-time, re the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries, and therefore was not taken aback when I was advised by a learned friend, whom I consulted as to the subject of a new book, to try the ‘Musgrave Tracts,’ in the British Museum. I thanked him, and

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A FORGOTTEN FANATIC.1

A FORGOTTEN FANATIC.1

One of the most curious phases of religious mania is that where the patient is under the impression that he is divinely inspired, and has a special mission to his fellow-men, which he is impelled to fulfil at all costs and under all circumstances. From the earliest ages of Christianity pseudo-Christoi , or false Christs, existed. Simon Magus, Dositheus, and the famous Barcochab were among the first of them, and they were followed by Moses, in Crete, in the fifth century; Julian, in Palestine, ci

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HOW DO YOU EMPLOY YOUR TIME NOW?

HOW DO YOU EMPLOY YOUR TIME NOW?

‘I lie in Bed till Noon, dress all the Afternoon, Dine in the Evening, and Play at Cards till Midnight.’ ‘How do you spend the Sabbath?’ ‘In Chit-Chat.’ ‘What do you talk of?’ ‘New Fashions and New Plays.’ ‘How often do you go to Church?’ ‘Twice a year or oftener, according as my Husband gives me new Cloaths.’ ‘Why do you go to Church when you have new Cloaths?’ ‘To see other People’s Finery, and to show my own, and to laugh at those scurvy, out-of-fashion Creatures that come there for Devotion.

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THE JOURNAL OF A MODERN LADY.

THE JOURNAL OF A MODERN LADY.

( Here several verses are omitted. ) ( Here several verses are omitted. )...

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GEORGE BARRINGTON.

GEORGE BARRINGTON.

There is much and curious food for reflection, in the tendency that mankind has ever shown to sympathise with the daring and ingenious depredators who relieve the rich of their superfluity, which may possibly be owing to the romantic adventures and hair-breadth escapes which the robbers, in their career, have undergone. But, be the cause what it may, it is certain that the populace of all nations view with admiration great and successful thieves: for instance, what greater popular hero, and one

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STANZAS On the late indecent Liberties taken with the remains of the great Milton. Anno 1790.

STANZAS On the late indecent Liberties taken with the remains of the great Milton. Anno 1790.

Leigh Hunt possessed a lock of Milton’s hair which had been given to him by a physician—and over which he went into such rhapsodies that he composed no less than three sonnets addressed to the donor—which may be found in his ‘Foliage,’ ed. 1818, pp. 131, 132, 133. The following is the best:— TO —— —— MD., On his giving me a lock of Milton’s hair . How were these personal relics obtained? By rifling his tomb. Shakespeare solemnly cursed anyone who should dare to meddle with his dead body, and his

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A NARRATIVE, &c.

A NARRATIVE, &c.

Having read in the Public Advertiser , on Saturday, the 7th of August, 1790, that Milton’s coffin had been dug up in the parish church of St. Giles, Cripplegate, and was there to be seen, I went immediately to the church, and found the latter part of the information to be untrue; but, from conversations on that day, on Monday, the 9th, and on Tuesday, the 10th of August, with Mr. Thomas Strong , Solicitor and F.A.S., Red Cross Street, Vestry-Clerk ; Mr. John Cole , Barbican, Silversmith, Churchw

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MILTON.

MILTON.

Reasons why it is impossible that the Coffin lately dug up in the Parish Church of St. Giles, Cripplegate, should contain the reliques of Milton . First. Because Milton was buried in 1674, and this coffin was found in a situation previously allotted to a wealthy family, unconnected with his own.—See the mural monument of the Smiths , dated 1653, &amp;c., immediately over the place of the supposed Milton’s interment.—In the time that the fragments of several other sarcophagi were found; toget

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POSTSCRIPT.

POSTSCRIPT.

As some reports have been circulated, and some anonymous papers have appeared, since the publication of this pamphlet, with intent to induce a belief that the corpse mentioned in it is that of a woman, and as the curiosity of the public now calls for a second impression of it, an opportunity is offered of relating a few circumstances which have happened since the 14th of August, and which, in some degree, may confirm the opinion that the corpse is that of Milton . On Monday, the 16th, I called u

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The examination of Richard Houseman, of Knaresbrough, flax-dresser.

The examination of Richard Houseman, of Knaresbrough, flax-dresser.

‘This examinant saies that true it is that Daniel Clark was murdered by Eugene Aram, late of Knaresbrough, schoolmaster, and, as he believes, it was on Friday morning, the 8th of February, 1744, as set forth by other informations, as to matter of time; for that he, and Eugene Aram and Daniel Clark were together at Aram’s house early in the morning, when there was snow on the ground, and moonlight, and went out of Aram’s house a little before them, and went up the street a little before them, and

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‘STOP THE VILLAIN!

‘STOP THE VILLAIN!

‘Ran away this morning, an Irish Servant, named Michael Day, by trade a Tailor, about five feet eight inches high, fair complexion, has a down look when spoken to, light bushy hair, speaks much in the Irish dialect, &amp;c. Whoever secures the above-described in any gaol, shall receive thirty dollars reward, and all reasonable charges paid. N.B.—All masters of Vessels are forbid harbouring or carrying off the said Servant at their peril.’ The laws which regulated them were originally framed

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A TRIP TO RICHMOND IN SURREY.

A TRIP TO RICHMOND IN SURREY.

The following morceau gives so quaint an account of a day’s outing in the last century that I have thought it a pity to let it remain buried. It is by J. West, and was published in 1787:...

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GEORGE ROBERT FITZGERALD, COMMONLY CALLED ‘FIGHTING FITZGERALD.’

GEORGE ROBERT FITZGERALD, COMMONLY CALLED ‘FIGHTING FITZGERALD.’

Should anyone wish for a graphic account of Irish life in the later portion of the eighteenth century, he should read Sir Jonah Barrington’s ‘Personal Sketches of Ireland,’ and he will find afterwards that Lever’s novels afford but a faint reflection of the manners and customs existing in the west and south of Ireland. Ignorance, idleness, and dissipation were the characteristic of the wealthier classes, and a meeting of the ‘gentry’ could seldom take place without quarrelling and bloodshed. At

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EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY AMAZONS.

EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY AMAZONS.

Pugnacity is not confined to the male sex, as everyone well knows, and none better than the police-force, but in these latter and, presumably, degenerate days, the efforts, in this direction, of the softer sex are confined to social exhibitions, there being, as far as is known, no woman serving in Her Majesty’s force either by land or by sea. Indeed, with the present medical examination, it would be impossible; and so it would have been in the old days, only then all was fish that came to the ne

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‘The Times.

‘The Times.

‘Why change the head? ‘This question will naturally come from the Public—and we , the Times , being the Public’s most humble and obedient Servants, think ourselves bound to answer:— ‘All things have heads —and all heads are liable to change . ‘Every sentence and opinion advanced by Mr. Shandy on the influence and utility of a well-chosen surname may be properly applied in showing the recommendations and advantages which result from placing a striking title-page before a book, or an inviting Head

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TIMES,

TIMES,

Which, being a monosyllable , bids defiance to corrupters and mutilaters of the language. ‘ The Times! What a monstrous name! Granted, for the Times is a many-headed monster, that speaks with an hundred tongues, and displays a thousand characters, and, in the course of its transformations in life, assumes innumerable shapes and humours. ‘The critical reader will observe we personify our new name ; but as we give it no distinction of sex, and though it will be active in its vocations, yet we appl

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‘To the Public.

‘To the Public.

‘It is with very great regret that the Proprietors of this Paper, in Common with those of other Newspapers, find themselves obliged to increase the daily price of it One Halfpenny , a measure which they have been forced to adopt in consequence of the Tax laid by the Minister on Paper , during the present Session of Parliament, and which took place on the 5th instant. ‘While the Bill was still pending, we not only stated in our Newspaper, but the Minister was himself informed by a Committee of Pr

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‘Sale.

‘Sale.

2,000 Newspapers sold to the Newshawkers at 3½d., with a further deduction of allowing them a Paper in every Quire ... ... ... £26 18 6....

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‘Cost of 2,000 Papers.

‘Cost of 2,000 Papers.

A Bundle of Paper containing 2,000 Half-sheets, or 2,000 Newspapers at Four Guineas per Bundle, which is the price it will be sold at under the new Duty is £4 4 0. ‘This is the whole Profit on the sale of two thousand Newspapers, out of which is to be deducted the charges of printing a Newspaper (which, on account of the Rise in Printers’ Wages last year, is £100 a year more than it ever was before), the charges of Rent, Taxes, Coals, Candles (which are very high in every Printing-office), Clerk

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‘The New Year.

‘The New Year.

‘The New Year finds the Times in the same situation which it has invariably enjoyed during a long period of public approbation. It still continues to maintain its character among the Morning Papers, as the most considerable in point of sale, as of general dependence with respect to information, and as proceeding on the general principles of the British Constitution. While we thus proudly declare our possession of the public favour, we beg leave to express our grateful sense of the unexampled pat

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IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.

IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.

Imprisonment for debt has long ceased to exist in England; debtors now only suffering incarceration for contempt of Court: that is to say, that the judge has satisfied himself that the debtor has the means to pay, and will not. But, in the eighteenth century, it was a fearful fact, and many languished in prison for life, for most trifling sums. Of course, there were debtors and debtors. If a man had money or friends, much might be done to mitigate his position; he might even live outside the pri

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JONAS HANWAY.

JONAS HANWAY.

If Jonas Hanway had lived before Fuller, he certainly would have been enshrined among his ‘Worthies;’ and it is astonishing to find how comparatively ignorant of him and his works are even well-read men. Ask one about him, and he will reply that he was a philanthropist, but he will hardly be able to say in what way he was philanthropic: ask another, and the reply will be that he was the man who introduced umbrellas into England—but it is very questionable if he could tell whence he got the umbre

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A HOLY VOYAGE TO RAMSGATE A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

A HOLY VOYAGE TO RAMSGATE A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

This little story, which I very much condense, is most amusing, and is the work of ‘Henry Blaine, Minister of the Gospel at Tring, Herts.’ I only give it as showing the dread with which any country-bred man, at that time, put his precious body at the mercy of Father Neptune. Steam has changed all our habits, but then there were no ‘Globe Trotters,’—few, if any, climbed the Alps for amusement; the Dolomites were unknown; people had no steam-yachts and went in pursuit of perpetual summer; a cruise

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THE FAMOUS AND VIRTUOUS NECKLACES.

THE FAMOUS AND VIRTUOUS NECKLACES.

‘One of them being of no greater weight than a small Nutmeg , absolutely easing Children in Breeding Teeth without Pain ; thereby preventing Feavers , Ruptures , Convulsions , Rickets , and such attendant Distempers, to the Admiration of thousands of the City of London , and Counties adjoining, who have experienced the same, to their great comfort and satisfaction of the Parents of the Children who have used them. Besides the Decrease in the Bills of Mortality , apparent (within this Year and a

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‘An Acrostic, by a Lady.

‘An Acrostic, by a Lady.

In this temple of ‘Health and Hymen’ he had a wonderful ‘Celestial Bed,’ which he pretended cost sixty thousand pounds. He guaranteed that the sleepers therein, although hitherto childless, should become prolific; but it was somewhat costly, for the fee for its use for a single night was one hundred pounds. Still, he had some magneto-electric beds, which, probably, were as efficacious, at a lower rate, only fifty pounds nightly. The title-page of a pamphlet on his establishment is noteworthy. ‘

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Epigram.

Epigram.

And the following was sung upon y e Stage: At this time she was at her acme—but if an anonymous writer in the Cornhill Magazine for March, 1873, p. 82, is to be believed, she died December, 1837, ‘at her lodgings near Seven Dials, so miserably poor, that the parish was obliged to bury her.’ In No. 572 of the Spectator , July 26, 1714, 106 is a very amusing article on the quacks of Queen Anne’s time: ‘There is scarce a city in Great Britain but has one of this tribe, who takes it into his protect

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THE END. LONDON: PRINTED BY DUNCAN MACDONALD, BLENHEIM HOUSE.

THE END. LONDON: PRINTED BY DUNCAN MACDONALD, BLENHEIM HOUSE.

HURST &amp; BLACKETT’S LIST OF NEW WORKS. LONDON: 13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET, W. 13, Great Marlborough Street, London. MESSRS. HURST AND BLACKETT’S LIST OF NEW WORKS. EIGHTEENTH CENTURY WAIFS. By John Ashton , Author of ‘Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne,’ &amp;c. 1 vol. imperial 8vo. 12s. CONTENTS: A Forgotten Fanatic—A Fashionable Lady’s Life—George Barrington—Milton’s Bones—The True Story of Eugene Aram—Redemptioners—A Trip to Richmond in Surrey—George Robert Fitzgerald—Eightee

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DONOVAN: A MODERN ENGLISHMAN.

DONOVAN: A MODERN ENGLISHMAN.

“This is a very admirable work. The reader is from the first carried away by the gallant unconventionality of its author. ‘Donovan’ is a very excellent novel; but it is something more and better. It should do as much good as the best sermon ever written or delivered extempore. The story is told with a grand simplicity, an unconscious poetry of eloquence which stirs the very depths of the heart. One of the main excellencies of this novel is the delicacy of touch with which the author shows her mo

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WE TWO.

WE TWO.

“This book is well written and full of interest. The story abounds with a good many light touches, and is certainly far from lacking in incident.”— Times. “‘We Two’ contains many very exciting passages and a great deal of information. Miss Lyall is a capable writer and a clear-headed thinker.”— Athenæum. “A work of deep thought and much power. Serious as it is, it is now and then brightened by rays of genuine humour. Altogether this story is more and better than a novel.”— Morning Post. “There i

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IN THE GOLDEN DAYS.

IN THE GOLDEN DAYS.

“Miss Lyall has given us a vigorous study of such life and character as are really worth reading about. The central figure of her story is Algernon Sydney; and this figure she invests with a singular dignity and power. He always appears with effect, but no liberties are taken with the facts of his life. The plot is adapted with great felicity to them. His part in it, absolutely consistent as it is with historical truth, gives it reality as well as dignity. Some of the scenes are remarkably vivid

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WON BY WAITING.

WON BY WAITING.

“The Dean’s daughters are perfectly real characters—the learned Cornelia especially;—the little impulsive French heroine, who endures their cold hospitality and at last wins their affection, is thoroughly charming; while throughout the book there runs a golden thread of pure brotherly and sisterly love, which pleasantly reminds us that the making and marring of marriage is not, after all, the sum total of real life.”— Academy. “‘Won by Waiting’ is a very pleasing and well-written tale; full of g

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HIS LITTLE MOTHER. By the Author of “John Halifax, Gentleman.”

HIS LITTLE MOTHER. By the Author of “John Halifax, Gentleman.”

“‘His Little Mother’ is one of those pathetic stories which the author tells better than anybody else.”— John Bull. “This book is written with all Mrs. Craik’s grace of style, the chief charm of which, after all, is its simplicity.”— Glasgow Herald....

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MY LORD AND MY LADY. By Mrs. Forrester.

MY LORD AND MY LADY. By Mrs. Forrester.

“A very capital novel. The great charm about it is that Mrs. Forrester is quite at home in the society which she describes. It is a book to read.”— Standard. “Mrs. Forrester’s style is so fresh and graphic that the reader is kept under its spell from first to last.”— Morning Post....

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SOPHY. By Violet Fane.

SOPHY. By Violet Fane.

“‘Sophy’ is the clever and original work of a clever woman. Its merits are of a strikingly unusual kind. It is charged throughout with the strongest human interest. It is, in a word, a novel that will make its mark.”— World....

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A HOUSE PARTY. By Ouida.

A HOUSE PARTY. By Ouida.

“‘A House Party’ will be read, firstly, because it is Ouida’s, and, secondly, because of the brightness of the conversations and descriptions. It is indeed more like a comedy than any other of the writer’s books.”— Globe....

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OMNIA VANITAS. By Mrs. Forrester.

OMNIA VANITAS. By Mrs. Forrester.

“This book is pleasant and well meant. Here and there are some good touches. Sir Ralph is a man worth reading about.”— Academy. “This tale is well and cleverly written; the characters are drawn and sustained with considerable power, and the conversation is always bright and lively.”— Glasgow Herald....

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BETRAYAL OF REUBEN HOLT. By Barbara Lake.

BETRAYAL OF REUBEN HOLT. By Barbara Lake.

“This novel shows considerable power of writing. There are some striking scenes and incidents.”— Scotsman. “This tale displays elevation of thought and feeling, united to no little grace of expression.”— Post....

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THE BRANDRETHS. By the Right Hon. A. J. B. Beresford Hope, M.P.

THE BRANDRETHS. By the Right Hon. A. J. B. Beresford Hope, M.P.

“The great attraction of this novel is the easy, conversational, knowledgeable tone of it; the sketching from the life, and yet not so close to the life as to be malicious, men, women, periods, and events, to all of which intelligent readers can fit a name. The political and social sketches will naturally excite the chief interest among readers who will be attracted by the author’s name and experience.”— Spectator....

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THE NEW AND POPULAR NOVELS. PUBLISHED BY HURST & BLACKETT.

THE NEW AND POPULAR NOVELS. PUBLISHED BY HURST & BLACKETT.

ST. BRIAVELS. By Mary Deane , Author of “Quatrefoil,” &amp;c. 3 vols. “The authoress throughout writes with moderation and consistency, and her three ample volumes well repay perusal.”— Daily Telegraph. “‘St. Briavels’ is a story replete with variety, and in all developments of her plot the author skilfully maintains an unabated interest.”— Morning Post. A LILY MAID. By William George Waters . 3 vols. “A story of the keenest interest. Mr. Waters’ plot is neat, and his style is bright and ple

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I.—SAM SLICK’S NATURE AND HUMAN NATURE.

I.—SAM SLICK’S NATURE AND HUMAN NATURE.

“The first volume of Messrs. Hurst and Blackett’s Standard Library of Cheap Editions forms a very good beginning to what will doubtless be a very successful undertaking. ‘Nature and Human Nature’ is one of the best of Sam Slick’s witty and humorous productions, and well entitled to the large circulation which it cannot fail to obtain in its present convenient and cheap shape. The volume combines with the great recommendations of a clear, bold type and good paper, the lesser, but attractive merit

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II.—JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.

II.—JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.

“The new and cheaper edition of this interesting work will doubtless meet with great success. John Halifax, the hero of this most beautiful story, is no ordinary hero, and this his history is no ordinary book. It is a full-length portrait of a true gentleman, one of nature’s own nobility. It is also the history of a home, and a thoroughly English one. The work abounds in incident, and many of the scenes are full of graphic power and true pathos. It is a book that few will read without becoming w

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III.—THE CRESCENT AND THE CROSS. BY ELIOT WARBURTON.

III.—THE CRESCENT AND THE CROSS. BY ELIOT WARBURTON.

“Independent of its value as an original narrative, and its useful and interesting information, this work is remarkable for the colouring power and play of fancy with which its descriptions are enlivened. Among its greatest and most lasting charms is its reverent and serious spirit.”— Quarterly Review. “Mr. Warburton has fulfilled the promise of his title-page. The ‘Realities of Eastern Travel’ are described with a vividness which invests them with deep and abiding interest; while the ‘Romantic’

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IV.—NATHALIE. BY JULIA KAVANAGH.

IV.—NATHALIE. BY JULIA KAVANAGH.

“‘Nathalie’ is Miss Kavanagh’s best imaginative effort. Its manner is gracious and attractive. Its matter is good. A sentiment, a tenderness, are commanded by her which are as individual as they are elegant. We should not soon come to an end were we to specify all the delicate touches and attractive pictures which place ‘Nathalie’ high among books of its class.”— Athenæum....

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V.—A WOMAN’S THOUGHTS ABOUT WOMEN. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

V.—A WOMAN’S THOUGHTS ABOUT WOMEN. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

“These thoughts are good and humane. They are thoughts we would wish women to think: they are much more to the purpose than the treatises upon the women and daughters of England, which were fashionable some years ago, and these thoughts mark the progress of opinion, and indicate a higher tone of character, and a juster estimate of woman’s position.”— Athenæum. “This excellent book is characterised by good sense, good taste, and feeling, and is written in an earnest, philanthropic, as well as pra

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VI.—ADAM GRAEME OF MOSSGRAY. BY MRS. OLIPHANT.

VI.—ADAM GRAEME OF MOSSGRAY. BY MRS. OLIPHANT.

“‘Adam Graeme’ is a story awakening genuine emotions of interest and delight by its admirable pictures of Scottish life and scenery. The plot is cleverly complicated, and there is great vitality in the dialogue, and remarkable brilliancy in the descriptive passages, as who that has read ‘Margaret Maitland’ would not be prepared to expect? But the story has a ‘mightier magnet still,’ in the healthy tone which pervades it, in its feminine delicacy of thought and diction, and in the truly womanly t

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VII.—SAM SLICK’S WISE SAWS AND MODERN INSTANCES.

VII.—SAM SLICK’S WISE SAWS AND MODERN INSTANCES.

“We have not the slightest intention to criticise this book. Its reputation is made, and will stand as long as that of Scott’s or Bulwer’s novels. The remarkable originality of its purpose, and the happy description it affords of American life and manners, still continue the subject of universal admiration. To say thus much is to say enough, though we must just mention that the new edition forms a part of the Publishers’ Cheap Standard Library, which has included some of the very best specimens

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VIII.—CARDINAL WISEMAN’S RECOLLECTIONS OF THE LAST FOUR POPES.

VIII.—CARDINAL WISEMAN’S RECOLLECTIONS OF THE LAST FOUR POPES.

“A picturesque book on Rome and its ecclesiastical sovereigns, by an eloquent Roman Catholic. Cardinal Wiseman has here treated a special subject with so much generality and geniality that his recollections will excite no ill-feeling in those who are most conscientiously opposed to every idea of human infallibility represented in Papal domination.”— Athenæum....

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IX.—A LIFE FOR A LIFE. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

IX.—A LIFE FOR A LIFE. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

“We are always glad to welcome Mrs. Craik. She writes from her own convictions, and she has the power not only to conceive clearly what it is that she wishes to say, but to express it in language effective and vigorous. In ‘A Life for a Life’ she is fortunate in a good subject, and she has produced a work of strong effect. The reader, having read the book through for the story, will be apt (if he be of our persuasion) to return and read again many pages and passages with greater pleasure than on

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X.—THE OLD COURT SUBURB. BY LEIGH HUNT.

X.—THE OLD COURT SUBURB. BY LEIGH HUNT.

“A book which has afforded us no slight gratification.”— Athenæum. “From the mixture of description, anecdote, biography, and criticism, this book is very pleasant reading.”— Spectator. “A more agreeable and entertaining book has not been published since Boswell produced his reminiscences of Johnson.”— Observer....

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XI.—MARGARET AND HER BRIDESMAIDS. BY THE AUTHOR OF “THE VALLEY OF A HUNDRED FIRES.”

XI.—MARGARET AND HER BRIDESMAIDS. BY THE AUTHOR OF “THE VALLEY OF A HUNDRED FIRES.”

“We recommend all who are in search of a fascinating novel to read this work for themselves. They will find it well worth their while. There are a freshness and originality about it quite charming, and there is a certain nobleness in the treatment both of sentiment and incident which is not often found.”— Athenæum....

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XII.—THE OLD JUDGE; OR, LIFE IN A COLONY. BY SAM SLICK.

XII.—THE OLD JUDGE; OR, LIFE IN A COLONY. BY SAM SLICK.

“A peculiar interest attaches to sketches of colonial life, and readers could not have a safer guide than the talented author of this work, who, by a residence of half a century, has practically grasped the habits, manners, and social conditions of the colonists he describes. All who wish to form a fair idea of the difficulties and pleasures of life in a new country, unlike England in some respects, yet like it in many, should read this book.”— John Bull....

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XIII.—DARIEN; OR, THE MERCHANT PRINCE. BY ELIOT WARBURTON.

XIII.—DARIEN; OR, THE MERCHANT PRINCE. BY ELIOT WARBURTON.

“This last production of the author of ‘The Crescent and the Cross’ has the same elements of a very wide popularity. It will please its thousands.”— Globe. “Eliot Warburton’s active and productive genius is amply exemplified in the present book. We have seldom met with any work in which the realities of history and the poetry of fiction were more happily interwoven.”— Illustrated News....

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XIV.—FAMILY ROMANCE; OR, DOMESTIC ANNALS OF THE ARISTOCRACY. BY SIR BERNARD BURKE, ULSTER KING OF ARMS.

XIV.—FAMILY ROMANCE; OR, DOMESTIC ANNALS OF THE ARISTOCRACY. BY SIR BERNARD BURKE, ULSTER KING OF ARMS.

“It were impossible to praise too highly this most interesting book, whether we should have regard to its excellent plan or its not less excellent execution. It ought to be found on every drawing-room table. Here you have nearly fifty captivating romances with the pith of all their interest preserved in undiminished poignancy, and any one may be read in half an hour. It is not the least of their merits that the romances are founded on fact—or what, at least, has been handed down for truth by lon

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XV.—THE LAIRD OF NORLAW. BY MRS. OLIPHANT.

XV.—THE LAIRD OF NORLAW. BY MRS. OLIPHANT.

“We have had frequent opportunities of commending Messrs. Hurst and Blackett’s Standard Library. For neatness, elegance, and distinctness the volumes in this series surpass anything with which we are familiar. ‘The Laird of Norlaw’ will fully sustain the author’s high reputation. The reader is carried on from first to last with an energy of sympathy that never flags.”— Sunday Times. “‘The Laird of Norlaw’ is worthy of the author’s reputation. It is one of the most exquisite of modern novels.”— O

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XVI.—THE ENGLISHWOMAN IN ITALY. BY MRS. G. GRETTON.

XVI.—THE ENGLISHWOMAN IN ITALY. BY MRS. G. GRETTON.

“Mrs. Gretton had opportunities which rarely fall to the lot of strangers of becoming acquainted with the inner life and habits of a part of the Italian peninsula which is the very centre of the national crisis. We can praise her performance as interesting, unexaggerated, and full of opportune instruction.”— The Times. “Mrs. Gretton’s book is timely, life-like, and for every reason to be recommended. It is impossible to close the book without liking the writer as well as the subject. The work is

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XVII.—NOTHING NEW. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

XVII.—NOTHING NEW. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

“‘Nothing New’ displays all those superior merits which have made ‘John Halifax’ one of the most popular works of the day. There is a force and truthfulness about these tales which mark them as the production of no ordinary mind, and we cordially recommend them to the perusal of all lovers of fiction.”— Morning Post....

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XVIII.—LIFE OF JEANNE D’ALBRET, QUEEN OF NAVARRE. BY MISS FREER.

XVIII.—LIFE OF JEANNE D’ALBRET, QUEEN OF NAVARRE. BY MISS FREER.

“We have read this book with great pleasure, and have no hesitation in recommending it to general perusal. It reflects the highest credit on the industry and ability of Miss Freer. Nothing can be more interesting than her story of the life of Jeanne D’Albret, and the narrative is as trustworthy as it is attractive.”— Morning Post....

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XIX.—THE VALLEY OF A HUNDRED FIRES. BY THE AUTHOR OF “MARGARET AND HER BRIDESMAIDS.”

XIX.—THE VALLEY OF A HUNDRED FIRES. BY THE AUTHOR OF “MARGARET AND HER BRIDESMAIDS.”

“If asked to classify this work, we should give it a place between ‘John Halifax’ and ‘The Caxtons.’”— Standard. “The spirit in which the whole book is written is refined and good.”— Athenæum. “This is in every sense a charming novel.”— Messenger....

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XX.—THE ROMANCE OF THE FORUM; OR, NARRATIVES, SCENES, AND ANECDOTES FROM COURTS OF JUSTICE. BY PETER BURKE, SERJEANT AT LAW.

XX.—THE ROMANCE OF THE FORUM; OR, NARRATIVES, SCENES, AND ANECDOTES FROM COURTS OF JUSTICE. BY PETER BURKE, SERJEANT AT LAW.

“This attractive book will be perused with much interest. It contains a great variety of singular and highly romantic stories.”— John Bull. “A work of singular interest, which can never fail to charm and absorb the reader’s attention. The present cheap and elegant edition includes the true story of the Colleen Bawn.”— Illustrated News....

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XXI.—ADÈLE. BY JULIA KAVANAGH.

XXI.—ADÈLE. BY JULIA KAVANAGH.

“‘Adèle’ is the best work we have read by Miss Kavanagh; it is a charming story, full of delicate character-painting. The interest kindled in the first chapter burns brightly to the close.”— Athenæum. “‘Adèle’ will fully sustain the reputation of Miss Kavanagh, high as it already ranks.”— John Bull. “‘Adèle’ is a love-story of very considerable pathos and power. It is a very clever novel.”— Daily News....

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XXII.—STUDIES FROM LIFE. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

XXII.—STUDIES FROM LIFE. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

“These ‘Studies’ are truthful and vivid pictures of life, often earnest, always full of right feeling, and occasionally lightened by touches of quiet, genial humour. The volume is remarkable for thought, sound sense, shrewd observation, and kind and sympathetic feeling for all things good and beautiful.”— Morning Post. “These ‘Studies from Life’ are remarkable for graphic power and observation. The book will not diminish the reputation of the accomplished author.”— Saturday Review....

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XXIII.—GRANDMOTHER’S MONEY. BY F. W. ROBINSON.

XXIII.—GRANDMOTHER’S MONEY. BY F. W. ROBINSON.

“We commend ‘Grandmother’s Money’ to readers in search of a good novel. The characters are true to human nature, and the story is interesting.”— Athenæum....

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XXIV.—A BOOK ABOUT DOCTORS. BY JOHN CORDY JEAFFRESON.

XXIV.—A BOOK ABOUT DOCTORS. BY JOHN CORDY JEAFFRESON.

“A book to be read and re-read; fit for the study as well as the drawing-room table and the circulating library.”— Lancet. “This is a pleasant book for the fireside season, and for the seaside season. Mr. Jeaffreson has, out of hundreds of volumes, collected thousands of good things, adding thereto much that appears in print for the first time, and which, of course, gives increased value to this very readable book.”— Athenæum....

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XXV.—NO CHURCH. BY F. W. ROBINSON.

XXV.—NO CHURCH. BY F. W. ROBINSON.

“We advise all who have the opportunity to read this book. It is well worth the study.”— Athenæum. “A work of great originality, merit, and power.”— Standard....

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XXVI.—MISTRESS AND MAID. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

XXVI.—MISTRESS AND MAID. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

“A good wholesome book, gracefully written, and as pleasant to read as it is instructive.”— Athenæum. “A charming tale, charmingly told.”— Standard. “All lovers of a good novel will hail with delight another of Mrs. Craik’s charming stories.”— John Bull....

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XXVII.—LOST AND SAVED. BY THE HON. MRS. NORTON.

XXVII.—LOST AND SAVED. BY THE HON. MRS. NORTON.

“‘Lost and Saved’ will be read with eager interest by those who love a touching story. It is a vigorous novel.”— Times. “This story is animated, full of exciting situations and stirring incidents. The characters are delineated with great power. Above and beyond these elements of a good novel, there is that indefinable charm with which true genius invests all it touches.”— Daily News....

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XXVIII.—LES MISERABLES. BY VICTOR HUGO. Authorised Copyright English Translation.

XXVIII.—LES MISERABLES. BY VICTOR HUGO. Authorised Copyright English Translation.

“The merits of ‘Les Miserables’ do not merely consist in the conception of it as a whole; it abounds with details of unequalled beauty. M. Victor Hugo has stamped upon every page the hall-mark of genius.”— Quarterly Review....

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XXIX.—BARBARA’S HISTORY. BY AMELIA B. EDWARDS.

XXIX.—BARBARA’S HISTORY. BY AMELIA B. EDWARDS.

“It is not often that we light upon a novel of so much merit and interest as ‘Barbara’s History.’ It is a work conspicuous for taste and literary culture. It is a very graceful and charming book, with a well-managed story, clearly-cut characters, and sentiments expressed with an exquisite elocution. The dialogues especially sparkle with repartee. It is a book which the world will like. This is high praise of a work of art and so we intend it.”— The Times....

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XXX.—LIFE OF THE REV. EDWARD IRVING. BY MRS. OLIPHANT.

XXX.—LIFE OF THE REV. EDWARD IRVING. BY MRS. OLIPHANT.

“A good book on a most interesting theme.”— Times. “A truly interesting and most affecting memoir. ‘Irving’s Life’ ought to have a niche in every gallery of religious biography. There are few lives that will be fuller of instruction, interest, and consolation.”— Saturday Review....

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XXXI.—ST. OLAVE’S. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JANITA’S CROSS.”

XXXI.—ST. OLAVE’S. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JANITA’S CROSS.”

“This novel is the work of one who possesses a great talent for writing, as well as experience and knowledge of the world. The whole book is worth reading.”— Athenæum. “‘St Olave’s’ belongs to a lofty order of fiction. It is a good novel, but it is something more. It is written with unflagging ability, and it is as even as it is clever. The author has determined to do nothing short of the best, and has succeeded.”— Morning Post....

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XXXII.—SAM SLICK’S TRAITS OF AMERICAN HUMOUR.

XXXII.—SAM SLICK’S TRAITS OF AMERICAN HUMOUR.

“Dip where you will into this lottery of fun, you are sure to draw out a prize. These ‘Traits’ exhibit most successfully the broad national features of American humour.”— Post....

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XXXIII.—CHRISTIAN’S MISTAKE. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

XXXIII.—CHRISTIAN’S MISTAKE. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

“A more charming story has rarely been written. It is a choice gift to be able thus to render human nature so truly, to penetrate its depths with such a searching sagacity, and to illuminate them with a radiance so eminently the writer’s own.”— Times....

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XXXIV.—ALEC FORBES OF HOWGLEN. BY GEORGE MAC DONALD, LL.D.

XXXIV.—ALEC FORBES OF HOWGLEN. BY GEORGE MAC DONALD, LL.D.

“No account of this story would give any idea of the profound interest that pervades the work from the first page to the last.”— Athenæum. “A novel of uncommon merit. Sir Walter Scott said he would advise no man to try to read ‘Clarissa Harlowe’ out loud in company if he wished to keep his character for manly superiority to tears. We fancy a good many hardened old novel-readers will feel a rising in the throat as they follow the fortunes of Alec and Annie.”— Pall Mall Gazette....

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XXXV.—AGNES. BY MRS. OLIPHANT.

XXXV.—AGNES. BY MRS. OLIPHANT.

“‘Agnes’ is a novel superior to any of Mrs. Oliphant’s former works.”— Athenæum. “Mrs. Oliphant is one of the most admirable of our novelists. In her works there are always to be found high principle, good taste, sense, and refinement. ‘Agnes’ is a story whose pathetic beauty will appeal irresistibly to all readers.”— Morning Post....

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XXXVI.—A NOBLE LIFE. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

XXXVI.—A NOBLE LIFE. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

“Few men and no women will read ‘A Noble Life’ without feeling themselves the better for the effort.”— Spectator. “A beautifully written and touching tale. It is a noble book.”— Morning Post. “‘A Noble Life’ is remarkable for the high types of character it presents, and the skill with which they are made to work out a story of powerful and pathetic interest.”— Daily News....

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XXXVII.—NEW AMERICA. BY W. HEPWORTH DIXON.

XXXVII.—NEW AMERICA. BY W. HEPWORTH DIXON.

“A very interesting book. Mr. Dixon has written thoughtfully and well.”— Times. “We recommend everyone who feels any interest in human nature to read Mr. Dixon’s very interesting book.”— Saturday Review....

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XXXVIII.—ROBERT FALCONER. BY GEORGE MAC DONALD, LL.D.

XXXVIII.—ROBERT FALCONER. BY GEORGE MAC DONALD, LL.D.

“‘Robert Falconer’ is a work brimful of life and humour and of the deepest human interest. It is a book to be returned to again and again for the deep and searching knowledge it evinces of human thoughts and feelings.”— Athenæum....

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XXXIX.—THE WOMAN’S KINGDOM. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

XXXIX.—THE WOMAN’S KINGDOM. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

“‘The Woman’s Kingdom’ sustains the author’s reputation as a writer of the purest and noblest kind of domestic stories.”— Athenæum. “‘The Woman’s Kingdom’ is remarkable for its romantic interest. The characters are masterpieces. Edna is worthy of the hand that drew John Halifax.”— Morning Post....

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XL.—ANNALS OF AN EVENTFUL LIFE. BY GEORGE WEBBE DASENT, D.C.L.

XL.—ANNALS OF AN EVENTFUL LIFE. BY GEORGE WEBBE DASENT, D.C.L.

“A racy, well-written, and original novel. The interest never flags. The whole work sparkles with wit and humour.”— Quarterly Review....

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XLI.—DAVID ELGINBROD. BY GEORGE MAC DONALD, LL.D.

XLI.—DAVID ELGINBROD. BY GEORGE MAC DONALD, LL.D.

“A novel which is the work of a man of genius. It will attract the highest class of readers.”— Times....

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XLII.—A BRAVE LADY. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

XLII.—A BRAVE LADY. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

“We earnestly recommend this novel. It is a special and worthy specimen of the author’s remarkable powers. The reader’s attention never for a moment flags.”— Post. “‘A Brave Lady’ thoroughly rivets the unmingled sympathy of the reader, and her history deserves to stand foremost among the author’s works.”— Daily Telegraph....

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XLIII.—HANNAH. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

XLIII.—HANNAH. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

“A very pleasant, healthy story, well and artistically told. The book is sure of a wide circle of readers. The character of Hannah is one of rare beauty.”— Standard. “A powerful novel of social and domestic life. One of the most successful efforts of a successful novelist.”— Daily News....

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XLIV.—SAM SLICK’S AMERICANS AT HOME.

XLIV.—SAM SLICK’S AMERICANS AT HOME.

“This is one of the most amusing books that we ever read.”— Standard. “‘The Americans at Home’ will not be less popular than any of Judge Halliburton’s previous works.”— Morning Post....

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XLV.—THE UNKIND WORD. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

XLV.—THE UNKIND WORD. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

“These stories are gems of narrative. Indeed, some of them, in their touching grace and simplicity, seem to us to possess a charm even beyond the authoress’s most popular novels. Of none of them can this be said more emphatically than of that which opens the series, ‘The Unkind Word.’ It is wonderful to see the imaginative power displayed in the few delicate touches by which this successful love-story is sketched out.”— The Echo....

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XLVI.—A ROSE IN JUNE. BY MRS. OLIPHANT.

XLVI.—A ROSE IN JUNE. BY MRS. OLIPHANT.

“‘A Rose in June’ is as pretty as its title. The story is one of the best and most touching which we owe to the industry and talent of Mrs. Oliphant, and may hold its own with even ‘The Chronicles of Carlingford.’”— Times....

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XLVII.—MY LITTLE LADY. BY E. FRANCES POYNTER.

XLVII.—MY LITTLE LADY. BY E. FRANCES POYNTER.

“This story presents a number of vivid and very charming pictures. Indeed, the whole book is charming. It is interesting in both character and story, and thoroughly good of its kind.”— Saturday Review....

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XLVIII.—PHŒBE, JUNIOR. BY MRS. OLIPHANT.

XLVIII.—PHŒBE, JUNIOR. BY MRS. OLIPHANT.

“This last ‘Chronicle of Carlingford’ not merely takes rank fairly beside the first which introduced us to ‘Salem Chapel,’ but surpasses all the intermediate records. Phœbe, Junior, herself is admirably drawn.”— Academy....

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XLIX.—LIFE OF MARIE ANTOINETTE. BY PROFESSOR CHARLES DUKE YONGE.

XLIX.—LIFE OF MARIE ANTOINETTE. BY PROFESSOR CHARLES DUKE YONGE.

“A work of remarkable merit and interest, which will, we doubt not, become the most popular English history of Marie Antoinette.”— Spectator....

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L.—SIR GIBBIE. BY GEORGE MAC DONALD, LL.D.

L.—SIR GIBBIE. BY GEORGE MAC DONALD, LL.D.

“‘Sir Gibbie’ is a book of genius.”— Pall Mall Gazette. “This book has power, pathos, and humour.”— Athenæum....

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LI.—YOUNG MRS. JARDINE. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

LI.—YOUNG MRS. JARDINE. BY THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.”

“‘Young Mrs. Jardine’ is a pretty story, written in pure English.”— The Times. “There is much good feeling in this book. It is pleasant and wholesome.”— Athenæum....

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LII.—LORD BRACKENBURY. BY AMELIA B. EDWARDS.

LII.—LORD BRACKENBURY. BY AMELIA B. EDWARDS.

“A very readable story. The author has well conceived the purpose of high-class novel-writing, and succeeded in no small measure in attaining it. There is plenty of variety, cheerful dialogue, and general ‘verve’ in the book.”— Athenæum....

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LIII.—IT WAS A LOVER AND HIS LASS. BY MRS. OLIPHANT.

LIII.—IT WAS A LOVER AND HIS LASS. BY MRS. OLIPHANT.

“In ‘It was a Lover and his Lass,’ we admire Mrs. Oliphant exceedingly. It would be worth reading a second time, were it only for the sake of one ancient Scottish spinster, who is nearly the counterpart of the admirable Mrs. Margaret Maitland.”— Times....

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LIV.—THE REAL LORD BYRON—THE STORY OF THE POET’S LIFE. BY JOHN CORDY JEAFFRESON.

LIV.—THE REAL LORD BYRON—THE STORY OF THE POET’S LIFE. BY JOHN CORDY JEAFFRESON.

“Mr. Jeaffreson comes forward with a narrative which must take a very important place in Byronic literature; and it may reasonably be anticipated that this book will be regarded with deep interest by all who are concerned in the works and the fame of this great English poet.”— The Times....

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NATURE AND HUMAN NATURE.

NATURE AND HUMAN NATURE.

“We enjoy our old friend’s company with unabated relish. This work is a rattling miscellany of sharp sayings, stories, and hard hits. It is full of fun and fancy.”— Athenæum. “Since Sam’s first work he has written nothing so fresh, racy, and genuinely humorous as this. Every line of it tells in some way or other—instructively, satirically, jocosely, or wittily. Admiration of Sam’s mature talents, and laughter at his droll yarns, constantly alternate as with unhalting avidity we peruse the work.

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WISE SAWS AND MODERN INSTANCES.

WISE SAWS AND MODERN INSTANCES.

“This delightful book will be the most popular, as beyond doubt it is the best, of all the author’s admirable works.”— Standard. “The book before us will be read and laughed over. Its quaint and racy dialect will please some readers—its abundance of yarns will amuse others. There is something to suit readers of every humour.”— Athenæum. “The humour of Sam Slick is inexhaustible. He is ever and everywhere a welcome visitor; smiles greet his approach, and wit and wisdom hang upon his tongue. We pr

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THE OLD JUDGE; OR, LIFE IN A COLONY.

THE OLD JUDGE; OR, LIFE IN A COLONY.

“By common consent this work is regarded as one of the raciest, truest to life, most humorous, and most interesting works which have proceeded from the prolific pen of its author. We all know what shrewdness of observation, what power of graphic description, what natural resources of drollery, and what a happy method of hitting off the broader characteristics of the life he reviews, belong to Judge Haliburton. We have all those qualities here; but they are balanced by a serious literary purpose,

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TRAITS OF AMERICAN HUMOUR.

TRAITS OF AMERICAN HUMOUR.

“No man has done more than the facetious Judge Haliburton, through the mouth of the inimitable ‘Sam,’ to make the old parent country recognise and appreciate her queer transatlantic progeny. His present collection of comic stories and laughable traits is a budget of fun, full of rich specimens of American humour.”— Globe. “Yankeeism, portrayed in its raciest aspect, constitutes the contents of these superlatively entertaining sketches. The work embraces the most varied topics—political parties,

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THE AMERICANS AT HOME.

THE AMERICANS AT HOME.

“In this highly entertaining work we are treated to another cargo of capital stories from the inexhaustible store of our Yankee friend. In the volume before us he dishes up, with his accustomed humour and terseness of style, a vast number of tales, none more entertaining than another, and all of them graphically illustrative of the ways and manners of brother Jonathan. The anomalies of American law, the extraordinary adventures incident to life in the backwoods, and, above all, the peculiarities

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JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.

JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN.

“This is a very good and a very interesting work. It is designed to trace the career from boyhood to age of a perfect man—a Christian gentleman, and it abounds in incident both well and highly wrought. Throughout it is conceived in a high spirit, and written with great ability. This cheap and handsome new edition is worthy to pass freely from hand to hand as a gift-book in many households.”— Examiner. “The story is very interesting. The attachment between John Halifax and his wife is beautifully

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A WOMAN’S THOUGHTS ABOUT WOMEN.

A WOMAN’S THOUGHTS ABOUT WOMEN.

“A book of sound counsel. It is one of the most sensible works of its kind, well written, true-hearted, and altogether practical. Whoever wishes to give advice to a young lady may thank the author for means of doing so.”— Examiner. “These thoughts are worthy of the earnest and enlightened mind, the all-embracing charity, and the well-earned reputation of the author of ‘John Halifax.’”— Standard. “This excellent book is characterised by good sense, good taste, and feeling, and is written in an ea

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A LIFE FOR A LIFE.

A LIFE FOR A LIFE.

“We are always glad to welcome this author. She writes from her own convictions, and she has the power not only to conceive clearly what it is that she wishes to say, but to express it in language effective and vigorous. In ‘A Life for a Life’ she is fortunate in a good subject, and she has produced a work of strong effect. The reader, having read the book through for the story, will be apt (if he be of our persuasion) to return and read again many pages and passages with greater pleasure than o

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NOTHING NEW.

NOTHING NEW.

“‘Nothing New’ displays all those superior merits which have made ‘John Halifax’ one of the most popular works of the day.”— Post. “The reader will find these narratives calculated to remind him of that truth and energy of human portraiture, that spell over human affections and emotions, which have stamped this author as one of the first novelists of our day.”— John Bull....

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THE WOMAN’S KINGDOM.

THE WOMAN’S KINGDOM.

“‘The Woman’s Kingdom’ sustains the author’s reputation as a writer of the purest and noblest kind of domestic stories. The novelist’s lesson is given with admirable force and sweetness.”— Athenæum. “‘The Woman’s Kingdom’ is remarkable for its romantic interest. The characters are masterpieces. Edna is worthy of the hand that drew John Halifax.”— Post....

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STUDIES FROM LIFE.

STUDIES FROM LIFE.

“These studies are truthful and vivid pictures of life, often earnest, always full of right feeling, and occasionally lightened by touches of quiet genial humour. The volume is remarkable for thought, sound sense, shrewd observation, and kind and sympathetic feeling for all things good and beautiful.”— Post....

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CHRISTIAN’S MISTAKE.

CHRISTIAN’S MISTAKE.

“A more charming story, to our taste, has rarely been written. Within the compass of a single volume the writer has hit off a circle of varied characters, all true to nature—some true to the highest nature—and she has entangled them in a story which keeps us in suspense till the knot is happily and gracefully resolved; while, at the same time, a pathetic interest is sustained by an art of which it would be difficult to analyse the secret. It is a choice gift to be able thus to render human natur

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MISTRESS AND MAID.

MISTRESS AND MAID.

“A good, wholesome book, as pleasant to read as it is instructive.”— Athenæum. “This book is written with the same true-hearted earnestness as ‘John Halifax.’ The spirit of the whole work is excellent.”— Examiner. “A charming tale charmingly told.”— Standard....

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A NOBLE LIFE.

A NOBLE LIFE.

“This is one of those pleasant tales in which the author of ‘John Halifax’ speaks out of a generous heart the purest truths of life.”— Examiner. “Few men, and no women, will read ‘A Noble Life’ without finding themselves the better.”— Spectator. “A story of powerful and pathetic interest.”— Daily News....

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A BRAVE LADY.

A BRAVE LADY.

“A very good novel, showing a tender sympathy with human nature, and permeated by a pure and noble spirit.”— Examiner. “A most charming story.”— Standard. “We earnestly recommend this novel. It is a special and worthy specimen of the author’s remarkable powers. The reader’s attention never for a moment flags.”— Post....

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HANNAH.

HANNAH.

“A powerful novel of social and domestic life. One of the most successful efforts of a successful novelist.”— Daily News. “A very pleasant, healthy story, well and artistically told. The book is sure of a wide circle of readers. The character of Hannah is one of rare beauty.”— Standard....

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THE UNKIND WORD.

THE UNKIND WORD.

“The author of ‘John Halifax’ has written many fascinating stories, but we can call to mind nothing from her pen that has a more enduring charm than the graceful sketches in this work. Such a character as Jessie stands out from a crowd of heroines as the type of all that is truly noble, pure, and womanly.”— United Service Magazine....

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YOUNG MRS. JARDINE.

YOUNG MRS. JARDINE.

“‘Young Mrs. Jardine’ is a pretty story, written in pure English.”— The Times. “There is much good feeling in this book. It is pleasant and wholesome.”— Athenæum. “A book that all should read. Whilst it is quite the equal of any of its predecessors in elevation of thought and style, it is perhaps their superior in interest of plot and dramatic intensity. The characters are admirably delineated, and the dialogue is natural and clear.”— Morning Post....

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ADAM GRAEME OF MOSSGRAY.

ADAM GRAEME OF MOSSGRAY.

“‘Adam Graeme’ is a story awakening genuine emotions of interest and delight by its admirable pictures of Scottish life and scenery. The plot is cleverly complicated, and there is great vitality in the dialogue, and remarkable brilliancy in the descriptive passages, as who that has read ‘Margaret Maitland’ would not be prepared to expect? But the story has a ‘mightier magnet still,’ in the healthy tone which pervades it, in its feminine delicacy of thought and diction, and in the truly womanly t

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THE LAIRD OF NORLAW.

THE LAIRD OF NORLAW.

“We have had frequent opportunities of commending Messrs. Hurst and Blackett’s Standard Library. For neatness, elegance, and distinctness the volumes in this series surpass anything with which we are familiar. ‘The Laird of Norlaw’ will fully sustain the author’s high reputation. The reader is carried on from first to last with an energy of sympathy that never flags.”— Sunday Times. “‘The Laird of Norlaw’ is worthy of the author’s reputation. It is one of the most exquisite of modern novels.”— O

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IT WAS A LOVER AND HIS LASS.

IT WAS A LOVER AND HIS LASS.

“In ‘It was a Lover and his Lass,’ we admire Mrs. Oliphant exceedingly. Her story is a very pretty one. It would be worth reading a second time, were it only for the sake of one ancient Scottish spinster, who is nearly the counterpart of the admirable Mrs. Margaret Maitland.”— Times....

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AGNES.

AGNES.

“‘Agnes’ Is a novel superior to any of Mrs. Oliphant’s former works.”— Athenæum. “Mrs. Oliphant is one of the most admirable of our novelists. In her works there are always to be found high principle, good taste, sense, and refinement. ‘Agnes’ is a story whose pathetic beauty will appeal irresistibly to all readers.”— Morning Post....

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A ROSE IN JUNE.

A ROSE IN JUNE.

“‘A Rose in June’ is as pretty as its title. The story is one of the best and most touching which we owe to the industry and talent of Mrs. Oliphant, and may hold its own with even ‘The Chronicles of Carlingford.’”— Times....

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PHŒBE, JUNIOR.

PHŒBE, JUNIOR.

“This last ‘Chronicle of Carlingford’ not merely takes rank fairly beside the first which introduced us to ‘Salem Chapel,’ but surpasses all the intermediate records. Phœbe, Junior, herself is admirably drawn.”— Academy....

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LIFE OF THE REV. EDWARD IRVING.

LIFE OF THE REV. EDWARD IRVING.

“A good book on a most interesting theme.”— Times. “A truly interesting and most affecting memoir. ‘Irving’s Life’ ought to have a niche in every gallery of religious biography. There are few lives that will be fuller of instruction, interest, and consolation.”— Saturday Review....

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ALEC FORBES OF HOWGLEN.

ALEC FORBES OF HOWGLEN.

“No account of this story would give any idea of the profound interest that pervades the work from the first page to the last.”— Athenæum. “A novel of uncommon merit. Sir Walter Scott said he would advise no man to try to read ‘Clarissa Harlowe’ out loud in company if he wished to keep his character for manly superiority to tears. We fancy a good many hardened old novel-readers will feel a rising in the throat as they follow the fortunes of Alec and Annie.”— Pall Mall Gazette. “The whole story i

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ROBERT FALCONER.

ROBERT FALCONER.

“‘Robert Falconer’ is a work brimful of life and humour and of the deepest human interest. It is a work to be returned to again and again for the deep and searching knowledge it evinces of human thoughts and feelings.”— Athenæum. “This story abounds in exquisite specimens of the word-painting in which Dr. Mac Donald excels, charming transcripts of Nature, full of light, air, and colour.”— Saturday Review. “This noble story displays to the best advantage all the powers of Dr. Mac Donald’s genius.

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DAVID ELGINBROD.

DAVID ELGINBROD.

“A novel which is the work of a man of genius. It will attract the highest class of readers.”— Times. “There are many beautiful passages and descriptions in this book. The characters are extremely well drawn.”— Athenæum. “A clever novel. The incidents are exciting, and the interest is maintained to the close. It may be doubted if Sir Walter Scott himself ever painted a Scotch fireside with more truth than Dr. Mac Donald.”— Morning Post. “David Elginbrod is the finest character we have met in fic

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SIR GIBBIE.

SIR GIBBIE.

“‘Sir Gibbie’ is a book of genius.”— Pall Mall Gazette. “This book has power, pathos, and humour. There is not a character which is not lifelike. There are many powerful scenes, and the portraits will stay long in our memory.”— Athenæum. “‘Sir Gibbie’ is unquestionably a book of genius. It abounds in humour, pathos, insight into character, and happy touches of description.”— Graphic. “‘Sir Gibbie’ contains some of the most charming writing the author has yet produced.”— Scotsman. “‘Sir Gibbie’ i

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LONDON: HURST AND BLACKETT.

LONDON: HURST AND BLACKETT.

1 It may be objected that this story pertains more to the seventeenth than the eighteenth century; but, as the man Roderick was alive in the last century, I claim him as belonging to it. 2 ‘The History of St. Kilda,’ etc. By the Rev. Mr. Kenneth Macaulay. London, 1764. 3 ‘Description of the Western Isles of Scotland, called Hebrides,’ etc. 4 Harris. 5 Scottice , are without. 6 ‘A Late Voyage to St. Kilda, the Remotest of all the Hebrides,’ etc., London, 1698. 7 Head-dress. 8 Venus, her lap dog.

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