1831.] Fine Aiis' PMlculions. 575 



delighted with her prose than her verse. Of her contributors we prefer the -con- 

 tribution of Miss Mitford and Haynes Baj-ly to the others — with the exception 

 of two pieces, one verse, the other prose, by Miss Isabel Hill — full of pith, 

 pans, pleasantrj', (there is no end to alliteration when one does begin) playful- 

 ness and point. We now commit the Comic Offering to the favourable accept- 

 ance which it cannot fail to meet with. 



The Literary Souvenir, Edited by A. A. Watts, Esq. — Of the embellishments 

 of the Souvenir for 1832, we have spoken in another page ; in this place we 

 shall comment upon its literature only. It opens with a prose sketch of consi- 

 derable interest. The Signal, by the author of " The Romance of French His- 

 tory." A Scotch Jubilee, just amusing and no more, follows ; an Egyptian 

 tale, called The Bride of the Nile, beautifully written in parts, and pleasing 

 throughout — The Highlands of Ouaquahenegow, the story rather, and the name 

 considerably, too long for an annual — and a beautiful sketch by Mr. Macfarlane, 

 Benedetto Mangone, or the Brigand of C'holi — form the most striking features of 

 the prose department. Of the poetry of which there are numerous specimens, 

 many of them not remarkable for their merit, we shall particularize only one or 

 two contributions by Mrs. A. Watts, which we like particularly ; and the prin- 

 cipal poetic feature of the volume. The Converzatione, by the Editor himself. 

 Mr. Watts has in these fifty pages of satire burst out into a fit of fine phrenzy, 

 that, in an annual, is most unlooked for and alarming. He travels round the 

 circle of literature — makes the grand tour of letters — and attacks right and left 

 whatever happens to fall in his way. Of course he has some personal feelings 

 to gratify — but with these the readers of the " Souvenir" can have very little to 

 do ; and we cannot help thinking therefore that he should have reserved his 

 anger for a newspaper, to the "poets's corner" of which it would have been a 

 valuable acquisition. We certainly agree with some of the hits — but in his fury 

 he has wounded persons who, if we had time and space, we should be chivalrous 

 enough to stand up in the defence of. Luckily, however, the parties are very 

 well able to protect themselves, and to them and to their revenge we leave Mr. 

 Watts. There will evidently be an annual war. 



The A^ew Year's Gift and Juvenile Souvenir, Edited by Mrs. A. Watts. — This 

 is a very pretty little volume, containing a set of embellishments of a superior 

 order, and an appiopriate collection of lessons and amusements for the young. 

 Little Red Riding Hood forms a tempting frontispiece ; it is sweetly engraved by 

 Engleheart, after no less a master than Lawrence himself. The Sleeping Child, 

 The Orphans, The Grandfather's Nap, The Roman Family, The Sailor's Widow, 

 and Antwerp, form as pleasing a set of little gems as we could wish to see. 

 With the literary part of the volume Mrs. Watts appears to have taken great 

 pains. We have not space to point out where it particularly excels, but it com- 

 prises contributions from several able writers, and will we are sure be welcomed 

 by a very numerous class of young and anxious admirers. 



Ackermann's Juvenile Forget-Me-Not, for 1832. — ^This is the last of the juve- 

 niles that we have to notice — but we will not call it the least, for " compari- 

 sons, &c.'' It contains many attractions, less, however, in point of embellish- 

 ment, than in its literature. The commencement is auspicious — a Lion by the 

 Landseers, Edwin and Thomas. It is a beautiful and touching design, admirably 

 engraved. The vignette is unworthy of it, and the Boudoir still more so. 

 Returning from Market, and The Ballad, may be classed among the most at- 

 tractive of the illustrations — but no doubt every little lover of art will have his 

 own favourite. Of the literature we can speak very favourably : the list is a 

 very rich one, as will be seen when we enumerate the names of Mrs. Hofland, 

 Miss Mitford, Mrs. Howitt, Miss Isabel Hill, Miss Jewsbury, Mr. Hood and 

 Mr. Harrison. 



7%c Continental Annual, uniform with the Landscape Annual. — The proprietors 

 of this new and splendid work are influenced by a motive which will ensure, 

 we should think, universal patronage to their undertaking. They are desirous 

 of ministering to the prevailing appetite for beauty " at a much less expence 



