( ‘iii ) 
Illustrated London News. 
“‘The Fern World’ is both instructive and delightful in the highest degree, combining 
exact botanical description with the most inviting and enchanting accounts of many a ramble 
in the sweetest rural haunts. . . . But in this delightful book the study of botanical, generic, 
and specific varieties has obtained a fascinating and most helpful method of representation. 
This is done by means of twelve of the finest plates, printed by Messrs. Leighton Brothers 
from photographs of fronds, collected and grouped by the author, which are unquestionably 
the most beautiful, vivid, and faithful pictures of plant-life that have ever yet appeared in any 
work of this class. They have all the freshness of the living hues of nature. Indeed, these 
pictures at first sight may often be mistaken, as we have actually seen, for real pieces of fern 
laid on or transferred to the paper. ... It is further embellished with a frontispiece— a per¬ 
manent photograph of a certain fernery in town—and with fine wood engravings of Devonshire 
coast scenery, from which we are loth to turn away.” 
Queen. 
“A beautiful, instructive, and bewitching book. Mr. Heath is a painter who adds colour 
to drawing, and produces a picture endued with life and grace. He gilds the pills of know¬ 
ledge which he administers with the most fascinating effect, and we believe the information 
given in the volume will be highly prized by fern collectors and amateurs. The author paints 
scenery with a glowing pencil; and for such as love the beauties of nature and who have a 
special love for ferns the descriptive portions of the volume will prove a charm. We have 
gone through the book with real pleasure. ... Of the illustrations it is not too much to say 
that they are exquisite.” 
Daily News. 
“ Mr. Heath’s interesting volume is profusely and beautifully illustrated. The specimens 
printed in colours add much to the attractions and the value of the book.” 
Land and IVater. 
“Mr. Heath has again presented us with another charming work on a charming subject. 
... So excellent is Mr. Heath’s word-painting of scenery, that we who have so frequently 
been over the same ground and lingered as he has on the same errand, feel ourselves trans¬ 
ported for the moment into the midst of the ferny paradise his pen so truthfully portrays. As 
a sample of the vivid description of scenery we give at random a passage from a chapter on 
‘Down a Combe to the Sea,’ scarcely knowing where to begin or where to end, so like the 
whole is the part. ... So minute and exhaustive are the descriptions of all the species of 
British ferns, so careful and detailed are the directions for their culture, that we question 
whether the most inquiring mind could suggest a reasonable query on this topic and not be 
able to find it answered here. . . . Mr. Heath’s ‘Fern World’ will be a great acquisition to 
any botanist’s library.” 
John Bull. 
“ We must admit that a book like Mr. Heath’s does add to the enjoyment of a lover of ferns. 
. . . We cordially recommend to our readers one of the most charming books upon a charming 
subject which it has ever been our lot to meet with.” 
Daily Telegraph. 
“The name of its author is a guarantee for the practical value of this volume, whilst its 
elegant appearance and copious illustrations furnish their own recommendation. 
Scotsman. 
“This work is written with complete knowledge of the subject, and is calculated to be at 
once interesting and instructive. The illustrations deserve special notice. The fact that they 
are all reproduced from photographs is a sufficient voucher for their accuracy. The illus¬ 
trations of individual ferns are printed in colours, and are beautiful specimens of art. 1 he 
highest praise that can be given them is to say that if the living fronds had been inserted^ in 
the book the} r could hardly have been more pleasing to the eye or more useful in illustrating 
the text.” 
Graphic. 
“ It is not too much to say that the coloured plates are the most admirable yet seen in any 
similar work. These, with the full-page engravings of views in ‘ Fernland, and the beautiful 
printing and general execution of the volume, make it one of the handsomest drawing-room 
books of the season.” 
