NOTES OF BOOKS, SALES, CATALOGUES, ETC.

The idea of selecting from the _Spectator_ those papers in which the
refined taste of Addison, working on the more imaginative genius of
Steele, has embodied that masterpiece of quiet thorough English humour
which is exhibited in the portrait of Sir Roger de Coverley, is a most
happy one,--so excellent indeed, and when done, it is so obviously well
that it is done, that we can only wonder how it is, that, instead of
having now to thank Messrs. Longman for the quaintly and beautifully got
up volume entitled _Sir Roger de Coverley. By the Spectator. The Notes
and Illustrations by Mr. Henry Wills: the Engravings by Thompson, from
Designs by Fred. Tayler_,--as a literary novelty--such a selection has
not been a stock book for the last century. Excellent, however, as is
the idea of the present volume, it has been as judiciously carried out
as happily conceived. Mr. Tayler's designs exhibit a refined humour
perfectly congenial with his subject, and free from that tendency to
caricature which is the prevailing fault of too many of the comic
illustrators of the present day; while the pleasant gossiping notes of
Mr. Wills furnish an abundance of chatty illustration of the scenes in
which Sir Roger is placed, and the localities he visited, and so enable
us to realise to ourselves, in every respect, Addison's admirable
picture of the worthy knight, "in his habit as he lived." May we add
that, on looking through these amusing notes, we were much gratified to
find Mr. Wills, in his illustration of the passage, "his
great-grandfather was inventor of that famous country-dance called after
him," speaking of "the real sponsor to the joyous conclusion of every
ball" as having "only been recently revealed, after the most vigilant
research," since that revelation, with other information contained in
the same note, was procured by that gentleman through the medium of
"NOTES AND QUERIES."