ficence than can be traced to all the pulpits and confessionals in Christendom.'

The first of these was 'The Christmas Carol,' issued a few days before Christmas, 1843, at the price of 58. The book met with an immediate and prodigious success, the edition of 6,000 copies being sold on the day of publication, though, to the disappointment of Dickens, it yielded a profit of £250 only. The general interest evoked was, however, so great that the work continued to sell during the following year, and by the end of 1844, 15,000 copies had been sold, yielding a profit to Dickens of £726.

On November 3, 1844, Dickens wrote in his diary: Half-past two, afternoon; thank God I have finished "The Chimes." This was his second Christmas book, and was more warmly received than The Carol.'

6

A sale twice as large as that of the previous issues fell to the lot of The Cricket on the Hearth,' which was the third in the series. 'The Battle of Life' was the last Christmas volume published by Dickens, as it was found impossible to maintain the high standard that the first volumes had reached, and as the books were rather expensive the issue in the particular style was discontinued. Some years afterwards, in connection with All the Year Round,' Dickens started a series of Christmas numbers. The first was 'Doctor Marigold's Prescriptions,' and within a week 250,000 copies were sold. 'Mrs. Lirriper's Lodgings' and 'No Thoroughfare' were others. They all found a welcome among Dickens's many admirers, and at Christmastide they carried a brightness and joy into thousands of homes, which it is to be feared the present generation, with its many advantages, scarcely understands.

In writing of Dickens the name of Thackeray naturally presents itself, and undoubtedly the success of Dickens's Christmas books prompted Thackeray also to issue volumes for the festive season. Quite in contrast was 'Mrs. Perkins's Ball,' the first of Thackeray's Christmas books, published in 1847, the year of Vanity Fair.' It was written and illustrated by the author, while Dickens's 'Christmas Carol' was illustrated by John Leech. Ball' was announced as 'containing twenty-three gorgeous plates of beauty, rank and fashion, and seventy or eighty selected portraits of the friends of Mrs. Perkins.' The publication was a big success, and created much interest through its quaint humour and satire.

'Mrs. Perkins's

It was followed in 1848 by 'Our Street,' and by Doctor Birch' in 1849, and 'Rebecca and Rowena' and 'The Kickleburys on the Rhine' in 1850, the latter being advertised by Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co. 'to be ready on December 16, for the annual edification of Christmas parties.' It was to be had with coloured illustrations at 78. 6d., or plain 58. These Christmas volumes of Dickens and Thackeray passed in meteoric fashion through the years in which those geniuses did their best work, but, unlike meteors, they have left an indelible impression, and will continue to be read by many succeeding generations.

In 1848 a new coloured process was inaugurated by W. Day & Son, lithographers to Queen Victoria, and the first volume printed in this style was 'Flowers and their Kindred Thoughts,' by Owen Jones. After it came Fruits from the Garden and Field' and 'Winged Thoughts,' also by Owen Jones: these were extensively sold. Other books in this coloured process were Audsley's 'Hand Book of Christian Symbolism,' Warner's 'Promises of Jesus Christ,' Byron's 'The Prisoner of Chillon,' illuminated by W. and G. Audsley; 'The History of Joseph and his Brethren,' illustrated by Owen Jones and Henry Warren; The Penitential Psalms,' illuminated by H. Noel Humphreys; Roberts's 'Sketches in the Holy Land, Egypt, &c.,' with 250 tinted lithographs in three volumes; 'Curry and Rice,' by Captain J. B. Atkinson; A Welcome to H.R.H. Princess Alexandra,' by Alfred Tennyson, illuminated by Owen Jones; 'Good Night and Good Morning,' by R. Monckton Milnes, engraved and illuminated by Walter Severn. Messrs. Day & Son produced in some twenty years nearly 400 different books in their tinted and coloured styles, many of them being of a very costly character. That on the International Exhibition of 1862 cost £30,000 for its production.

About this period there were produced by E. Moxon & Co. the various books of Tennyson's' Idylls of the King,' with beautiful illustrations by Gustave Doré. Elaine' was the first issued, in editions at one, three, and five guineas; then came 'Enid,' 'Guinevere' and 'Vivien,' which were the books most looked for in each year of their issue. During the 'sixties a great boom was experienced in the issue of smaller Annuals, but they were quite different in character from those previously noted. Still they should be mentioned as showing a style which in some particulars has happily ceased to exist. The impetus was given by the publication of Beeton's Annual, The Coming K-,' which reflected very injudiciously upon the characters of those in high places.

hat Annual had a very large sale, and went quickly out of print; opies fetched large sums when found.

Amongst other Annuals of a cheap character issued during his period were Miss Braddon's 'Mistletoe Bough,' 'Once a Week,' and The Piccadilly Annual,' in which some of Swinburne's poems appeared. For the juveniles, 'Peter Parley's Annual' had a long and continuous sale, and was the most popular of all Annuals of this class. Mr. Andrew Lang's series of fairy tales which were begun in 1889, the first being 'The Blue Fairy Book,' have had a long and successful career, and have given new life to many an almost forgotten story. Routledge's 'Boy's and Girl's Annual and Aunt Judy's Christmas Volumes' also catered for the young, and created a taste for good juvenile literature which is well continued at the present day.

A passing reference must be made to volumes produced by such original artists as Randolph Caldecott, Walter Crane, Alice Havers, and Kate Greenaway. The latter's delightful book, 'Under the Window,' published in 1879, with illustrations well produced and with artistic merit, initiated a real departure in books for the young. These have found many imitators, and now no Christmas would be complete without these attractive and pleasing productions. There was also at the same time a revival of some of our grandfathers' juvenile books by those well-known authors, Mary Howitt, Fraser Tytler, Jane and Ann Tayler, Mrs. Sherwood, Harriet Martineau-books with a studied tone of moral rectitude. When artistically illustrated they are always welcomed by a large section of young readers.

A hasty survey of the closing years of the nineteenth century shows the continued decline of the Christmas book as it was known in the early and middle portions of that century. The large flat Christmas book had, from the 'seventies, a very flickering existence. Although many of our gems in both poetry and prose were reproduced with original illustrations in them, yet their popularity waned almost to extinction, mainly, it was stated, because drawingrooms ceased to contain tables capable of holding such tomes, and, as a result, there was no place for them.

There were, however, issued for the Christmas season several important monographs in the English Historical Series; works of great literary merit and artistic beauty, the most popular being those on Mary Stuart by Sir John Skelton, on Queen Elizabeth by the late Bishop Creighton, and on Queen Victoria by Sir Richard Holmes. These works were all illustrated with pictures selected

from various historical galleries; features which formed not only a gallery of illustrations of great painters, but an interpretation of the times during which the different sovereigns reigned. These were essentially Christmas books, as were also an important series of lives of painters issued towards the close of the nineteenth century. Many of our English painters were represented in this issue, among them being Sir Thomas Lawrence, Turner, Hogarth, Gainsborough, Romney, and Constable. Although many of these books were used for Christmas, yet for their literary thoroughness they should find a place in every library of importance. With these artistic volumes there has also come the perfecting of the process in printing known as the three-colour process. Many beautiful specimens of artistic work have been reproduced from paintings by Mr. Mortimer Menpes, Mrs. Allingham, and others; works with illustrations from this process and that of photogravure are the principal illustrated Christmas books now being issued.

It is quite a question whether the taste of the public had not for some time been changing, and whether the age was not ripe for Christmas books of a more decided literary character. There had been steadily developing a desire for works of a lasting nature, and the times were propitious for the issue in a collected and dainty form of such standard authors as Scott, Dickens, Thackeray, the Brontës, Mrs. Gaskell, and other well-known writers. An increasing love for fiction stimulated the reissue of works by these authors. Sets of such books were being produced in a handy form well printed and illustrated, and suitable for binding in various styles. These make suitable Christmas presents, especially for

the woman book-lover.

The immense output of works of travel and sport, as well as those in general literature, affords suitable Christmas presents for people wishing for reading of a more solid character, especially as greater attention has been given by our publishers to the artistic side of their volumes. The present is a continuation of these recent times, and with it there exists an almost insatiable love of novelty and originality. The publisher, or author, who can originate some new way of producing that which is old but worth preserving, or who can give us what is entirely original either in form or illustration, will always find a public to whom he can appeal with confidence and success.

JOSEPH SHAYLOR.

807

THE FASCINATION OF ORCHIDS.

WE who have yielded to this charm are not unused to hear it called infatuation, and we do not mind. The speaker shows that he is talking without knowledge, but ignorance on such a subject is not offensive. If men and women did not criticise the tastes of their fellow-creatures unless they understood them, conversation would be more intelligent, no doubt, but much less amusing. It may be worth while, however, to explain where the fascination of orchids lies or infatuation, if that term be preferred; for there is keen and abiding pleasure to be found in it which persons of very modest income may enjoy if they can be tempted to look into the matter. Perhaps we orchidists incline to exaggerate the dulness of life for middle-aged folks who have no particular employment for their leisure. Ourselves initiated long ago, and constantly more absorbed, we feel a pity for those unacquainted with our delights, which perhaps they do not need; and yet, is it possible to overestimate the dreariness of an elderly Briton on a Sunday afternoon in winter, when the sky is lowering, the earth soppy, and he has dined at half-past one? But it is then that the enthusiast enjoys himself. The gardener is away! He can take things down for inspection with his own hands, can make changes and perform operations to which his courage would not be equal, perhaps, under the eye of that functionary. The shed is empty; he can spend happy hours in potting up the last importation. It may be said that anyone who has a greenhouse with a few undistinguished plants in it shares these joys. But such an observation betrays inexperience. The time is winter-none of your azaleas and pelargoniums call for attention then. They only ask to be let alone, and when you have cut out the 'dead stuff' and made the pots neat-uninviting duties at best-there is nothing more you can do till spring. With orchids it is very different. Even in the stove there are species always growing, and so, perhaps, wanting comfort of some sort. But the modest elderly Briton of whom I am thinking would favour Odontoglots and 'cool orchids' mostly, which never cease swelling and pushing roots. It is always desirable to look over these. Insects come and go, mysterious as the