must prove to
all historical students, and what a ready test it furnishes as to accuracy
of dates, &c. It must take its place on every shelf beside Sir H. Nicolas'
_Chronology of History_.

We doubt not that many of our readers share our feeling as to the
importance of children's books, from the influence they may be destined to
exercise upon generations yet unborn. To all such we shall be doing
acceptable service by pointing out Mrs. Alfred Gatty's little volume, _The
Fairy Godmothers and other Tales_, as one which combines the two essentials
of good books for children; namely, imagination to attract, and sound
morals to instruct. Both these requisites will be found in Mrs. Gatty's
most pleasing collection of tales, which do not require the very clever
frontispiece by Miss Barker to render the volume an acceptable gift to all
"good little Masters and Mistresses." {382}

Messrs. Sotheby and Wilkinson (3. Wellington Street, Strand) will commence
on Monday a six-days' Sale of most interesting Autograph Letters,
Historical Documents, and original MSS. of distinguished writers, as that
of _Kenilworth_ in the Autograph of Sir W. Scott, of _Madoc_ in that of
Southey, unpublished poems by Burns, and _Le Second Manuscrit venu de St.
Helene_. One of the most curious Lots is No. 1035, Shakspeare's play of
_Henry IV._, two parts condensed into one,--a contemporary and unique
Manuscript, being the only one known to exist of any of the productions by
the Sweet Bard of Avon. It is presumed to be a playhouse copy with
corrections in the Autograph of Sir Edward Deering of Surrenden, in Kent,
(who died in 1644); and, as no printed copy is known to contain the various
corrections and alterations therein, is supposed to have been so corrected
for the purposes of private representation, it being well known that
theatricals formed a portion of the amusements in vogue at that baronet's
country seat during the early portion of the reign of James I. Our readers
will remember that the Shakspeare Society showed their sense of its value
by printing it under the editorship of Mr. Halliwell.

CATALOGUES RECEIVED.--Emerson Charnley's (45. Bigg Market,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne) Catalogue Part IV. of Books Old and New; W. Brown's
(46. High Holborn) Catalogue Part LIII. of Valuable Second-hand Books.

* * * * *

BOOKS AND ODD VOLUMES WANTED TO PURCHASE.

DIANA (ANTONINUS) COMPENDIUM RESOLUTIONEM MORALIUM. Antwerp.-