er of _Dr. Hermione_, with
its sprightly chatter would serve the poor player almost as it stands.
It is not too late to think about the comedy. In the meanwhile the novel
does very well, and if he had made his story a book for the play, we
should have missed many dainty descriptions of scenery. Nothing is so
good as his description of the Lake District in Autumn, unless it be his
pictures of the surroundings of the Nile as it

Flows through hushed old Egypt and its sands,
Like some grave mighty thought, threading a dream.

_Some Places of Note in England_ (DOWDESWELLS) have been deftly noted by
a notable artist, namely, BIRKET FOSTER. From the "places of note," he
has evolved some of the most delicate of harmonies. Whether he gives us
a Canterbury _cantata_, a Richmond _rondo_, a Stratford symphony, a
Lambeth _lied_, or a Tilbury _toccata_ we are equally delighted with his
choice of _motivo_ and his brilliancy of execution. In this volume we
have five-and-twenty pictures, admirably reproduced in the highest style
of lithography. Mr. BIRKET FOSTER has been before the public for many
years--he appeared, if we mistake not, in the early numbers of the
_Illustrated News_: his work has been constant, and his pictures
countless ever since, and yet, in the present volume, we find him better
than ever.

_Sporting Celebrities._ The first number of this new monthly contains
two excellent portraits by M. WALERY. One is of the Duke of BEAUFORT,
the other of Mr. CHOLMONDELEY PENNELL. They are accompanied by crisp
well-written biographical notices. The two portraits are well worth the
price charged for the Magazine. A couple of good photographs for a
shilling, cannot be considered dear. In addition to this, there are
twenty pages of letterpress--so altogether it is a splendid
shillingsworth. BARON DE BOOK-WORMS & CO.

* * * * *

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

INSANITARY DUST-BINS.--That your servants should have thrown half a
lobster, several potted meat-tins, an uneatable rabbit-pie, and all the
vegetable refuse of your household, into your dust-bin, and that it
should not have been "attended to" for upwards of two months, is quite
sufficient to account for the intolerable odour of which you and all
your neighbours on that side of the street have had reason to complain;
but, as you seem to think nothing but an epidemic fever, caused by the
nuisance, will rouse the Authorities, you might, by thro