vague and unrealised objects, but working together with a common
purpose, according to certain admitted principles, and looking to one
another for help and sympathy. This is new in England, and we are
very anxious it should have a fair trial. Its aim, moreover, however
imperfectly attained as yet, is high and pure. No one can walk along
our streets and not see how debased and sensual our tastes have
become. The saying of Burke (so unworthy of a great man), that vice
loses half its evil by losing all its grossness, is practically acted
upon, and voluptuous and seductive figures, recommended only by a
soft effeminacy, swarm our shop-windows and defile our drawing-rooms.
It is impossible to over-state the extent to which they minister to,
and increase the foul sins of, a corrupt and luxurious age. A school
of artists who attempt to bring back the popular taste to the severe
draperies and pure forms of early art are at least deserving of
encouragement. Success in their attempt would be a national blessing.

* * * * * * *

Shrivelling in the Spring of 1850, "The Germ" showed no further sign
of sprouting for many years, though I suppose it may have been known
to the promoters of "The Oxford and Cambridge Magazine," produced in
1856, and may have furnished some incitement towards that
enterprise--again an unsuccessful one commercially. Gradually some
people began to take a little interest in the knowledge that such a
publication had existed, and to inquire after stray copies here and
there. This may perhaps have commenced before 1870, or at any rate
shortly afterwards, as in that year the "Poems" of Dante Rossetti
were brought out, exciting a great amount of attention and
admiration, and curiosity attached to anything that he might have
published before. One heard of such prices as ten shillings for a set
of the "The Germ," then L2, L10, L30, etc., and in 1899 a copy
handsomely bound by Cobden-Saunderson was sold in America for about
L104. Will that high-water mark ever be exceeded? For the sake of
common-sense, let us hope not.

I will now go through the articles in "The Germ" one by one. Wherever
any of them may seem to invite a few words of explanation I offer
such to the reader; and I give the names of the authors, when not
named in the magazine itself. Those articles which do not call for
any particular comment receive none here.

On the wrapper of each number is to be found a sonnet, printed in a
rather a