rature. He has, moreover, by his
straightforward narration, pleasant style, and copious illustrations
from standard authorities, rendered agreeable and entertaining to the
general reader what otherwise might have proved technical, and of too
special a character.

* * * * *

Mr. Perkins's book[12] almost disarms criticism by its very character,
for it is impossible to make a selection of books that is at the same
time limited in size and adapted to diverse and contrary necessities.
Private libraries want the best books, public libraries the books most
called for by the general and often undiscriminating public. "The Best
Reading" contains the titles of about ten thousand books, and as that is
less than half the number printed every year, the work is confessedly
incomplete from whatever point of view we look at it. Still it is useful
to librarians, of whom there are several hundred inexperienced ones in
the country, and to professional essayists, or magazine writers, a class
that must contain thousands of persons. With every allowance for
unavoidable imperfections, we think Mr. Perkins can revise the list with
advantage, taking out some obsolete writers and putting in some new ones
in their place--Herbert Spencer for example.

[12] "_The Best Reading_: Hints on the Selection of Books, on
the Formation of Libraries, Public and Private, on Courses of
Reading," etc. With a Classified Bibliography. By FREDERICK
BEECHER PERKINS. G. P. Putnam's Sons.

* * * * *

Both Mr. Loftie's "Plea for Art in the House" and the Misses Garrett's
advice on "House Decoration"[13] belong to the best kind of works on the
very important subject of cultivating good taste in the furniture of the
home. They are very direct and clear, and their authors are entirely
competent to instruct us all on this subject. Especially are they free
from what we consider to be the worst fault a book of this kind can
show, an obtrusive pretension to superior taste. It is a great mistake
to suppose that we can elevate people by showing them that we consider
ourselves far above them in taste and judgment; but this mistake is not
unfrequently made. That may be the fact, but if there is no evidence of
it but a patronizing treatment of others, there is little hope that much
good will be done. Both these books are free from that error, and Mr.
Loftie especially t