his dissatisfaction in seeing her given up again to her unworthy
husband. She should have been left a lovely and stately widow, to whom
we could all have paid our court, without suffering too poignantly when
Sir George Neville finally won her.

_Evangeline, a Tale of Acadie._ By HENRY W. LONGFELLOW. With
Illustrations by F.O.C. Darley. Boston: Ticknor and Fields.

_Maud Muller._ By JOHN G. WHITTIER. With Illustrations by W.J.
Hennessy. Boston: Ticknor and Fields.

_The Vision of Sir Launfal._ By JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL. With
Illustrations by S. Eytinge, Jr. Boston: Ticknor and Fields.

_Flower-de-Luce._ By HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW. With
Illustrations. Boston: Ticknor and Fields.

Of these volumes three have long since taken their place in the letters
of America, and in the hearts of all who know and love the purest, the
truest, and the best that poesy can offer. To them in their secure
position will now be added "Flower-de-Luce,"--Mr. Longfellow's latest
volume,--which, containing indeed for the most part only such lyrics as
he has already contributed for desultory publication, is yet rich with
the fruit of the deep insight, wise thought, earnest feeling, and ripe
scholarship of his full maturity.

But it is not our purpose to pause in criticism over works that may
fairly be said to have passed beyond the province of contemporary
criticism. Rather is it our desire to welcome them as they are tendered
to us in a new form, and to commend the artistic character of their
presentation. For these books indicate that out of the many attempts
which have been made in this country--some of them most creditable, too,
and nearly approaching thorough excellence--to produce illustrative and
mechanical effects equal to those of England and continental Europe,
there has at last come an absolute accomplishment, from which we hope
and are ready to believe there will be no recession.

One book of great beauty would hardly raise our faith so far. It might
be the result of a fortunate combination of propitious circumstances, an
accident of which the best intent in the world could not cause a
deliberate repetition,--for chance can work well as easily as ill, may
make a plan as simply as mar it, and none need be told how often the
best-devised schemes "gang a-gley" by reason of some fortuity for which
no allowance had been made.

But when from the same press there emanate in a single season several
books, prepared at different times