Books Of The Day.

or rather a sermon , and , powerful and eloquent as it is , it has never been regarded as one of the great novelist's best efforts . As Pope puts it , " Men must be taught as though you taught them not , " and there can be no doubt that the more the didactic elf peeps out between the leaves the less attention we usually bestow upon him . There is a school of criticism , much in evidence just

now , that endeavours to deride that salutary canon " art for art ' s sake ; " but the canon has been obeyed by the world's greatest writers of all ages , and is likely to be obeyed to the end . " Little Dorrit , '' originally issued in monthly numbers from December 1 S 55 to June 1 S 57 , is a strong favourite with many readers , for in its pages we see much of Dickens iat his best , with a minimum

of his less admirable characteristics . " The Christmas Carol , bound up in this edition with " Hard Times , " is the very best story of its kind ever penned ; and if you are not at least on bowing terms with Scrooge and Bob Cratchit you are a rank outsider in the literary world . Now that we pen our last appreciation

of thus beautiful edition we cannot refrain from quoting the words of Prof . Minto— " The novels of Dickens will live long because they take hold of the permanent and universal sentiments of the race , sentiments which pervade all classes , and which no culture can ever eradicate . "

The Story of Wild Flowers . By Rev . Professor G . Henslow , M . A ., F . L . S ., F . G . S ., & c . With fifty-six figures in » text ( is ) .- —George Newnes , Limited . The Story of Books . By Gertrude Burford Rawlings ( isVGeorge Newnes , Limited . *

WE are pleased to see that the publishers are making such good progress with the issue of these admirable little volumes . The series is aptly named , for these books contain stories indeed , stories which one is the wiser for having read . Messrs . Newnes were singularly fortunate when they secured the services of Prof . Henslow for the preparation of the " Story of Wild Flowers . " As

our readers may remember , one of the earliest volumes of this series was the " Story of the Plants , " by the late Grant Allen , and it was no easy task which Professor Flenslow undertook when he essayed to expound some other aspects of the vast subject so ably opened up by the versiatile scientist and litterateur . We do not profess to be experts in the field of botanical research ; but it has

been our pleasant duty to examine many books upon cognate topics , and we feel sure that it would be difficult to alter for the better this story of the Wild Flowers . We doubt whether all botanists would endorse the chapter on the origin of floral structures , but even scientists are born to differ as the sparks fly upwards . Our case against the other volume before us , the Story

of Books , is that there is so little of it . The whole subject was a large one even in Solomon ' s day , and we are surprised that either writer or publisher should have deemed it expedient to make this book one of the briefest in the series . The chapter on ( libraries in classical times is in every way commendable , save for its piteous

brevity . Brevity may be the soul of wit in the literature of Power ; but it is hard to be placed upon short commons in the literature of Knowledge . The illustrations of the text of both Prof . Henslow and Miss Rawlings are well chosen , and many of them are such as most readers will hardly meet with elsewhere . Add these little books to your library , and make them useful .

An Opening Hymn.

An Opening Hymn .

Builder Divine attend our prayers , Be with us in our work to-night ; Call not upon us unawares To sec the glory of Thy Light . We bare our inmost souls to

Thee—To Thee Grent Architect Divine ; O listen to our humble plea—We would be now and ever Thine .

Make us sincene in all we do And give to us confiding trust—That faithful trust which makes us true , Which makes us upright , prudent , just . Through Thee alone we meet and part ,

Through Thee , and Thee alone , we live ; Pardon , O Lord , the contrite heart , And all our erring deeds forgive .

A Closing- Hymn . All Glory to Thee , Lord Most High For granting gifts for which we prayed , Disdaining not our suppliant cry—All Glory to Thee for Thine aid .

We fain would never hide from Thee The lowly heart , the fearless face ; We pray Thy Might and Majesty May shed upon us boundless grace . Diffuse us with Thy heavenly will

Grant us Thy help when strength would fail ; O teach us to be patient still , Thy spirit can alone prevail . And day by day our footsteps guide , Until , when death ' s dark river ' s passed , We stand triumphant at Thy side . The while eternity shall last . . CHAS . F . FORSHAW , LL . D .

The Theatres, &C.

THE THEATRES , & c .

AVENUE . 8 . 30 , The Night of the Party . Matinee , Wednesday , 2 . 30 . DALY'S . 8 . 15 , San Toy . Matinee , Saturday , 2 . 30 . GAIETY . 8 , Toreador . Matinee , Wednesday , 2 . GLOBE . 8 , H . M . S . Irresponsible . Matinee , Wednesday and Saturday , 2 . 30 . GT . QUEEN STREET . 8 . 15 , A royal betrothal . 9 , Charley's Aunt . Matinee , Wednesday and Saturday , 3 .

LYRIC . 8 , The Silver Slipper . Matmee , Wednesday , 2 . 30 . PRINCE OF WALES . S , A Previous Engagement . 8 . 45 , The Man from Blankley's . Matinee , Saturday , 3 . SAVOY . 8 . 15 , The Emerald Isle . Matinee , Saturday , 2 . 30 . STRAND . The Talk of the Town . VAUDEVILLE . 8 , You and I . 9 , Sweet and Twenty . Matinee , Wednesday , 3 .

GRAND . Next week , 7 . 45 , A Man of Mystery . SURREY . Next week , 7 . 45 , The Golden Prospect . ALHAMBRA . 7 . 45 , Variety Entertainment , The Gay City , Inspiration , & c . AQUARIUM . Varied performances , World's Great Show , & c . CANTERBURY . 8 , Variety Entertainment .

EMPIRE . 8 , Variety Entertainment . Les Papillons , & c . LONDON PAVILION . 7 . 45 , Variety Entertainment . Saturday , 2 . 30 also . METROPOLITAN . 8 , Variety Entertainment . OXFORD . 8 , Variety Entertainment . Saturday 2 . 15 also . PALACE . 7 . 45 , Variety Entertainment . American Biograph , & c . ROYAL . 7 . 45 , Variety Company . Saturday , 2 . 30 also .

TIVOLI . 7 . 30 , Variety Entertainment . Saturday , 2 . 15 also . CRYSTAL PALACE . Varied attractions daily . Grand Naval and Military Exhibition . Fireworks every Thursday and Saturday . EARL'S COURT . Military Exhibition . EGYPTIAN HALL . 3 and 8 , Mr . J . N . Maskelyne ' s entertainment . LONDON HIPPODROME . 2 and 8 , Varied attractions . MADAME TUSSAUD'S ( Baker Street Station ) . Open daily . Portrait models of modern celebrities , & c .

Holiday Arrangements.

HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS .

THE London and North Western Railway Company announce that special' cheap excursions for eight and sixteen days will be run from London to Glasgow and Edinburgh on Saturdays , 10 th ,

17 th , 24 th and 31 st August , and 7 th September , leaving Euston Station at 11 . 20 a . m . The Saturday excursions will give passengers the opportunity of travelling from London to Glasgow during daylight , instead of , as is usually the case with Scotch excursion trains , during the night time .

There is no more familiar sight in London to-day than the luggage-laden growlers wending their way northwards to the railway terminus at Euston . For weeks past this traffic has been almost ceaseless , and with the approach of the 12 th and the departure of sportsmen for the moorlands , the migration to the north reaches its maximum . This year the rush has been

augmented by many journeying to the International Exhibition , and for this class the London and North Western Company has provided abundant facilities . The ordinary specials are running , and have been running for weeks past , with a full complement of passengers . For those who can only command a short holiday there are , besides the usual four , ten , and sixteen da } ' excursions ,

extra arrangements mentioned above that will enable passengers to travel through the day—a convenience hitherto foreign to Scotch excursion traffic—at specially reduced fares . This traffic , added to the usual business of the season , has tended to make the line phenomenally busy , many convenient trains being run to meet the demands not only of the sportsmen and sightseers , but of that

vast , ever-growing community—the foreign traveller—from the Continent and America , en route for the Lake Districts of England and Scotland . At the big station the nightly scenes on the departure of the Scotch express trains are well worth seeing , for although the dining arrangements for day-travel are so perfect , a large number of people still prefer to make the journey by night .

THE Great Western Railway Company have made an addition to their series of half day trips and until further notice will run a mid-day excursion every Monday to Reading , Newbury , Hungerford , Savernake , Marlborough , Patney and Chirton , Devizes , & c . Anyone who has patronised these half-day trips can well understand their increasing popularity , and we look for their very

considerable extension year by year . Every modern comfort and convenience is provided for the tripper , and a very large amount of both profit and pleasure may be crowded into the few hours over which the excursion extends . When we speak of profit we may particularly refer to the educational adva . nta . ges which can be derived from such visits to different parts of the country . The

geography of the district , its characteristics , and the main industries of the towns passed through , can be more indelibly impressed on the mind during the few hours travel than is possible during many weeks tuition in an ordinary school . Our great Railway-Companies might consider the desirability of running scholastic

trips , with lecturers or leaflets to explain the different points of interest on the journey . We hear much of technical instruction now-a-days ; surely the geography of our own land , and much other useful knowledge which could be derived from a personal inspection is of equal or even greater importance , and it ought not to be a very difficult matter to secure a government " grant" to assist the