Literary Gossip.

unnoticed , or else " damned by faint praise . " Whatever the intrinsic worth of the work , the mere mention of the fact that it had proceeded from the pen of one of the foremost men who has lived in these latter years was sufficient to assure its success , at least from a pecuniary point of view . It is " the correct thino- " to be able to converse concerning the volumes ; and so " all the world and his wife " are making themselves acquainted with their contents . Onr

verdict respecting " Endymion " is , that when , hereafter , Lord Beaconfield ' s literary reputation comes to be computed apart from the notoriety arising out of his position in political life , it will be but little enhanced by the recently published story . What a plethora of ephemeral publications Christmas calls forth ! To mention the mere names of the multitude of publications of this description

which have passed through our hands would exhaust the space at our disposal . No household need lack an Annual or Christmas Number of some sort , for the supply is really enormous . A word or two about some of the best of these companions of the Christmastide chimney-corner will not be without interest . First amongst the illustrated annuals comes the Christmas number of The hica of which is hardly now obtainable for love or money . Its

con-Grap , copy tents , both literary ancl artistic , are simply superb . The presentation plate , from the pencil of Mr . J . E . Millais . is a delightful study in child life called " Cherry Ripe . " A clever representation of a little girl lost in " Wonderland " is g iven with the Christmas number of the veteran Illustrated London News . ' A fine coloured engraving , entitled "The Little Lovers , " accompanies " Santa Clans , " MessrsDupuy ' s irited annualancl with this publication is also presented

. sp , an envelope containing half-a-dozen tasteful Christmas cards , altogether making up a wonderful shilling's-worth . The Queen , The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic , ancl all the ladies' weeklies , have good Christmas issues ; ancl we must not omit to notice " Father Christmas " ancl " Danger , " two very

commendable illustrated annuals . The Messrs . Maxwell offer a genuine good thing in the "Mistletoe Bough , " edited by Miss Braddon . The ivintei number of Society , issued under the taking title of "Round the Fireside , " contains some readable stories and sketches , by far the best being a touching tale by Joseph Hatton , called " The Clang of the Wooden Shoon . " " The International Annual , " edited by this very popular writer , is one of the most enjoyable before the public . Messrs . Besant and Rice are again the authors of the Christmas

Number of All the Year Round . It consists of a narrative named " Over the Sea with the Sailor , " and a very interesting one it is . The same co-workers have supplied a leading feature of the Christmas Number of The World , in the shape of a tale entited " The Ten Tear ' s Tenant . " Here those who delight in the marvellous will find an ample literary treat . The Green Room , as one would expect , smacks strongly of the stage . Perhaps the most entertaining items

presented by its editor , Mr . Clement Scott , are his own pathetic "Manager ' s Story ; " "A Traveller ' s Tale , " by F . 0 . Burnand ; ancl Henry Irving ' s powerfully-written sketch " The Neighbour's Bairn . " The piece de resistance in the " Belgravia Annual "is the highly-humourous description of a "Reduced Dinner Party , " from the pen of James Payn . The Gentleman Christmas " special " contains three acceptable stories ; Tinsley ' s " High Water Mark "

, abounds in incident ; and the London Society Annual is above the average . The semi-relig ious Christmas Numbers , such as "The Golden Mask , "Good Cheer , " " Paths of Peace , " " Glad Time , " and " Little Snowflakes , " are all excellent reading . Among the more humourous may be commended " Judy Annual , " " Hood ' s Comic , " and " Fun Almanack . " Of almanacks there is a plentifnl ancl rneretorious collection this year . Oassell ' s may be said to carry off the

pahn in London , while it would be difficult to find a better in the provinces than that issued in Nottingham under the title of "Shepherd ' s Illustrated Almanack , " which contains interesting articles from the pens of Mr . H . 0 . Appleby and Mr . Thos . Trowsdale ,