«3BSQN PMCOdL Editor. sew ptßLicmom' Mrs. Jameson’s “ Characteristics of Wo men” is an acknowledged standard work- No woman has written so well about wo men, about art, and abont various branches of sesthetics as Mrs. Jame son. Her idea of selecting various women of Shakspeare’s plays as illustrations of the characteristics of the sex was a most happy one. NO one could have carried it out so well. But the book, as an acknowledged standard, requires no commendation. We desire to call attention, however, to a mag nificent new edition of it, just published by W. H. Appleton, of New York, a copy qi which comes to us through Messrs. E. H Butler & Co. It is in the small quarto form. superbly printed on the best paper, and bound in rich and elegant styles. The ori ginal illustrations, finely engraved on steel, from designs by Corbould, Heath, Hayter Wright, : Kenny Meadows, and others,, are re-produced,- each forming an elegant and expressive ideal portrait of a Shaksperian creation. This superb volume is so far be yond most ofthe holiday gift books, in in trinsic excellenceand external beauty, that it cannot fail to be much sought for at this season of the year. “Lloyd’s Railroad Guide” for December is out, and for sale at the publisher’s office, 202 South Ninth street. In addition to the latest revised time-tables of the roads in all parts of the country, this “Guide” furnishes quite a variety of other information and pleasant reading matter, making it a travel ing companion as well as guide., Poetryi prose, anecdotes and incidents are scattered through the volume, enlivening the neces sary monotony of a railway guide. It also contains several good views of Philadelphia New Orleans and Baltimore and a hand! some mezzotintofLycurgusEdgertoh; Esq, a prominent merchant of New York. We would suggest that a Philadelphia phblica. —tion, like this, should give its, in the portraits and sketches of Philadelphia mer chants and public men, in preference to those of other cities. J. C. Garrigues re important or'ptoduo-’ tive of better results when perseveririgly and properly cultivated. “ The TTnunn Vine yard” will be ■ a valuable aid to many a Mission School teacher, who needs j oat sucn examples of Buccess as this little volume affords; ■- - . ■ As the Christmas holidays: approach, the hook-publishers are bußily engaged in put ting out a great variety of attractive juve nile and other,gift-books. Dick & Fitzgerald, New York, have just published two pretty' volumes, “The Play ’Ground" and “The Parlor Stage.” As their titles indicate, the first is nhand-book of out-door games for boys, and inoludes upwards of a hundred different amuse: ments, with full “instructions for use.” The “Parlor Stage" is a collection. of charades and proverbs, intended for parlor use. They are so contrived as not to' .re quire expensive apparatus or scenery, :and will afford a great fund of innooent amuse-’ ment to the young folks, _ For sale by T 8.-Peterson & Brothers. " Smith, English