GOOD Swiss school-teacher of the olden days was M. Toepfer, a man of letters, of happy memory, born at Geneva at the very end of the last century, and though he lived only till 1846, leaving pleasant and good work behind him. He had a quaint style, uniting humor and a dreamy fancy, "a fine bonhommie and an ingenuous air," and always found good to talk about. It was about the time of his death that his most famous books, the "Voyages en Zig-zag," appeared, in which the gentle teacher strolled with his pupils about the Oberland, through Savoy, Piedmont, and Dauphiny, telling them the stories of history and poetry about what they saw, and showing the sights they saw to readers who could not go, by the help of his co-laborer, the engraver.

In naturalizing these books in this country, Messrs. Estes & Lauriat have this year done an excellent thing. It is not the books that are adopted, however, but the idea, for Mr. Hezekiah Butterworth, who edits "Zig-zag Journeys," takes not Switzerland, but England and France for his travellers, doing much what Mr. Scudder has been doing in the Bodley books for part of this country. Within the handsome covers, the traveller by book finds on the lining papers two maps cleverly designed in colors, one of England and one of France, framed picturesquely with representative scenes from the two countries. Turning to the text, the reader is introduced to a parcel of American schoolboys, at the midwinter vacation. The teacher suggests for the long vacation a summer trip to Europe, which is received by the boys with delight and by the parents with satisfaction. The boys at once form a "Zig-zag Club" for the last term, ransacking the public library for books of travel about the places they each want to visit, and reading their history at the meetings of the club; and they keep as hard at work as they know how at their French. By and by they start, amusing themselves while crossing the Atlantic with telling stories of history, writing letters home and learning about ships and the sea. They land at Glasgow, and travel zig-zag, largely on foot, as Töpfer's boys did, thence to London; then visit Holland and Belgium, travel through Brittany and Normandy, and, after seeing Paris and its glories, return home, in the hope of taking Switzerland and Italy another year. In all their travelling, they study pleasantly the history and features of the places they visit, find out the stories associated with them, and so get as much knowledge as pleasure. These incidental features, with the abundant illustrations of places, incidents, and people, make the book exceedingly delightful; it is a capital thing to put into the hands of children.

AROUND THE YULE LOG.

ONE of the most pleasant and Christmasy books that will delight the younger people this year is published by Dodd, Mead & Co., under the timely title of "Around the Yule Log"title that at once suggests all the good things of Christmas. "Herein," says Mr. Richard Markham, the author, on his title-page, “are recorded the Doings of Five Boys and Five Girls on a Visit to the Sea at Christmastide; together with many Stories and Ballads for Young Patriots." The ten children are no sooner together in their holiday home than story-telling begins, and of course Jack chooses first a story "about Indians," which good-natured Mr. Longwood at once gives. Then comes skating for the out-of-doors sport in the daytime, and the next evening Will's story, not so much of Indians, but of the Pilgrim Fathers. who, just about Christmas time two centuries and a half ago, settled down among the Indians

to stay." The next day the children are delighted with an old skipper they meet on the night they get at their story-telling and history again, with the stirring scenes of Revolutionary beach, who tells them all about fishing; and at days, when the patriots in New York burned the Governor's effigy, and in Boston threw the tea into the harbor. Of course the next day's entertainment is a snow-storm, and that gives text for learning about lumbering and life in the winter wood-camps. Captain John Smith and his adventures furnish the entertainment for that evening. The day following there is a violent gale, and wrecks and the fishes of the deep sea furnish a topic. And thus the days and the evenings, all too short, go on, fun and history pleasantly sandwiched together; the early history of New York and the campaigns in Canada furnishing more stories, until the holidays are over. These historical topics furnish excellent opportunities for illustration, which have been admirably carried out, as the cuts herewith but imperfectly suggest. Indians are particularly good. Kappes has made the binding design, rich id gold brilliantly The historical pictures and those of set out with bright colors, and altogether the book is a happy boon to the chile

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AROUND THE YULE LOG.

ONE of the most pleasant and Christmasy books that will delight the younger people this year is published by Dodd, Mead & Co., under the timely title of "Around the Yule Log"-a title that at once suggests all the good things of Christmas. "Herein," says Mr. Richard Markham, the author, on his title-page, "are recorded the Doings of Five Boys and Five Girls on a Visit to the Sea at Christmastide; together with many Stories and Ballads for Young Patriots." The ten children are no sooner together in their holiday home than story-telling begins, and of course Jack chooses first a story" about Indians," which good-natured Mr. Longwood at once gives. Then comes skating for the out-of-doors sport in the daytime, and the next evening Will's story, not so much of Indians, but of the Pilgrim Fathers, who, just about Christmas time two centuries and a half ago, settled down among the Indians "to stay." The next day the children are delighted with an old skipper they meet on the beach, who tells them all about fishing; and at

night they get at their story-telling and history again, with the stirring scenes of Revolutionary days, when the patriots in New York burned the Governor's effigy, and in Boston threw the tea into the harbor. Of course the next day's entertainment is a snow-storm, and that gives text for learning about lumbering and life in the winter wood-camps. Captain John Smith and his adventures furnish the entertainment for that evening. The day following there is a violent gale, and wrecks and the fishes of the deep sea furnish a topic. And thus the days and the evenings, all too short, go on, fun and history pleasantly sandwiched together; the early history of New York and the campaigns in Canada furnishing more stories, until the holidays are over. These historical topics furnish excellent opportunities for illustration, which have been admirably carried out, as the cuts herewith but imperfectly suggest. The historical pictures and those of Indians are particularly good. Kappes has made the binding design, rich in gold brilliantly set out with bright colors, and altogether the book is a happy boon to the children.