A New Series For Connoisseurs

The first half dozen books in a new series, from the publishing house of William Collins Ltd., has recently become available in Australia. This series is called The Fontana Library, and each volume in it is an important work, hitherto available only in ex pensive editions.

These books are for the student and for those whose tastes in reading go beyond the superficial. The first six in Fontana Library cover a variety of subjects, and new additions in pre paration are even more diverse. The first six are:

Grace And Personality, By John

Oman. The author was born of humble crofter parents in the Orkney Islands, but managed to go to the Edinburgh University and later to Heidelberg where he was greatly influenced by the German school of theology. He was later ordained in the Church of Scotland but is mostly highly regarded now as a writer on theology. This work, published first in 1917, is prob ably his most important. It analyses two approaches to life one by the man who thinks he is captain of fate; and the other who feels he has a total dependence on God and attempts to reconcile them. (8/9.)

The Romantic Agony, By Mario

Praz: A study of the Romantic period in literature and in particular the De cadent Movement at the end of last century. In this the influence of the Marquis de Sade (from which we get

our word "sadistic") is correctly ap portioned. (11/-.)

Lectures In Modern History, ,

collection of lectures that Lord Actoi delivered during his six years as Pro fessor of Modern History at Cam bridge. Acton had an extraordinary background, was out of step with hii own times and has been mon honoured since his death (1902) thai in the 68 years of his life. (8/9.)

The Italian Painters Of Th

RENAISSANCE, by Bernhard Nerensorr who is considered the most know ledgeable art critic and connoisseu who has ever written in the Englisi language. He died in 1959.

The four sections of this book covering the Venetian, Florentine Central Italian and Northern Italiai schools of painting were originall' published separately. They were re vised and combined for this volume which is illustrated with example: from each school. (8/9.) A HISTORY OF EUROPE, by H. A Fisher. This is published in twr volumes the first covering thu period from the earliest times on thii continent until 1713, and the othe: from that time until 1935. Fisher diec in 1940 after a distinguished aca demic and political career aii unusual combination. This history wat completed in 1935, published thu same year, and immediately pro: claimed a great work, in the tradition of Gibbon and Macaulay. (Each volume, 14/-.)