The Venture

The above is the name of a new illustrated annual which will very shortly make its entry into bookdom from the Pear Tree Press. The Editors are Mr. Laurence Housman and Mr. W. Somerset Maugham. The volume will be illustrated entirely by wood-cuts, made by the best wood-cutters of the day. Here are the names of the art contributors, arranged alphabetically: E. Gordon Craig, Louise Glazier, Laurence Housman, Sidney Lee, T. Sturge Moore, Elinor Monsell, Lucien Pissarro, Charles S. Ricketts, Charles Haslewood Shannon, Reginald Savage, Bernard Sleigh, and Paul Woodroffe. The latter has illustrated the end-papers with a beautiful peacock design.

That the literary contents will be noteworthy may be gathered from the fact that they are provided by the following writers: Laurence Binyon. E. F. Benson, May Bateman, S. Boulderson, G. K. Chesterton, Havelock Ellis, Dr. Garrett, Stephen Gwynn, John Gray, Thomas Hardy, A.E. Housman, L. Housman, Violet Hunt, Mrs. Meynell, Charles Marriott, John Masefield, W. Somerset Maugham, Stephen Phillips, Netta Syrett, Dr. Todhunter, and Francis Thompson.

The price of the Venture is five shillings net and the first edition will consist of 1500 copies. The book is of quarto size and beautifully got up, having very wide margins and being clearly printed in solid old English type on antique paper. Each wood-cut, however small, has a page to itself, which gives a restful effect for which one is grateful. It may also be added that the art contents do not illustrate the letterpress—each picture tells its own story.