100. Snow-Bound. | A Winter Idyl. | By | John Greenleaf Whittier. | [Vignette] Boston: | Ticknor And Fields. | 1866. It was at first proposed to publish the poem with illustrations by Felix Octavius Darley, who so successfully illustrated Cooper, Irving, Longfellow, Lossing, and many others; but, for some reason, this idea was abandoned, and illustration of the work was reduced to a vignette showing "a view of the old farm house in a snow storm, copied from a photograph ..." It was drawn by Harry Fenn. We might regret that we are thus the losers of some characteristic work by Darley, but, on the other hand, we must agree with Whittier, who, when referring to the proposed illustrations of _The Pageant_, published later, said: "I know of no one who could do it, however, so well as Harry Fenn." The bit of work reproduced here is in its way quite as worthy of commendation as that drawn by this "Nestor of his guild," for _Ballads of New England_, 1869, and so appreciatively reviewed by Mr. William Dean Howells in _The Atlantic_ for December. The poet took an unusual interest in the make-up of his book. For example, he says of the vignette: "In the picture of the old home, the rim of hemlocks, etc., at the foot of the high hill which rises abruptly to the left, is not seen. They would make a far better snow picture than the oaks which are in the view." His remarks, too, about his portrait are particularly entertaining. "I don't know about the portrait. At first thought, it strikes me that it would be rather out of place at the head of a new venture in rhyme. I don't want to run the risk of being laughed at. However, do as thee likes about it. Put thyself in the place of Mrs. Grundy, and see if it will be safe for any 'counterfeit presentment' to brave the old lady's criticism." Mr. Fields evidently dared to add the portrait. It is a steel engraving, and bears, besides the name, the following inscription: "Engraved By H. W. Smith. From a Photograph By Hawes." The book is further embellished by a woodcut head-piece and an initial letter, representing snow scenes. From other letters we learn that Whittier liked the page and type of the volume, and in this he showed himself a good judge. His opinion is confirmed by those who see in the book an example worthy of its publishers, all of whose productions, issued at this period, are good, while some are beautiful in their simplicity and elegance. When the matter of paper was brought up, the author said, "Don't put the poem on tinted or fancy paper, let it be white as the snow it tells of." Fifty copies were printed on large paper, and were probably given by the poet only to his friends. These embodied all the corrections afterward incorporated in the regular editions.