However opinions may vary, I think there cannot be a doubt that in Elihu Vedder we have an instance of an American artist of great imaginative powers, and undoubtedly a designer of originality and force. This is sufficiently proved from his large work--the illustrations to the "Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam." Although the designs have no Persian character about them which one would have thought the poem and its imagery would naturally have suggested, yet they are a fine series, and show much decorative sense and dramatic power, and are quite modern in feeling. His designs for the cover of "The Century Magazine" show taste and decorative feeling in the combination of figures with lettering. Mr. Edwin Abbey is another able artist, who has shown considerable care for his illustrated page, in some cases supplying his own lettering; though he has been growing more pictorial of late: Mr. Alfred Parsons also, though he too often seems more drawn to the picture than the decoration. Mr. Heywood Sumner shows a charming decorative sense and imaginative feeling, as well as humour. On the purely ornamental side, the accomplished decorations of Mr. Lewis Day exhibit both ornamental range and resource, which, though in general devoted to other objects, are conspicuous enough in certain admirable book and magazine covers he has designed. [Illustration: HEYWOOD SUMNER. FROM "STORIES FOR CHILDREN," BY FRANCES M. PEARD. (ALLEN, 1896.)] [Illustration: CHARLES KEENE. ILLUSTRATION TO "THE GOOD FIGHT." ("ONCE A WEEK," 1859.) (_By permission of Messrs. Bradbury, Agnew and Co._)] [Illustration: HEYWOOD SUMNER. FROM "STORIES FOR CHILDREN," BY F. M. PEARD. (ALLEN, 1896.)] [Sidenote: THE "ENGLISH ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINE."] "The English Illustrated Magazine," under Mr. Comyns Carr's editorship, by its use of both old and modern headings, initials and ornaments, did something towards encouraging the taste for decorative design in books. Among the artists who designed pages therein should be named Henry Ryland and Louis Davis, both showing graceful ornamental feeling, the children of the latter artist being very charming. [Illustration: LOUIS DAVIS. FROM THE "ENGLISH ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINE" (1892).] [Illustration: HENRY RYLAND. FROM THE "ENGLISH ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINE" (1894).] But it would need much more space to attempt to do justice to the ability of my contemporaries, especially in the purely illustrative division, than I am able to give. [Sidenote: "ONCE A WEEK."]