The principal engravings in this first number illustrate the first Bal Masque given by Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace. They were drawn by Sir John Gilbert, then at the beginning of his career, and it was most fortunate for the new enterprise that an artist of such great and varied abilities was found at the very outset to give his powerful aid to the undertaking. His wonderful facility and bold picturesqueness were exactly suited to the requirements of an illustrated newspaper. The first enabled him to do his work with marvellous quickness, and the second was an excellent counterpoise to the damaging effects of hurried engraving and rapid printing. The illustrations of the Queen's Bal Masque are eight in number, including character portraits of Her Majesty and the Prince Consort. There are two cuts from a book under review, and the last illustration in the number represents a long line of men carrying advertising boards 'to proclaim the advent of this important publication.' The first number sold well, probably because the public was curious to see what the new paper was like. Twenty-six thousand copies were disposed of, but there was a great falling-off in the sale of the second number, which opened with a leading article explaining the principles that were to guide the paper in its future career. The cut on the front page represents the ceremony of taking the veil, and was evidently drawn by Gilbert. The next engravings illustrate Waghorn's Overland Route to India, then recently organized, followed by an illustrated account of the sale at Strawberry Hill, and a portrait of a then notorious criminal, Daniel Good, which is accompanied by an editorial apology disclaiming all intention of joining the 'raw-head and bloody-bones' school, but in the interests of science commending the portrait to the disciples of Lavater. This is the only instance of such an engraving being inserted in the paper (with the exception of the portrait of MacNaghten, who shot Mr. Drummond), and it is evident the editor's better feeling revolted against it, although he was only following the example of the _Observer_ and the _Weekly Chronicle_. [Illustration: HER MAJESTY AS QUEEN PHILIPPA. FROM THE 'ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS,' MAY 14, 1842.] The first engraving in No. 3 is a portrait of Mehemet Ali, which is given in connexion with further illustrations of the Overland Route to India. But the most important picture in this number is a portrait of the Queen with the baby Prince of Wales in her lap, drawn by Gilbert. There is also the first example of a sporting illustration--a portrait of Attila, the winner of the Derby, which accompanies an account of Epsom Races, with several other engravings. [Illustration: THE QUEEN'S FIRST RAILWAY JOURNEY. FROM THE 'ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS,' JUNE 19, 1842.] [Illustration: ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF THE QUEEN. FROM THE 'ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS,' JUNE 5, 1842.]