Ball Games. (George Rontledge and Sons.)—A little book giving the
rules of cricket, croquet, football, and many other less known and less popular games. The rules of cricket are fairly complete. Those of croquet are long out of date, and almost useless for the present game. This is much to be regretted, as books of rule for croquet are in con- stant demand, and that demand will not be answered by the present volume. It has also a needless way of repeating itself, one croquet rule being given three times over, with slight variation of phrase, and the game of rounders being pat in twice over under different names. Rule 23 at croquet says that after hitting the lower stick the ball must not be placed in a favourable position, but must be hit from the place where it lodges. But rule 29 says that on striking the second stick, the player leaves his ball wherever it may have glided, and starts from thence ; and rule 34 tells you that at the upper post you may not take up your ball after hitting the post, but must proceed from the place to where the ball rebounds. It is true that the stick is alternately called the lower stick, the second stick, and the upper post, and that the ball alternately lodges, glides, and rebounds. But the effect of all the three rules is exactly the same, and the only result of writing with the precision and repetition of an Act of Parliament is that you become equally confusing to your readers.
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