11 JUNE 1870, Page 22

teristics, even an outsider, as the present writer is, recognizes

at once.

May we say that one of them is the " only one ha'porth of work " to "an intolerable quantity " of play ? We speak of the " Oppidan " side of Eton, with which, indeed, the book before us is solely concerned. But faithful as they may be, the sketches want character and life ; the boys talk like boys, but not like typical boys, and are consequently uninter- esting. The adventures are such as probably have happened again and again, but there is no particular meaning in them. There is nothing like our old friend Tom Brown's dealing with keepers and farmers.

Mr. S. P. Hall's illustrations are vigorous and natural. He always does boys well, though we see nothing here as good as the "Night Fag " .which figured, if our memory servos us, in Tom Brown.