SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
[Muter this heading ire notice suck Books of the week as hare tot been reserred for review In other forms.] Travel Pictures. By 'Mosconi Singh Raj Rana I3aliadur of .Thalawar. (Longmans and Co. 6s.)—A. book of two hundred and eighty pages describing the impressions of an Indian prince on tour through Europe might certainly have been more interesting than this volume, but it might also very well have proved pretentious and inaccurate. His Highness the Raj Rana of .Thalawar has had the great good sense to confine himself to a faithful record of things seen, whether great or small. Ho shuns the lure of literary ambition ; when he indulges in a reflection it is usually the safest commonplace. He seems to combine the self-possession of the Oriental with the frigidity of the Anglo-Indian official. These qualities argue better for his future as a ruler of men than a writer of books ; and if the European reader finds these Travel Pictures somewhat fatiguing he will certainly form a high opinion of the author as a modest, courteous gentleman, and a conscientious and accurate observer. It is pleasant to note that the book is dedicated to His Majesty the King-Emperor in lieu of the customary gifts which in deference to the royal wish were not tendered at the Coronation durbar. The illustrations are from photographs by the author.
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