12 OCTOBER 1889, Page 43

Aalesund to Tetuan. By C. R. Corning. (Alexander Gardner, Paisley.)—Mr.

Corning's style is very vigorous and lively, and he travels at a great pace, both in language and in actual sight-seeing. He makes no long stay anywhere, but hurries on as if he really knew where his journey was to take him, though he declares at the beginning that he had no intention of going to Tetuan. We have never seen a narrative of travel written with such briskness, with such short, sharp sentences. At the same time, when he becomes enthusiastic, the writer becomes dignified and eloquent Picturesque and humorous in his way of looking at strange customs he always is ; and it is this, joined to a decidedly rare gift of describing briefly, yet without leaving out details, that makes him so very readable. We get a most vivid picture of the various peoples of Europe and part of Asia, and the eccentricities most likely to strike English-speaking travellers. Accustomed as we are to hear the endless complaints of dyspeptic travellers, it is refreshing to journey with a writer who, in addition to his happy

style, sees only the humorous and interesting side of travel. Mr. Corning is perhaps most instructive in Spain and Russia.