13 APRIL 1895, Page 25

The Confessions of Amos Todd, Adventurer. (T. Fisher lJnwin.)—Amos Todd's

" confessions " relate, for the most part, to Companies of the kind about which Mr. Justice Vaughan Williams is wont to speak-out his mind with such refresh- ing frankness. Amos Todd 'describes a meeting of the share- holders of a worthless mine with much vivacity ; and relates with charming frankness how he sold another mine, equally worthless, to the public. Of course all these things are a parable, and the writer has in view the excellent object of warning his readers against swindlers. But is it not a little absurd that " Amos Todd, Adventurer," should take it upon himself to compare the Churches, and criticise the language of the Prayer-book ? He may be qualified to judge about these things, though we see no reason to think so, but he should at least have the common-sense to assume a more appropriate character before he begins to lecture.