Early-Victorian : a Village Chronicle. By S. G. Tallentyre. (Smith,
Elder, and Co. 6s.)—The title and sub-title of this book describe its contents most accurately. It is actually the chronicle of life in a village in early Victorian times. As a work of art, however, it would be very much more interesting if it were not constructed in absolutely water-tight compartments. A different person is taken as the centre of each chapter, and the reader is always having to refocus his mind's eye in order to appreciate a new point of view. It would be perfectly easy to discover all the types in this story in a village of to-day, and though, owing to the pressure of modern life, the events in which they move would be multiplied, the human characters would remain just the same. The novel is cleverly written, and is yet very soothing to read.
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