The Silver Whistle. By "Naseby." 2 vols. (W. H. Allen.)—
Though " Naseby's " story only fills two volumes, it is too long, for the volumes are closely packed, and contain a good deal which will strike most readers as of the nature of "padding." The choice of such ridiculous names as Lord Gargoyle, Miss Conjugate, Baron Sydewaise, and, worst of all, Mr. Wilful Squalling Gruntlo, is by no means the only sign of amateurishness, for character and incidents are huddled together in a confusing sort of way which is the reverse of artistic ; and " Naseby " is far too fond of fantastic eccentricities of expression, such, for example, as the sentence in which he speaks of "those silences which guard our memories from being blurred in their outline by the obliterating tongue of recollected chattering." Faults like these must needs go a long way towards spoiling any book ; but though The Silver Whistle cannot be called a satisfactory novel, it contains passages and chapters bright and interesting enough to prevent it from being wholly unattractive.
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