17 DECEMBER 1898, Page 24

A Nest of Skylarks. By M. E. Winchester. (Seeley and

Co.)— Miss Winchester does not keep up, or, we should rather say, does not always keep up, to her best level in this story. There are passages in which she is quite equal to herself, as in her picture of old Michael and his relation to the family which finds him a shelter, and is very fitly rewarded for its kindness. But there are digressions which, if not actually tedious, for this is a fault with which Miss Winchester can scarcely be charged, take from the effect of the whole. Generally we can warmly commend Miss Winchester's story to our readers.