17 DECEMBER 1898, Page 24

The Patriots of Palestine. By Charlotte M. Yonge. (National Society's

Depository.)—There is much in this story of the Mac. cabees to interest readers ; but we think that children, for whom especially the book is written, will become confused by the many characters, whose names naturally are not of the simplest. It would, too, in our opinion, be more popular with children were it less of a paraphrased apocrypha and more of a story with a few well-known characters. We notice that the word " Hades" is used by one of the characters, a strict Jew. Surely a word belong. ing to the religion of the " Godless " Greeks, as they are called, would be carefully avoided.