17 NOVEMBER 1894, Page 12

A Black Prince, and other Stories. By the Author of

"Told in a Verandah." (Lawrence and Bullen.)—Of these short stories, "A. Black Prince" is undoubtedly the best and longest. The rest are very unequal in merit, some—" The Rishi and the Sacred Diamond," "A Night in an Old Fort" (as good as it is short), "Who was Mrs. Duberooni P "—are good ; others- " Shameful Behaviour," for instance—deal with subjects which require great skill to carry off that peculiar flavour which seems to belong to stories of Indian society. Once or twice our author handles a good subject with real skill, as in "A Night in an Old Fort ; " but he lacks the perfect finish which the story should— and indeed must—have.