The Old Pastures. By Mrs. Leith Adams. (Kegan Paul, Trench,
and Co.)—We must own to liking the surroundings and scenery of Mrs. Leith Adams's story better than we like the story itself. The rustics of Greylings, both men and women, are an excellent company. There is the aged Amos Digger, with his very good conceit of country-folk in general and himself in particular ; Isaac Turnover, the " dowser " (expert with the magic rod by which water is discovered); Mrs. Pomfret, with her forehanded preparations for her last toilet —" a neat sprig of lavender seems fitting like, don't it now ? "—and various others, the dog 'Rip' not being forgotten. The people talk, it is true, a curious dialect, which it would not be easy to localise, but they are real creatures. The story does not seem real. Supposititious children have been palmed off on unsuspecting husbands, but the incident is not one that suits such a story as The Old Pastures. Where in England—for we presume that Greylings is in England — do they use the term " warlock " for witch ?
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