22 SEPTEMBER 1906, Page 20

Collusion. By Thomas Cobb. (Alston Rivers. 6s.)—Mr. Thomas Cobb has

sacrificed his powers of story-telling to the snare of brilliant writing. His plots are now of the thinnest, and his characters,though their conversation is always sparkling, bear a most unmistakable resemblance to each other. It is difficult to say anything about the present book which would not equally well apply to any of Mr. Thomas Cobb's recent works. Neither Virginia nor Dudley nor Guy is an original figure. A rather novel flavour, however, is given to the end of the book by the philosophy with which Dudley resolves to begin, on the morning after Virginia has jilted him, a long novel which shall have the story of his engagement as its plot.