23 OCTOBER 1886, Page 22

CURRENT LITERATURE.

Jravierde Maistrs's Les Prisonniers du Caucase, and Le Ldpreuc de la Cite d' Assts. "French Classics for English Students," No. VIII. Edited, with•Introduction and Notes, by Leon Delbos, M.A. (Williams and Norgate.)—The editorial contribution is slight, and leaves on us the impression of perfunctoriness at least, particularly as regards the language; as.ivetrfuld.no.. compensation in the qu3lity of the notes.

Why translate foldtrer " to skip about ?" We do not think " it was nothing less than" would be accepted as the equivalent of it as s'agissait pas de mains by an examiner or ordinary master; depouilla

is rendered by " mortal coil," but that abused expression is only appropriate in connection with the "shuffling off" of the context.

The value of the rouble is given at " about 2s. 6d. ;" our authorities say 3s. A considerable proportion of the assistance offered is of the following calibre,—s'entretenir, "to converse;" par choir, "by choice;" pour ainsi dire, " so to speak," &c., which we leave to the apprecia- tion of students. Mistakes, as follows, unassisted by any "errata," also present thernselves,—"smbasch" for " ambnsh," " prefised " for " prefixed," " the with [wish] of the pour [poor] leper."