24 DECEMBER 1864, Page 21

How to Manage It. By Hindus Thomas Prichard. (Bentley.)—A very

striking historical novel, containing by far the most vivid picture of the Indian mutiny yet presented to the public. It is deformed by that excessive dislike, almost hatred, of the Government and its higher officials which broke out among Europeans during the mutiny, and by the introduction of a preposterous member of Parliament, who is philan- thropist and scoundrel, coward and hero all in one, but it is full of scenes which leave on the reader's mind the true impression made on men who lived through the outbreak. The native scenes are well done, par- ticularly those among the sepoys and the intriguers round the Nawab, and Mr. Prichard has used a rumour at one time universal in India with great effect. It was said that the sepoys' artillery was commanded by a white man, and it is by no means unlikely that a white Mahom. inedan, Albanian or Circassian, may have obtained a command. The incidents are of Course sensational in a high degree, but then to live for three months in hourly expectation of murder does give one a sensation, and makes odd occurrences seem very natural. We can cor- dially recommend the story to all who care to realize the horror which fell in 1867 upon Indian society.