Princess Heliotrope. By " Pynx Gryph." (Fisher Unwin.)—This is really
a very clever and amusing book, although the writer is per. haps a trifle too anxious to manufacture fun of the kind favoured by audiences that gloat over opera-bouffe. Thus King Drikebuschow of Yewitschlaer, whose daughter is the heroine of the story, lets his crown fall off rather too often. The plot of the story is refreshingly simple. The Princess Heliotrope is threatened with death. Only cherries can save her. But she needs them at a time when they are not ordinarily procurable. So a proclamation is sent through the country by means of the telegraph force of the country, which is composed of hares. One of these hares finds its way into the hands of Peter Stummel, the hero of the story, who is kind to it. He is further intro limed to Ogre-land, and, with the help of certain of its inhabitants, secures magic cherries, and by their means saves the Princess's life. How Peter has other difficulties to overcome, and how in particular he has an arch enemy, Count Nadapane, to get the better of, the reader must learn for himself. There is, of course, a good deal of burlesque of natural (and other) history in the story. But it is very clever, and will be thoroughly enjoyed by children, if not also by their seniors. The illustrations, it should be added, are remarkably good.
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