A Country Diary. By Mrs. Alfred Cock. (G. Allen. 6s.)—
This is a pretty and pathetic little book. At first sight it rather belies one's expectations, which were of changing months, wild flowers, the daily works and joys of a country life. It is the story, told in the form of a diary, of a young woman not much over thirty, who has been ordered out of London by the doctors as the one chance of prolonging her life, threatened by heart disease. She finds a curious old house in Surrey, which had been turned into cottages, buys it, and transforms it back into its old uses. The relief with which its former inmates leave it is accounted for later on in a little scene very cleverly done. There is not a stroke too much in the picture the writer allows herself of the supernatural, touched moat delicately in. But before these things, the owner of the house makes herself beloved of the whole neighbourhood, surrounds herself with all the loveliest possibilities of lovely Surrey, and finally, half against her will, wins a neighbour's heart for joy or sorrow. We must not go into further detail, only adding that the " diary " has a delicate charm which will appeal to many. The volume contains two other stories, "The Borderland" and "The Message," which deal more frankly with the unseen world, and are not, for other reasons, quite so much to our taste. The author knows very well, no doubt, to what extent spiritualism is called in nowadays to solve the difficulties of life. But we like her better in the fresh and sweet air of "A Country Diary."
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