25 JUNE 1898, Page 13

Lady Jean's Son. By " Sarah Tytler." (Jarrold and Sons.)—

The tale turns on the famous Douglas case, in which the genuineness of the twin sons of Lady Jean Drummond was in question, a case which divided all Scotland into two parties. Nobody thought the Douglas case dull at the time, but watched its long-drawn-out proceedings with intense interest. But this interest is a thing of the past, and we must say that Lady Jean's Son has not proved as lively reading as we are accustomed to have from its author. Doubtless it is a careful study of the manners and feelings of the time, but it is not attractive.

We are glad to see a second edition of Dante's Pilgrim's Progress, by Emelia Russell Gurney (Elliot Stock). The book consists of extracts from the three parts of the " Divina Corn media," arranged so as to form a continuous series, with notes on the opposite pages, in which the reader is helped to the discerning of the poet's spiritual meaning. All is well done ; if we have a suggestion to make, it is that Longfellow's translation should be given at the bottom of the left-hand page. This might be done by a rearrangement of the type without any demand for further space.

Mr. Andrew Melrose publishes a new edition of John Banyan's Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. To this is added Bunyan's own account of his arrest, examination before the magistrates, and imprisonment in 1660. Bunyan seems to have held that the use of set prayers was against the word of God. In fact, he was not broader minded than his persecutors. Unhappily for them, they had the power.