26 DECEMBER 1891, Page 25

The Little Marine. By Florence Marryat. (Hutchinson and Co.) —There

is nothing particularly exciting about the adventures of the "Little Marine." He goes to Japan, adopts a little Japanese child, and eventually loses her, through quarrelling with some young natives. There is a moral in this, and the conversation of the soldier who looks after the young bugler is also highly moral, —indeed, we are bound to say, Broadrib expresses himself with admirable taste, and in the most select language. The language which everybody uses is equally careful and considered. Good for children it is, no doubt ; but it is improbable, weak, and often absurd. This is a fault we can well understand Miss Marryat falling into, in her desire to be on the safe aide, and so it is not worth quarrelling about. As it is, she only makes one or two slips.