26 DECEMBER 1908, Page 26

Anthony Cuthbert. By Richard Begot. (Methuen and Co. 6s.)—Mr. Begot

sets himself a thoroughly unpleasant task in the plot of his new novel, and he does not succeed in carrying it out without offending against many of the canons of good taste. The series of coincidences by which the heroine is prevented from finding out that Jim Sinclair, her lover, is the nephew of the man she is going to marry are not quite as convincing as the author intends them to be. Otherwise the story is well put together, and the character of Anthony Cuthbert himself drawn with great care and considerable force. The story, as said above, is unpleasant, but the chief sinners make so ample an expiation for their crime that the reader's pity for their misfortunes will considerably outweigh his indignation at their conduct.