27 OCTOBER 1928, Page 43

THE EMPRESS OF HEARTS. By E. Barrington. (HarraP. i's. Bd.)—This

novel is a romance of Marie Antoinette, and her famous necklace proVides the links for the plot. The story is a little discursive, sentimental, and highly-coloured.; and the author is too prone to interpose historical conunerf- tory instead of fusing the history with the 'actual tale itself. The writing, nevertheless, has considerable charm.