two, but ten of his false antagonists. Tho hero is
the Count St. Michael Donetz, leader of the Cossacks of the Don, or his white horse, for we are not certain ; but as the white horse is a mare, perhaps she may be regarded as the heroine. However, it is all very surprising, and doubtless may be read with implicit faith, for who should know about heroic exploits if not the European Champion Athlete ? There is also a good deal of valuable information interspersed with more stirring incidents, as that "the Jews of Khorassan, Bokhara, Samarcand, and Balkh—Shahr Selz as well as the descendants of Tchsingis Khan and the Nozay Tartars, and those called the tribe of Naphtali, are all remnants of the Ten Tribes ; and the inhabitants of Shiva are doubtless the Hurites expelled by Joshua, as the gipsies are the dispersed chil- dren of Elam." If only the Champion Athlete could have been inducted to add a note telling us how he found it all out, what a boon he would have been. to the Anthropological Society ! Accounts of the story of novels are at all times unsatisfactory, but in Captain Saunders' case there is a double reason why the critic should refrain, for the "work it dramatized by the author," and we do not wish to spoil the enjoyment of the frequenters of Astley's. Only think of the storming of the Castle of Dargy Archo in the Caucasus ! Vain struggle of the lovers of virtue against numbers 1 Sudden appearance of the Count Donetz on the phantom steed ! Single combat ! Fall of the tyrant and rescue of' the injured lady! If that will not bring the curtain down amid a hurricane of applause nothing wilL We have only to add that the novel is " published by Imperial desire," and that, as we do not altogether agree with His Majesty's taste in literature, we rather recommend our readers to wait and see Black and Gold at Astley's.
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