Tomaso's Fortune, and other Stories. By Henry Seton Merri- man.
(Smith, Elder, and Co. 6s.)—Here are nineteen stories gathered from various magazines, &c., some of them. very short and slight, but all, we may say, showing signs of the literary genius which was so conspicuous in the author. The tragical element predominates ; the short story has, perhaps, a natural tendency to become tragical. An impression has to be made quickly, and this way is quicker than any other. Another, and that more obvious, tendency of the short story is to be obscure. We find both characteristics here. "A Small World" and "In a Crooked Way," for instance, do not explain themselves. That from which the book takes its title is certainly the best, judged by every standard. Next to it we. should put "The End of the Mooroo," a very powerful shipwreck scene; and as a third, "The Prodigal's Return," a vigorously dramatic sketch. The "fragments that remain" from such a feast as Henry Seton Merriman was wont to furnish for us were well worth collecting.
Letters from a Son to his Self-Made Father. By Charles Eustace Merriman. (G. P. Putnam's Sons. 6s.)—This is one of a class of books which is commonly less likely to succeed oven than a continuation. We thought, that the "Letters of a Self-Made Merchant ,to his Son" were very good indeed, and said so. We can find nothing to praise in this book. The reader may enlarge by its help his vocabulary of American slang; but he will find neither wit nor wisdom. As for the later chapters, they are in exceedingly bad taste. The whole is a mistake ; but this part of it can hardly be described by so mild a term.
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