Andrew Goodfellow: a Tale of 1805. By Helen H. Watson.
(Macmillan and Co. 6s.)—The mere dry fact that this is a story of the town of Plymouth Dock in the year 1805 will reveal to the reader the stirring possibilities of the book. Nelson, indeed, appears in its pages, and the whole interest of the story is con- cerned with the sea. The catastrophe which occurs at the end is the result of the battle of Trafalgar. It is a surprise to people who are familiar with the Romney portraits of Lady Hamilton to find Mrs. Watson speaking of her as "a stout, dark lady, in an absurdly short waist, showily dressed, with brilliant dark eyes and a fine complexion." Surely those wonderful auburn locks never deserved the adjective "dark," any more than her blue eyes. The apparition of Lady Hamilton only, however, occupies half-a-page, and is of no importance to the story. The book is ably written and the plot well constructed, though the only character which the author has carefully worked out is that of the hero, Andrew Goodfellow. The story may be recommended to all who are interested in the history of England's naval victories and her Fleet, which is perhaps the same thing as saying that it may be recommended to all English men and women.
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