Crosses of Childhood; or, Alice and her Friends. (S. W.
Partridge.)— This is an admirable children's book. The little group of children whose sayings and doings form the subject of the work are real living children, their faults of character and shortcomings are those of chil- dren and not those of grown-up people, they are neither preternaturally bad nor impossibly good, and the well. disposed ones do not all die early pour encourager les antra. At the same time, while it is essentially a children's book, it is thoroughly well-written, the incidents are cleverly brought in, and many a useful lesson for those who have the early guidance of children may be learnt from its pages as well as for chil- dren themselves. Altogether it contrasts most favourably with the unhealthy tone and unreal conventionality of the majority of tales of a similar character.
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