30 NOVEMBER 1889, Page 23

CURRENT LITERATURE.

GIFT-BOOKS.

Maid of the Golden Age. By H. E. McLean. (Sampson Low and Co.)—This is a very pleasant description of life on board a Man-o'-war. It is not exciting, but boys will like it none the less for the absence of anything thrilling. Boys who take up sea- stories for the purpose of learning something about life afloat, cannot do better than read Maid of the Golden Age. They will get a very fair notion of the hardships and pleasures of a midship- man's life, at any rate on board a sailing-vessel, described in a rather jerky, but nevertheless businesslike and sensible style. The illustrations are very poor, and there are eight of them. The person who draws them may have courage, but certainly lacks discretion.