Mr. Spinks and his Hounds. By F. M. Lutyens. (Vinton
and Co.)—There is a close resemblance to Surtees' sporting novels in the adventures of young Spinks, who is the son of a wealthy hair- dresser, though we have not the abundance of humour, the sur- feit, one may call it, of coarse hunting dialogue and humorous incident. Mr. Spinks and his Hounds, however, is capital reading, there is plenty of humour, the story is well told, and, indeed, well written. The efforts of old Peters to upset the Bosby Hunt after his dismissal, their success and his ultimate remorse, are really well managed and almost brilliantly described ; but, if possible, their success would be very doubtful, and that the secret should have been kept so well is improbable. The only characters that are well drawn are blackguards, as one of Mr. Lutyens's heroines says of Surtees' characters. This throws a curious light en hunting people, as portrayed by the only writers who really know them. The book is illustrated, and can be read by any one. The hunting is very well done—a most difficult thing it is to do, too—and old Peters is a capital character, though he is rather mean.
Previous page
