The Castles of England. (Heinemann.)—In these two large and profusely
illustrated volumes Sir James Mackenzie gives as what may be called a roll-call of the Castles of England. County by county he goes over the mediasval strongholds, and tells of their structure, of the men who lived there, and of the deeds wrought within them. He does not, however, confine himself to the castles whose walls are still standing. The " non-existent " castles are also enumerated, and as much of their history as is known is duly set forth_ There are also excellent pictures of the castles and ruins as they now appear. As a rule Sir James Mackenzie is con- tent to tell his facts plainly, and without any attempt at orna- ment—a necessary reticence, considering the vast mass of facts with which he has to deal. Occasionally, however, he affords us some romantic or humorous touches. For example, under "Banbury (nest -existent)," we find quoted the famous rhyme out of "Drunken Barnaby's Journal "
To Banbury came I, 0 profane one, Where I saw a Puritaine one Hanging of his oat on Monday
For killing of a Muse on Sunday."
It is curious to reflect that though the " Saints " could bear so easily the shock of Rupert's charges and the statecraft of Charles, verses like these were in the end too much for them. They could batter down the castles, but they could not keep the rhymsters from undermining their grim and earnest sovereignty. In the section dealing with the Somersetshire castles there is an in- teresting account of Dunster Castle, and of how, when it was summoned by the Royalists, "Mistress Luttrell commanded the men within to give fire." The Luttrell of the day seems, how- ever, to have changed sides, for when the King was finally beaten the Parliament ordered the castle to be pulled to pieces and "slighted." Fortunately this order was not carried out, and Dunster still remains a castle, which has been continuously inhabited by the family now owning it for some five hundred years. In mentioning Richmont Castle at Harptree, Sir James Mackenzie says that it is now utterly vanished. He has over- looked the fact that a stone well-head is still in situ. On the whole, Sir James Mackenzie's is a very useful contribution to the county history section of literature.
The two latest volumes of the Edinburgh Edition of Mr. Steven- son's works (Chatto and Windus) contain a considerable amount of work which is either newly published or else never before reprinted. Vol. IV. of the " Miscellanies" contains under the beading of "Juvenalia "some very charming essays. It also contains a striking essay entitled" Lay Morals," and a set of prayers apparently used by Mr. Stevenson in his Samoan home. In Yol. IV. of the "Tales and Fantasies" there is to be found a complete story, entitled "John Nicholson." This was a Christmas story originally pub- lished by Messrs. Cassell in their annual," Yule Tide" (1887). Till now, however, it has never been reprinted. Probably the decision was wise, for, in spite of some excellent things said by the way, it is not a good story. We do not in the least object to this republication of Mr. Stevenson's slighter works, and, indeed, think them quite in their proper place in a complete library edition. At the same time we cannot help being struck at Mr. Stevenson's literary discretion in letting so much of his less successful work drop in his lifetime. He seems to shave had a wonderfully clear eye as to his own productions.
Among Stevenson reprints we may also notice the first two volumes of The Plays of W. E. Henley and R. L. Stevenson (Heine- mann), which contain "Beau Austin" and" Deacon Brodie." They are handy and pleasantly printed little books, issued at a popular price.
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