Nicholas Holbrook. By Olivo Birroll. (Smith, Elder, and Co. 6s.)—A
problem of unfailing interest is how far the Christian ideal of neighbourly love is attainable in the present day. And this is the issue which Miss Birrell sets before us in her new story. In tho end of the book tho hero, Nicholas Holbrook, absolutely attains the height prescribed by our Lord, and sells all that he has to give to the poor. This, of course, involves the agricultural poor on his country estate being handed over to the new purchaser to live under a good or bad landlord as fate may decree. Cer- tainly the poor in the town of which Nicholas is the ground-land- lord might plead that their necessity was greater than that of the rural poor, but nevertheless Peter is to some extent robbed to pay Paul. The book is well written, and the principal characters are lifelike, all except the tiresome little heroine, Dulcie, who palters for a long time between Nicholas and her Socialist lover, though at last, attracted by the latter's shady past history and present misfortunes, she makes up her mind in his favour. To the ordinary reader the book will prove interesting above the average, but we would not advise its perusal to a strict student of political economy.
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