A Banished Beauty. By John Bickerdyke. (Blackwood and Sons.)—The programme
which Mr. Bickerdyke gives us in his introductory chapter is attractive,—"a story of love and sport in the Outer Hebrides." We cannot say that it is not carried out. Love there is in plenty, for two couples are made happy after sur- mounting the customary difficulties ; and there is sport—salmon- fishing, grouse-shooting, and other varieties—all described with a manifest knowledge of the subject. The scene, too—the par- ticular spot in the Outer Hebrides is the Island of Lewis—is faithfully pictured. But the author has thought fit to introduce a very disagreeable element into his story. We are introduced to two atrociously vulgar and silly cockney sportsmen. How often must we say that no reader of taste is entertained by the stupid blunders which such people—if, indeed, they are not mere ores,. tures of the fancy—are supposed to make ? Scarcely less odious than Amos Gildersleeves and Profumo Walker, are Mr. Golding- Monument, a swindling financier, and his daughter ; and then, as if to complete the reader's annoyance, be is confronted with an Irish Land-Leaguer. If Mr. llickerdyke could only get rid of all these noxious elements, he would make of the Banished Beauty a very pleasing story.
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