Longman's Christmas Annual, edited by G. A. Henty (Longmans and
Co.), bears the title of "Yule Logs," and consists of eleven stories, the work of Mr. Henty himself, and of ten other writers of fiction, Messrs. Kirk Munroe, G. Manville Fenn, J. Bloundelle- Burton, H. Collingwood, and Colonel Percy Groves being among them. The first in order is a tale of modern sea-fighting, entitled "The Fighting Mermaid." "By Default of the Engineer" is also a tale of those who "go down to the sea in ships," as they fare to-day. "The King of Spain's Will" takes us back to the days of the Regency, and Mr. Whistler's "Sir Richard's Squires" some five centuries further. In short, there is good work not wanting in variety.—Through Fire and Sword (S. W. Partridge and Co.) contains three stories by Messrs. G. A. Henty, G. Manville Fenn, and John A. Higginson respectively. Mr. Henty, who is at home everywhere, lays the scene of his tale in the Australian bush, Mr. Fenn takes us to tropical regions, which he seems especially to favour, and Mr. Higginson's story is of the Southern seas.—A Child of Westminster Abbey. By Mary E. Palgrave. (R.T.S.)—The time of the first tale is made a little too recent. One cannot help identifying the dignified Canon with a well-known ecclesiastic of high birth who held that office for many years. The story itself has merits, but probability is scarcely one of them.
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