Richard Baldock : an Account of Some Episodes in his
Childhood, Youth, and Early Manhood, and of the Advice that was Freely Offered him. By Archibald Marshall. (Alston Rivers. 6s.)—While Richard Baldock is certainly an improvement on "The House of Merrilees," it must be confessed that the proportions of the book are a little awkward. This is so much the case that the author has felt it necessary to give some explanation on the title-page of its scheme. In Chinese drama, as we all know, the story begins with the birth of the hero, but as the play takes several days to perform, we may conclude that his manhood and later history are not entirely omitted. In Richard Baldock Mr. Marshall is concerned merely with the childhood and youth of his hero, and Richard Baldock grown up is a very shadowy figure. It is, therefore, a little difficult to take serious interest in a development of which one is not allowed to see the fulfilment ; but Mr. Marshall has given us a very careful study of the mental processes of a high-spirited, generous boy in exceedingly' narrow surroundings. The hero, although not subjected to any active ill-treatment, and only corrected for his own good, yet enjoys very few of the happy conditions which surround ordinary childhood. His father, John Baldock, is almost impossibly disagreeable, and although, of course, there is precedent for the extreme business ability and success of his friend Masking, yet this
charapter is not very convincing to the reader. The mental struggle between Richard Baldock and his father is the main concern of the book, but it may be doubted whether the author is true to life in softening the character of the elder Ba:Mock at the end. It is difficult to believe in John Ba'dock's good intentions having much effect upon his narrow practice. There is no particular plot in the novel, which is simply a study of character, and as such it may be recommended.
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