The Crimson Chair, and other Stories. By Richard Dowling. (Ward
and Downey.)—This collection of stories would seem to be the gathering of several years ; one tale, "The Log Hut," we have a remembrance of having read a long time ago. The main interest of it is the fortune which a young man makes out of an unpromising log of mahogany, which turns out to have a wonderful natural pattern in it that made it extremely valuable for veneering. Some of the tales are a little thin ; but, on the whole, they are decidedly good.—Bis, by E. Gerard (Blackwood and Sons) is another volume of republished tales, three of the five having appeared in Blackwood's Magazine, and tho others in Longman's. They are un- doubtedly clever ; but we cannot say that we like the tone of all of them. The plot of " Elias of Blotatyn " scarcely seems to suit the humorous tone in which it is written, while in "Magda's Law" we have that careful repudiation of poetical justice which we have found in our experience to go generally with a cynical or pessimistic temper. . -
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