The Coxswain's Bride, and other Tales. By R. M. Ballantyne.
(Nisbet.)—The first and longest of the three stories which com- pose this volume shows Mr. Ballantyne at his best. Robert Massey, the coxswain of the Greyton lifeboat, who is devoted to his duty, and not to the bottle, is just such a hero as he takes a delight in portraying ; and Nellie, whom Robert marries, is also one of his heroines. Their love for each other is also essentially of the favourite Little Dorrit sort. Under ordinary circumstances, Bob Massey ought never to leave his place in the Greyton boat, but to keep performing achievements in it till some special reward comes to him. But Mr. Ballantyne invents a new sensa-
tion for his hero,—at all events, for a hero of this kind. For he sends him off on a voyage. His ship runs right into a cave, and of course comes to grief. This looks rather strained ; but the adventures of the ' Lapwing' are skilfully told, and Mr. Ballantyne will probably be forgiven the violence of his plot by his boy-readers for the events he crowds into it. The two other stories which are included in this volume are up to Mr. Ballantyne's average, but not above it. He delights to play the moralist for the sake of young people, and he does this to some purpose in " Double Rescue."
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