20 JANUARY 1956, page 25

Lit. Hist.

IF literary history is to be more than an aid to holding one's Own in conversation, or to avoiding the error of making Dickens predecease Thackeray—and as taught in universities......

Brilliant Bourbon

GRAND-DAUGHTER Of Henri IV, niece of Louis XIII and Anne of Austria, first cousin of Charles H of England and of Louis XIV, Richelieu's god-daughter, Anne-Marie-Louise d'Orleans......

Polly Put The Kettle' On

POLLY : My Wonderful Mother. By Barbara Cartland. (Herbert Jenkins, 15s.) THE life of 'Polly : My Wonderful Mother' has been written by Barbara Cartland who is obviously, in the......

New Novels

THE RAPIDS. By Basil Davidson. (Jonathan Cape, 13s. 6d.) A POINT OF ORDER. By Gwyn Thomas. (Gollancz, 12s. 6d.) A TANGLED WEB. By Nicholas Blake. (Collins, 12s. 6d.) THE LILAC......