four Delaneys—Iris, Apollo, Diana, Orion—they are absolutely fresh and original,
and all have a. distinct personality of their own. Little Diana, with her imperious temper and fearless dis- position, is of course the heroine, and if at times she becomes almost too heroic, we can forgive all in her genuinely childish traits. The contrast between these highly imaginative children
and their extremely practical and rather narrow guardian, the rector's wife, is admirably brought out. Indeed, every character in the story is drawn to the life. The good-natured rector, his practical, illiberal wife, who is, however, a "just beast," and Fortune, the shrewd American nurse, are all living people. Nor
are the gipsies neglected. The adventures of Diana and Orion will hold children entranced, and older readers will derive no less
pleasure from Mrs. Meade's gift for delineating children of all ages and people of all classes. Mrs. Meade has written nothing better than A Little Mother to the Others.
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