In Convent Walls the Story of the Despensers. By Emily
Sarah Holt. (J. F. Shaw and Co.)—Miss Holt has given us here one of the careful historical studies which we are accustomed to receive from her. She takes, it is clear, infinite pains with her subject, is not content except with original authoritiea, and can give chapter and verse for all her details and incidents (unless, indeed, she expressly warns us that they are fictitious). Indeed, in cue instance at least, she corrects the historian, fixing, on excellent authority it would deem, the birth of the Blank Prince in April instead of June, the date commonly given. The danger is that this conscientious' desire for historical accaraey should hide the literary suspect of Miss Molt's work from her. The scene of the story is laid in the latter days of Queen Isabella, the wife of Edward II., and is told by three persons (a somewhat inconvenient arrangement), "Dame Ciceley de Chau- combe," "Agnes, the Lady of Pembroke," and "Sister Aliana la Despenser." The picture of convent-life as portrayed by this last is drawn with much vigour. The difficult matter of style is, on the whole, successfully dealt with by Miss Holt. Still, sometimes she seems to go beyond the "quaint expressions" which, as she puts it, are "to remind the reader of the period in which the scene is laid." She has authority, it is to be presumed, for " scribeth Boothlineas;" but it seems out of place.
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