A Pawn in the Game. By W. H. Fitchett. (Smith,
Elder, and Co. 6s.)—Dr. Fitchett shows himself at his best, as might be expected, in narrative, and especially when the narrative is historical. The scenes in Egypt, the life of the hero among the Bedouin, the march of Baird with his Indian troops, and the fate of the French army are drawn with much spirit, with touches that show a keen eye for the picturesque. In the study of character Dr. Fitchett is not so much at home. The hero is somewhat of the " gift-book " type, the marvellous young men whom nothing daunts or conquers ; and we do not seem to know much about the heroine except that she is very beautiful and very good. There is no subtlety in the drawing, but then there is nothing unpleasant or unclean, and after much experience of the fiction of to-day we have enjoyed the contrast. Here, again, Dr. Fitchett succeeds best with his historical characters. His Napoleon, whom we see first as the butt of his fellow-students and last in all the splendour of First Consul, is a fine study.
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