The Rose; or, the Maori at Home. By John White.
(Sampson Low and Co.)___" This volume," we read in the preface, "is intended to be the first of a series designed to illustrate, or rather to exhibit, in as truly a life-like form as possible, the Maori of the pre-civilisation period." That Mr. White is fully qualified for the task, we do not doubt ; pro- bably no European has had better opportunities of studying his subject. The book has all the appearance of careful and accurate study. But in respect of art, it seems to us to be almost a mistake. To put the thing plainly, the picture, faithful as it doubtless is to reality, is too repulsive. The details of the cannibal feast, for instance, are too horrible to read- And the whole has the dreary, confused effect of a bad dream. Mr. White must tone down the too harsh colours of his work, even at the cost of being less faithful to the truth. Cooper's Rod Indians are con- fessed to bo little like the genuine Delaware and Pawnee, but they are works of art, which the world will certainly prize more than Mr. White's photographs. And yet photographs may be used as the basis of works of art.
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