Philosopher Dick : Adventures and Contemplations of a New Zealand
Shepherd. 2 vols. (Fisher Unwin.)—This book is not one which can be easily placed under any accepted literary heading with any assurance of accuracy in classification ; but we suppose it must be called a novel. It is certain that no more appropriate name occurs to us, and it assuredly answers to the dictionary definition,, for it is "a tale or narrative professing to give a picture of human life in some of its aspects." In all probability it is—to use a once. familiar phrase of commendation—" founded on fact," indeed on personal experience, and there is an air of simplicity and veri- similitude about the whole story which stamps it as being a
faithful record, from ono point of view, of the more prominent features of a settler's life in New Zealand when that life was a good deal more primitive, and richer in the incidents of exciting adventure, than it is to-day. As might have been expected in a book of this kind, the construction is decidedly loose ; the author does not hesitate to introduce a number of characters and incidents which have no vital relation to the main action of the narrative ; but the reader is so soon prepared for this method of treatment, that it does not occur to him to regard it as a fault, and, indeed, much of the episodical matter is so interesting in itself, that its removal would make the story much less worth reading than it is at present. The " contemplations " of the philosopher are decidedly unequal in value, but his "adventures " are always entertaining.
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