GIFT-BOOKS.—Wars of the 'Nineties. By A. Hilliard Atteridge. (Cassell and
Co. 7s. 6d.)—The last decade of the century has yet more than a year before it is completed, and here is a big volume of more than eight hundred pages taken up with the story of its wars. And these wars are but a selection as far as the minor ones are concerned. The Dutch are always fighting with the Achinese (it would be seasonable if some one were to describe the Dutch Empire in the East, and help us to see what a Dutch South Africa would be like) ; there have been various affairs on the Punjab frontier besides the Chitral Campaign, and some dis- turbances in North Africa. Of the twelve chapters—the material of the book has already appeared in periodical form—about half concern us. The Soudan, the North-West Frontier of India, Africa, South, East, and West, and Manipur, have been the scenes of our military activity. The Spanish-American War and its consequences, the Chino-Japanese War, the Greco-Turkish War, the conquest of Madagascar by the French and their proceedings in Siam, and sundry revolutions, or attempts at revolution, in South America make up the subject of Mr. Atteridge's volume. He tells his story in a very spirited style, and is always in- teresting. The illustrations are abundant and good. As for the subject matter of the volume, it is needless to say anything. But it is curious to read, together with French denunciations of English perfidy, the story of their doings in Siam, in West Africa, and in Madagascar. And then to remember the facts about Tunis ! It is not a case of the pot and the kettle, but of the pot and a well-kept saucepan. —The Herd Boy and his Hermit. By Charlotte M. Yonge. (National Society. 3s. 6d.)—The "Herd Boy" is the "Shepherd Lord" whom Wordsworth celebrates in his "Song at the Feast of Brougham Castle." He rescues from some peril on the moor a young daughter of the Baron St. John of Bletso, and the incident is made the groundwork of a pleasant story of adventure and love. The young Clifford, who went in danger of his life from the partisans of the White Bose, makes an excellent hero ; and the Lady Anne, who becomes his wife, and the sporting Prioress, who thinks more of her hawks than her nuns, are well drawn. But, perhaps, the best figure in Miss Yonge's gallery is the captive King Henry.—A King's Thegn, by Geraldine M. Gay (same publishers, Is. 6d.), takes us back to King Alfred and his long struggle with the Danes, his retire- ment to Athelney, and his victory over Guthrum. This is a spirited story, with some love-making in it and plenty of fighting. The latter culminates, we may say, in a single combat between Alfred and Guthrum. We should like to know what weapon the English champion was using when " by a dexterous play of his weapon our King tripped up his adversary."—Laties Temple, by Maud Vevers (same publishers, 2s.), is " a story of the days of Bishop Ken." The heroine, losing her father, is sent to be taken care of by her aunts, and is entertained on the way in the house of Lord Chancellor Jeffreys. Has Miss Vevers any authority for saying that Jeffreys watched the burning of Lady Lisle in the disguise of a labourer ? The man's crimes were numerous enough, but it is needless to invent new atrocities. The story is somewhat melodramatic, and would have been improved by more simplicity of style.—In Sowing and Harvesting, by Mary H. Debenham (same publishers, 3s. 6d.), we have a tale of the French Revolution ; in which we meet, among other people, Edmund Burke. It is a perilous experiment to introduce great historical characters, but Mies Debenham is reasonably successful. The tale is above the average in point of writing, and as a picture of manners — Little King Richard. By Maud Carew. (S.P.C.K. 2s. Gd.)—This story might be described as a counterpart to the well-known " Little Lord Fauntleroy." The child who comes back to the home of his ancestors is, to all appearance, a timid, commonplace little creature. He turns out to be something very different. The process of this discovery is the subject of the tale, a good piece of work which we can heartily commend to the notice of our readers. The story of the riding lessons, and that of the attempted burglary, where the child by his presence of mind saves the situation, are particularly good.—Some Great Thing, by Lady Dunboyne (National Society, 2s.), takes up a familiar subject,—the ambition to be distinguished settling down to content with being useful. We should have been disposed to omit the love element in the story, but it is, we believe, the experience of authors and publishers that the public to which this kind of literature appeals insists upon it. —A Sunday in Summer. By A. E. Deane. (Same pub- lishers. ls.)—A story of the good apprentice and the bad. The bad—there are two companions who share this character—shirk church and employ their Sunday morning in wrecking a train ; the good one duly goes and finds the benefit of it. But the hero of the story is the crippled boy who drags himself to the window and with an impromptu signal saves the train aforesaid from destruction. It is a fairly good story, but the morals are some- what crudely enforced.—Time Tries. By Emma Marshall. (Nisbet and Co. ls. 6d.)—This story is without a satisfactory end- ing ; it has a look of being incomplete or finished in a hurry. This may well be the case, for the author passed away a few months ago, to the great loss of the special public with which her books were chief favourites.— Guy's Duty, by Penelope Leslie (National Society, Is.), has a certain advantage of novelty, for it takes the young people whose story it tells to India.—Such a Tomboy, and other Stories, by Katherine S. Vernham (same publishers, Is. 6d.), is a. collection of short didactic stories of average merit.
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