Miss or Airs.? and other Stories in Outline. By Wilkie
Collins. (Bentley.)--This is a reprint of the Christmas number of the Graphic for 1871, and of two short, clever stories, to which the description on the title-page does not apply, for they are as complete as need be. Miss or Mrs. is a story in outline, and is the only instance in which Mr. Wilkie Collins has wasted his material; an entire novel might bo constructed in his architectural style from its incidents. It was eagerly read on its first appearance, and will no doubt be well received in its present form. There are several specimens of Mr. Wilkie Collins's neat, precise humour in this story, and the rudiments of at least one capital character. We hope to meet Lady Winwood on a wider field of action, and should be very glad to hear details of her household policy? and the final pulverisation of her ladyship's step-daughters. Some- body wrote lately of "the Trollope troupe," is propos of Lizzie Eustace, the Thornes, and Lady Glencora Palliser ; a Collins troupe might per- form to pleased and patient audiences for many a day, if Mr. Wilkie Collins would permit somebody else to select the ' stars;' he thinks so much more of his leading people than they deserve, and succeeds so much better with his minor characters.
Previous page
