22 JUNE 1867, Page 23

Begg'd at Court : a Legend of Westminster. By Charles

Knight. (Chapman and HalL)—In order to spare his eyes while occupying his mind, Mr. Charles Knight has dictated this one-volume story, and begs us to excuse the imperfections of an old man's attempt at fiction. Those imperfections are by no means obtrusive, though the book is rather a picture of manners in the time of Charles L than a connected story. We smile to recognize some of the oldest devices of fiction, but our smile is good-humoured, and the recognition not ungrateful. The days when spendthrifts begged the custody of either a fool or a ward from the king, and when that custody was conceded to such worthless keepers, are chosen by Mr. Knight for the time of his story, and his antiquarian knowledge stands him in good stead.