THE MIRACLE BOY. By Louis Golding. (Knopf. 7s: 6d. -
Also Jedition de luxe of fifty signed copies, 15s.)— Here we have fantasy that is written in so legendary a manner that one feels no more inclined to doubt the authenticity of the Miracle Boy than to discredit the travels of Ulysses. Hugo Harpf was born in the Austrian Tyrol, in a valley that was once occupied by the Etruscans. Centuries before his birth, Tages, the Etrurian boy saint, had wrought miracles in the same neighbourhood, and had mysteriously interpreted the flight of birds and the entrails of beasts and men. We are left to draw our own conclusions regarding any connexion between these two wise youths. Like his famous counterpart, Jingo Harpf was assisted by a bird—a tame raven that was his familiar spirit. For the first few years of his life Hugo, except for his raven, his bright hair and astonishingly blue eyes, appeared to be like any other little peasant boy. As -he grew up he was distinguished from his fellows by a virginal purity rare in that valley ; he loved Nanni Tratzl tut- he loved her fastidiously. He was sent to Munich to study art, and on his return he found that Nanni had succumbed to the attentions of the local Graf. Hugo declared that he would win her back by his performance of miracles. He turned dead leaves into roses, he healed the sick and he rai.ed the dead as naturally as an ordinary man drinks water. His miracles severed the village into two parties and, finally, he was done to death by a village idiot, who was tricked into believing himself to be the necessary Judas, who would make sure of his Lord's resurrection. Mr. Golding has written a strange and remarkable book : it may not be widely popular, but it will be read many times by the few.
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