The History of Hr. John De Castro. 2 vols. (Bernard
Quariteh. 21s. net.)—This novel was published in 1815, and received but scanty notice. In 1857 it was made the subject of an article in Blaekwood's Magazine (attributed by the present editor to General Hamley, a conjecture which it would be easy to submit to Messrs. Blackwood). From that time it has, we are told, found a succes- sion of admirers ; as copies of the original are very scarce, this. edition has been published for their benefit General Hamley- if indeed the critic was he—saw abundance of Rabelaisian humour in the book. Perhaps it is there; but Rabelaisian. humour out of Rabelais is not very attractive. And, indeed, it can hardly in the nature of things be a success. One might compare it to watered liqueur ; the stomach of the age has become too squeamish for the neat fluid, and we cannot pretend to .regret it. The History is very long—running to some eight hundred and thirty closely printed pages—and we have found it somewhat tedious.
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