The Isle of Man. Described by Agnes Herbert. Illustrated by
Donald Maxwell. (John Lane. 103. 6d. net.)—Miss Herbert touches upon many things, history, archaeology, social matters, business, scenery, &c., and always with a light and discriminating hand. Man is, indeed, an "Island of the Blest," without a National Debt, and a municipal obligation of quite modest extent (something less than £5 per head, as against the £40 of Manchester). There is no Income-tax, there are no Death-duties, and the women have votes which they do not use. It is full of attractions, historic and prehistoric, and has charms, other than those of cheap brandy and tobacco, to the visitor. Its people are of a manly, unspoilt sort. On all these matters we are duly enlightened by Miss Herbert, herself, we are given to understand, a native of the island. Mr. Maxwell's drawings supply an additional attraction to the book. We cannot say that we like them all equally well. Neither "Douglas" nor "The Fairy Glen" seems to us quite successful. They have a look of impressionist pictures which have somehow missed the impression. But the larger landscapes are commonly very good. So, too, are "The Quay" and "Peel Harbour."
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