The Downsman. By Maude Goldring. (John Murray. 6s.)— This "Story
of Sussex" is a fine, picturesque tale, full of good dialogue, of vivid drawing of character, and of exciting incident; but, we cannot help asking, is it really the Sussex that we know ? The date is fixed clearly enough : "England was looking forward to the magnificence of Queen Victoria's first Jubilee." But then the Downsman himself and Isaac with his lawless crew seem to suggest a much earlier time. Can the events described in the concluding chapters have happened within the last quarter of a century ? Not even the mention of the Socialist Rural League reassures—in fact, we cannot reconcile this organise• tion with the Sussex that we know. Of course this does not really make much difference to our pleasure in reading : the dramatis personae are real enough, whatever we may think of their suiting the time. A much more serious question is, then, " is there pleasure in reading ? " There is the pleasure that good literary work cannot but give: we are old-fashioned enough to want some- thing more.
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