—There is nothing, of course, that will not be pressed
into the ser- vice of the writer of fiction, and the Salvation Army is not likely to
be an exception. Such we suppose to be the original of what is
here called "The Heavenly Railway Company." This is a society of revivalists, which holds its meeting3 in Applecombe, and to which the learned vicar of that place, conscious of his inability to touch the hearts of his flock, gives his sanction. Between the enthusiasm of these people, and the charms of a young woman who is one of their evangelists, and the temper of .a very disagreeable sister, and,
perhaps we may add, judging from our own experience, the very
peculiar dialect spoken by everybody about him, "Farmer John" is driven to distraction. This is the main plot of the story, which has the appearance of being a study from real life, but which wants the vivifying touch of art, without which real life is as wearisome in books as it often is to the actors. It is a common mistake to
suppose that we produce a good picture, and one worth looking at, by simply copying things and persons that we see. All the con-
scientious care which Mr. Holmes has doubtless bestowed on his
novel—in reproducing, for instance, the dialect—has failed to give anything but a dreary effect to Farmer John. Yet we see indications of power in it,—the gift of faithful copying is something, and may be developed into something better. If this is a first book—and we see no mention of other works on the title-page—it may well be followed by something better.
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