Leaves. By Violet Clarke. (W. Heinemann. 5s.)—Sir George Clarke tells
in a short introduction the tragic story of his daughter, the author of the sketches contained in this volume. There can be no doubt that they show great possibilities ; but they are also well worth reading for their own sake. They display a considerable gift for the description of both scenes and characters. But perhaps their greatest charm is that they reveal in a very transparent way the attractive personality of their author. Her natural intelligence leads her to be unconventional, while at the same time her youth and inexperience seem to make this unconventionality crude,—one might almost say conven- tional. Leading actresses and spiritualistic mediums may be as wicked as Miss Clarke made oat, but they- are certainly more complex. Youth always tends to take this simplified view of human nature ; but when it is supported by gifts of observation and description as great as were Miss Clarke's, we must all keenly regret that its promise can never be fulfilled. -
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