The Little Iliad. By Maurice Hewlett. (William Heinemann. es.)—The matrimonial
difficulties of Menelaus and the Trojan War itself must have been far more entertaining for the spectators and critics than for the combatants ; at all events, Mr. Hewlett thinks so, and he lets us look on at the little Iliad of Hector Malleson and Helena de Broderode through the eyes of a guest of old Priam's, whose friendship is. all for the Trojans, but whose sympathy is unprejudiced and whose sense of humour is unfailing. We stand by, as it were, and watch the crowd, when we can look away from pretty Helena ; we catch a profile here, there a straight look of intimacy, now the mere passing impression of a man's voice or of a woman's face : it is a crowd full of interest, made up of individuals. The plot of the story, stripped of its mock dignity, is only a new variety of the well-worn domestic trio ; but it is cleverly served, Mr. Hewlett writes, as usual, picturesque English, and we are wholly glad that he has returned to modern romance.
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