New Canterbury Tales. By J. P. Emslie. (Griffith, Farran, and
Co.)—Those who take up Mr. Emslie's book for the first time will probably be surprised at his boldness in choosing such a title. When they have finished perusing his pages, it is possible that they may form a still higher opinion of his courage. The book consists of six different tales, four prologues, an interlude, and an epilogue. This arrangement just saves the volume from being utterly condemned, as it enables the reader to confine his atten- tion to the tales, missing the four prologues, the interlude, and the epilogue, which contain Mr. Emslie's remarks on things in general. The tales have an interest of their own. The first of them, " The Squire's Tale," is an old friend. We cannot altogether say that we like it better in the form given it by Mr. Emslie. Still, his verse in this and in the other " Tales " is much better than in the rest of the work, though even here it is of a slightly doggerel nature. We do not think poetry is Mr. Emslie's forte.
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