The Light Side of Cricket : Stories, Sketches, and Verses.
By Norman Gale, W. Pett-Ridge, Eden Phillpotts, Mrs. Murray Hickson, Shan F. Bullock, Alfred Cochrane, Coulson Kernahan, and others. Edited by E. B. V. Christian. (James Bowden.)— This is really a capital miscellany of cricketing sketches and stories, and we commend it in the warmest manner to the people whom it will interest. There are several good sets of verses, which we enjoy, though Mr. Norman Gale is a sanguine man if the sight of daffodils suggests the cricket season to him. Imagine spending an afternoon in the long-field in March. The usual historic lore is trotted out again, and seems perhaps too familiar; but there is a very amusing account by Mr. Eden Phillpotts of "an Ethiopian cricket match," and nearly all the stories—even the love-stories—are very good reading in a light way. "My Pretty Jane," the best of them, is really touching. "W. G." occupies the usual amount of space, which no one would grudge to him, and eulogy exhausts itself to do him honour. But none of his panegyrists approach this passage, culled from the Scots Observer, which amused 1113 more than any- thing in the book :—" His style is impersonal in its greatness. It is distinguished by breadth and ease, and by the absence of any littleness or flourish. No run is ever got by mere ficelle. Some players—as Mr. A. G. Steel—display a rarer grace, a more ravishing variety of pose than the Doctor; but the Doctor has long ago taken the game out of the region of experiment, and accomplishment is more to him than elegance of gesture. A fine innings by 'W. G.' is as complete a performance as a play by Sophocles or a picture by Claude. To lavish praise upon it is idle ; you accept it as a masterpiece in style." Mr. Henley's young men were certainly wonderful people. Compare this elaboration with the concise verdict of J. C. Shaw. "I put the ball where I please, and he puts it where he pleases." We should like to hear Dr. Grace asked how you get runs by fieelle.
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