DRUM AND MONKEY. By George Mann ing-Sanders. (Faber and Faber.
7s. 6d.)—Drum and Monkey is a rather remarkable piece of work. The story, which is brilliantly constructed, is full of drama, quite possible and legitimate drama. But while we accept the hero's philosophy with gratitude, we find it impossible to believe in the man. Charles Honey, a rag-and-bone merchant. marri ed to a slattern of a wife, suddenly decides to devote his life to the well-being of his infant son. He takes the baby out in his donkey cart. An accident follows, he is accused of negligence, and is induced to allow a country woman to bring up the child. He is determined the boy shall rise in the world and the story of his schemings for this purpose make up the plot of the book. Mr. Manning-Sanders is a slave to the picturesque. He .invests Charles Honey with sentiments worthy of a great philosopher : what is worse, he allows him to utter them, -and to speak in this manner on the subject of death to his :child : " You're over-young to make head or tail of so great ,a mystery. son. Joe is now in the sky high up above the .sunny clouds of day-time and companionable with the shinin stars at night time."
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