The Yeoman Adventurer. By George W. Gough. (Methuen and Co.
6s.)—Lover a of 1Vaverley and of the marvellous picture of the Court of Holy-rood sat forth in its pages may be inclined to feel that no novel of to-day which deals with the " '45 " can possibly be worth reading. Yet Mr. Gough, who has a great power of writing interesting narrative, does actually contrive to say something new about Prince Charlie's great and disastrous adventure. The hero, Oliver Wheatman, is almost too clever in his own bucolic manner—for he considers himself bucolic notwithstanding his intimate acquaintance with the classics. It is impossible not to sympathize with the heroine, who, in spite of Oliver's adroitness being employed to ensure her own safety, obviously grows as weary of his unfailing rectitude as did the citizens of Athens of the virtuous justness of Aristides. As this is a first novel and is of remarkable promise, we may perhaps be allowed to advise the author to avoid making use of " types " in his characters, and to describe rather "hungering, thirsting men." The language of the book is frankly modern, which is far better in historical romance than that peculiar tongue which Stevenson called " tushery" and Walter Scott " Wardour Street."
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