Memoirs, Personages, People, Places. By Henry G. Huntington. (Constable and
Co. 21s. net.)—Mr. Huntington modestly dis- claims any wish to draw attention to himself. He has seen in the course of his life—some of it spent, we gather, in the American Consular service—" various personages and ordinary people," and takes the opportunity of telling us something about them. There are kings and queens, statesmen, ambassadors, soldiers, men and women of letters—some hundreds in all. The most prominent figure is that of " Ouida„" of whose ways of thinking and talking we have a very full account. She occupies, indeed, more than a quarter of the whole book, three years or so of her diary in early life being given at length. It is not wholly in accord with our recollections of her novels to find her described as a stern moralist; but it must be allowed that some of the ladies who write fiction nowadays might make her seem so. The book, as a whole, is pleasant and cheery—perhaps a little wanting in the definite attraction of good stories, but not lacking in interest. An English reader is attracted by the hearty admiration expressed by the author for English ways, especially for our hospitality. On one point we venture to suggest that he is wrong. This is the death of the Prince Imperial. He complains of the lack " of any kind of precaution in treating a volunteer of his rank and im- portance." The fact is that his presence with the British force was very embarrassing. He could not be kept under lock and key, but there was an understanding to which he was a party that he should not go on dangerous service. This was irksome to a high-spirited lad, and he did not keep to the conditions under which he was permitted to accompany the Army.
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