Her Serene Highness. By P. L. Oliphant. (Methuen and Co.
6s.)—Here we have the converse of recent stories of the " occidentalized" Indian, an Englishman of high principles who lives as an Indian native. Perhaps the author, though ho plainly knows a great deal of Indian native life and tradition, has strained probability in depicting such a man as able to live thus without a lowering of character. But his hero, who left an English wife through misunderstanding, rules a small district (unknewn to the Government), raises the moral, religious, and social life of the natives, and keeps himself unchanged, though he marries a native wife. The English wife comes in search of him, and claims to live with him under Oriental conditions. The interest lies in the fact, which is never laboured, that both know this to be impossible : yet he can neither resist his love nor willingly leave the people for whom he has done so much, while she knows that his influence will wane and she will bring him back to western life. How this is done we need not divulge.
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