THE TORCH. By Eden Philpotts. (Hutchinson. 7s. 6d.) —Mr. Philpott's
art has mellowed since the days of his early novels : he displays more humour and less starkness than he did when he concerned himself with greater issues. These new stories all relate events in the lives of Devon peasants : many of them are grim, but they are all good reading. They are written in colloquial style, as though, like some invisible scribe in a chimney corner, he had taken down the words of villagers, grown discursive on winter evenings. The result is very effective, we feel in reading as though we too were listening to narratives that are free of tedious descriptions and any extravagance of phrase. The title story is by far the best, but " Santa Claus " is a brilliant little tale, and so too is " The Wise Woman of Wainer." " The Returned Native " is an ironical sketch which allows plenty of scope for Mr. Philpott's pawky humour, and we are grateful for his description of Mrs. Pedlar : " Being a widow she had that triumphant face to show how somebody had found her interesting enough to wed, and there's no doubt, by God's all-seeing goodness, the dull people do find each other out and comfort one another."
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