Last Gleanings. By Frank Fowler, with a preface by a
friend. (Samp- son Low, Son, and Marston.)—Pleasant, humorous papers, which per- haps rather indicate what the author might have done than represent the man. His whole life seems to have been a struggle with consump- tion—a disease which disqualifies a man for literary success mainly be- C111108 it makes the labour of continuous study impossible. If he happens to have independent means the difficulty may be overcome, but if he must live by writing he must produce a certain quantity of copy, and he cannot do that and read much besides. Mr. Fowler was in the latter position, and his papers therefore are open to the charge of flimsiness. We should be disposed to think, however, that he was intellectually better fitted for active life than for the career of a student. In Australia he was very popular, and was once nearly returned as mem- ber for Sydney. In this country his greatest success was the founding of the Library Company, whose rising prosperity he just lived to see. As we understand that this volume is published for the benefit of his family, we heartily wish it the success it deserves. To Mr. Fowler's :friends it will need no recommendation.
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