Stories of Whitminster. By Ascott R. Hope. (Nimmo.)—Mr. Hope -still
continues to work with considerable success the mine of which "A Book about Dominies " was, we believe, the first specimen. Stories of Whitminster is as good as anything that we have seen from his pen. His wisdom, or, as he modestly puts it, his idleness, has preserved him from the peril of writing a preface which should contain "certain some-
what serious observations"; and he writes without any further object than to help his young friends to be brave, and honest, and temperate. The volume contains eight stories, among which "The Favourite," which occupies the place of honour, is certainly the best ; the next in order of merit being, in our judgment, "The Burglar "and "Little Mon- keys." Mr. Hope's boys, those, at least, whom he now introduces to us,
te, for the most part, natural creatures, though he falls into the error of ainting his "aversions " in hues too atrociously black. Bridgman, the greedy boy, for instance, is too ostentatiously mean and selfish. Boys are more open in the display of their vices than are men, but they are not so
utterly unreserved as this little beast. And does not Mr. Hope, in his laudable anxiety to get the wretch into a fatal scrape, make him false to his character? He is a cautious follow, anxious to stand well with his masters. Such an one no promptings of appetite, however keen, could have induced to rob an orchard and forge a letter. Another im- probability is to be found in "The Misfortunes of an Eleven." Surely no boys, sent out for the first time to contend for the honour of their school, and with all thought taken up by the great event, would think of setting to work to smoke strong tobacco. They might do it coming home, with perhaps an extra cup to celebrate victory iu their heads ; but not going out, at least if we know anything of the boys of to-day. Those intelligent creatures are quite as much up to what will " shake their nerves" as the most wary professional. Little faults apart, Mr. Hope's is a good book, and wo recommend it heartily.
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