NEW BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12533, 30 June 1906, Page 7

NEW BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS.

"The Complete Cricketer," by Albert E. Knight.' is uniform in style with •"Tho Complete Golfer"' by Harry Vardon. issued by tho same publishers, and, like tho latter, should prove, for somo time at any rate, the standard work on tlio game with which it deals, ('ommencing with the early history and Ccvi lopmont of cricket, it goes on to treat its various departments—batting, bowling, fielding, captaincy, umpiring. Mr Knight considers that "tho groat cricket captain ia probably as rare an incarnation as tho philosopher-states-man for whom Plato sighed. Qualities and powers rarely met in combination g> to mako him: an enthusiasm for the game; a sportsmanship of the highest; a great knowledge of tho game and of the conditions and environments which affect it; a greater knowledge of men and their methods and an innate capacity for leadership;--such magnanimous gifts may not have been denied to angels; they assuredly have not been lavished upon men?' After this it, is surely a high compliment to a very popular cricketer to find on the next page a portrait of "M. A. Noble—a Great Captain?' Stories about umpires take about tho same position in a hook on cricket that about caddies do in a golfing handbook, and Mr Knight lias an excellent store of them. One of the best is a story of Jim Phillips, whom Mr Knight considers to havo been an admirable umpire. He was reticent to a degree on tho field, although none knew tho rules or loved quietly to talk them over better than he. Ho was rather fond of what is vulgarly known as "getting his own back." Mr Spofforth is said to have caught him napping when ho induced him to call "'no Lall" alter tho howlers foot had transgressed tho limit, but the ball did not leave the hand. Spofforth excused his own smartness on the ground that "his foot slipped?' Phillips promptly called "r.:> ball 1 ' to the succeeding delivery, a perfectly fair one. Asked for his reasons, he explained that "his tongue supped!'' In succeeding chapters Mr Knight deal:; with "Cricket on Further Shores." "Australian "Wickets," "Players of tho Past and Present," Modern Cricket and somo of its Problems?' He has somo outspoken remarks on tho amateur and professional question. Many an "amateur?' so termed, playing in county cricket, ho tells us, 13 more heavily remunerated than an accredited professional player. Ho deprecitrs tho snobbishness which seeks to differentiate;, the so-called an 'cur from the profc-sionnl by tho prefix "Mr" or the suffix "Esq." "in tho reports. "While the information in the book is thoroughly found and up-to-date it is po pleasantly written, with an abundance of good storice, tint it makes interesting reading even for the non-cricketer. It has no fewer -than fifty illustrations cf famous cricketon* in characteristic attitudes, pictures of well-known cricket grounds, etc. Xocdle.ss to say these add very much to the value of tho book. (London: (Methuen and Co., .10 Ffwvv. street. W.C. Christchurch: "Whitcombe and Tombs, 9s).

The following sixpenny editions are to hand from Mr Fountain Barber:—"The Samaritans" by J. A. Stewart (London) : Hnddor and Stourditon) ; "Fettered for Life." by Frank Barrett (London : Chatto and Windus); "John of Gerisan " by JoTnJ Oxen ham (London: Hod("u - and Stoughten); "Montezuma'a Daughter " by IT. Rider Haireard (Londr.n : Gonro-Y Xewnns, Ltd.) : " The Marsh." by William Lo Queux (London : John Long); "Tiie Mis-Rule of Three" by Florence Warden (London: C. Arthur Pearson'): "Tlio Harvest of Sin " by Marie Loighton (London: Ward. Lock and Co.. Ltd.): William" by Madame Albanesi (London: Hoddor and Stoughton); "A Morganatic Wife (London :F. X. White and Co.); "The "Man Behind the Door" by Archibald Clavering Gunter 'London?: T. Soeley Clnrk); "The Yellow Frigate" by James Grant (London: G. Routledgo and Sons).

"Soul Twilight," by Lucas Cleevo, contradicts an attractive title and several promising mottoes on tho title page, by tho very poor stuff which follows. It is ono of tho objectionable novels which pursue characters in whom no healthily-minded reader could take much interest, through unnecessarily unpleasant situations. The book will scarcely add to Lucas Cleeve's literary reputation. (London: Long's Colonial Library. Christchurch: Whitcombe and Tombs. 2s 6d.)

In " Tho Mayor of Troy " Mr Quillcr Conch dives into the frreat lmtory. of his beloved Fowcy, and gives us a humorous mid withal loveablo portrait of the gallant major who was Mayer of tho town at tho time of the scare about a Napoleonic invasion, who got into sad trouble over a, smuggling transaction, and was finally carried off to sea. by one of hLs Majesty's press gangs. Perhaps iome incidents are a little strained, but in such a merry story we can afford to wink at tho improbabilities for tho sake of the hearty laugh. (London: Methuen and Co. Christchurch: Whitcombo and Tombs 2s Gd).

'•Tho Vaulting Horso and How to U.-e It," is a very comprehensive guide to the piece of. gymnastic apparatus mentioned in the title. Tho ordinary reader will marvel at the variety of "graceful exercises which it affords. London: Gale and Polclen, Ltd. Christchurch : Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd.).

With the reduction in price of the ''Review of Reviews for Australasia" from ninopence to sixpence, the magazine really starts, we arc told, on a new career. It should certainly increase its popularity, especially as the reduction in price involves no decrease in interest. One of the features of the July number is the beginning of a serial by Mr H. G. Wells, "In the Days of the Comet," which opens in most promising fashion. The editor states at some length the aim of.the magazine, and also furnishes an article on •'Tho Gambling Demon in Australia." with special reference to the famous Collingwood "tote." The other features of the "Review" aro well up to the usual standard of excellence.

In "Blanche Esmond." the author o? the "Day-Book of Bethia Hardacre,'' and other more or les3 contemplative volumes, has given us the usual novel with mauy of the ordinary characters in fiction. There is a finely-strung heroine married to an honest, non-com-prehending husband; there is a Vicar's wife, or rather widow, full of petty, parochial ways of annoyance: there is a wicked Lady Querrendon, whose eyebrows and pink-and-whito are much accentuated, when she drives out clad in gorgeous raiment, of much cost and extremest fashion. Blanche Esmead is herself a vicar's wife. Sho had married an East End curate during a fit of slumming." when, frantic with grief for her father's death, she imagined that to devote her life to such good works was all that remained. Her health failed so much that the poor curate

felt bound to accept n country living; and there, unfortunately, he grew "red and dreadful and boorish," instead of saintly and pale, while a shamGothic vicarage, with stained-deal boards, and walls in cold lilac-grey distemper, naturally increased tho pressure of life upon a sensitive mind. Tho keynote of Blanche's character is her inability to bear and be patient with grief. Her loveless marriage, then, produce's various sad results, from several of those mysterious illnesses dear to fiction, wheli the patient meekly sinks to death's door without having anything particular the matter, to the even more inevitable growth of love for someone not her cheerful, amiable, confiding, commonplace spouse. Everyone behaves really well on tho whole, and the husband blunders his way out of life in the last chapter to bo very properly lamented; but tho novelist ha« rather uncharitably mado the worst of him without beguiling us into any very groat sympathy with Blanche. A charming friend of hers, Zephine Leslie, is a cleverly-sketched character. Her relations with two uncontrollable step-daughters form somo of tho com"o relief. It is decidedly a clever boo£, but displays an insight into human nature rather keen than kind. (London : Methuon's Colonial Library. Christohurch: Whitcombe and Tombs. I's u'd.j