NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS

New Zealand Mail, 15 January 1902, Page 11

NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS

‘‘Tip-Cat.” By the author of "Laddie.” Ward Lock and Co., London. S. and W. Mackay, Wellington. For young people few books will prove as interesting or as attractive. Love in honour, right in romance, good inin triumph over evil are all pourtrayed by the author in a well told story, simple, straightforward and interesting. It would appear as if the story is founded on fact. A grandfather dies without signing his will and his property goes to a weak uncle and a cold-hearted aunt of the orphan and disinherited children who are made to feel the curse of poverty. A younger brother tries to make a living for his sisters but has great difficulty. Opportunely a country squire discovers one of the children to bo the child of his former sweetheart. Ho takes kindly to them all on account cf his first love—their mother—and for whoso sake he had remained a bachelor. The uncle’s children die of fever, the Aunt repents her cruelty, they inherit their own as well as the squire’s property. and all end’s well. In all this there are many moral lessons conveyed which most young people would do well to learn.

"Love and Longitude.” By R. Scott Skirving. Angus and Robertson, Melbourne; S. and W. Mackay, Wellington.

This is a pleasant story of life and adventure in the Pacific. A schooner is despatched to discover some unnamed island where there is reported to be an abundance of guano. On board are several interesting characters whoso doings on the voyage cannot fail to attract and hold the reader’s attention. There are innumerable vicissitudes in the cruise of the vessel. There are occasions of imminent peril and escape; times of joy and love-making as the schooner sails up and down earth’s longitude; sometimes a tragedy, sometimes a force, but all is graphically told by an author who never allows his pen to run after the impossible. Besides, the book is clearly printed, well illustrated, and in us reading the public will find much that will entertain and please.

outh Goes A-marketing,” by J. H. Pearce. George Allen, London; Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd., Wellington.

Whilst perusing the opening chapters of this story of life in a Cornish mining village, the reader is apt to feel a little annoyed at some peculiarities of style ■which he comes across, and more so at the footnotes. a novel, foot notes are surely out of place. But as the story now under notice develops, the footnotes become fewer, and the narrative grows in interest to such an extent that things which would offend a stylist are passed by unnoticed by the ordinary run of persons. The central incidents of the story are the hreaking-off of an engagement as the result of a lovers' tiff, and an unhappy marriage upon which the man hastily enters out of pique. There is some admirable delineation of humble character. The writer describes life in Penalveme—the gossip of the women at their doors and the talk or the ifieir in the mine shed—with a vividness which carries conviction. The tragedy and comedy of the village are recounted in strong and picturesque language,

‘‘The Man Who Knew Better: A Christmas Dream,” by Tom Gollan. Archibald Constable and Co., Ltd., Westminster; Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd., Wellington. This book calls to mind one of Charles Dickens’s best-known stories. At the same time it is quite original. It is a xancitul, old-fashioned narrative of the change wrought by circumstances in a man s mmd. A Londoner, of hard and cheeHess demeanour, he is, through an accident led to do acts of kindness and el fw nfiC ii- Th i hlimours of a strugtravelling theatrical company ocWO rJ so y lO n-? 6 li , ght ; or . P a ß° s of the W i a l dlt ' lorl to printed in ture ’tl e ? aper of goo<3 the work contains a score of excellent illustrations by Gordon Brbwne.

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to the world, and by following along such lines she has commanded the ■ praise of reviewers and attracted an 1 ever-increasing circle of readers. The interest of this story is cleverly worked up, and the book even becomes exciting without having resort to questionable methods. Indeed, throughout her pages Miss Carey records nothing that would cause any one to blush, and the characters are all well pourtrayed. In the I hero, Malcolm Herrick, we have a young ! man of high purpose and good ambi” j tions. If he hag'a fault at all it is in be- I ing so properly proper. Miss Elizabeth Templeton, the most striking personality in the hook, the mother of Mal@i c°fm, an unconscious Pharisee in religion, a woman of narrow views, yet ■ with. a high sense of duty, along with j Cedric Templeton, the impulsive lover, , and a family of artistic tastes, are’ the principle characters in a domestic drama !°f originality and power. This book will be well received by all who have any previous acquaintance with Miss i Carey’s work.