Review.

Southland Times, Issue 14099, 12 July 1898, Page 3

Review.

The Man of the Family : A story of Fortunatus and the Barbarians ; by F. E. Phillips, London: Macmillan and Co. This book is by the author of “ The Edu? cation of Antonia,” and “ The Knight’s Tale,” The Fortunatus of the narrative is Sebastian Le Roux ; the heroine, Barbara Dalyell. The loves of these two occupy the main thread of thenarrative, but the interest of the story hinges upon Sebastian’s marrying, or rather being married to a young lady named May, who is as wealthy as Sebastian himself, Sebastian is presented as a sort of happy-go-lucky young man without perseverance but endowed with unlimited cash, and a liberal shara of latent talent. “ He is a thoroughly good fellow,” said his father, “ and was never under any temptation to lob an orchard in his l.fe; the plums were always so ready to drop into his mouth.” In declining connection with his father’s firm Sebastian said: “Father must know I really have no brains for that sort of thing. It would never do.” Probably Mr Le Roux did know it would never do if Sebastian had set his mind against it ; and undoubtedly tho “b <y : ’ had talent and he was very proud of him. Simp'y then, ths father having made the money, the eon would spend it, as Mr Le Roux was aware, .with a happy liberality, with unimpeachable elegance, and in the most creditable manner. .Sebastian first met Barbara on the Dover-Calais boat. Both were en route for Paris, Barbara to enjoy a holiday given her in recognition of her bravery and coolness it. saving the lives of all the pupils in the pchool where she was a teacher. Sebastian had an artist s studio in Paris; there ho wooed the dolce far niente; his life was never any other than a continual holiday. When Barbara was back in England,and was seeking patronage togain her a new appointment, the patron upon whom she most relied was, by a most singular coincidence, the father of Sebastian. When, with a sudden impulse of

philanthropy, Sebastian’s sister resolved to give a treat to the gutter children attending a Board school, on what school did she chance to bestow her kindness but on the school in which Barbara was an employe? When Barbara’s father,an erudite though drinkdoving scholar, secured employment by some rich hobbyist, who, again, should this employer bo but Sebastian himself? Barbara's father, and her brother Tom, with her other surroundings, supply the “ barbarians ” of the narrative. One has a difficulty in assigning an origin to the title, “ The mon of the Family,” but probably ib is to be found in the little paragraph of moralising which Barbara indulges in after finding that her true love has married someone else, and in which she reflects that the destiny of each individual is to live for the good of all in the midst of whom his or her lot may be cast— ’* the narrow and particular problem of her kith and kin is, in a wider sense, a problem f< r every one, for every one is born into readymade responsibility, and our family is the human race.” Whether Barbara herself was the *• Man of the family” or whether that title belongs to her Fortunatus, we leave readers to decide for themselves. The book will interest many colonial readers.