REVIEW.

Timaru Herald, Volume L, Issue 4868, 13 June 1890, Page 3

REVIEW.

" For So Litlle " : The Story of a Crime. By Behn Dads. London ; Swan Sonnenschein £ Co, Paiernoster Square, 1890. Ihis is a book concerning which many rumoura were afloat m New Zealand ramo months before it saw the light under the auspices of the well known London publishiog firm whose name appears on tha title page. If thes* rumours had Ihe effect of stirring up curiosity m some quarters, m oihera they perhaps tended rather to injure the proipecls of the work. Though the memory of the atrocioas crimes, which ware alleged to be the bmisof the story, had not died out, they had ceased to be a nine days' wonder; the law bad dealt with the criminal, acd his place knew him no more ; and regard for the feelings of many very estimable people ieemed to demand, or at lea3fc suggest, that the miserable drama m which ho had played so prominent a part should not be reproduced m the pages of a norel. Such was the opinion freely expressed m Now Zealand when it was stated that a boob, based on materials furnished by tiro of the most sensational trials ever held m the colony, was shortly to make its appearance. We know not why (unless, indeed, it was on account of the subject cko=en), but it is a fact that the novel-reading public did not anticipate high-class artistic work. They looked for something m the shape of a " shilling shocker," but on a more extended ecate than usual, and with the agony perhaps piled a little higher. Thus the book suffered m the estimation of many people beforo it w»! published ; and possibly the adverse forecast may hare affeuled its circulation (though we do not know that it has been so) m the few weeks duricg which tlio novel has been obtainable m the colony. Now we have not a word to lay with regard to the choice of the subject, except that the authoress had a perfect right to please hrrself, and that, if she were disposed to etter a defence, sho could quote the names of a hoat of literary celebrities who have made great and even vulgar crimes the groundwork or their artistic labours. What Mrs Davis can claim is that her work shall be judged on its merits, and quite irrespective of the fact that, to some extent, she 1119 utilised the incidents of two New Zealand trials for p.-iisoning, a? well as the train of remarkable circumstances which led to them. Dp to the present time we hare seen no review of Ihis book m New Zealand, and we know that m more than one instance tho reviewers have held their hands for no other reason than a dread of giving offence m certain quarter*. We should be sorry to have to make such a confession for ourselves, and w trust that our contemporaries will awake to a eenso of their duty. In tho past thoy have now and then r. viewed soroo sorry stuff, and havo cot hesitated to pronounco it very good, being prompted thereto, we presume, by philanthropic motives, ard n keen dcßiro to do the best for "colonial- industry." But there can bo no straining of the conscience m making a favourable report of Mrs Davis' took, for it really deserves it. It is very far indeed from being a vulgar and sensational hush up oE the crimes to which we havo alluded. It is beyond question a powerful aid well written novel, and though we understand that it is the first effort of tho sort which the talented authoress has made, tho workmanship is m many respects of .a character which would have dono credit to n veteran novelist. The brilliancy and freshness of tho dialogue is »pecii»lly remarkable, and Mr 3 Davis poaseises the valuable faculty of making her story march by means of what htr mon nnd women hnvo to say for themtelves. There is no lack of nnrrativo properly so called— narrativo terse, clear, and to the pomt — , and there are also lomi good bits of descriptive writing. But tho dialogue, put into tho mouths of sharply outlined cliaractors, helps on the story wonderfully, so that there is not a pigo which drags or' can b- considered euparlluous. This no doubt is high praiso, but it is deserved, and wo ore sure that the novel-reading publio will endorse our verdict. Wo shall not attempt to givol SB wtliDO of tbe story as it is told by Mn

\ Davis In itsonc grva.!. liM'liiig fciture it. 13 known to Now tf,:-,!:n,.lirs iilrca-lv, but beyond that th.rr.. aro gr.; .1 ilive-rgem-ics from the train of events which «!;irtli".t tho olony a fe'iv short yenr* ngo. Tho f-eeouJ ti'l-j of the book — " Tho Story (if n Crime"- dues 11 >t strike 113 ns being particularly happy. It is truo that " Fur So Little" embodies the story ■>f a crime, but it dors a great Henl muro than that. In tho leading character, LawrenceMr.ber, we havo a fine psychological study, which ij elaborated with great skill. But it is h striking and general merit of tho book that all tho dramatis persona aro clearly and incijivi'ly portrayed. Wo musteay emphatically that, with one exception, they uro not the actors of tho Timaru drama They are Mrs Davis' own creations, end each creation is excellent of its kind. iho scene is laid m Australia, and there is but one allusion lo Kow Zealand — to some speculative boring; for oil at Gisborne. We shall conclude Ibis brief notico by setting down that, iv our humble judgmont, "For So Litllo" is by fur tbo beet Australasian novel that has yet appeared ; and, as it was tho work of a new authoress, tho caso and speed with which it found an excellent publisher m London may bo taken as a indication that its merits are conspicuous. Copies can bo obtained from Messrs Y. W. Hutton & Co.