21 DECEMBER 1895, Page 24

False Pretences. By Annie Thomas. (Digby and Long.)—The title of

False Pretences applies alike to the hypocritical friendship of one personage, the false position of others who are under the erroneous impression that they are married, and the flirtation between a gentleman and lady which appears to be serious, but eventually turns out to be nothing of the kind when, on all obstacles to their union being removed, they pair off respectively with somebody else, instead of—as might have been expected from their past behaviour—falling at once into each others' arms. We fear the book cannot be accurately described as anything but im- probable rubbish.