The Young Zemindar. By Horatio Bickerstaffe Rowney. 3 vols. (Remington
and Co.)—The "young Zemindar " is led by a fakir or dervish—we feel rather hazy as to his precise status—to join in a tieing against the British Government. The rising fails, as might be expected ; and the associates renew the attempt elsewhere, with the like result. In the end, they come to the conclusion that the British rule, if it is not perfect, is better than any that they see in the pre- sent elsewhere, or can anticipate as likely to be established in the future. The lesson is not learnt without passing through many ad- ventures, through which the reader would follow the heroes of the story more easily, if the way were not so beset with obstacles in the shape of Hindoostanee words. Interspersed are some tales of Rikshasis (A.nglize, vampires), and the like, which do something to enliven the narrative. The novel is not very cleverly constructed, and would be greatly improved by compression ; but there is a certain freshness
about it, and it is, anyhow, a relief from the tedious fictions of society which crowd our shelves.
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