23 JANUARY 1897, Page 24

Studies in Black and Red. By Joseph Forster. (Ward and -

Downey )—If any one wishes to refresh his memory—" refresh" is, perhaps, scarcely the right word—about a number of atrocious crimes and criminals, here is the opportunity The volume begins with the story of Arnold du Tilb, a " claimant " of the sixteenth century, and then relates that of Arthur Orton, alias Sir Roger Charles Doughty Tichborne, who must be allowed a certain pre-eminence in his own line ; Arnold Tilb was nothing to' him. Rush, the llannings, Burke and Hare, John Williams (immortalised- by De Quincey), are among the personages cele- brated by Mr. Forster. This kind of literature is not to our liking ; but a different taste will find a very ample satisfaction in these thirty sketches.