26 JANUARY 1924, Page 17

Miss Syrett's books always have charm. This has an ultra-modern

theme, which is rather refreshing. It expresses the reaction from such things as psycho-analysis, aestheticism, consciously educational homes and a certain type of modern school. Her idea at the beginning seems to be that because Tristram and Caia are brought up thus they are failures, and because Priscilla escapes she is a success. Afterwards, how- ever, Miss Syrett implies that Priscilla is a success because she is vital, and that she is vital because she is the love-child of a vividly alive woman, while the others are the legitimate children of a dull woman, by the same father. Anyway, Priscilla is delightful.