Splendid Brother. By W. Pett Ridge. (Methuen and Co. 6a.)—
There could not be a better proof of Mr. Pett Ridge's literary power than is given by this novel. It cannot be said that it has a plot, though things no doubt move on toaeertain end. There are no striking incidents ; there is not a single character at all out of the common; as for the hero, his folly and blindness fairly exhaust all our patience; and yet we read it with unfailing interest. The "splendid brother" is, as we soon find out, a liar and a rascal ; and though, as we have said, Henry's admiring belief in him moves us to wrath, still the picture of it is a really fine thing. But it is not fine things that make the great- ness of the book ; it is the extraordinary vividness of the drawing; this crowd of commonplace people, as Mr. Pett Ridge makes it move before our eyes, becomes actually impressive. The author can say a good thing on occasion : "A woman once said that being admirably clothed gave a feeling of holy calm that religion had never afforded her "; but he does not care to say them ; what he does is to say common things wonderfully well.
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