Mr. Aloodc, the author of "The Spanish Brothers," has just
pub- lished two works—The Czar (Nelsen) and The Roman Students (Unwin)—which, from their peculiar character—their bringing history to the aid of Evangelical religion—should make excellent gift. 'books for readers of a certain appreciative class. The two books are, however, of unequal merit. The Czar, which is a story of the straggle of .Russia with the First Napoleon, is a well constructed, historically realistic, and enjoyable one. Alexander I. is an admirable portrait, and, in the main, correct, though flatteridg. The two heroes, Ivan and Henri, who turn out in the long-run to be cousins, are also well drawn ; and their advbutures, many of which are based on fact, are related with much spirit. In his other book, which is ostensibly a tale of the Renaissance, Mr. Alcock seems to have got beyond his historical depth. The chapters descriptive of life in Con- stantinople and Rome are, however, vigorously written.
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