and after a time kept
going off and repeating the process with somebody else; so that one
can't fairly be astonished if towards the end of the book her outlook
had become rather cynical. The character who might have preserved her
estimate of mankind in general, and the best and most sympathetically
drawn figure in the book, is _Gyp's_ perfectly delightful old father,
who throughout the conspicuous failure of her two unions, legitimate
and other, retained his fine and chivalrous regard and unfailing
care for a daughter who might well have been a thorn in the flesh of
a conventional parent. But the relations of these two were never
conventional. _Gyp_ had been herself a love-child, and the knowledge
of this is shown very clearly in its influence upon their mutual
attitude. As for her own affairs, these were, first--to her father's
unbounded astonishment--marriage with a temperamental violinist, who
ran rapidly down the scale from adoration of his own wife to intrigue
with another's; second, clandestine relations with a man of her own
race and breed, who loved her to idolatry, and within a few months was
found embracing his cousin. Poor _Gyp_! I jest; but you will need no
telling that for sincerity and beauty of writing here is a book that
you cannot afford to miss. Sometimes I am a little uncertain what Mr.
GALSWORTHY is driving at, but I never fail to admire his drive.

* * * * *

Unless Mr. S.P.B. MAIS learns to curb his enthusiasms and to rid
himself of certain prejudices he will be wantonly seeking trouble.
_Rebellion_ (GRANT RICHARDS) is in some respects a more thoughtful and
promising book than _Interlude_, but it is marred by what can only be
called the same narrow point of view. With everybody and everything
modern Mr. MAIS shows an ardent sympathy, but if he is ever to give a
comprehensive picture of life he must contrive to be more patient with
the old-fashioned. Here his strong personality obtrudes itself too
often, and he is inclined to forget that he is a novelist and not a
preacher. I could imagine him throwing off a fine comminatory sermon
from the text, "Cursed be he who does not admire the genius of Mr.
COMPTON MACKENZIE." This homily is drawn from me with reluctance,
because in the main I am a strong believer in Mr. MAIS, and (with
his connivance) have every intention of retaining that attitude.
With all its faults _Rebellion_ remains gloriously distinct from the
rubbish