hem, 'In Mr. CARTWRIGHT's Library,' is a remarkable
combination of quaint, dry humour, and literary skill. Who is the
clever author? But here are other stories, too, that interest and
please, and, not least among them, a charming sketch, by the ever
welcome editress. Bravo, Miss BRADDON!

[Illustration]

"_Brownies and Rose-leaves_, by ROMA WHITE (INNES & CO.), is a pretty
little book, prettily written, prettily illustrated by LESLIE BROOKE,
and prettily bound," he continues. "Miss WHITE has a charming knack of
writing musical verse, simple, rhythmical, delightful. To children and
their parents, I say, take my tip (the only one parents will get at
this season), and read ROMA WHITE's dainty, delicate, fresh and breezy
book."

* * * * *

ROBIN POOR FELLOW!

_Robin Goodfellow_, by Mr. CARTON, is not a brilliant play, as its
dialogue lacks epigrammatic sparkle: neither is it an interesting
play, as the plot, such as it is, is too weak for words,--which, by
the way, at once accounts for the absence of the sparkle
above-mentioned.

Three questions must have occurred to those who have already seen the
play, and which those who may hereafter see it will be sure to ask
themselves,--and they are these:--

[Illustration: Nearly burning his fingers. Mr. Hare acting
with Grace.]

First. Why should _Grace's_ father, _Valentine Barbrook_, tell her of
the means by which he had brought about the betrothal of _Hugh Rokeby_
to _Constance_?

Secondly. This being so, why allow six weeks to elapse when a word
from the one girl, who knows, to the other, who doesn't, would explain
everything?

Thirdly. If a sudden shock would kill the grandmother, surely, in the
course of six weeks, _Grace_ would have found out that her shortest
and best way was to tell the truth to her cousin, without mentioning
it to the old lady.

If in doubt, why didn't she confide in the Doctor, who would at once
have told her whether the nature of the communication she had to make
was of a sufficiently startling nature to kill the old lady right off
or not?

The fact is, it was necessary to keep the lover, _Mr. Stanley
Trevenen_, away for some time, in order to allow of there being a
glimmer of probability in the announcement of his having thrown over
the girl to whom he is devotedly attached, and having married somebody
else whom he met abroad. "Now," says the dramatist, "what is the
shortest possible space o