Page:The Spoils of Poynton (London, William Heinemann, 1897).djvu/300



The Athenæum.—'It is so full of interest, and the characters are so eccentrically humorous yet true, that one feels inclined to pardon all its faults, and give oneself up to unreserved enjoyment of it. . . . The twins Angelica and Diavolo, young barbarians, utterly devoid of all respect, conventionality, or decency, are among the most delightful and amusing children in fiction.'

The Academy.—'The adventures of Diavolo and Angelica—the "heavenly twins"—are delightfully funny. No more original children were ever put into a book. Their audacity, unmanageableness, and genius for mischief—in none of which qualities, as they are here shown, is there any taint of vice—are refreshing; and it is impossible not to follow, with very keen interest, the progress of these youngsters.'

The Daily Telegraph.—'Everybody ought to read it, for it is an inexhaustible source of refreshing and highly stimulating entertainment.'

The World.—'There is much powerful and some beautiful writing in this strange book.'

The Westminster Gazette.—'Sarah Grand. . . has put enough observation, humour, and thought into this book to furnish forth half-a-dozen ordinary novels.'

Punch.—'The Twins themselves are a creation: the epithet "Heavenly" for these two mischievous little fiends is admirable.'

The Queen.—'There is a touch of real genius in The Heavenly Twins.'

The Guardian.—'Exceptionally brilliant in dialogue, and dealing with modern society life, this book has a purpose to draw out and emancipate women.'

The Lady.—'Apart from its more serious interest, the book should take high rank on its literary merits alone. Its pages are brimful of good things, and more than one passage, notably the episode of "The Boy and the Tenor," is a poem complete in itself, and worthy of separate publication.'

The Manchester Examiner.—'As surely as Tess of the D'Urbervilles swept all before it last year, so surely has Sarah Grand's Heavenly Twins provoked the greatest attention and comment this season. It is a most daringly original work. . . . Sarah Grand is a notable Woman's Righter, but her book is the one asked for at Mudie's, suburban, and seaside libraries, and discussed at every hotel table in the kingdom. The episode of the "Tenor and the Boy" is of rare beauty, and is singularly delicate and at the same time un-English in treatment.'

The New York Critic.—'It is written in an epigrammatic style, and, besides its cleverness, has the great charm of freshness, enthusiasm, and poetic feeling.'


 * WILLIAM HEINEMANN,, W.C.