Page:The Spoils of Poynton (London, William Heinemann, 1897).djvu/318



The Literary World.—'The novel is marked by great strength, which is always under subjection to the author's gift of restraint, so that we are made to feel the intensity all the more. Pathos and humour (in the true sense) go together through these chapters; and for such qualities as earnestness, insight, moral courage, and thoughtfulness, The Years that the Locust hath Eaten stands out prominently among noteworthy books of the time.'

The Daily News.—'Bears out to the full the promise given by Joanna Traill, Spinster. The author has a genuine sense of humour and an eye for character, and if she bids us weep at the tragedy of life and death, she makes us smile by her pleasant handling of human foible and eccentricities.'

The Standard.—'A worthy successor to Joanna Traill, Spinster. It is quite as powerful. It has insight and sympathy and pathos, humour, and some shrewd understanding of human nature scattered up and down its pages. Moreover, there is beauty in the story and idealism. . . . Told with a humour, a grace, a simplicity, that ought to give the story a long reign. . . . The charm of the book is undeniable; it is one that only a clever woman, full of the best instincts of her sex, could have written.'

The Review of Reviews.—'It has all the charm and simplicity of treatment which gave its predecessor (Joanna Traill, Spinster) its vogue.'

The Pall Mall Gazette.—'The book should not be missed by a fastidious novel-reader.'

The Court Journal.—'The moral of the book is excellent; the style strong and bold.'

The Scotsman.—'The story is well told, and a vein of humour serves to bring the pathos into higher relief.'

The Manchester Guardian.—'It is sincere and conscientious, and it shows appreciation of the value of reticence.'

The Manchester Courier.—'The book is full of delicate touches of characterisation, and is written with considerable sense of style.'

The Glasgow Herald.—'Worked out with great skill and success. . . . The story is powerfully told.'

The Liverpool Mercury.—'The story is told with sympathy and pathos, and the concluding chapters are touching in the extreme.'

The Birmingham Gazette.—'A sad story beautifully written, containing pure thoughts and abundant food for reflection upon the misery which exists in the world at the present day. The tale is particularly pathetic, but it is true in character. It will be read with interest.'

The Leeds Mercury.—'Full of powerful situations.'


 * WILLIAM HEINEMANN,, W.C.