Marius, the Epicurean: Walter Pater
Domitia: Baring-Gould
A Friend of Caesar: W. S. Davis
Vergilius: I. Bacheller
*Aurelian: William Ware
*The Son of the Swordmaker: Opie Read
*The Sign of the Cross: Wilson Barrett
Of the novels marked with an asterisk, Aurelian was excluded from my list, as being somewhat too “gloomy” for modern taste. The Son of the Swordmaker and The Sign of the Cross were novels of widespread, but transient popularity. This may be said also of Vergilius, but to a less extent. The three novels on Mr. Borden’s list which I have marked with an asterisk are the only ones which do not appear of my list of the twelve best. On the whole, Mr. Borden’s list of the best confirms my own, and the twelve novels given in the first of the two lists will receive our chief attention.[9]