"He bears him like a portly
gentleman."
R. & J., Act I., Sc. 4.
Prince Lucifer (Macmillan & Co.) by Alfred Austin. I do not wish to make an ostentatious—or rather, in this instance, Austin-tatious— display of my unpoetic nature, but I cannot understand why Alfred the Less chose this name of Lucifer for his hero. The title, for advertising purposes, certainly arrests the eye. Of course, as Alfred the Less would say, in his light Lucifer manner—
"Lucifer," I own to liking; | Names are nothing, if not striking.
And Lucifer is nothing to speak of, if not intended to serve a striking purpose. A second title might perhaps have assisted the public to an explanation, Lucifer; or, The Love Match. Prince Lucifer suggests something naughty, and worse—or naughty in werse—for there is nothing to assure us beforehand that Mr. Austin's "Prince of Darkness is a gentleman" who wouldn't shock our religious or moral sentiments on any account, not even on his own. But though the book could not, perhaps, be recommended by Mr. Podsnap to the "Young Person," yet I should carefully consider the intelligent capacity of the Young Person before presenting her with such a specimen of "light and misleading" literature as Prince Lucifer, to judge it only from its title, might Austinsibly be. It contains some of Mr. Austin's best work, and when, in this foggy weather, I call for "Light! More light!" I shall be perfectly satisfied if they bring me Mr. Austin's new patent Lucifer.
Your Own Baron de Book Worms.
Albert Hall Concert, Wed., Nov. 16.
With Patti, and Santley, and Lloyd,
The attraction was great, and it drew