NEW LITERATURE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1961, 26 October 1889, Page 3

NEW LITERATURE.

w.“ He Who Digged a Pit.’’-—This i* the)'title: of:a; ififiqJago shilling novel published, Wilkie and Co., Dunedin, the, author of whichis Mr William Dreeman, editor of Zealandia, It ia<a v svell ; written tale, which has the merit ot a good deal of originality, and partakes . to a * large extent of the W'-much affected by writers of modern fiction. It cannot be called a sensational novel, and yet the interest 'intensifies to the end, when it winds up with a most extraordinary mnrdor of an intending murderer. “.He Who Digged a Pit a quaint title quaintly expressed, by the whose mostunheard-of preparations for the murder, pfhis, rival are observed by Count XeMa~an Italian blessed with perceptive faculties no human being that we have heard of ever possessed. Xiezza arranges. that the intending murderer falls into the pit he has dbg, It would not be right for us to give more of the plot, as to do so ■would considerably lessen the interest readers may find in it; but we may say, there is no “digged pit” in it, as the name would suggest, and that the murder is certainly the strangest that has ever been committed. Count Lezza defends his action in murdering the jealous husband with the means with which he intended to cause the death of his rival on the ground that his action was righteous and just. We admire the Count’s extraordinary cleverness, i but we cannot admire bis morality. A. feature‘of the book is a discussion on Protection and Freetrado, in which the Writer urges that free trade has done a great deal of England. .We agree with him, and we believe

that before many years England will . realise it., The story on the whole is and well written, and very pleasant reading. In the same book aratwo other stories, entitled “ Okewai Brown ’’ and “ Epuni,” both of which are 1 equal, though not so long or so pretentious,’-tb the? first one, and the three make,up a, goq.d : shilling’s worth of The.tock can be got at Mr Dann’s Temuka. “ MatkjAnderabn?’—rMessrs Wilkie and Goi Havb also iavhred us with a copy'df aiother new novel, hearing the, above title. The author—Mr William ‘Langton—is unknown to literary fame, hut ho has produced a yery interesting little took. jlThb vbt%? begins in Scotland and next comes to Dunedin, and henceforward deals with love and life on a sheep station., ‘The hero: is a new ( chum—hut a youth —who heats all the other hands at everything. Wo, however, take exception to’the delineation of the Craig family. The father is chairman of ail local bodies, has been a member of the Provincial Council, and,, contemplates standing for the General 'Assembly next election. He' is 'fearfully and awfully illiterate, and speaks the broadest Scotch dialect wo have seen in print. When first introduced he is under tho influence 'of .drink, and boasts of how M &|dih|oxcuM* for coming to Dunedin* at® the public : expenßO'iwhen f wants>to' do his husmesß. „He next behaves with faarful’ rudeneSß at a place he visited, and insisted, on ■; giving r f * road hoard eontracito his own soh, although bo was the highest tenderer. His son turns out a sheep:stealer, and hia wife and daughters behave unbecomingly. We are -" afraid; r. personal animus enterediiito Mr, Dahgton’s portraiture of the family. His is altogether’a very much exaggerated picture, hjitotherwise his description of, th«m |is very amusing, and the hook, though to be obtained from Mr Dann.