DR. WILLIAMSON says that "The
Massarenes," which Ouida pub
lished in 1897, was regarded by the
authoress as the best book she had
ever written. From this opinion Dr.
Williamson dissents. He thinks that
| the best of her books is "Bimbi," or
at least that "Bimbi" contained
some of her best work. She thought
it a volume of trivial importance
| compared with others. I have not
read all the books of Ouida, but of
those I have read I think "The
Massarenes" much the best, full of
determined and deadly hatred and
charged with the purposes and
properties of poison. Nevertheless
it was written with remarkable
vigor and carried the reader on
Dr. Williamson speaks gently of
poor Ouida's eccentricities which
ended so sadly. She bad been very
' extravagant and became crippled in
i! means. She had a great contempt
: ] for most of the world and hated all
! modern movements. Dr. William
i son says: "I do not think that
Ouida in person could ever have
been pretty, but when I saw her
. she was undoubtedly impressive
because her complexion was of ex
, treme beauty, pink and white like
that of a young girl."?From the
"British Weekly."
m m m
Author* as Husbands.
A PASSAGE in one of Mrs. Oli
phant's letters helps to bear
! out the Rev. W. Major Scott's con
tention that authors' make unsatis
factory husbands. Writing to Dr.
