ABSTRACT
The story, thank goodness! seems to have absolutely no 'purpose.' It has also no hero, even the flawless Minnie is so seldom and sketchily glanced at that one doesn't mind her. Nor has it a villain; Greenacre, though suspicion ofblackmail attaches to him, hardly counts, and poor 'Mr Clover,' reprehensible as he is, is rather the sort of man that one pities as a mistake of Nature's. But there are two good characters-Mr Gammon, the traveller, light-hearted, smart, and very London-like, and little Mr Parish, the sublimely commonplace, timid, 'igh-'atted clerk; and one brilliant one. The combination of virtue, 'high colour, finely-developed bust and freedom of pose,' bad temper, greediness, honesty, absence of false modesty, and utter Londonliness in Polly Sparkes is a splendid bit of work. A book which contains Polly, the glorious row in the lodging-house, and such a brisk plot, moving so smartly, lightly, and easily, will not detract from Mr Gissing's reputation.
