Part 3 — SOME OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.

The Edinburgh Review says:—

“‘Neæra’ is given to us as a picture of Roman life, under an Emperor as infamous as the Antonines were honourable; and the picture is, we think, carefully drawn, and in its general features trustworthy.... Mr. Graham has at the least given us a story of sustained interest; which he has done well in connecting with the little island rock of Capri. On this island Tiberius has left a lasting mark, and the remains of his work bear out the old stories told about him.... We may take leave of Mr. Graham’s interesting and powerful tale with a few words in which he speaks of the palaces and prisons which rose here at the despot’s command.”

The Saturday Review says:—

“An admirable novel.... ‘Neæra’ is a novel with a story, and as good a story as it often falls to one’s lot to find in a new book. The interest grows somewhat gradually at first, but increases constantly as the story progresses, and is multiplied by the interweaving of new threads and the occurrence of startling incidents up to the very last pages of the concluding volume. It is plain that a careful study of the masterpieces of classical literature, and of the places to which they refer, has necessarily preceded the writing of ‘Neæra.’ One of the best scenes in the book is the final appearance of all the characters before Tiberius, who is to decide whether Neæra is or is not the long-lost granddaughter of the Senator, and whether the villain is guilty or not of the blackest crimes.... The style is for the most part good. Mr. Graham writes in a careful and leisurely way, choosing good sound phrases, and occasionally introduces passages which are really eloquent and beautiful.”

The St. James’s Gazette says:—

“Mr. Graham has a keen eye for what is called on the stage a striking situation, and his situations follow each other so thick and fast that his story never flags. From the suicide of Apicius to the tremendous fight in the dining-room under the eyes of Tiberius himself all is movement. And this movement is never hurried or huddled, nor are the means by which Mr. Graham extricates his characters from the difficulties into which he brings them ever far-fetched or improbable. He is a born story-teller, and ‘Neæra’ is in consequence an admirable story.”