The Poison Tree

, beyond what is always inevitable, in thetransfer of the novel from its original Bengali to English. Fiveyears ago, Sir William Herschel, of the Bengal Civil Service, had theintention of translating this _Bisha Briksha_; but surrendered thetask, with the author's full consent, to Mrs. Knight, who has hereperformed it with very remarkable skill and success. To accomplishthat, more was wanted than a competent knowledge of the language ofthe original and a fluent command of English: it was necessary to befamiliar with the details of native life and manners, and to have asufficient acquaintance with the religious, domestic, and socialcustoms of Bengali homes. Possessing these, Mrs. Knight has nowpresented us with a modern Hindu novelette, smoothly readablethroughout, perfectly well transferred from its vernacular (with suchomissions as were necessary), and valuable, as I venture to affirm, toEnglish readers as well from its skill in construction and intrinsicinterest as for the light which it sheds upon the indoor existence ofwell-to-do Hindus, and the excellent specimen which it furnishes ofthe sort of indigenous literature happily growing popular in theircities and towns.