THE CRAVEN HIGHLANDS. 
The | Craven | and | North-West Yorkshire Highlands. | Being a complete 
and 
account | of the | ey eggs prance | - mag jie sanete 
District. | By | H. Speight, | (John nnie Gray), | Autho ough 
Ai ear ei from Goole to Malham,” etc, | Illustrated. | Pasion ' Elliot Stock, 
892. | . 
This hiaveiadts toni which is got up in a very handsome green 
cloth case, on which is given a view of Catterick Force, extends to 
47° octavo pages, every line of which is of value or interest. We 
do not remember to have seen a more perfect work of its kind. 
Throughout it bears the marks of close practical acquaintance with 
€very nook and corner of the very extensive tract of country which 
is included, as well as of unwearied industry and indefatigable 
research among books and documents. There scarcely seems to be 
a fact connected with any locality in a topographic sense of which 
our author does not appear to be in some way or other cognizant, 
So that as regards matters of fact or circumstances of local interest 
the book may fairly be regarded as being what it is described on its 
title-page, ‘complete.’ Its literary style is such as to add considerably 
to its merit. The book is eminently readable, with a slight sprinkling 
of anecdotal digression, but without any descent to the wordiness 
and diffuseness which so often makes a local guide-book wearisome 
to the reader. Mr. Speight succeeds in so keeping the attention of 
his readers as to carry them with him from place to place, and in 
such a manner as to make it difficult to lay the book down before 
finishing it. A native of the district, our author still keeps his local 
Patriotism well within bounds, and sound judgment reigns supreme 
throughout. Little is said in praise but what will be amply endorsed 
by others who have had the opportunity of forming their opinions 
from the independent and unbiassed standpoint of a casual visitor. 
The illustrations to the book, mostly Meissenbach reproductions, 
strike us as being exceptionally clear and good, and in several 
instances (e.g. the Devil’s Bridge at Kirkby Lonsdale, pp. 274-5) 
Scientifically, Mr. Speight has interspersed his work with 
references to the natural phenomena of the district, its geology and 
physical configuration, its flora, and to a certain extent its fauna also. 
ere are several most valuable prefixes to the book, most of which 
are purely historical in scope, but those giving the exact heights of 
mountains, roads and passes, of towns, villages and hamlets, and 
Particularly the taka: absolute and comparative, of the rainfalls 
registered in 1889, 1890, and 1891, are most useful from our point 
of view. Amongst shiek subjects which receive attention we may 
"April 1893. 
