Oscar Wilde, in constructing his 'House of Pomegranates,' uses as materials 'The Young King,' 'The Birthday of the Infanta,' 'The Fisherman and His Soul,' and 'The Star Child.' The first story relates to the young Italian Prince who, lapped in luxury, and with an intense love of the beautiful, sees at last how much sowrrow and misery are [sic] in this world. Steepted in pleasures, he at once renounces and, clad in a goatskin, wanders through the country. 'He is a dreamer of dreams,' cry his astonished people while mocking him. But his soul is chastened, and one day in a chapel, from a stained glass window, the light takes the shape of an angelic figure that crowns him, and then indeed is he King. The most charming of the stories is 'The Birthday of the Infanta.' Mr. Wilde is in sympathy with the sombre magnificence of old Spain. It is the Infanta's natal day, and before her dances the ugliest of dwarfs. He is not conscious how horrible is his guise. She laughs at his hideousness as would any child. She gives him a fower and he loses his heart. He wanders through the palace and sees for the first time his reflection in a mirror. He knows he is a misshapen and hunchbacked monster. 'Then he crawled, like some wounded thing, into the shadow, and lay there moaning.' The Infanta would have him dance again, and the Chamberlain smites him with his glove. The dwarf is motionless. 'Mi bella Princesa, your funny little dwarf will never dance again.' 'But why will he not dance again? ' asked the Infanta, laughing. 'Because his heart is broken,' answered the Chamberlain. 'For the future let those who come to play with me have no hearts,' she cried, and she ran into the garden. The make-up of the book is exceptionally good.