The lead novel in Raven's "Alms for Oblivion'' sequence (there are ten in all), this very English tale is set in 1945 and perpetuates the image of the public school as a haven for upper-class snobbery and other more earthly vices. Intelligent and popular, Fielding Gray likes to play the role of romantic pagan, in many respects a charming persona, but one which inevitably leads to conflict with the forces of convention. His rather careless seduction of another student sets off a chain of events with tragic consequences that alter the course of his life. The tale is not offered, however, as a defense of conventional morality. Indeed, many of its representatives are less than appealing, eager to use the tragedy for their own ends. Urbane and exhibiting an occasional flash of wit reminiscent of Waugh, it is a work that should appeal to most Anglophiles. David W. Henderson, Eckerd Coll. Lib., St. Petersburg, Fla. Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc.