Spiders and Flies. By Percy Fendall. 3 vols. (Ward and
Downey.) —We do not recognise either "spiders " or " flies " as very distinctly described in the dramatis persona of this story. True, there is a very handsome adventuress, who, after some curious experiences in Paris, becomes a governess in England, and while acting in that capacity captivates a man of wealth, who jilts an estimable young lady to marry her. But the " fly " walks into the "spider's parlour" knowing what he is doing ; and we have the two animals at the end of the novel living happily together. There is a young Frenchman of somewhat doubtful character and antecedents, but he, too, cannot easily be classed ; and there are two fraudulent clairvoyants, who present the same difficulty. In short, we have here an inconsequent, rambling sort of story, without much plot or style, plentifully larded with French phrases, not always correct, as, e.g., Elle eat telle quo vous l'arait faite.
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