14 FEBRUARY 1835, Page 19

THE PICTURE, AND THE PROSPEROUS MAN.

THESE two tales have the interest which belongs to a good novel of thc circulating library genus. The probabilities in the conduct of the story are about the same ; the lesser incidents, the charac- ters, and the manners, of a merit much superior. If the author possesses the faculty of observing events, he has not yct had the experience requisite to mature it, and fails in the means by which be advances his tale and brings about his catastrophe. But some of his by .scenes are truly though slightly touched; and he has at times a funny kind of humour, which raises a laugh, though the juke is not adapted to the person to whom he gives it. The life described is, for the most part, that of provincial gentry of an equivocal class,—not high fashionables, like Mrs. GORE'S people; not respectable and exclusive, though of an inferior grade, like those of Mr. LISTER; but dashing folks, whose ease almost ex- ceeds freedom, and whose familiarity trenches close upon vulga- rity. The lord and his lady are not very truly done ; for the hus- band has not been seen close enough to study, and in the conduct of his wife the writer has been speaking from scandalous reports : but Mr. &tilde the toady, who visits where he can, and ekes out his means by his skill in betting, is a sketch from life, especially n the earlier scenes.