14 NOVEMBER 1885, Page 24

Through a Refiner's Fire : a Tale, By Eleanor Holmes.

(Griffith, Ferran, and Co.)—This is a love-story of rather ordinary plot, and the probabilities are not a little strained, particularly in the case of the gentleman, "good sort" as he is. The tale does not travel beyond the central idea and its complications, such as, consecutively, "A Rift in the Late," "Drifting Apart," "A Snapped Chord," itc., some of which are not unskilfully elaborated. Altogether, we do not think there is here sufficient "material" for a good tale, although we have observed occasionally a noticeable remark, and, may we add, two inaccuracies in grammar.