A DOUBTING HEART.* THERE are superficial aspects in which this
beautiful story will not prove attractive to the ordinary novel-reader. It consists of three volumes, aggregating nearly 1,000 pages, printed in a comparatively small, closely-set type, and with few breaks in the pages. The book thus looks to the eye decidedly heavy, and seems to promise much dreary reading. We hope no one will be induced to throw it aside because it is thus in form repellent, for in our opinion there have not been many novels recently published better worth reading. The literary workmanship is excellent, and all the windings of the story are worked out with a patient fullness and skill not often found. At times, no doubt, the con- scientious endeavour of the writer to convey her full meaning induces rather too much iteration, and in the case of one or two characters—notably, Lady Rivers, the heroine's mother— the analysis of common-place motives and vulgar ambitions is carried out to a wearisome extent, yet at no time is the writing actually dull, or without point. We confess that we tried skipping, and found it would not do, and the end of it was that we read some of the finer portions of the book several times over, laying it down at last with regret. Miss Keary's powers display greater ripeness in this than in any of her earlier works, and it is sad to think that her life was cut short ere it was finished. She died some months ago, and her friend Mrs. MacQuoid had to complete one scene of the story.
The central characters in A Doubting Heart are a Judge in the Supreme Court, his wife and daughter, Alma, and a certain Wynyard Anstice; but there are several others, who can hardly be considered subordinate. Amongst these we may class Emmie West, the two girls Moore, and young Lord Anstice, Wynyard's cousin. The work, in short, is crowded with characters, and many of them possess no little individuality. But the principal action lies around the Rivers family. They have risen in the world. Lady Rivers married her husband when he was a young, struggling barrister, and her sister, Mrs. West (Emmie's mother), made what was then considered a much better match in marrying a rich City merchant. But West failed in busi- ness, and became a poor creature, hungering after his former wealth, and vainly endeavouring to ignore the change that mis- fortune had brought upon him. At the time of the opening of the tale, Rivers has become a Lord Justice, and his wife Lady Rivers; while poor Mrs. West has been obliged to let off part of her house to lodgers. With her rise in the world, Lady Rivera has become anxious to shine in society, and to marry her daughters into great, or at all events into wealthy, families. In that debasing but most human ambition her life is consumed, and she has just succeeded in sacrificing one daughter to an elderly baronet of proud family, cold
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4 Doubting Heart. By Annie Beary. London: Macmillan and Co.
heart, and well cultivated. selfish instincts. The wedding had been a grand affair, and the poor relations were care- fully kept away from it. This great event over, by which as is made plain enough ere the story is finished, Miss Constance Rivers had been condemned to life-long misery as Lady Forrest, Lady Rivers's whole energy is directed to finding an equally suitable husband for her remaining daughter, Alma. That daughter has the "doubting heart" which gives the book its title. Of good ability, not without aspirations after something nobler, nay, impelled even by the love of a noble-hearted man, Wynyard Anstice, Alma Rivers is yet unable to forego the prospects held up to her by her scheming mother. Wynyard is, it seems, an impracticable person, of strong Radical opinions, and sterling honesty in expressing them. At one time, he was considered the heir of a wealthy uncle, and in virtue of that position had been wel- comed by Lady Rivers as a not unpromising husband for Alma. He had. been a school-friend of her son's, too, and altogether possessed considerable claims on the family friend- ship. But his impracticability had. spoiled. all. He had offended his uncle by his political opinions, and as a result was disinherited. The property passed to his cousin, young Lord Anstice, an idle, good-hearted, impulsive lad. Wynyard, thus thrown on his resources, was no longer in favour with Lady Rivers, and Alma sympathised with her mother in so far that she dreaded a life of struggle, and perhaps of poverty. Her love had neither faith nor hope in it, and. she suffered herself to be drawn into a hollow-hearted courtship with the son of a vulgar City millionaire, although that millionaire had been instrumental in ruining West. Despising herself, doubting ever, and oftentimes taking a petty revenge on her mother in cutting words, she yet yielded from her love of luxury, and drifted on. We cannot say that we love Miss Alma Rivers, nor can we feel much sympathy for her in the fate that ultimately overtakes her. What that fate is the reader must discover; we can only say that, as far as it is revealed, it is much preferable to that of her sister, Lady Forrest.
Amongst the other characters in the book, the most attractive is undoubtedly Emmie West, and one of the most interesting, Christ- abel Moore. The Moores, Katherine and Christabel, are, indeed, people of whom we should have liked to know more ; and, perhaps out of the generosity of our heart, we think it a pity, almost a shame, that Katherine was not wooed and won by a man worthy of her love. She and her sister had left the restraints of a life in Chester, where they had been dependent on the bounty of rela- tives, and come boldly to London, to work out a career for them- selves. Lodging in the garrets of the Wests' house, they had maintained themselves by teaching, and in the. case of Christ- abel by art-work. Katherine's ambition was to be a doctor, as a pioneer in opening new careers for women. Naturally her views were advanced enough on many points, but her heart was tender and true, and there is nothing better in the book than the love these two sisters bear for each other. Katherine is not left without a purpose in life, as the reader will find, but still we are not content. Yet another character —the characters are legion—who deserves mention is old Madame de Florirnel, the English widow of a French Count, and. Wynyard Anstice's relative. She lives at Roquette, and some of the scenes in the book—not the least important, either—are laid there. One, of almost idyllic beauty, called "Madame's Me," gives a charming picture of a French village match-making. Madame de Florimel takes a strong fancy to the pure-hearted, honest, and impressionable Enamie West, and forms a plan for matching her to her kinsman,—a plan that comes at one time to miserable shipwreck, causing Emmie much sorrow. But "all things find rest at their journey's end," and on the whole, we are not disposed to quarrel much at the fate to each assigned. One thing we may say in conclusion, and. we consider it high praise. There is no villain in all the book, no character of extravagant wicked- ness. All are human—the good and the bad—and though some may be shadowy and distant, never impressing their indi- viduality on the reader, none are absolutely repellent. Even the Kirkmans are tolerable, the worst of them, the old millionaire, being kept quite in the background. As for the Judge, Sir Francis Rivers, we get to like him much ere the story is over. Successful, easy-going, worldly, kind-hearted, and dis- appointed man as he is, the fine traits of his mind come out when bitterness and sorrow overtake him. Art that can paint human nature with this evenhanded. pen is not common, but Miss Keary possessed it to a degree that makes regret over her premature death all the more genuine.
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