18 AUGUST 1877, Page 25

Eugenie. By the Author of" Miss Molly." (Blackwood and Sons.)-

. pretty, pathetic story of French life. Still we cannot but think that probabilities are somewhat violated by the plot. Surely a French mother would scarcely allow her daughter to take lessons in German from a young Baron, without making it a rule to bo present, oithor in person or by substitute. And when this particular mother lifts a fixed determination not to allow a daughter of hers to marry a foreigner, such laxity becomes yet more unintelligible. It is barely possible that, aid friend of the family as he was, she should have received him at all ; not at all possible, it seems to us, that she should have encouraged his stay, and given him every opportunity of falling in love with her daughter. This improbability apart, we have nothing but praise for the story. The denouement is well brought about, and is described with considerable force. Especially touching is EugSnio's passionate denim to know whether the husband whom she has never seen since her mar- riage till he lies dead before her, has been as faithful in his heart to her as she knows that she has been to him. The author's sternness in meting out due punishment to the disobedient daughter is to be praised, but she might have consulted the weakness of readers by giving them a little more light at the end.