Self-sacrifice, which is the prevailing note of "His Adopted Daughter,"
becomes a positive fanaticism in A Promise Kept, by M. E. Palgrav , (National Society's Depository). Stephen Searle is very angry, petty near the end of the story, with the sister of hie fiancee, Margaret Rethercote, for declaring that he in hardly acting fairly by that young lady in getting hold of her affections as a master in a school, and then trusting she may share his life as a mis- sionary in Africa. To ordinary readers, however, Constance Nether- cote will appear to take a common-sense view of the relations between her sister and Stephen, although possibly she expresses that view somewhat harshly, if not cruelly. No doubt Miss Palgrave sets her- self openly to represent in John Barton and Stephen Searle ;Ms. sionary heroism that soars above and declines to be bound by ordinary human love. But we confess to liking best in her book those chapters in which the ordinary life of the Nethercotes and the Searles is reproduced. The poor old Rector, Stephen's father, is a lifelike portrait ; and Lady Nethercote is a good sketch of an anxious mother, —a mother anxious to further the happiness rather than the social advancement of her children.
Previous page
