19 OCTOBER 1889, Page 22

Barbara Leybourns. By Sarah Selina Hamer. (Oliphant, Anderson, and Ferrier.)—A

pessimist might object that thorough- paced old misers such as Simon Steele is represented to have beans do not change their nature for even the most charming and dutiful of granddaughters. Miss Hamer evidently has foreseen this difficulty, and uses no little skill in smoothing the way for

the old man's return to better thoughts ; and, after all, a certain optimism is allowed to books of this kind. This is a Wyly good story, its best parts being, we think, the racy talk of some of the country characters. The trial-scene is not particularly well managed, and it is certainly too long.