St. Martin's Summer, By Shirley Smith. 3 vols. (Must and
Blackett.)—Some novelists, anxious to secure an abundance of ma. `WHO, propose to themselves for a subject the fortunes of a numerous family, and what with the love-affairs of some half-dozen daughters, and the right or wrong.doing of as many sons, are never at a loss for avoid; of incident or sentiment, " Shirley " Smith extends the darn. tion of her plot. The heroine, Catherine Courtently—for it is she
• who waits for and enjoys at last the " St. Martin's summer "—is introduced to us in her childhood, and bids us farewell when she is nearer fifty than forty. We thus become acquainted with the joys rind sorrows of two generations of lovers ; and Catherine, who is the most unsolfish and disinterested of women, has the satisfaction of helping the son of her old lover to happiness, before she reaches it • 'herself. It cannot ha concealed that this is a severe demand upon a reader's patience. Yet the writer will not make it in vain. The interest, if it is never very vivid, does not flag ; and the succession of young people, good and bad—though the writer has not the heart to draw anything very bad— rawer ceases to amuse. Dora Roland is a peculiarly charm- ing character, though, perhaps, with a little less discretion and 'reserve than we should have expected to find ; and the character of Catherine is drawn with much tenderness and grace. The writing of the story is excellent, bearing all the marks of careful composition, and neither good-sense nor humour is wanting. Male readers will be particularly pleased by some quiet and effective banter of manly peculiarities.
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