20 DECEMBER 1890, Page 24

The Percivals. By Evelyn Everett-Green. (Religious Tract Society.)—In many respects

this is a more ambitious work than has hitherto been attempted by the author of a number of stories distinguished more by simplicity than by any other quality. Mrs. Green not only endeavours, and with a considerable amount of ability, to sketch the different characters of a houseful of girls, but she seeks to draw to the life one man of exceptional self- confidence and force of brain. Julian Hamilton, the sceptical man of the world, married to a beautiful and believing woman, is a distinct success, although it is perhaps just as well for, the peace of mind of his wife Frederica, that ho is cut off at an early age. Her sister Oona is, however, a very good foil to her. Where there are so many marriageable girls as there are in this story, and with such different, if not contrasted, characters as the Percivals, a very considerable amount of skill is shown in getting the

majority of them married to young men of the right sort. Mrs. Green succeeds, however, in this difficult task, although, on the other hand, it must be allowed that she is not very successful when she lands on Irish soil.