NOVELS.---21. Sailor's Sweetheart. By W. Clark Russell. 3 vole. (Sampson
Low and Co.)—Mr. Russell's " Wreck of the Grosvenor" won for him no small reputation as a teller of sea-stories ; this will in one way be increased by the novel now before us. In " the account of the wreck of the Waldershare,' from the narrative of Mr. William Lee, second mate," the writer shows an unquestionable mastery of his subject ; but he does not display his literary power to so much advantage as he did in the earlier and shorter story. This is too often the case. A writer makes a " hit " in a one-volume tale, and he is naturally encouraged to make the bolder venture of a three-volumed novel. It is a dangerous experiment, just as "taking silk" is to a busy and prosperous junior at the Bar. If any stern critic had taken these three volumes before their publication, and excised all that does not bear upon the main incident of the story, and the develop- ment of the characters of the persons concerned in it, the proportions of the book would have been greatly curtailed.. But if Mr. Russell will take a really first-rate novel and apply the same test, he will find that there is very little that will disappear under the pro- cess. When we say this, we do not mean that the reader of A Sailor's Sweetheart will wish any part of it away. On the contrary, it is in- teresting throughout. But we do not see what in such a tale we should see, the working-up of events to an end. A reader beginning at the middle would miss some entertaining reading, and would, of course, find the characters somewhat strange, but he would be quite as well prepared for the catastrophe as if he had begun at tho beginning. No one will be deterred, we hope, from a capital tale by a criticism which would not have been written, but that we hope to meet Mr. Russell again.—Quite True. By Dora Russell. 3 vols. (J. and R. Maxwell.)—Edward Selby forges a cheque, and is disinherited by his father. When the old man dies, no will can be found. The son has persuaded Hester Wray, who lives as companion with his sisters, to steal it, and has destroyed it. This girl he after- wards marries, very much against his will, from fear that she may reveal the secret. For the same reason, he afterwards murders her. The crime is discovered by means of a dream, in which the dead woman appears to her mother, and tells her that if she will have the vengeance on which she is bent, she must look for it in the old shaft. The place is searched, and a loaded stick, engraved with the mur- derer's name, is discovered. This is part of the story of Quite True. Was it "quite true" that no provision, except a share of the person- alty, was made for Mr. Selby's younger children ? Of course, as to the other incidents, every single one may very well be true, even to the dream, but is the collocation of them so ? And if this be granted, how often must it be said that true stories are not always fit sub- jects for art ? This is, in truth, a disagreeable story, the merits of which are not affected by the question whether it is true or not. Yet Miss Russell has some power of writing. Her characters, commonly at least, talk in a natural fashion. She is particularly good at describing a quarrel.—What will Society Say ? By H. C. Coops. 3 vols. (Tinsley Brothers.)— Phillip Aylesmere, a gentleman of good birth and a clerk in the Foreign Office, having extravagant tastes and finding that when his patrimony is wasted his salary will not support him (ho likes to spend about fifteen hundred a year), goes upon the stage, the access to which he finds amazingly easy, jumping at once into a lucrative engagement. Hence this story of " Society and the Stage," both good subjects, but not made much of here. Novels of " Society " we have in plenty ; a really good story of the " stage " would be a novelty, and very welcome. But it must be something very different from this dreary record of folly, meanness, extravagance, and profligacy.—Stepping-Stones, a Story of Our Inner Life. By Sarah Don dney. (Isbister.)—Thero is a cheerful optimism about Miss Doudney which anyhow makes her story pleasant to read. Everybody whom she introduces to her readers makes use of these " stepping-stones " to"rise to higher things." Even the careless Lady Rosamond, who has turned a popular young curate's head, " for pastime ere she went to town," makes all the amends she can, and on her death-bed recommends her father to give him the living which enables him to marry a more congenial wife. There is in truth something unreal about the whole book, which reaches he climax when we hear of a olergyman who amuses his leisure by " writing Greek plays, which no one ever saw." And this marvellous parson is only a persona mute. Apart from this fault, Miss Dondney's book has considerable merit. The scene where Lady Rosamond bids farewell to Edna is particularly well done.—In Fair Bruges. By C. Beeston. (Reining- ton.)—We shall content ourselves with giving one specimen of the writer's style. A young lady sings, " There was a jolly miller," a song rendered peculiarly appropriate by the fact that one of the guests has a share in some large m111. " The substitution of the adjective `merry' by Miss Saville in the first line, in place of the more -vigorous one of the original, removed the only objection which a fastidious taste might deem the song presented to being sung by a lady." We feel that we are in very refined circles indeed. It is a pity that they should be somewhat dull.—After a Dark Night —the Sun. By C. G. Hamilton. 2 vole. (Samuel Tinsley.)— Here we have told us, in somewhat magniloquent language, the history of Lucia, a girl of half-English, half-Italian parentage, who becomes a singer. We have found but the faintest interest in it ; but even a good story would be spoilt by the style which the author seems to think appropriate. Here is part of one of the notices with which the newspapers greeted the appearance of the Signora Morina (why " Signora," of an unmarried lady ?) :—" She was adopted and brought to England by a venerable clergyman. His benefice was situated in Yorkshire, and here, in the seclusion of sylvan life, this wondrous star has veiled its light until, culminating in perfection, it has risen on a world that is literally dazzled by its brilliancy." Imagine the face of an editor, when he found his " musical critic " writing in this fashion !
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