Bin Gottesurtheil. Roman von Elizabeth Werner. Zweite Auflage. (Richter und
Kappler, Mfinchen.)—This is a readable tale, in " easy " German, quite suitable for girls just coming out of the schoolroom. As a novel, it is not of very high rank, and the anti-climax after a really dramatic scene is by no means artistic. But the story is pretty, and at times interesting ; whilst -the Sclav heroine and her adventures remind us of Scott's pic- thresque scenes. Danira and her brother have been captured by the Austrian Commandant as orphan children, and whilst the boy is retaken by his insurgent relations, the girl remains at the Castle to share the education of the soldier's daughter, Edith. Gerald, the
betrothed of Edith, arrives, and Edith finds herself of less value than his soldierly ambition, whilst Gerald's arrival accelerates matters, and Danira escapes to rejoin her people. Against her tribe the aspiring young officer is sent. The two meet when he has been tempted into danger by the stratagem of the insurgent chief.
Danira can only save Gerald by showing him the wild sanctuary of the rocks where no blood may be spilt : "The Wila,quell endures nor blood nor vengeance." The insurgent chief dares the pro- tecting spirit of the " Wila.quell," and—a "judgment of God "— his life is the penalty. The scenes in which love and pride of race on both sides struggle for mastery, are well given, and it seems a pity that they are followed by three or four chapters of rather uninteresting conventionalism,—though it is but fair to say this would probably be liked by those most likely to form the public of this popular German novelist.
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