21 MAY 1904, Page 20

.4 Woman of Sentiment. By Annie Linden. (Methuen and Co.

6s.)—Dutch fiction, as far as we have had the opportunity of making acquaintance with it, is the most nncheerful of literary products. A Woman of Sentiment keeps up the tradition. It is well written; it has even a streak of humour,—witness the complaint of the careful housemaid, who murmurs against an irresponsible Providence which strikes a man do.wn on the very day when his room was to have been cleaned out. But oh !

dreary ! The "woman of sentiment" marries a man who has no sentiment at all. Any one can imagine the ensuing conflict ; this is repeated any number of times. Of course, there is a " love-and-duty " episode; and one is heartily glad, in spite of all the literary merit of the book, to reach the end.