Barbara's History. By Amelia B. Edwards. Three volumes. (Hurst and
Blackett.)—It is not easy to convoy to our readers why this is really a very good noveL There is not a spark of novelty about a single incident in the story ; indeed, the outline of the tale is very like that of "Jane Eyre," except that Barbara's childhood is very much less ungenial than that of Jane, and that Mr. Farquhar is only an eccentric Rochester, while the supposed wife here turns out to ho only a discarded mistress. But though the incidents are old, the authoress has brooded on them till she has made them thoroughly her own, and so she always treats them originally—and, what is more, she always treats them truthfully. For instance, we have had the description of the capital of a little German dukedom described a thousand times, yet Zollenstrasse- am-Main and its reigning Serene Highness is as amusing a bit of description—it is scarcely satire—as we ever read. The two leading characters are thoroughly worked out, and the subordinate personages are quite distinct, though we know them as we know our acquaintance, chiefly by their more salient peculiarities. Finally, the style is vigorous, easy, and even eloquent, while the whole work is in keeping—a uniform tone, without too much either of dialogue, description, or reflection. In these days it cannot be said that a man loses anything by not having read even a good novel which is without originality. But he who finds himself with "Barbara's History" on his table on a wet morning will be able to spend a very agreeable day.
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