23 JULY 1881, Page 24

Evelinct; or, the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into

the World, by Frances Burney, appears in " Bohn's Novelists' Library." (Bell and Sons.) Mrs. Anne Raine Ellis, whose charming" Sylvestra." has given her the best possible right to speak of the social life of the eighteenth century, has prefixed to this volume an introduction which every one should read. One could not have a more pleasing account of Miss Burney, of her family, and of the society in which she lived. The picture of the Court in which she was ill-advised enough to take a menial place is not indeed pleasing, but of this we have very little. On the other hand, it is satisfactory to learn that the pension which was given to her on retiring was not, as has been said, withdrawn. Among other matters of interest, we may note that the name of "Miss J. Austen, Steventon Rectory," appears among the subscribers to "Camilla," Miss Barney's (she was then Madame d'Arblay) third novel. The Epilogue, which deals with various misstatements and 'misapprehensions, we found a litt?e tedious, but it has its purpose and use.