Maude Maynard. By the Author of "Almost Faultless." (Smith and
Elder.)—The story of Maude Maynard is fairly interesting. It has touches of pathos, though pathos is very easily attained by describing such scenes as the death-bed of a child. Its chief fault lies in the want of reality which is manifest in the characters. The heroine's sister, Charlotte, never opens her month except to be disagreeable; the curate, whom Charlotte marries, is equally consistent in being opinionated and vulgar 'without intermission ; and Aunt Gretta wearies us with an un- changing silliness. Dr. Maynard, pompous and kindly, is a somewhat happier effort. The heroine would have fared better if she had not been overcome by the difficulty of having to tell her own story, and Mr. Ferrer: would have interested us more but for the obvious improbabilities of his Watery. We have not in England the career open to talents which permits a man without academical standing to become the head master of an important grammar school. We feel sure that the author might do much better, and write what we may not only read, for that is always possible with Maude Maynard, but also admire.
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