Richer than Wealth. 3 vols. (Sampson Low and Co.)—An ex-
ceptionally fortunate, or unfortunate, hero is the lover or the beloved of three young women,—the cousin to whom, according to the will of an eccentric relative, he is contracted ; a young lady of fashion, who has a tenderness for him which he, at one time at least, returned ; and a farmer's daughter, to whom, of course, as being the one whom he was especially bound to avoid, he finally gives up his heart. We may say at once that the second of these three is, in our opinion, a wholly unnecessary figure, and that the story would be distinctly the better, in every way, had all that concerns her been omitted. But the rivalry between Edith Fleming, the betrothed cousin, and Dorcas Finch, the humble maiden, the noble self-denial of the first, and the struggle to be true to conscience and loyal faith in the second, makes a story which considerably attracts us. Hubert Maynard, it may fairly be said, is not half good enough for either of the two who love him. The best thing that we hear of him is that be risks his inheritance for the sake of his love ; but Dorcas and Edith are both well drawn. The style would bear improvement ; but, on the whole, the novel—re first effort, we suppose—is promising.
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