NEW NOVELS: * NEITHER George the Fourth nor William the Fourth

has much to do- with the history of Sydney Fielding except in a chronologi- cal sense.Some of the roué friends of "the finest gentleman in Europe" bear a part in the piece ; and the " gentleman " him- self is touched off in the smart, telling, flippant style, which when once set a-going was easily imitated—so easily that it is becoming stale. The scene might just as well have been laid in any other time as in the last years of the Fourth George and in the reign of his brother. Indeed it would have been better ; for while the fiction derives no advantage from the very high life which is connected with it, the incapability of the author to por- tray that life is - obvious. There are " situations," passing into

scenes, if not rows, at a wedding-party wedding-party dukes and lords, at a box amid ditto besides the audienee, and in Parisian saloons among princes and princesses, that would have had too much display for well-bred mechanics, if they were sober.

The story of Sydney Fielding is essentially an illustration of in- compatible dispositions and objects in matrimony. Captain Field- ing is a brave, high-spirited, high-minded soldier, with deep feel- ings and ardent affections. He marries Julia Krane, a lofty, in- tellectual beauty, utterly heartless, and very self-willed. Al- though engaged to the Captain, she would have jilted him for his friend the Honourable-EdwardTaler ; but when the Honourable fords out the engagement on the morning of the ceremony, he makes a passionate oration to the company, answered. by Alija, and the affair goes off. On the marriage of Fielding and Julia, the Captain aims at advancing in life by honourable exertion and rigidly doing his duty. Julia thinks this an idle scheme, and trusts to interest, favour, intrigue. With this object, she cultivates the acquaintance of any one likely to forward her views, and among others a loose old peer of the Regency days. Her close association with Lord Burgon injures her reputation with the public—Julia herself is too heartless-to be in danger. Differences arise, and the wife resolutely leaves her husband. She .goes to Paris to friends of her mother ; is introduced to the Russian Princess Ivanivieff, intended for Lieven ; and is received by her as a protegee, with the intention Of turning her to useful diplomatic account. Field- 'ing goes to India ; distinguishes himself ; rises to military rank, and acquires those public honours which a fictionist can so readily distribute. He returns to England just at' the time when his wife is defeated in a not very creditable object on which she has set her mind. Struck with Fielding's success, and compelled to admit the sound judgment of his choice in life, the proud woman resolves to sue for reconciliation even at his feet : but she is drowned on her passage home, by a great steamer running down the packet in which she has embarked.

About the superior moral views of Captain Fielding to those of his wife there is of course no question ; and though the Princess Ivanivieff puts the logic of the incompatibility of equality in marriage clearly enough, still perhaps the limits of the point have yet to be fixed both logically and morally. There is no doubt, however, that the idea and even the conception are better than

• Bydney Fielding .* the Domestic History of a Gentleman who served under their late Majesties George IT and William IV. By Edwin Keene. In two volumes. Published by Bentley. Giulio Bronchi : the Story of a Tuscan, related by .Flimaelf, and translatedfront the Italian MS. By Alfred Elwes, Author of " Ocean and her Rulers," 4-c. Published by Addey and Co. Fair Oaks ; or the Experiences of Arnold Osborne, M.D. By Max Lyle. In two vtinvesieepeublitssliir lityySliundersivionerd CULT.. In three volumes. Published by

Whittaker and Co.

the -exemitiorr.- -This- arises from Mr. Edwin Keene having under- taketi-to depict a mode of life which he appears- to know only from report, and which even if he knew it better is not well fitted for his pen. Striking situations, and a certain degree of force in writing, seem the characteristics of Mr. Keene. These have not full scope in dealing with a lord who may pass as a very low and °oars& portrait of the Marquis of Hertford, or Mr. Verney, a not. very close sketch of Theodore Hook, or such politicians as Prince Metternich. They are drawn from abstract reasoning rather than actual life ; but so far as mere reasoning is concerned, the writing is good. Here is the little bit already alluded to. The Princess has questioned Julia as to her future course.

" The answer is brief,' said Julia, with great composure. have

neither adopted nor considered any course whatever.' ti

" 'Eh bien!. then you are quite "free to remain with me as long as it is agreeable to you?' " As long, rather, as it may please your Highness.'

" Bien ! But suppose that suddenly your, husband should appear and bear you off, and so break up our compact of friendship a Poutrance ? ' He has too much sense, madame. Wherefore should he do so ? What- purpose would be served by our being placed side by side again1—Only the

renewal and perpetuation of our discontent and -misery. ' •

Itis my business to take much notice-atilt that goes on in the world,' said: the. Princess her sharp restless eyes regarding -her companion with - scrutinizing attention ; and I knovi that Captain Fielding 'has been versally.apbken of as a very superior soldier, and as a gentleman who won everybody's: regard and esteem. -Still, :I am bv no means surprised at what has taken place betwixt you ; for -I have not lived all these years without observing that the beat people in the worldz—equally -talented, equally din- tinguiahed—do not make the happiest matches. It- stands to -reason that, for. he sake of happiness in marriage, one party should bo.weaker than the other—that the inferior should defer-and give way to the superior. Where there are high talents and a strong will on each side it is generally found too much of a good thing ; all is conflict and antagolism—all intolerable. So I imagine it to be in your own case, my dear young lady. Excuse me— but I think you like to have your own way—to take your own, course.' " Your penetration has judged correctly of the Cause 'of our separation,' returned Julia, still with perfect composure, though when the Princess had spoken so Highly of the Captain there -was, for a moment, an expression of impatient annoyance upon her features."

The titlepage intimates that Giteliv,Branchi is translated from an Italian manuscript ; and such is probably the case. There is in it u sense of Italian and Sardinian landscape, as- well as of Italian feeling and manners, which looks " native and to the manner torn "; though it is not:beyond what a tourist, or even a reader with dramatic adaptability, might attain. There is a loose- ness of moral sense which is more characteristic of foreigners than Englishmen; as when the hero, supposed to be in love, engages in a liaison at Florence with a lady of- rank ; which is also told in a style of sickly sentiment and real indelicacy, not very Eng- lish, unless we go back to Peregrine Pickle. There is also -a want. Or propriety- or keeping throughout, according to English ideas. The hero, Giulio, is at starting something like a beggar, getting his living by rag-picking in the streets of Leghorn. He is taught tb- read by a priest ; and, being stimulated by hearing some mu- sic ! goes to sea. He is wrecked on the coast: of Sardinia ; falls into the hands of banditti; joins the gang ; and is taught drawing, manners, and several other general matters, by one I3eppe—quite a specimen of the sentimental scoundrel. On the death of Heppe in a fight, Giulio succeeds to his money and valuables, which are considerable ; makes his escape to IMly ; comes out as a gentle- man ; and, after a variety of occurrences, becomes a distinguished artist, and marries an English lady. The fiction, it will be seen, is one of adventure. It does not lack that sort of invention necessary to get up moving accidents, nor is it altogether devoid of the power of narrative and de- scription which is necessary to give them the interest of veri- similitude. This remark, however, chiefly applies to the earlier portion of the story—the incidents of active adventure with the banditti. When the rag-picker and thief is transformed into a gentleman in disguise, the thing becomes distasteful, and some- what tedious as well.

In Fair Oaks there is more thought on the realities of We and observation of its characters and doings in a circumscribed sphere, than is, often found in many fictions of greater pretension. The society depicted is not striking, being that of a small country town and its vicinity. The story consists but of the usual career of a physician from his pupilage to his establishment in a country practice below his just aspirations, but undertaken for the sake of his mother-in-law and her children. Incident in the sense of fiction there is scarcely any ; for an accidental discovery that, the physician is too late, prevents him from avowing, the passion, of his life, and, after smothering his affection, he is left bravely ful- filling the duties that lie before him. Truthful delineation is one characteristic of Fair Oaks. The most remarkable feature is the reflection and observation that are embodied in the narrative—for such rather than a story it slrictly. is. These are occasionally general, but more frequently Y aptly to questions connected with the study and practice of ifiedierne, not in a technical or jogtrot manner, but going to the depth of the subject and treated in a philosophical spirit. To a novel-reader, probably much of the matter may not be very at- tractive ; for at the opening it appears in the form of a juvenile tale ; while some part is in reality medical discussion,—as the neat exhibition of diametricallyopposite opinions of the leading

lights of Paris, thrown off on occasion of the in hero Arnold Os-

borne's studies n that city. Now and then, spite of the absence of the common novelist's arts, the trick of overdoing for the sake of effect will break in. The " Failed Career "—the story of Paul Glyn, a man of high and refined intellect, who fails of medical-

success from over-scrupulousness and over-refinement of mind-.- is laden with a love-story, including the stale incident of the lady's sudden death, and other distresses of a vulgar novelist. The following is quite enough. to make a disappointed man in medicine.

"He passed his examination more than successfully—brilliantly—re- ceived the compliments and congratulations of more than one eminent medical man, and heard flattering auguriee of future success. .." It never came, that success. Paul did not get on as a doctor. Ms cast of mind was metaphysical, rather than practical ; and he was utterly de- ficient in that steady, self-reliant hardihood of speech and action, which the medical man who intends to -rise in practice rnsillg feel, or assume. The rough and ready ' doctor, like the rough and ready soldier, isoften the one most distinguished by fortune. Paul Glyn was not such. With his keen and delicate perceptions, he, dared not practise the hit-or-miss' system of treatment: he saw too vividly-all the remote possible consequences-of the, slightest error to risk anything willingly ; he was not- prepared to take tua a random-shot on the chance of onelitting the mark. .And.when he ' he; could not carry off his failure with due professional imperturbability. Paul certainly was not born to be a doctor !

" He soon found he could not satisfy either his patients or libmielf ; 'he had not their confidence, for he had not his own. He became more arta more irresolute and self-mistrustful. Each failure prepared the way for others :.with his character this was inevitable—for at each failure his high ideal and exaggerated self-reproach bore him down and paralyzed fresh exertion._. it And Paul began to dislike a profession which brought him into daily

perplexities of judgment—into daily contact with problems he could not solve and sintering he could not relieve. • He began -to experience that deep distaste of his circUmstanoes,-that weary restlessness—which' 'assail a man who feels himself intellectually superior to his ,position, while practically, or in the opinion,i

of others, he s unequal to it.'

Other passages of an observation equally -close, expressed. in a style equally terse, might readily be quoted ; but enough hasheen said to indicatethe nature of the book.

The germ of the story of Lady Buiwer L n's novel Very Successful is slight enough. It-is merely. a wed gentlewoman taking the post of governess in the family of a gentleman and -a humourist, under a feigned name, in order that she might not, in this money-worshiping aristocratic county, injure the prospeots- of her son, an officer in the Crimea.Prosperity dawns upon her at last ; but " very successful" is a mere catchword with which to 'close a chapter or an occurrence: The story is mainly vehicle to exhibit certain social abuses, as Lady Bu.lwer L calls them, or to show- up certain persons or cliques, that have, she appears to think, done her some injury. The condition of the law as regards women is one fertile topic ; the relations of the sexes another ; the state of some part of the literary world a third;;. Etarcourt Penrhyn's service in the Crimea serves to introduce some notice of military abuses, after Mr. Russell of the Times. These things are more frequently discussed in rather long-winded dialogues than exhibited in action. There is scarcely anything in the book that approaches to incident. The occurrences, and more especially the 'dramatis persoine, tend often to caricature ; for, while the -writer professes to abhor all prejudice; she exhibits very strong, prejudicu, accompanied with gross exaggeration, against the unlucky class, of 'people: who have made fortunes, and a prejudice less exaggerated. If not less strong against persons who have inherited fortunes, while the pronunciation of Cockne and poor people, also exaggerated, comes in for mockery. book exhibits some cleverness in observation, but it has none of the characteristics of ' a genuine novel.

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