The March of Loyalty. By Letitia M'Clintock. 3 vols. (Tinsley
Brothers.).—There is, of course, something in these volumes about Irish politics, but happily there is not very much. The end of this part of the story may be briefly described by saying that persons hitherto indifferent or hostile, join the Orange lodges as being the best instrument of Ireland's salvation, and that another Tyrtaeus, this time an elderly parson, fires the patriotism of his friends by a song, "Ulster at Bay." Most readers will probably prefer the love- making, of which, indeed, there is a plentiful supply. We are per- mitted to follow the love histories of four young ladies and three young gentlemen. If these be designated respectively by the letters A, B, C, D, and X, Y, Z, the plot may be thus briefly given. X marries A without more trouble than baring to wait till he hue something to marry on. Y goes away broken-hearted because B jilts him in favour of a rich admirer, but comes home, to be easily consoled by the attractions of D, a younger sister. The main interest of ,the tale is to be found in the fortunes of Z and C. C is the plain sister of B and D; plain, that is, in comparison. Still she has a fair allow- ance of lovers. To one of these she clings with a faithfulness which he scarcely reciprocates. It will be seen, without going further, that there 113 plenty of material here to be worked up ; and Miss M'Clintock, we may say, does her work well. She is a little too merciful, perhaps, in her distribution of poetical justice. The user. canary young woman is a great deal too happy and successful ; and the not over-faithfal young man gets more than he deserves. One
letter going astray is scarcely an excuse for we do not know how many years of silence, not to speak of a couple of offers made in other quarters. But it is a pleasant picture of life that we get ; and in the life and death of Duncan Galbraith, there is something higher.
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