28 NOVEMBER 1885, Page 20

CURRENT LITERATURE.

GIFT BOOKS.

Ursula's Stumbling•Block; or, Pride Cometh Before a Fall. By Julia Goddard. (Cassell and Co.)—This little story belongs to what is called the "Proverb Series," and does not, perhaps, wholly escape the obvious danger that attends books written on such a principle, of being too didactic. Ursula Daventry has bad a fall in life. She has been rich and now is poor. And she bears the change very ill. In fact, she is almost incredibly disagreeable and awkward about it. Pride, one would think, might have made her a little more reticent and calm. A very proud person would try to seem unmoved. This, however, is not Ursula's line of conduct. She rebels, and by rebelling gets into no little trouble ; but in the end, of coarse, everything turns out to the beat advantage.