29 DECEMBER 1883, Page 22

CURRENT LITERATURE.

Bride Picotde. By the Author of "Mademoiselle Mori." (Bemrose.) —This is a charming little French story, the point of which consists in the self-denial of a little worker in lace, who, though she has re- discovered for herself the particular stitch which constitutes the secret of the lace called Point d'Argentan, yet conceals her discovery, in order not to disappoint the one remaining lacemaker who has in. herited the secret and who, after a long struggle, has made up her mind to reveal it to the crippled girl with such a genius for lace-making. That is a kind of self-denial which is probably even rarer in the world than martyrdom itself, and very delicately has the accomplished authoress of "Mademoiselle Mori" worked out the character and the story of La Brisarde, and of Lise, the heroine of this delightful tale. We have not read for many years a tale of greater beauty and simplicity than Bride Picotde.