31 JANUARY 1874, Page 22

Annie's Story. By the Author of " Petite's Romance." (Chapman

and Hall.)—Annie's Story is just the sort of novelette for a young lady or a young gentleman with the toothache. It is harmless and lively and sufficiently interesting, without taxing either the mind or the spirits at all beyond what even a sufferer from toothache could endure. If we may judge by the " wills" and " would*: " for "spans " and " shoulds," and "brings" for "takes," dm., it is the work of an Irish lady,—and with the vivacity it displays also the carelessness of the Irish nature. Good English and good grammar turn up or absent themselves apparently by chance. We are not now speaking of " wills " and "shoulds," and other acknowledged differences between English and Irish • Anglo-Saxon ; and Sir John is Sir George and Caroline is Florence quite indiscriminately. But these are trifles ; why, however, does Annie go fainting and showing such violent feeling, because a man she never cared for is taken ill ? And why does tho courtly Major Ashleigh turn up rude so often, without any cause that is evident to the reader ? We think the audacious Phil is our favourite character, and should like to have had a little more of that young gentleman. The conclusion is very lame and harried. A story without pretence to originality or genius should make a cheerful and satisfactory ending, and not leave its readers, who will probably be of the youthful and simple kind, dependent upon imaginations which they may not possess.