Coward Conscience. By F. W. Robinson. 3 vols. (Hurst and
Blackett.)—There can be no doubt that this is a clever book, but as little, we think, that it is not a good novel. It wants the necessary characteristic of attractiveness. There is nothing in the story, nothing in any of the characters, to excite any feeling, beyond an almost grudging admission of the writer's ability. His chief strength has been expended in the delineation of Ursula, who may be called the heroine of the story. But no more unlucky heroine than Ursula was ever created by the fancy. We are scarcely asked to admire her—how the hero could have ever pretended to do so can scarcely be imagined—and we do not even pity her. She has been wronged, and she forgives the wrong; she makes a stupendous sacrifice for her love, and yet she excites no sympathy. We can well believe that all this is according to the writer's purpose, which apparently is to extort the reader's interest by the force and vividness of the deline- ation of a character which lacks all ordinary charm. It is a peril- ous experiment, and we cannot say that it has succeeded. The other personages are very indifferently conceived, excepting, per- haps, the ingenious villain of the story. The only part of the tale which moves with any liveliness is the hero's journey to Birmingham, and his escape from the spies who were watching him. For the most part, it has an unsatisfactory character, made up as it is of surprises which do not excite, and of unlikely coincidences to which we are- too indifferent to wonder at them.—Catching a Tartar. By G. Webb Appleton. 3 vole. (Samuel Tinsley.)—Here is a capital lesson for those who think themselves qualified to play the part of amateur deteotives. The heroine is a young woman of very decided character and no inconsiderable ability. She thinks herself called upon to avenge what she believes to be a great crime. How she follows out the clue that she finds, and in what disas- trous failure (a disaster, however, not unilluminated by hope) she lands herself, is well told in these pages. The narrative moves on briskly, and never lets the attention flag. That the plot has many faults (the too surprising and numerous coincidences constituting one chief defect) may be readily understood. It may fairly be objected that the end is not worthy of so elaborate an effort, though it might have done very well for a shorter sketch. But the novel has the essential merit of being readable. The parson, with his sham earnestness and surface gift of attractive sensibility, is a character of more than average power.—Stanley's Wife, by Major Smith, 2 vols. (Remington), is one of the feeblest novels that we have ever seen. A certain Captain Stanley Torrington marries Miss Adele. Jinks, a Canadian garrison. town beauty, of many seasons. It soon becomes manifest that she has a dreadful secret upon her mind, and the reader, if he thinks it worth while to speculate about it, at once suspects bigamy. It turns out to be something of the kind. A long-lost brother of Captain Stanley turns up, and, besides ousting him from his heirship, knows the whole story. There are a number of other absolutely useless and uninterest- ing characters.—Kenneth Trelawney, by Alex. Fearon, 2 vols.. (W. H. Allen), is a common-place story, sufficiently well written, but not good enough to rouse much interest, describing how a selfiell mother spoils, or well nigh spoils, two lives. The most notable thing in it is the writer's curious ignorance that the Trelawney of "And shall Trelawney die ?" was one of the Seven Bishops.—'Were Hearts (Samuel Tinsley) is a foolish attempt at writing old English, of some period which it is impossible to identify, but which can hardly be consistent with the playing of Handers music.—It is very refreshing to turn from such inanity to a really charming volume, My Sister's Keeper. By Laura M. Lane. (Griffith and Farran.)—It is described as "a story for girls," and it tells how a young lady found employ- ment and interest in caring for some young needlewomen. Such employment and interest are among the great wants of society, as it is constituted at present, and we can heartily recommend Miss Lane's answer to the question, so often asked, "What can I do?" The volume is intended to promote the objects of "The Girls' Friendly Society:" whose president, Mrs. Townsend, supplies a preface.
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