3 MAY 1873, Page 25

Legends of the Jacobite Wars. By Thomasine Maunsell. (Tinsley

Brothers). —Scarcely legends two quiet novelettes, Katherine Fairfax" and " Isma O'Neil "—in which historical truth seems to have been carefully attended to, though occasionally with surprising brevity; the rout of James's army before Londonderry being disposed of, for instance, in thirteen short lines, first and last. The old-fashioned phraseology, and the style of conversation amongst officers, common soldiers, and the ladies and women of the time, have been fairly executed, Sir Walter Scott having evidently been taken as the model. We cannot say, however, that Miss Maunsell has succeeded in putting much vividness into her characters or incidents. The tales are, kowever, readable, and may enable young people to realise bettor than average elementary histories do the troubles of the North of Ireland in those days. We regret the too great animus against the Roman Catholics, but it is not made so prominent as might have been expected.