4 APRIL 1868, Page 19

Love's Sacrifice. By Mrs. William Grey. 3 vols. (Hurst and

Blackett.)—It is a hazardous experiment killing off the heroine at the end of the first volume, and advancing another young lady to the vacant post with a view of resuscitating the interest which has been thus destroyed. This gives the story a totally new complexion, but deprives it of the charm of artistic completeness. Constance is clearly the chief character in the first volume, and Marie is subordinate to her. Moreover, the hero is in love with Constance, and does not even think of Marie. Even if Mrs. William Gray has the right to deprive her original heroine of the post of honour, her hero has no right to transfer his affections from the first heroine to the second ! One has heard that in the class of servants love goes with the place, and a change of service puts an end of itself to "keeping company." But this is not a romantic view of love, and it is one which is likely to affect the relation of novels to life in a disagreeable manner. Whatever Mrs. William Grey and the hero think, the readers do not gain by the change. The sacrifice which gives its name to the story is far loss worthy than the sacrifice which leads to the story. The mixture of loves and interests is bewilder- ing, and though the book shows talent, an eye for character, and some dramatic power, it falls short of what these combined ought to achieve.