5 FEBRUARY 1876, Page 23

A Garden of Women. By Sarah Tytler. (Smith, Elder, and

Co.)— The Cornhill Magazine has ever been fortunate in its novellettes and its lady-contributors. It was the Corn/mill that discovered Miss Thack- eray, and if it did not exactly discover Miss Tytler, it has certainly been the moans of her promotion to the high place she now occupies in the ranks of novelists. These charming stories have, for the most part, appeared in the Corn/till and in Fraser; they are extremely well worth

reprinting, and deserve a great addition to their original popularity.

Each of the dozen stories is labelled with the name of some flower, and these flowers are grouped into divisions, thus,—" From Scotch Keil- yairds," "From English Garden-plots," and so on. Among the English garden-plots, we find "A Sweet Pea," "London Pride," and the like. We think Miss Tytler has somewhat hampered herself with an intricate

scheme, but there our criticism ends. We pass from one story to

another with unaffected pleasure; for choice, we prefer "Rue" (keep- ing faith); there is a world of pathos in it, and but for its unhappy

ending, would remind many readers of ono of the most elegant of con- temporary comedies, "Sweethearts." A Garden of Women may be commended without reserve ; we take leave to suggest it as a capital companion on a long journey or in a dull house, or for any situation in which pleasant company and bright, healthy stimulant is desired. What a capital girl's " prize " book it would make !