5 FEBRUARY 1887, Page 46

The Willow Garth. By William M. Hardinge. 2 vole. (Bentley

and Bon.)—A tragical story, this, of the love between Waldine de Stair, a lady of high degree, and John Lyne, a bailiff's son. Its great fault is a want of clearness. There are circumstances of life when one does not want conundrums, and Waldine is a conundrum. The minor characters are more real, but they fail to interest us. Men and women are alike tedious and unprofitable. Yet there is a clever. ness about the book which should have made it better than it is.