Stepping Westward. By M. E. Francis (Mrs. Francis Blundell). (Methuen
and Co. 6s.)—goviews of Mrs. Blundell's work must suffer from a slight monotony, since her subject is always the same, and she treats it in a manner which calls for almost un- adulterated praise on the part of the critic. The present notice must therefore be taken as no more than a fingerpost, put up to show the reader where a new storehouse of pleasure is to be found. In this volume, however, Mrs. Blundell gives us one historical story, "Lady Lucy," and in so doing proves how right she is generally to keep to her idyllic countrymen and countrywomen. For, to tell the truth, the little tale of "Lady Lucy" is both commonplace and conventional,—adjectives which can by no means be applied to any other stories in the book, though one other, "A Prisoner of War," is also dated many years ago. This sketch has a very simple human interest, and though it has not the peculiar charm of the country stories, never sinksto the commonplace. The reader who wishes to spend a happy evening among the dwellers in the West Country will, nevertheless, do well to avoid these two stories of another date, and content himself with studying the shameless matchmaking of " Grammer Roberta," the magnificent discipline preserved in her house by "Jinny Whiteside," or the courage of "Jarge's little 'ooinan." It is in these admirable studies of character that Mrs. Blundell beat reveals the minds and hearts of the country people about whom she delights to write.
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