Eyes so Blue. By Agnes Law. 3 vols. (Samuel Tinsley.)—This
is one of the novels which, as it seems to us, only women have the courage to write, and valid] it would be very much better, both for them and for the world, to leave unwritten. We do not doubt that it Is well to enforce the lesson that a woman ought not to make a loveless marriage in order to secure a home, but we doubt very much whether it is well to enforce it by such a story as that which bears the very title before us. Mavis Austin marries Lord Durant on account of his wealth and title, and treats him very badly, being specially enraged by the not very probable circumstance that ho is resolved to restore some Church property which his ancestors had acquired, an act which she fears will impoverish her child. But Lord Durant has been married before, and the first wife is alive, only the fact of her existence has been concealed by Lord Durant's wicked brother. Suddenly she is discovered, in the person of a certain Sister Veronica. Mavis, in her rage at the dis- covery, runs away with the wicked brother, lives with him as his mistress, is deserted by him, and dies. This is not a pretty story to toll. Of course, real life, with its sins and sorrows, contains many stories that are not pretty ; but we want very grave cause, and a thoroughly high and noble treatment, before we can allow that such a story as this is a lit subject for art. We do not find those conditions here. The writing is inane, and without dignity or force,—in keeping
with the title. Who could imagine such bad taste as calling so dismal a tragedy Eyes so Blue?
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