CURRENT LITERATURE.
A. Cruel Necessity. By Evangeline F. Smith. (Spottiswoode, Jones, and Co.)—This is a decidedly clever novel, with a good plot and some admirable character.drawing. What it needs is compression. The story is spun out. As usual, we do not find the characters of the hero and heroine half as skilfully drawn as those of the less important and lees admirable personages. Mr. Dallas, the Vicar of Swanbridge, and his family, especially including his second wife, the step-mother of his children, are very happy sketches, drawn with a good deal of humour and force. The plot, too, is very interesting, and if the denouement did not hang fire a little, would deserve great praise. On the whole, the novel is greatly above the average of even praiseworthy novels, and its tone throughout is pure and good.
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