NovELs.—My Lords of Strogue. By Hon. Lewis Wingfield. 3 vols.
(Bentley.)—Mr. Wingfield gives, as a second title to his book, "A Chronicle of Ireland, from the Convention to the Union,"—that is to say, he calls it a novel in one breath, and a history in another. In truth, it is neither the one thing nor the other. It is a passionate in- dictment of the Government of Ireland, as it was carried on during the years that preceded the passing of the Union. For all the ability with which it is written, all the pains which the author has taken to make himself master of his subject, all the industry with which ho has accumulated the knowledge which shall make his characters act and talk, as they did actually act and talk in the flesh, no one, we take it, will read this story with pleasure, unless he sympathises with the author's views and aims. As a novel, it produces an im- pression of almost unmitigated pain. Nor will any one go to the book as an authoritative history of the period. If Mr. Wingfield wishes to be listened to as an historian, he must do its other historians are wont to do. He must name his authorities, he must give his references. We pronounce no judgment adverse to his correctness. This is not in our province. Looking at "My Lords of Strogue" as a work of art, we consider it to be it grave mistake, though it is the mistake of an able writer. In matters of taste, apart, from the graver question, of the propriety of the whole work, Mr. Wingfield has something to learn. It is not well to write, " The absentees returned home in troops, finding that in their mother's mansion were many fatted calves." And if he quotes poetry, he should be more correct than in "Things are not always as they geom."— A Parisian Sultana. A Translation of Adolphe 13olot's " La Sultan° Parisienne." By H. Mainwaring Dunstan. 3 vols. (Remington and Co.)—M. Belot hoped, it is to be supposed, to interest Parisian readers in African travel, by "sugar-coating," BO to speak, its facts with fietion, and Mr. Dunstan thinks that the English public will show the same taste. We think, we do not hesitate to say wo hope, that he is mistaken. Some of the most interesting and admirable works of the last quarter of a century have boon books of African travel, the expression of the thoughts and labours of great men. And we do not like to see them travestied in this way. It may be true that this story has "the merit of being entirely exact from a geographical point of view, and with regard to African customs ;" but one objection,
that the form of the book is a mistake, remains unanswered. The "Parisian Sultana" is a lady whose husband is reported to have perished in African exploration. She determines to discover his fate for herself. Two gentlemen, who have declared themselves her lovers, accompany her, A third is hindered by the illness of his
mother. A comic element is supplied by the presence of Joseph, a Parisian servant, and Miss Beatrice Poles, an absurd caricature of an Englishwoman. The party go through some extraordinary adventures,. the serious part of the story being by far the best, for the comic does. not seem to have any real humour in it. Neither Joseph nor Miss Poles. afforded us any amusement. AS for the denouement of the story, we do not think that English readers will find it at all to their taste.—The Two Mies Flemings. By the Author of "Rare Palo Margaret." 3 vols. (Sampson Low and Co.)— There is ability in this novel, but it not satisfactory to the reader. The author gives one of the puzzles of life, one of the most en- tangled parts of the "mighty maze," but he does not give a hint of the plan. The "two Miss Flemings" are a remarkable and an artistically drawn contrast,—tho one so subdued, the other so bravo and spirited ; but why are their destinies so ordered ? Of course, we may be told that in this world we do not and cannot expect to know why the lives of various people arc ()Ahmed as they are. This is true ; but then we expect a novel to give at least an attempt at the interpretation of the riddle. Over the history written in this drama there hangs a fate as mysterious as that which doomed the house of CEdipua in Greek tragedy. We hope to see the very considerable ability of this writer—for we remem- ber "Rare Palo Margaret" with pleasure—employed with better effect. — Brook and Riser. By Captain Hay Hill. 3 vols. (Tinsley Brothers.)—This is a love-story, with nothing remarkable about it, either to praise or to censure. We are introduced to the heroine when she is about eighteen, and we part with her when she is two or three years older. Hence, Ivo suppose, the title. Of course she is very beautiful, and she has, it must be allowed, a fair share of spirit. But it is her lover who deserves the credit of courage, for whatever may be said about marrying a woman for herself, and not for her relatives, it required real heroism in Captain Ormond to take a wife who had such ruffians for a father and brother as wore Colonel and Charles Davonant. Brook and Ricer is somewhat spun. out, but it is a quite readable hook of the "agreeable rattle"
How He Won Her. By Mrs. Eiloart. 3 vols. (S. Tinsley.)—Here we have, with variations, the familiar story of how a young man wins hack for himself the home which has been lost, by the folly or ill-fortune of those who have gone before him. It is always ii.favourito subject, and Mrs. Eiloart treats it in such a fashion that it loses nothing of its natural advantages. Young Thurston, the hero, is a fine, manly fellow, and is not so preternaturally perfect as to repel our sympathies. In his wooing of fortune, and of the " prin- cess " whom he regards as the best part of his reward, he takes the reader's interest along with him. The episode of his friend Tom's love-affair is also well told. The weakest part of the story is to be found in the proceedings of " Lawyer Spark," which seem to us. quite impossible. When a man makes off with every farthing that he can lay his hands on, he generally inakes for some safer refuge than Mr. Snark seems to have thought sufficient. Generally the "villains" of the novel are of the conventional kind,
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