20 JULY 1889, Page 24

Severed Ties. By Mrs. Henry Wylde. 3 vols. (F. V.

White and 'Co.)—Mrs. Henry Wylde has, we believe, achieved a certain amount of success in the world of music ; and with such success it would be well for her to be content, for the perusal of this novel inspires no hope that she will realise an even modest amount of literary distinction. The whole scheme of the story, which is by no means a pleasant one, is characterised by grotesque improba- bility; lifelikeness of portraiture is altogether wanting, and the style is from first to last deplorably careless and slipshod. On work of this kind serious criticism is wasted.