25 MAY 1889, Page 43

A Modern Martyr. By Sophie Kaffey. (Chapman and Hall.) —The

moral of this novel is a new version of the ancient proverb anent hasty marriage. The wife does not love her husband, but too late repents,—that is, falls in love with him. The gradual pro- gress of this change is well told, in spite of occasional flights of eloquence which have not quite the true ring about them. The unfortunate husband (or " the modern martyr ") is a really good character, and certainly much more natural than his wife. The interest is well kept up, and increases rather than decreases towards the close of the story.