THE Cl7P AND THE LIP..
WANT of subject is the conspicuous want in the novels of the day. Fictions are continually met -with that exhibit vivacity of style and variety of mind ; the writer has observed men and women, though the field may be too limited to be called life some degree of dramatic power is frequently exhibited with a skill or knack in dramatic situation ; there may even be cleverness in the • The Cup and the Lip; a Novel. By Laura Jewry, Author of "The Forest and the Fortress," "The Vassal," " The nansom," 8a. In three volumes. Published by Newby. coherence and structure of the story : what is wanted is subject. The absence of freshness may have something•to do with the sense of deficiency: the various aspects of modern life have been pre- sented too often to have -much variety left ; whereas had the " veluti in speculum" been presented for the first time, the very novelty would lave interested. Subject, however, is the essential want : and the proof of this is that when writers of less than the average in power or accomplishment happen to get hold of a story with a new scene • or a distinct purpose, they produce a novel of greater interest than novels that are better written. The Vup and the Lip only requires a larger and perhaps a fresher subject to be a very superior fiction. The writer has an easy agreeable style ; she has a shrewd perception of female nature, and considerable power of reflection, though with rather a feminine limitation in point of range. hut the elements of the book are of an everyday kind in fiction, and their junction into a story wants unity and breadth. The connexion is not critical, but one of family and acquaintanceship-; the events are either common or accidents not well adapted to fiction. There is a murder to ;tart with, in order to leave two daughters orphans ; there is Aunt Katie, a charming middle-aged woman married to a man younger than herself and deserted for an artfully faseinating.demirep ; there are narrow family circumstances, and various other elements of a common kind ; but the principal feature of the story is the attach- ment of Dolores Nevil, the heroine, to Walter Livingstone, and the breaking of the engagement, when, through an ill-conditioned cousin and rival, it is learned that there is insanity in the family and that Walter himself has been afflicted. Whether so rare and medical a matter is a fit incident on which to ground a fiction, may
be doubted ; it fails of effect in the present case. - Notwithstanding the great want alluded to, the novel is pleasant reading, full of true if rather faint delineation, with nice and fine remark ; such as this little picture of ladies' minds—though Dolores
is a heroine.
"'A very disagreeable girl,' thought Miss Latham, as she retraced her steps homewards; 'so self-confident, cold, and conceited ! She wants to be thought original, evidently. Well, no matter ; she will sing with me to- night,—that is all I wanted.' " A very artful person, I am certain,' thought Dolores, as she resumed her book ; she wishes to rival aunt Katie's singing, and, if possible, to silence her. I will sing second tonight, ay, and mar the harmony if I can.'"
The Miss Latham introduced in this extract tarns out to be the demirep of the tale. She has before extorted money from Walter Livingstone on the plea of a breach of promise ; when she marries the speculative Mr. Smith, she intrigues with aunt Katie's husband, to procure money to support her extravagance ; and finally elopes with another person, after the financial catastrophe, announced as follows.
"It was just at this period, that one morning, as Mrs. Smith was smooth- ing for the last time the rich glossy bands of her dark hair, her husband entered her dressing-room and abruptly dismissed her maid.
" 'Ann,' he said, the moment they were alone, 'I have terrible news for you. We are ruined!'
"She turned and looked at him wonderingly but calmly.
" 'How?' was her quiet question. "'The mines have proved all moonshine—not worth working—the sharea are of no value. Moreover, the speculation in which I had united with B— and Co. has failed. I have not a thousand pounds in the world!' "And he looked at his wife in blank and helpless despair. She was a little paler than usual, but her self-possession had not forsaken her. " Well,' she replied, after an instant's silence, we have staked and lost. Do not look so crest-fallen, keep your own secret, and we may recover this loss.'
" Recover it, impossible ! How coolly you talk, Ann. One would think you spoke only of losing a rubber of whist.'
" I cannot quite realize our losses yet,' she said, glancing round on her luxurious apartment ; 'but I know well there is no worse policy than tolell the world you are poor. Keep that secret for the ear of your devoted Wife
alone, I beseech you.'
" 'Right enough that, to be sure. And, after all, the B— speculation may look up, and my — railway shares tell; but what are we to do for money in the mean time ? How am I to answer the pressing demands re- cently made on me Your Paris milliner's bill alone—' " Never heed it—that is my affair. For the rest we live at very little expense here,—compared with life in London or Paris, I mean,—and Kerr will lend us any money we may require.' " You forget that he is a great loser also ; that his father, a sensible In= of business, never approved of the mining speculation, nay, has been kept in positive ignorance of his son's having joined in it ; and would not supply his demands should he suspect the truth., " • l'ush ! he never yet refused the favourite son a single request ; and it is late in the day to begin severity now. I will go and tell Kerr of his losses ; I can -better console him under them than you could. Keep this secret in your heart, and a smile on your face, and all may go well—for me at least,' she added, in a whisper, as she glided down the broad marble stairs and joined Richard Kerr beneath the orange-trees. -"Their interview was of some length; and it ended in Ann Smith's seeking her husband with promises of every pecuniary assistance he might require."
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