Ethers Romance. 3 vols. By Matilda Homersham. (Charles Wood.) —The
criticisms which we have to make upon this novel are such as we have often made before, and may often have to.make again. We liked the first volume much better than the second, and the second better than the third. The characters of the women are better drawn than those of the men ; and in strict accordance with the theory which puts clergy- men in a middle place between women and men, the clergyman's character is not so good as the one, and better than the other. In the next place, Ethel himself interests us much more than does her romance. She has two lovers, and for a time the author contrives skilfully to balance our good wishes between the two ; but it is only for a time. We soon lose our interest in the more aristocratic of the rivals, and are cot sorry when he is disposed of. Some of the episodes are very absurd, that of the Romish priest who is a master of the art of self-defence (taught, it seems, at the Jesuits' colleges), and carries a dagger about with him, is particularly so. On the other hand, some of the quieter scenes are well drawn ; we would single out for praise that in which the heroine manages the awkward blundering lover who hasn't the wit to
see the true state of affairs. Miss Homersham would do well, we think, to discard her " romance." She might write a verypretty story af ter the man- ner of Miss Sewell or Miss Yonge. What she gives us here is readable enough.
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