A Reigning Favourite. By Annie Thomas (Mrs. Ponder Cudlip). 3
vols. (Ward and Downey.)—" Society" and the theatrical pro- fession supply the subject-matter of Mrs. Pender Cadlip's new story. There is a professional beauty, who, finding her means fall short, and, being treated with a certain coldness by distinguished persons, takes to the stage, and has a suocessful career. This is the principal character. Such a character, of course, suggests a well-known
name. Though there is nothing particularly offensive, the supposed original will hardly be pleased. Nominally the post of heroine is filled by Iris Murray, successively lady-help to Mrs. Witherington (who is a caricature rather than a character), protegee of Miss Tremayne, who is a famous actress, an actress on her own account, wife, firstly, of a certain villainous Captain Danby, and, secondly, of an equally admirable Sir Eric Ogilvie. It is with her story, her love. affairs, and her dramatic career that the novel is chiefly concerned, but its raison el' etre is clearly the professional beauty turned actress.
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