Two or Three Weddings. A Tale. (Bennott.)—This is a simple
story of very modest size, which tolls us how two young women, one the
daughter of a poor country clergyman, the other the daughter of a broken-down London trader, sought to earn something for themselves ; how they were helped by an old lady, at once benevolent and wise, who had made a moderate fortune by keeping a shop ; how they fared in their efforts ; and what was the end of them. When we had read about fifty pages we thought more highly of the book than wo did when we came to the end, though we never lost our interest in it. Tho story of how Maria Holden set up her little shop and almost starved herself in her stern resolve to bo honest is told with admirable simplicity and pathos. The second heroine does not interest us so much. But we strongly recommend our readers to judge for themselves. There are some capital bits of character. Old Mrs. Hodgson, shrewd and kindly, yet a sensible woman, but not superior to gossip or incapable of being indiscreet and impulsive, is very well drawn. The dialogue is natural and lively ; and not unfrequently wo find a sentence which shows a faculty of keen observation and no small power of expression. How true is this of some women :—" So ingrained was this falsehood of nature, that they were capable of wearing a borrowed garment or ornament because it was more costly than their own, and feeling elevated in their own opinion during the time they had it on." If we may judge from the absence of any name or description of the author on the title-page, this is a first work. It gives groat promise ; we congratulate the writer, and hope to moat her soon again.
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