6 MARCH 1880, Page 23

A Young Man's Fancy, with other Tales. By Mrs. Forrester.

3 vols. (Hurst and Blackett.)—The authoress quotes on her title-page

Tennyson's well-known line, "A young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love." Love, in one form or another, is the subject of her tales. But we cannot say that the well-worn theme is presented in any new or striking light ; in fact, the stories, where not simply common-place, are notable only for the extravagance of the plot. The history of the French Revolution is sufficiently prolific in scenes of horror to furnish an almost unlimited supply of romance for novelists ; but "Etienne's Vengeance" overpasses all bounds of probability ; and is more terrible than the Terror itself.