The War-n(1 . 91m : a Romance of the Arctic Ocean. By
Frank Usher. 3 vols. (Tinsley Brothers.)—This is a taking title, but it might just as well have been "A Romance of Ceylon" or "A Romance of London." The two sons of Captain Warnagh find themselves in possession of a few hundred pounds each on the loss of their father, who perishes in an Arctic expedition. The author indeed appears to start with the idea of bringing the father to life again. Of course he may have been only putting his readers on a false scent, bat it looks as if the missing man were going to be found by his adventurous EIOII in some remote settlement of Esquiu3aux. But Mr. Usher thinks better of it. The "much-loved sire's return" would "shake with confusion worse than death the pillars of domestic peace." So, when the adventur- ous son goes up to the Arctic regions, he and his company kill plenty of walruses and bears, and secure a goodly quantity of " fangst," which seems to be the right word in Arctic regions for lucrative booty. And he finds, not indeed his father, but his father's box, with the title-deeds of a Ceylon property, a proceeding which is more convenient, though not so filial. For meanwhile the other son has been shooting the local animals in Ceylon, and has been very nearly cheated out of his here- ditary property by his host. Ceylon, indeed, occupies fully as much space as the Arctic circle in the narrative, and the discovery of the box excepted, has more to do with the recovery of the family fortunes. Meanwhile, another tale has been working itself out in England, where a mean and disagreeable cousin is converted by a wonderful change into one of the jolliest and most open-hearted of men, and an aunt is taught by the bitter experience of a servant's treachery that she cannot do better than leave her money to her nephews. Mr. Usher has not used to the best purpose the good material of this story. The parts are ill-joined together, but the whole is decidedly readable, and some of the episodes are as lively as could be desired. Still a gentleman who points to more than one previous tale in his title-page ought to be capable of something more artistic.
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