We Costellions. By J. Sale Lloyd. 3 vols. (Tinsley Brothers.)—
There is, at least, no lack of incident in this novel. Marriages, for instance, are in plenty. The heroine's father is married three times, the heroine is married, and so is her sister, so are the parson of the parish and the family doctor. The parson's marriage brings to light one of the most remarkable instances of woman's devotion that we have ever heard of. "Aunt Phyllis" is engaged to a lover whom the caprice of an obstinate father forbids to marry her. After long absence, he returns, the obstacle is removed, and all would be well, but that be unluckily catches sight of the heroine's beautiful sister, and enunot help contrasting her fresh and brilliant beauty with the somewhat faded looks of the woman to whom he is bound. "Aunt Phyllis" gives up her claim promptly. This is common enough, in novels. The novelty is to come. The two are married; and the wife, hunting about among her husband's belongings, finds some letters of the old time (which surely ought to have been returned or destroyed), and becomes furiously jealous of her aunt, And then, to reassure her, the aunt marries the parson, who has conveniently made an offer. The arrangement is made more symmetrical by the f act that ho had previously been in love with the niece. Then there are the familiar vicissitudes of wealth and poverty. Every member of the family puts every farthing he or she possesses into a bank that breaks, apparently keeping it as a balance on deposit account, as wo hear nothing of cells, and such like troubles of ruined ehareholders. The wheel turns round in a way scarcely less remarkable, and we have, the "Costellions " in their ancestral mansion. It is only fair to say that the novel, for all its faults of oonstruotion—faults which Miss Lloyd has had sufficient experience to avoid--is quite readable. The heroine, who tells her own story, is not the most attractive personage in it, but some of the characters are drawn with creditable skill, and the movement of the whole is brisk and lively.
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