Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 93, December 31, 1887

edited by Sir Francis Burnand
Taking for granted the improbabilities of Mr. Author Jones's plot—which seems to use up again the materials of Aurora Floyd , and one or two other novels, including the Danvers Jewels —and a certain maladroitness of construction, Heart of Hearts is both interesting and amusing. All the characters are distinctly outlined excepting one, and this one, strange to say, is James Robins , the hero of the piece, a part apparently written rather to suit Mr. Thomas Thorne's peculiarities, than to exhibit any marked individuality of character.
James Robins , Lady Clarissa Fitzralf's butler,—who is of course the intimate friend of Mr. and Mrs. Merivale's butler at Toole's Theatre round the corner,—has secretly married his mistress's sister, and her niece is openly to marry his mistress's son. Now, how about the character of James Robins? Is he honest? Hardly so. Is he sly? Certainly. Is he crafty? It cannot be denied. Yet the sympathy of the audience is with him. Why? Well, chiefly because he is played by Mr. Thorne, and secondarily, because he is very fond of his brother's child, whom he has brought up because his brother, having got into trouble and been compelled to do his time, has delivered her into his care. This nice father returns, comes to see his child, and steals a ruby bracelet, this ruby being the heart of hearts. Whereupon one Miss Latimer , a malicious schemer, fixes the theft on Lucy Robins . What more natural, considering the name? The father, Old Robins , has stolen the jewel; the daughter, Lucy Robins , has been accused of doing so. Quite a robbin's family. Of course exculpation and explanation wind up the play, though I regret to say I was compelled to leave before hearing how Mr. Authur Jones deals with that old reprobate Cock Robins , the parent bird, who, in view of the future happiness of Mary and Ralph , would be about as presentable a father-in-law to have on the premises as that old unemployed reprobate, Eccles , in Caste . I am sorry he wasn't somehow disposed of, having of course previously confessed his guilt to the bilious detective, March , and expired under the assumed name of Mister Masters . By the way, Authur Jones is not happy in nomenclature.