⁂ Muriel Hine's previous novel "Half in Earnest" achieved a considerable success, "Earth" seems likely to achieve a greater. The story deals with the awakening of a pure young girl to the realities of life and what they mean. With a proper understanding of human nature comes sympathy: to know all is to pardon all. "Earth" is a society novel with a society atmosphere that is convincing.
BY ADELAIDE HOLT.
OUTSIDE THE ARK. Crown 8vo. 6/-
⁂ This is an attractively told story with many outstanding features. Hugh Inskip, a prominent man of letters, marries a young wife, whom he does not understand, because she is continually posing and never her natural self. She is also jealous of the beautiful but incapacitated actress, Margaret Stair, for whom Inskip is writing a play, and makes use of an ingenious and shady trick to spy upon her husband's motives. But Iris, the young wife, is not entirely a malignant figure, for her frail beauty and helplessness make a tender appeal for sympathy. The scene of the novel changes at times from the hub of London life to the peaceful quiet of a country vicarage, whither the father of Iris—a charming scholar—lets fall honeyed words of wisdom and advice or gently chides his over-zealous curate. The author has a strong sense of humour, as well as a great power of dramatic presentment.
THE VALLEY OF REGRET. Crown 8vo. 6/-
⁂ etty Feverell's childhood is full of pathos. For the best reason in the world she is unable to capture the sympathy of her supposed father, and runs away to make an imprudent marriage with a very charming but rather weak young man who is addicted to "drink." Fastidious to a degree, this failing does not seem to spoil the gentleness and refinement of his disposition, until, enraged by an insult to his wife, he kills a man in a fit of alcoholic frenzy. With her husband sentenced to penal servitude for seven years, the problem of Betty's life is full of difficulty. After five years a second man, John Earle, wins her love, knowing little or nothing of the obstacles in the way of its fulfilment. Finally, news arrives that the convict will return in a few weeks, and the story ends suddenly and unexpectedly. This is a delightful novel. It has incident and freshness; and the directness of the style gives the book a remarkably artistic impression of life.
BY MRS. JOHN LANE.
KITWYK. Crown 8vo. 6/-
A Story with numerous illustrations by Howard Pyle, Albert Sterner and George Wharton Edwards.