THE HERONS: BY HELEN BHIPTON.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9300, 30 December 1895, Page 2

THE HERONS: BY HELEN BHIPTON.

— l» While the new woman is proving that he ontact with the world has turned her into sort of literary fallen angel, whose whit dbes are not only, in Cayley Drummle , hrase, " soiled at the hem," but also neve: 3nt to the laundress, it is refreshing t< bserve that there is a band of pure-mindec nd noble-hearted women who devote them 2lves to recording the English life o 3-day as they know it by first hanc bservation. Tliis sort of thing is wort] ny amount of stuff like the Heavenh 'wins, full of inaccurate observe ion, bad morals and bad taste. Emil; awless, S. R. Lysaght, Lucas Malet largaret L. Woods, and others that migh c named, do good in their day and genera ion ; placed so as to see plenty of life thej ;cord what they do see and not what thej nagine, and by hard work and the cultiva on of their natural gifts they make interest ig novels out of it. And while one set o Titers is busy telling young people thai )ciety is rotten and the average man a black nard, it is a good thing that another iould arise to " give the world assurance of t ian"—and of a woman. Yoji see fin. lift 'hat you bring the power to see? .and £f|jj§g idies named find it in sweetness, nobinty iodesty, delicate consideration for others aurage, unselfishness, and many othei elights, shall we not conclude that their owi linda are sane and human and that contaoi

with them through their books will do a youthful reader good, and serve perhaps as an antidote to some of the poison instilled by baser writors ? Let those who are making choice of gift-books at this festive season bear this point in mind, for in the choice they make they may be building better or worse than they know. The Herons is eminently a sane and human book. It tells the story of a family, the Herons of Heme's Edge in the Northern counties. The parents are estranged, and live apart. Edmund, the elder son, is exiled from his father's house. Cosmo, the younger, misinformed as to his brother's sin, espouses his cause, for he loves him. Hia father wants to make Cosmo heir, and schemes to get Edmund to cut off the entail, but Cosmo revolts against his Jacob-like position, and joins his brother m as a protest against their father's injustice. Believing Edmund's offence to have been his marriage with a tradesman's daughter, ami finding his young sister-iu-law a sweet and loveable girl he promptly placos himself, as he fancies, in the same boat with Edmund, by marrying her, though whether he is ever possessed bj , a granite passion for her the reader may take leave to doubt. Ho informs the father of this master stroke, is surprised to find himself bidden to take his bride to Heme's Edge, does so, and is further surprised by receiving the heir's welcome, which he had not expected after his act o! defiance. It becomes evident to the readei that Edmund's offence must have been a deeper one than his marriage, but Cosmo fails to see it, and his father rigidly refuses o enlighten him. The young bride turns against Edmund, but hor husband is still loyal to his brother, and goes back to live with him, stupidty leaving her with his mother. How tho general embroglio is cleared up readers will want tc find out for themselves, but cleared up it is, with the aid of. some thrilling adventures, In tho brief outline we have givon no mention is made of some interesting subordinate characters ; all are well drawn and the conversations are natural. The interest is well sustained all through, and a most original use is made of thought transference. In fact, the book is a workmanlike one, andtht only fault we have to find i 3 that Gcoffroj Pierces renunciation is unnecessary and untrue to nature. The Herons is published in Macmillat/ Colonial Library and can be •obtained he Messrs Simpson and Williams, Chri church.