literature for any writer to affix a proverb, a phrase or a quotation to
a novel, by way of tag or title. We wonder what he would say to the
title of 'Pen Oliver's' last book! Probably he would empty on it the
bitter vial of his scorn and satire. All But is certainly an intolerable
name to give to any literary production. The story, however, is quite an
interesting one. At Laxenford Hall live Lord and Lady Arthur Winstanley.
Lady Arthur has two children by her first marriage, the elder of whom,
Walter Hope-Kennedy by name, is heir to the broad acres. Walter is a
pleasant English boy, fonder of cricket than of culture, healthy, happy
and susceptible. He falls in love with Fanny Taylor, a pretty village
girl; is thrown out of his dog-cart one night through the machinations of
a jealous rival, breaks one of his ribs and gets a violent fever. His
stepfather tries to murder him by subcutaneous injections of morphia but
is detected by the local doctor, and Walter recovers. However, he does
not marry Fanny after all, and the story ends ineffectually. To say of a
dress that 'it was rather under than over adorned' is not very pleasing
English, and such a phrase as 'almost always, but by no means
invariably,' is quite detestable. Still we must not expect the master of
the scalpel to be the master of the stilus as well. All But is a very
charming tale, and the sketches of village life are quite admirable. We
recommend it to all who are tired of the productions of Mr. Hugh Conway's
dreadful disciples.

(1) 'Twixt Love and Duty: A Novel. By Tighe Hopkins. (Chatto and
Windus.)

(2) Jenny Jennet: A Tale Without a Murder. By A. Gallenga. (Chapman and
Hall.)

(3) A Life's Mistake: A Novel. By Mrs. H. Lovett Cameron. (Ward and