A Latter-Day Novel. By Lieutenant-Colonel C. E. Mansfield. 2 vols.
(Chapman and Hall.)—Tho hero of this story is Count Krapski, a young Anglo-Pole. His early days are spent in England. He is taken thence by his grandfather, a Polish patriot of the strongest type, who, dying not long afterwards, loaves to him nothing but an inheritance of hatred against the Russian oppressor, and a noble name. To earn his livelihood, he becomes an apprentice ; to satisfy the traditions of his race, he joins the rebellion. Happily, he escapes all evil consequences from this act, and in due time recovers the confiscated estates of his family. Meanwhile, a plot of another kind is being woven in Eng- land. The Count's English aunt leaves a large fortune to him, con- ditionally on his marrying a young lady in whom she was strongly interested. Nothing seems to hinder the project, there appears to be no adverse influence, when the strangest mistake occurs. The young suitor goes to reconnoitre—he has been told of the condition in his aunt's will—mistakes one young lady for another, and looks upon him- self as the most unfortunate of men, when he has really, did he but know it, bestowed his affections in the happiest way. There is a good deal that is amusing in this part of the story, though, on the whole, we prefer the Polish scenes, as the blunder is carried too far. This is a well written and readable work, showing manifestly that the author knows the life that he is writing about.
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