BELL'S PORTFOLIO.
Mn. H. G. BELL is a lively writer in prose, and possesses some fancy in verse. But a volume of tales of this kind is unprofitable employment to either reader or writer: it may certainly amuse an idle hour in both, though it is very possible that each could employ the same hour to better purpose. The style of these tales is light, almost light enough to be saucy; the incidents of some are amusing; and in "Mynheer von Wodenblock," and some others, there is humour. We have no space for extracts from this work, otherwise we might select some agreeable specimens of lively de- scription. It must suffice, that we say for a volume of brief tales, neither long enough to produce a strong impression on the mind by artful preparation, nor new or strange enough in invention to reach the reader at a stroke, that still they are very well—credit- able and promising, if Mr. BELL is a very young man.
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