The Press.
London, England, 1856-10-18 00:00:00

Jingle, who are nevertheless likely to endure
as long as our language.
The incidents of " Kate Coventry " are
comic without being farcical, and piquant
without being incredible. It is not always
because a circumstance is what critics call
unnatural, that it is an improper element of
fiction : there ought to be just sufficient
improbability to make us wonder whether the
thing can be so or not. But Major Melville
never exceeds this line, and all within it is
perfectly fair game, even if it does not consti-
tute one of the highest charms of fictitious
narrative. The legitimate aim of a certaiu
class of fiction is to kindle and sustain wonder;
but when incidents become unduly extrava-
gant, they fail in their object, and excite con-
tempt instead. The excellence of the present
author consists in the dexterity with which he
treads this narrow boundary line, separating
the uncommon from the incredible.
Among his mistakes in character the follow-
ing passage struck us very strongly. The
scene is Hampton races:—

There was a handsome girl, with beautiful teeth and
neatly-braided hair, and such a brilliant smile, attracting
a crowd round her, as she sang piquant songs in a sweet
deep•toned voice that ought to have made her fortune on
the stage, if it had been properly cultivated •—sang them,
too, with a look and manner that I have seen seldom
rivalled by the cleverest actresses; and I thought what a
face and form were wasted here to make profit for one
knave, and sport for some fifty fools. As she accom-
panied herself on the harp, and touched its strings with a
grace and expression which made amends for a certain
want of tuition, I could not help fancying her in a
drawing-room, surrounded by admirers, making many a
heart ache with her arch smile and winning ways. With-
out being positively beautiful, she had the knack so few
women possess, of looking charming in every attitude,
and with every expression of countenance; and although
her songs were of a somewhat florid school, yet I could
not help thinking that, with those natural gifts, and a
plaintive old ballad, English or Scotch, such as " Annie
Laurie," or " The Nut-brown Maid," to bring them out,
in a pretty drawing-room, with the assistance of a good
dressmaker —dear ! she might marry a duke, if she
liked.

And yet all this belonged to a dark, close-shaved ruffian,
with silver rings and a yellow handkerchief, who scowled
and prowled about her, and looked as if he was likely
enough to beat her when they got home. But she hands
up an ivory bowl for contributions amongst the young
dandies on the roof of a neighbouring coach, who have been
listening open-mouthed to the Siren, and shillings and
half-crowns, and a bit of gold from the one last out of the
Bench, pour into it : and she moves off, to make way for
three French glee-maidens, with a monkey and a
tambourine, and the swells return to their cigars and
their betting, and we are all attention for the next event
on the card, because it is a gentleman-riders' race ; and
the performances will consequently be as different as
possible from what we have just seen.
These sort of reflections are not likely to pass
through the mind of a young lady—especially
the remark in italics, which might perhaps
escape the lips of an actress or coryphee, hut
is certainly beyond the range of young-lady
sagacity.
_ - - -

The following incident, considering the
characters involved, does not strike one as
untruthful, though it may be said experience
is against its truth. It is just after a Green-
wich dinner:—

" How quick the time passes," said Frank, with
almost a sigh. " Can't we do anything to put off
horrid London, and home, and bed—let's all go to
Vauxhall."

" What do you say, Mr. Jones?" inquired Lady
Scapegrace, who was always ready for a lark—" yuu're
our chaperon, you know; do you think you can be re•
sponsible ? "
Oh yes, John," I exclaimed. " You promised to take
me once before the end of the season; we shall never have
such another chance."

" This is a capital night to go," remarked Frank,
" because there is a new riding•woman, and you can take a
lesson, Miss Coventry, in case you should wish to perform
in public." Cousin John could not possibly hold out
against all three ; and although I think in his heart he
did not entirely approve, the carriage was ordered, the bill
paid, and we were rolling along through the cool summer
night en route for Vauxhall.
My dear," said Lady Scapegrace to me, as we sidled
through the entrance of that place of amusement, and the
gentlemen remained behind to pay, "you arc doing any.
thing but what I told you ; scarcely three words have you
spoken to your cousin, who, by the way, is very pleasant—l
Wink I shill take him up, and improve him on my own
account ; but as for you, my dear, I can see plainly it's all
over with you!"
. •

" And you really leave town to•mormw ? " said Frank, as
WO walked arm-in•arm up one of those shaded alleys winch
lea Ito the " Hermit," or the " Gipsy," or some other ex•
cuse for a tete-d-tite not too much under the lamps. By
the way, why is it that a party never can keep together at
Veuxh•ill? Lady Seapeg,raec and I had particularly stipu-
lated that we were not to separate under any circum-
stances. " Whatever happens, do let us keep together,"
we mutually implored at least ten times during the first