The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-21 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Three Wives. By the Author of " Margaret and
her Bridesmaids." 3 vols. Hurst and Blackett.

The popular authoress of " Margaret and her
Bridesmaids" and " The Valley of the Hundred
Fires" has been resting upon her laurels, as the
saying is. We do not call to mind any work of
hers during the last two or three seasons. She has,
however, made up for the delay by giving to us
now three very charming tales in one. The three
wives who give the title to this/work are not, as
that title led us to imigine, three ladies
who combine together in one story to exhibit to
the uninitiated the different arts and mysteries of
the important science of managing a husband. The
three ladies in question stand alone. The first vo-
lume is entitled " The Lady Elizabeth ;" the second
is " Eve," and the last is "Dew." The whole
range of pattern wives, from Griselda down to Mrs.
Caudle, never exhibited three more exemplary than
these. The first story relates the history of the
gentle and stately, but very shy and timid, Lady
Elizabeth Ellvrton, who has been strictly brought
up by a too careful grandmother, and
who being, to her own surprise, selected
by the best parti of the season, is the object of gene-
ral envy and admiration. Lady Elizabeth is too
reserved to find any pleasure in attracting public
attention, and is even too shy to venture on calling
her husband by his Christian name. In contrast
to this quiet beauty is the brilliant and ambitious
Lady Rose Alwyn, who, jealous of Elizabeth's suc-
cess in the matrimonial lottery, hides her disap-
pointment by accepting a less desirable offer,
and who, by lavish expenditure, admirable
skill,
and wonderful determination, succeeds
in eclipsing her greater rival, and becomes
at once the rage and fashion of London
society. The description of Lady Rose's lively
conversations, and her delightful entertainments at
her " Nutshell," as she *ith mock humility styles
her abode, are very amusing. The story is full of
interest, and will be read throughout with pleasure.
The evils which accompany a too extravagant in-
dulgence of the fast life of the votaries of fashion
are here very vividly set forth, both by precept and
example, as for instance—" London began its old
ways, resolute only in this—to be more fast, more
reckless, more mad than ever. Few had time to pause
and see that they were undergoing the same temp-
tation as Adam's. Fruit was offered to their sight,
which they knew it was ruin to touch, death to
taste—a worse death, the close of which angels
weep to see. All dashed recklessly at it, many
touched, few refused to taste, until but one motive
ruled the world, and that was to be the fashion."
The second story, " Eve," is not much to our taste.
The first chapters are sufficiently interesting, and
the early days of the heroine, who is lovingly en-
titled " Childie," are very tenderly described.
Indeed, Chadic is made so loveable and so
good that we cannot think it natural
that one endowed with such a character should
so cruelly disappoint the expectations of her friends,
and, like her first namesake, bring sorrow on thos3
who best love her. The authoress, however, seems
to admire the conduct of her heroine, who solely oe
account of some altercation about the disposal Of
property, suffers her friends and relations to
believe that she is drowned. The brother, whose
whole life has been devoted to her, and who on ac-
count of his
.greater age and protecting care
she has been accustomed to style " Father Jack,
is not only heart-broken but embittered and Ow
dered desperate, and his life is blighted by the rash
conduct of his " Childie." Others suffer cruelly freel
the deception, and Eve, in a disguised name, de-
votes herself to the care of an invalid and deformed
husband, and believes that she is fufilling her
duties. And even in this respect she is content
to suffer wrong to her own character and bi°P
for by many she is believed to be his mistress;
This story is, to our thinking, no way worthy of
e
being classed with the very charming histories 01,
"Lady Elizabeth," and of " Dew." The story.
_..1
" Dew" occupies the third volume, and it is 1:3
teresting throughout. Tue " situation" is incl%,
somewhat extraordinary, but all is well that ends w
to
and we shall not betray the secrets of this li
tale. We may very safely commend the " vireo
Wives" (two of them at least) to the best tateritioa
of the novel readers, as being quite wortiYa_ to
take their place by the side of " Margaret 71
0
her Bridesmaids," and " The Valley of
t
Hundred Fires."

FREE AND INDEPENDENT ELECTORS.--The OStrleS;
try Advertiser says :—" A contemporary states that io
tijf
parish of LittleWenlock there is not a single elector out °,l
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candidate for the borough, their reply being that their
°
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as yet.' "