Literary Gossip.

of yore even within measurable distance of those " arch-abominations , " the railway engine , and the factory chimney . The story has local colouring , and this , perhaps , imparts to it its chief charm . The author limns the glorious scenery of the West Riding with the refreshing enthusiasm and the powerful touch of a practised artist , and under the spell of her genius , or what is a little short of itone hears the ri pple of the rivuletthe turmoil of the torrentthe

, , , waving of the woods , the songs of the birds , scents the sweet odours of the flowers and the fresh grasses , and feels generally with her upon everything animate and inanimate , of which she lovingly treats . The character painting in this book is especially excellent , the dramatis persona standing out clear and distinct , full of life and individuality . Particularly is this the case with her women ; and we may say there are few more interesting characters in current

fiction than Maud and . Florence Langdale and Bertina Noel . Altogether , " The Mistress of Langdale Hall" must be read to be appreciated , and when read the mind will retain of it many pleasant memories . The publisher is Mr . James Weir , of 283 , Regent Street , London .

" Hillesden on the Moors , " another recently published work , by the author of "The Mistress of Langdale Hall , " and , like that delightful book , sub-titled " A Romance of the West Riding , " should occupy a place of honour in the libraries or on the drawing room tables of the inhabitants , not only of the particular Riding named , but of the entire three divisions of Yorkshire . Miss Kettle again blends the prosaic with the practical , the rude with the romantic , ancl with

singularly successful effect . The scenerarium varies from the manufacturing town of Hillesden—another name , we believe , for Halifax—to the Clongh , on the heather-pUrpled moorlands ; from the sanguinary scenes before Sedan to the highlands of the Bavarian Palatinate ; a thousand and one charming scenic vignettes , home and foreign , being artistically interpolated , seemingly as act drops . The incidents , though not exciting . in the conventional acceptance of the term , are the reverse of commonplace , and are amply sufficient to sustain the interest of the average novel

reader m the work , even should the more than ordinary scenic descriptions fail to charm him with their , in our eyes , power and beauty . Of the characters we cannot speak too highly . They are not , by any means , impossible ; their prototypes we may often unsconsciousl y meet with in provincial society on occasions . It seems to us that sweet Mary de la Hoste is the most interesting character in the book , though much care has been taken in the delineations of Amy Kirbwhowe confessnotwithstanding her pride

y , , , , has great claims on our regard ; while pretty Nina Davenport is very winning and altogether lovable . Sir John de la Hoste is an excellent figure ; and Mr . Kirby , pompous ancl obstinate though in the main he may be , has many good points . Rupert Kirby , too , is a fine manly , indeed , gentlemanly lad ; and Herr Harlen , is what we should imagine Charles Boner , the noble subject of a sympathetic andin every senseinteresting memoir by the same lished

, , accomp author , to have been . The novel is clever in style , pure in tone , graceful iu diction , and , to briefly sum up , one that may be read with equal interest by old and by young , in England or in the lands where our customs are as a sealed book .

" Autumn Leaves from the Leny Pass" ( London : James Weir , 283 , Regent Street ) is the title of still another work , just out , by Miss Kettle , most ' prolific , most polished of writers . In this booklet are described , in the author ' s own inimitable manner , many , of the scenes in the hi ghlands of Perthshire which Scott has made more or less famous , the pleasant pages being interspersed with pretty , sweet-smelling , poetical flowers b y the same versatile pen . " Autumn Leaves " should be in the possession of all who have visited , or intend to visit , the romantic district treated .