deliberately weighed her work and found it wanting."

In 1852 this edition was stereotyped, and the veil of secrecy dropped. Miss Ferrier's works appeared in her own name, and, in return perhaps for this concession, the illustrations (to which she had always most justifiably objected) were left

out.

After this, for some years, no edition appeared worth mentioning. The added vein of piety appealed to a certain special public, and we find Inheritance published with the sub-title of "True Love Wins," and Marriage with that of "She might have been a Duchess"; the heroine in both cases appearing in the illustrations as wearing a chignon, a turban hat, and a crinoline.

In 1882 Mr. Bentley, after an interval of thirty years, again brought out a complete edition, known as The Edinburgh Edition, each novel, this time, being complete in two volumes.

In the preface we read

"Miss Ferrier's novels have since their first appearance suffered curtailment in all subsequent editions. The present edition is the first reprint from the original editions, and contains the whole of the omissions in other reprints. It is therefore the only perfect edition of these novels."

Mr. Bentley is, however, to be congratulated even more on his omissions from the edition published by his own firm in 1841-52 than on the restora

tion of omitted passages from subsequent and inferior editions by irresponsible publishers. The Edinburgh Edition is—I venture to think, most judiciously-printed from the earliest editions of 1818-31, and not from the Bentley editions of 1841-52 with all their unfortunate didactic interpolations.

Since 1881 the novels have not been republished except in the Dent Edition of 1894, which was not only-unfortunately-taken from the stereotyped version, with all its sins against Art and Humour, but is still further handicapped by a most unsympathetic memoir and introduction.

The present edition has been most carefully compared with those of 1818-31, and no pains have been spared to make it—with the omission of obvious misprints an exact verbal reproduction of what one cannot but feel was Miss Ferrier's work at her best.

A. GOODRICH-FREER.

MARRIAGE

CHAPTER I

LOVE!" A word by superstition thought a God; by use turned to an humour; by self-will made a flattering madness."-Alexander and Campaspe.

COME A

66

OME hither, child," said the old Earl of Courtland to his daughter, as, in obedience to his summons, she entered his study; come hither, I say; I wish to have some serious conversation with you: so dismiss your dogs, shut the door, and sit down here."

Lady Juliana rang for the footman to take Venus bade Pluto be quiet, like a darling, under the sofa; and, taking Cupid in her arms, assured his Lordship he need fear no disturbance from the sweet creatures, and that she would be all attention to his commands-kissing her cherished pug as she spoke.

"You are now, I think, seventeen, Juliana,' said his Lordship, in a solemn important tone. “ And a half, papa."

"It is therefore time you should be thinking of establishing yourself in the world. Have you ever turned your thoughts that way?"

VOL. I.-I

Lady Juliana cast down her beautiful eyes, and was silent.

"As I can give you no fortune,"

"continued the Earl, swelling with ill-suppressed importance, as he proceeded, "you have perhaps no great pretensions to a very brilliant establishment."

"Oh! none in the world, papa," eagerly interrupted Lady Juliana ; a mere competence with the man of my heart."

"The man of a fiddlestick!" exclaimed Lord Courtland in a fury; "what the devil have you to do with a heart, I should like to know! There's no talking to a young woman now about marriage, but she is all in a blaze about hearts, and darts, and-and- But hark ye, child, I'll suffer no daughter of mine to play the fool with her heart, indeed! She shall marry for the purpose for which matrimony was ordained amongst people of birththat is, for the aggrandisement of her family, the extending of their political influence-for becoming, in short, the depositary of their mutual interest. These are the only purposes for which persons of rank ever think of marriage. And pray what has your heart to say to that?"

"Nothing, papa," replied Lady Juliana, in a faint dejected tone of voice. "Have done, Cupid! addressing her favourite, who was amusing himself in pulling and tearing the beautiful lace veil that partly shaded the head of his fair mistress.

ant tone-

"I thought not," resumed the Earl, in a triumph"I thought not, indeed." And as this victory over his daughter put him in unusual good humour, he condescended to sport a little with her curiosity.

"And pray, can this wonderful wise heart of

yours inform you who it is you are going to obtain

for a husband?"

Had Lady Juliana dared to utter the wishes of that heart, she would have been at no loss for a reply; but she saw the necessity of dissimulation; and after naming such of her admirers as were most indifferent to her, she declared herself quite at a loss, and begged her father to put an end to her suspense. "Now, what would you think of the Duke of L-?" asked the Earl, in a voice of halfsmothered exultation and delight.

"The Duke of L-!" repeated Lady Juliana, with a scream of horror and surprise; "surely, papa, you cannot be serious: why, he's red-haired, and squints, and he's as old as you.'

"If he were as old as the devil, and as ugly too," interrupted the enraged Earl, "he should be your husband ; and may I perish if you shall have any other!"

The youthful beauty burst into tears, while her father traversed the apartment with an inflamed and wrathful visage.

"If it had been anybody but that odious Duke". sobbed the lovely Juliana.

"If it had been anybody but that odious Duke!" repeated the Earl, mimicking her, "they should not have had you. It has been my sole study, ever since I saw your brother settled, to bring about this alliance; and, when this is accomplished, my utmost ambition will be satisfied. So no more whining-the affair is settled; and all that remains for you to do, is to study to make yourself agreeable to his Grace, and to sign the settlements. No such mighty sacrifice, methinks, when repaid with a ducal coronet, the most splendid