COUNTY CHRONICLE

Further in the apparently unending Barsetshire genealogy, this carries on with the marriage of Lucy and Sam Adams, Jessica and her twin daughters, Oliver's determinedly undying devotion to her, a domestic crise at Stories and Mrs. Brandon's happy escape from it, and the interrelation of Close and Country. By this time, to start with a recent volume in the series, a new reader, although properly introduced to each character, would no doubt suffer some confusion for the engagements, marriages and births provide some baffling (even to the characters themselves) by-paths in the Barsetshire social register. The usual circubient gatherings -- for tea, sherry and special functions -- the irrational snipe-flights in conversations -- the many turns of the county roundabout -- a lovely incident of a baptizing -- and, as lately, the trials and tribulations that ""They"" impose on the backward-looking older generation, which here, are more recurrent than usual from powder puffs on up. There are still the happy asides, the old-aunt comments on modern times and behavior, the concern with the writing group, the devotion to old houses and their charm, and the pleasure in romance -- of all ages. The audience for this has been established for many years.