On this page
-
Text (5)
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
^ ppp ^ p ^ ^ >¦ ;¦¦/• ; /** > . :. / ; ' " . . : ¦ ¦ ' ;¦ . . ¦ ; : .. ' :- " - : : } - 1278 ^___ THE LEADER . [ No . 504 . Nov . 19 , 1859
Untitled Article
dramatic action , in a spirited and forcible manner . Scene after scene rise 3 in interest , and ovir sympathies are strongly excited for the heroes engaged in their country ' s conflicts . Bruce an ! Wallace stand before us in stalwart proportions , like Titans of the past ; and the blank verse they speak is like the utterance of demi-gods . Let not the reader , however , suppose that we inean to imply that , like Nat Lee ' s angry gods , our dramatist ' s heroes " talk big . They do seldom have read
nothing of the sort , and we blank verse with a more natural flow and an easier diction . In the structure of the drama " Wallace * the romantic model is adopted , not the classic ; and the unities are altogether disregarded . It is the drama of a life—of an historical life , too , and has about it all the pomp and circumstance of truth , as well as of glorious war . It well deserves a patient and studious perusal . The last act especially is very fine . .
„ .., „ . The story of " James the First of Scotland is less stirring than that of Wallace ; and the author was evidently in a more meditative mood when he composed his tragedy . It opens leisurely and conversationally , dealing with the rhymes of Thomas of Erceldoune , and his prophecies respecting the house of Athole . The king , too , enters into debate with Sir Bobert Graeme , upon tlie questions of taxation and the art of government , justifying his attempt to > introduce into Scotland the milder humanitieof
manners , customs , and s more polrshed states . As vre proceed , we find that the author depends more on his dialogue than on situation ; and we are bound to confess that poetic beauties of no comnion order abounds He riots in descri p tion , and revels in weird sentiment , or moral declamation . This , as it so strongly c ontrasts with his preceding -work , shows great versatility ^ of talent , or , perhaps , comprehensiveness of mind . These works are anonymous , but the author cannot long remain unknown .
Untitled Article
> OW OR NEVER . A novel , by . Miss Rutham-Kdwards , author of " The-White House by tho Sea . "—Kdinburgh : Edminston ami Doug-las . . : " Ifow or Never" is a good novel , and deserves to become popular , though we are . afraid that the three different threads of the story that encumber the first part of the volume will bore the reader a little . But as a whole , it is a ¦ clever fiction , and a little better arrangement of tlie stnry would have made it the best novel of the piv-sent season . The Scene of the story is . first laid in Poland , where the reader is introduced to the Count Max Ivorvinski , a
rich -wayward creature of impulse , and a despiser of womankind ; and Tom Winter , an honest , stouthearted Englishman , his secretary , who are talking of visiting England . The Count makes up his mind , to-day , he will go to-morrow , but when the morrow comes it is put off again , until Tom , who has a pretty cousin in England called Bertha Greene , whom he hopes to win , gives tha Count notice that he is going , whether ' he is or not . So they start ; and the next scene is laid at Paris . Here we-find the Count and Tom at the house of a Mrs . Hardinffe , where they meet Agatha Sherlock , "
regularly pretty , " but with charms enough to draw far more homage than beauty , however perfect . The scene then changes to Wixlcy Hall , Norfolk , the home of Tom ' s relations ; here they live in comfort for some time , while the writer changes the scene to London , to the house of a Mr . Honeychurch , an eccentric old antiquarian ,, with whom resides the third heroine , Annette Hawthorneby far the best female character in the work . Hy these frequent changes of scene , and the trying to thnn t will
crowd more portraits into her canvas » hold , Miss Edwards has marred the interest of the earlier part of her story . But towards the end , when each character falls into his or her proper situation , the narrative-is deeply interesting , and will more thnn repay the render for the slowing of the action at tlie beginning . Yet we regret :, for the writers sake , these branches from the main . story , each o which contains plonty of good materials lor a novoJ as long as the one . before us ; but tlie three heroines , marked as is the difference in their characters , rather puzzlo the reader , and will n >» Ko him feel inclined to exclaim with Captain
Alncheath : — While yov > thrt'ti t . on / . o mo tofjutlu-r , To noiMit-ra word will 1 wvy . " But lot us return to tho prineipul M-ovy . The Count and Tom have not boon long ulAVixUry Hall when the Cpunt suddenly alters Win opinion of women , and resolves to ask JRertha to become liia wife , i " tho meantime she has given a little oncourngomont to Tom , who has refrained from asking for her imnu libeauso of waiting an opportunity . It so happens , however , that they both speak to her about tho sumo
tiino , but with very dillbrontlbolingn—Toinjjoonusd ho loves his cousin , and has done ho iVoin aolnia : tuo Count , out of a pique with Tom , who Iuih excciiou him in some sport they liavo had together , ui course , tho Count is aware of Tom ' s love foi Bortho—indeed , ho walks into thu room just in time to hoar Tom tolling her of her loven . isortno rushes from tho scoria , but soon after tho Count finds an opportunity to dooluro hi « «> vo . «« riches and presents , and tho prospect of becoming a roftl Countess , gain the d . iy , and JJurtlm do-
Untitled Article
The life depicted in its pages is such as is led by a majority of the young men who have been born with a silver spoon in their mouths , and , for want of healthy employment , lead a life of plotting and scheming for their own ends . The fashionable novel teems with the doings of mothers when they arc about to " bring ' out " , their daughters for the season , and . though these writters are people who move in good society " themselves , and their works generally written with the intention of
UNHBRaURRBWTS t a Novel of Our Day . By Vane * wtW'Bt . jQlra , a vola .-rWUUftm Tlnaloy . Un » ERcu » mENT 3 " is a novel of the real school .
favouring such a life , the thoughtful reader may detect in them the best satire that could be written on such a life . Yet the people that are delineated in these novels as talking such radical nonsense as should open their eyes to the hollowheqi of their lives , are the very people who read them . It has always struck us as very extraordinary that they should support a class of fiction wherein they have been ¦ shown very clearly that their lives and actions—according to their own
showing—are made up of scheming for marriages for their children , because of the connexion it will bring their families—small talk , on literature and politics , and scandalising their neighbours , with an utter ' disregard for everything that is pure and good * in human nature . There is another class of people whose actions are not the purest because they are born with riches , and any work , short of one of the " three professions , " is and
considered degrading . Therefore they scheme plot for pleasiire , which is no worse . morally than mammas who practise all manner of stratagems to get their daughters " off their hands . " Mr . St . John ' s work depicts London life , in . which these "boys of fashion" play a considerable part ; It would seem that lie has given much attention . to the subject , and though his work lias many shortcomings ^ it may be described as a clever photograph of real life .
The story may be said to have two heroes and one heroine . Howard Seymour is , in the commencement of the tale , the husband elect of Lucy Vernon , but , in consequence of a slight quarrel , he fancies himself neglected apd misunderstood , forms a hasty and unreal attachment to Miss Montague , a wealthy heiress , who resides , under the guardianship of her uncle ^ in the neighbourhood . He does not endeavour in the slighest degree to conceal his altered feelings , and allows both Lucy and her father to draw their own
conclusions as to his conduct without any explanation . Miss Montague , however , surprises them in a half-reconciliation ; and the result of two months' probation is that she rejects him , and the antiquary refuses to allow his daughter to speak or communicate with him any longer . Finding it impossible to win over the determined old man , Howard departs to P . aris . When he returns to England , he finds the antiquary is d ^ ad , and Lucy , who is thus left penniless , come to London to gain her livelihood , which , by the way , she obtains by writing .
Meanwhile the " villain" of the piece , Henry Temple , has been at work . He has intercepted letters between the lovers which , if received , would have explained everything ; and has endeavoured , but without success , to supplant Howard in the affections of Luoy . While Seymour is living ot St . John ' s Wood with a refugee family —Perseus le Grande , his daughter and her aunt—Temple , whose father Is in fraudulent possession of
property belonging to Seymour , —although tho latter is unaware of it , —endeavours by fair moans and foul to get possession of Miss Vornon . Henry silently acquiesces in the murder of his father in order to become the owner of Temple Park 5 but has scarcely accomplished , this act of villany , when ho is forced into a lawsuit with the ri ghtful heir who has discovered the truth . Tho suit resulting unfavourably to him , an accomplice in tho murder gives evidence against him , and Justus he is about leaving England h , c is arrested
and brought up to his native town for trial . Tho trial—which is very well dosoribod—ends by Temple being found guilty 5 but tho homicide eventually , escapes in conjunction with a most amusing and humourous thief whoso sobriquet is " Tom tho Philosopher . " An attempt , by Temple ' s directions , is made on the life of Ho-ward Seymour , on tho night before his marriage with Luoy , whom he hns now discovered 5 but Tom , who is tho emplQut , declines at tho last moment to risk his nook for . oash . Honry Temple moots his tomptor on tho Pier at Brighton ; tho senses of the former have given way and hq hurls his antagonist into
the water , at the same time . overbalancing himself and falling into the sea with his victim . The hero and heroine are married and the other characters arc properly disposed of . . Air . St . John gives us many pictures ' t » f London life and sketches of character ' winch we must all recognise as drawn from ] ife . The character of Hermanee-. le Grande is perhaps the most effectively drawn- in the bookthe kind of dreamy melancholy cast over the description of her life is well managed .
In the outline we have given of the book ,, we have only touched on the main points in the story ; we have not mentioned the Irish Captain—rthe abduction scene—the murder—and various other episodes which give colouring to the whole ; but -we have said enough . to show that the work is of merit , worthy of the attention of all , but more especially of those to whom it id addressed . Mr . St . John ' s aim and purpose are clear from the commencement . The action of-the story is quick the dialogue very far above the generality of novels , and the whole subject treated in a sensible manner by the talented young author .
Untitled Article
MISREPRESENTATION . A novel . By Anna H . Drury . author of " Friends ana Fortune . " S vols . —John W . Parker . Though our list of new novels is hardly so long as usual , those we have are of a much better kind than any that have come under our notice for a long time pasfc" Misrepresentation " furnishes Miss Drury with a fertile theme on the evils that arise from misrepresenting people ' s actions . It is astonishing what misery one person may bring about by misrepresentation . The story turns on Lady Adelaide Delauney having married a person whom her mother thinks beneath her position in the world . The husband dies soon , however , and Lady Adelaide goes home to her mother , who refuses to receive Tier back ; so she is compelled to ' go find a home at her husband ' s father ' s . Here she finds life anything but pleasant ; her haughty demeanour is misrepresented as prikle , and Miss Penelope Lyndon , who has rather an acid tongue , does not forget to let her know that she is dependent on ^ hem . While in her quiet retreat at the Manor House , Maurice Randolph pays a visit to the adjoining village to see a Dr . liorne , the pastor of the parish . Dr . Home was Maurice Gray ' s schoolmaster before he succeeded to an estate and changed his name from Gray to Randolph . It would appear that Maurice knew the Delauneys when he was poor , and before Adelaide married young Mr . Lyndon 5 But in consequence , it would seem , of the interference and misrepresentation of Miss Conway—a groat pex * sonage with Lady Dolauney —he becomes estranged from the family . They meet — Maurice and Adelaide—tit the Manor House , and become fast friends 5 and many are the hardships that befall Adelaide before her mother becomes reconciled to her . But Maurice stands her friend , and , in tho end , when the denunciation does come , Miss Oonway ' s misery is made complete . We hope our readers will got tho work , and read for themselves the remainder of the story—which wo have given very imperfeotly . The characters are admirably drawnthe story , towards tho end , is very interesting ; and tho whole subject of " Misrepresentation " ie treated , with great skill , by tho talented writer .
Untitled Article
NEW NOVELS .
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 19, 1859, page 1278, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2321/page/18/
-