The Press. — London, England, 1858-10-16 00:00:00

THE PRESS, OCTOBER 16, 1858. 1010 once been rather slow to take a hint, and either by a singular and remarkable courtesy have tacitly ceded to Albemarle-street the right of ' free warren over the habitable globe, or have felt themselves unequal to command the varied resources and first-rate talent which Mr. Murray's position has enabled him to bring into the field. At any rate, they have left him to pursue his own path, for the most part, without competition, except of an insignificant sort ; and the continued—nay, in some cases increasing—ex cellence of his Handbooks shows that he does not require the spur of competition to induce him to present us with the very best article that can be produced. We regret, as we have had to observe on a former occasion, that Great Britain has been the last to profit by the energies which have smoothed the path of so many travellers in other lands. With the exception of some few counties which Mr. Murray has already described, and without refe rence also to the excellent little guides of Mr. Stanford which we noticed some weeks ago, here at home we remain for the most part at the mercy of those shovel-hatted quackheads ' who, in an infinity of local guides, chronicle their small beer, puff their medicinal spring, or expend their literary talents on the delineation of the town pump and the biography of the parish beadle. As Chierilus said long ago with a somewhat dif ferent reference : vi), Feu •Irarres SiSaQrat, ;xnvil SE Tripets - a [xi;log], rctrtOp.p xesTl.xt;ro t .4.o', 6:Ai I.t y' 70 . 1 . 1.1 Wei v•rn IrarTa4vonrc vi4:,yl; iipfhts iraciTerat. As regards Europe in general, the work is well nigh done. Unless Lord Dufferin should under take 'A Glance at Ireland' or Lord Clarendon should treat us to a Cursory View of the Prin cipalities,' the bibliopole may sigh, and sigh in vain, for new worlds to conquer. But with Asia the case is different. Axr:;a7o; i3O. ts-; XEiFeu.;—there are excursions to be made in the Caucasus—there is the pleasant region of Siberia to be explored, and " that comforting word, Mesopotamia," may yet figure on the back of a red cover. But the regular travel ling Englishman, though prepared to " do the East," is not yet equal to the magnitude of the aforesaid conceptions. A winter on the Nile— up to the Second Cataract, let us say—is about his mark; and then he likes to follow it up with a spring in Palestine, via the Sinaitic desert. For the Egyptian part of the journey Mr. Murray had already provided. But, up to the present time, the information required for the Syrian portion was only available either by carrying a large number of bulky works, or by compiling a guidebook for yourself beforehand from them. And though from Laborde, Robin son, and that most fascinating of all books of travel, Stanley's " Sinai and Palestine," almost all requisite topographic or antiquarian particu lars might be gathered, it was neither to be ex pected nor desired that writers occupied with such high themes should condescend to chronicle their squabbles with interpreters, their methods of travelling accommodation, or the number of times they had to bestow backshish for Arab services. So, when Mr. J. L. Porter, who has himself written not by any means the worst book on the Holy Land, and whose long residence in the East has duly qualified him to instruct us with authority on the matters of Syrian characters and customs, comes forward to take us by the hand, we feel that such guidance would be extremely accept able even if conveyed in the driest and most methodical style. When it appears, however, that the author still shows the qualities which made his " Five Years in Damascus" so de servedly popular—when we find that he is graphic without overdoing his descriptions, laud ably minute in suggestions as to all matters of personal comfort and convenience, and is an orthodox Christian, a sound scholar, and a good historian besides, we feel that we have got into very good hands indeed, and are perfectly con vinced that the work could not have been com mitted to any one likely to perform it better. We have looked through nearly the whole of it, reading here and there, and have been struck by the freshness and geniality everywhere displayed. Mr. Porter, though he has apparently surveyed in person every place he describes, does not in all cases give the results of his own observation, pre ferring occasionally to extract a passage from some other traveller. He has done right in lay ing his predecessors under contribution, and the effect is that we have the cream of many excel lent books in a portable and still readable form. The method pursued is to give a full description of each locality as it appears at present, and having as it were transferred the reader to the scene itself, a resume of the history is then appended. These sketches are ably executed, and, though necessarily short, omit no interesting particulars. We may refer, for instance, to that of Masada, the Numantia of Palestine, which, on its almost impregnable rock overhanging the Dead Sea, made so heroic a resistance to a Roman army after the fall of Jerusalem. Mr. Porter is hardly correct, however, in saying that the first person to revive its history was Dr. Robinson. lie would have found an account of the siege, con densed like his own from Josephus, in Dean Milman's " History of the Jews; " a work which we are surprised not to find referred to in his list of authorities. Mr. Porter has, perhaps, never visited Mr. Albert Smith's entertainment. If he had heard the parody of Macaulay with which the lecturer used latterly to commence, we are inclined to think he would have let down his own opening paragraph—in which the first five sentences begin with " I shall," and the sixth with "My remarks,"—from the high epic pitch to which it is at present wound up. We do not, also, doubt his Oriental scholarship, but we should have preferred to see the plural of " dragoman " spelt like the plural of "Mussulman," instead of with the English and rather barbarous termina tion which is here employed. These, however, are minor points. The whole work is interesting to read, as well as useful for its professed purpose, and will probably have the effect not only of facilitating the journey of those who have made up their minds to a pilgrimage, but of suggest ing the practicability of it to those who have not. NEW NOVELS. 1. Bertha Darley ; or, Life in her Husband's Coracles. By L. IL B. London : James Blackwood. 2. Gordon of Duncairn. Two Vols. London : Bentley. 3. Recollections of a Maiden Aunt. London : Saunders and Otley. 1. "WE are strange impulsive beings—creatures " of circumstance—led by a thought, and carried " away upon the wings of imagination, until " common-sense is lost and left behind in the " fascinating flight," says the first sentence of this novel. Whether the authoress is comment ing on the infirmities of the human race in general, or of lady-writers in particular, or whe ther the remark is merely a trap to catch unwary critics who may be induced to say that "it pre " cisely foreshadows the character of the book," are questions of which we have not felt bound to devote much time to the solution. We can only say that we think it isn't true, since the succeed. ing pages prove that it is quite possible to leave " common-sense" behind without showing any " imagination" and without indulging in any thing that deserves to be termed a " fascinating flight." Bertha Darley (née Stapleton) is a rather spoilt child, and an heiress in a small way, whose childhood has the usual incidents of quarrels with wooden governesses and friendships with quaint but exemplary nurses. She grows up, and completes a childish attachment by engaging herself to henry Darley, the son of a country neighbour. Ile enters the Army, but, having taken a serious turn, leaves his profession for the Church. This step is one which in real life is, we are told, regarded with favour by the majority of young ladies, who find some irresistible attraction in a black coat. Per haps they like having a parson of their own, all to themselves. But L. 11. B.'s heroine cannot en dure the loss of the uniform, so she breaks off the engagement. It is, however, renewed by an acci dental meeting at a picnic, and she resolves to be a model clergyman's wife. Henry, who is a paragon of perfection, becomes curate to an Anglican divine in a manufacturing town, and fills his previously empty church by his excellent preaching. The rector's peculiarities give much scope for the authoress's satiric humour, which also overflows at the expense of nearly all the other inhabitants of the neighbourhood. There is a would-be fashionable lady, with a vulgar husband ; a benevolent lord, and the usual number of malleable poor people and intractable tradesmen. It is scarcely necessary to say that L. 11. B. falls into the common mistake of sup posing that to describe tedious or vulgar people you have simply to write down a quantity of tedious or vulgar nonsense, and we have, accord. ingly, such conversations as the following (we must premise that " Constance " is a cousin of Mrs. Parley who has come to stay with her, and who is intended for a perfect young lady, perhaps a thought too fond of horseflesh, but beautiful, graceful, and dignified, without a flaw in either her appearance or her manners ): Mrs. Durnford waived ceremony and met us in the hall, expressing just sufficient admiration fur Constance's carriage and thorough-breds to please me. " Your driving, too, dear Miss Stapleton, is perfect, and your graceful horsemanship is the admiration of the gentle men, and the envy of the ladies of D—. In fact 1 envy you myself, and would give all I possess to manage my fiery steed with your coolness, grace, and tae'." " Which simply means boldness, dear Mrs. Durnford," replied Constance, smiling, " if you were not inclined to flatter me. But how lovely the river looks to-day from ! I declare, Bertie, this is the most charming spot in the neighbourhood. Ah ! that garden to the right, with its many-coloured flowers and sloping lawn, how it reminds me of Stapleton and my garden, which I planned myself! What delight a garden is ! I never tire of mine." " I wish I could any the same," said Mrs. Durnford, languidly ; " I tire of looking at it, and long for seven leagued boots to carry me far away to some more congenial element than this place—the society is so mixed." " Ah, yes ! so it is," said Constance, laughing quizzically; " bright geraniums, modest roses, vulgar sweet•williams, elegant fuschias, and gaudy tulips—but the variety is charming after all, Mrs. Durnford." " What. a darling quiz you are ! Oh, we shall become capital friends, I see that; so much esprit of character is delightful! Badinage is quite my forte, and yours too, dear Miss Stapleton ; but how few excel iu it, or under stand it." " A dangerous gift, Mrs. Durnford," I said abruptly •, " people often like to display their wit at the expense of others, and 1 think satirical badinage the lowest kind of wit—next to a pun." "And some one has said—Dr. Johnson, was it not?— that he who could make a pun would pick a pocket; so you and I, Mrs. Durnford, in future may consider our selves one remove only from the fraternity of light finger'. Thank you, cousin mine, for the suggestion;' said Constance, turning to me and curtsying with mock gravity. "If you are really fond of flowers, Miss Stapleton," said Mrs. Durnford, " for their own sake, and not merely as an adjunct to beauty in the salon, which I fancy is the secret of most ladies' floral admiration, we will take a turn through the gardens and greenhouses before luncheon — they are in excellent order just now, Jones, the head gardener, informed me yesterday, and there are some rare plants of which he is very proud." " I must plend guilty to an excessive love of flowers, and I think I may say I love them for their own sake; in fact, I always think they look sadly out of their element in a hot stifling ball-room, or adorning the wacassered locks of some fair belle, drooping their pretty beads as though they mourned their degradation and our folly. No, I love tc do homage to their loveliness," said Constance smiling, as she passed her arm through mine and prepared for our walk ; " and am a veritable slave to them at Stapleton, nursing, tending, and pruning them daily with my own fair hands, as your elegant friend Mr. Montague, 'Judie, termed toy doigts last evening." Mrs. Duriiford's admiration for Constance appeared nn• hounded ; her looks, her conversation, her manner, she pronounced "charming," sotto voce to me ; whilst 1, being only a curate's wife, carne in for her patronage. Probably our readers will see but little to choose between Constance's polish and Mrs. Durnford's vulgarity. Do people in actual life ever say "cousin mine," or do charming young ladies call the fingers " doigts," or prose about floral ethics in the above insufferable manner ? We don't believe that even L. H. B. herself talks so absurdly. To proceed, however, with the story. Constance is wooed and won, after some slight preliminary difficulties, by a clergyman if pos sible more perfect and bewitching than herself. Even the adored " Henry " must yield to the moral, physical, and intellectual glories of Mr. Basil Spencer, who makes the manufacturing deserts to which he is appointed curate blossom with all those ecclesiastical flowers which are (in novels) supposed to be the peculiar growth of exclusively agricultural parishes. Unfortunately, a being like Basil Spencer is much too g ood for this world, and none who are acquainted with model clergymen—we don't know any in the flesh, but our readers may—will be surprised to hear that he is obliged to go to Nice, and that after a short subsequent career of intense bril- d liancy and usefulness, he breaks a bloodvessel an leaves an inconsolable widow. There is not, of course, the slightest necessity for killing him, or even for making hint hectic; but work novelists out no plot and fulfils no purpose;lady THE PRESS, OCTOBER 16, 1858. rather slow to take a hint, and either effect is that we have the cream of many excel- husband ; a benevolent lord, and the usual 'sr and remarkable courtesy have lent books in a portable and still readable form. number of malleable poor people and intractable to Albemarle-street the right of The method pursued is to give a full description tradesmen. It is scarcely necessary to say that sr the habitable globe, or have of each locality as it appears at present, and L. H. B. falls into the common mistake of sup. equal to command the varied having as it were transferred the reader to the scene posing that to describe tedious or vulgar peg le s Tst-rate talent which Mr. itself, a resume of the history is then appended. you have simply to write down a quantitypof s enabled hint to bring into These sketches are ably executed, and, though tedious or vulgar nonsense, and we have, accord +e, they have left him to necessarily short, omit no interesting particulars. ingly, such conversations as the following (we r the most part, without We may refer, for instance, to that of Masada, must premise that " Constance " is a cousin of insignificant sort ; and the Numantia of Palestine, which, on its almost Mrs. Parley who has come to stay with her, and cases increasing—ex- impregnable rock overhanging the Dead Sea, who is intended for a perfect young lady, perhaps lws that he does not made so heroic a resistance to a Roman army a thought too fond of horseflesh, but beautiful, Ito induce him to after the fall of Jerusalem. Mr. Porter is hardly graceful, and dignified, without a flaw in either 'tide that can be correct, however, in saying that the first person her appearance or her manners ): to revive its history was Dr. Robinson. lie Mrs. Durnford waived ceremony and met us in the would have found an account of the siege, con- hall, expressing just sufficient admiration fur Constance's -e on a former carriage and. thorough-breds to please me. densed like his own from Josephus, in Dean the last to Your driving, too, dear Miss Stapleton, is perfect, and Milman's " History of the Jews; ' a work which ithed the your graceful horsemanship is the admiration of the gentle- With we are surprised not to find referred to in his men, and the envy of the ladies of I)—. In fact 1 envy It Mr. you myself, and would give all I possess to manage my list of authorities. Mr. Porter has, perhaps, ,efe. never visited Mr. Albert Smith's entertainment. fiery steed with your coolness, grace, and tact," `tr. If he had heard the parody of Macaulay with " Which simply means boldness, dear Mrs. Durnford," replied Constance, smiling, " if you were not inclined to e which the lecturer used latterly to commence, we flatter me. But how lovely the river looks to-day from are inclined to think he would have let down his ! I declare, Berne, this is the most charming own opening paragraph—in which the first five spot in the neighbourhood. Ah ! that garden to the 'ententes begin with " I shall," and the sixth right, with its many-coloured flowers and sloping lawn, Ihowi it remindsd me of Stapleton and my garden, which th "My remarks,"—from the high epic pitch of mine." myself! What delight a garden is ! I never tire hich it is at present wound up. We do not, 'oubt his Oriental scholarship, but we should " I wish I could say the same," said Mrs. Durnford, 'eferred to see the plural of " dragoman" languidly ;" I tire of looking at it, and long for seven the plural of "Mussulnian," instead of leagued boots to carry me far away to some more congenial element than this place—the society is so mixed." 'nglish and rather barbarous terming- " Ah, yes !so it is," said Constance, laughing quizzically; here employed. These, however, are " bright geraniums, modest roses, vulgar sweet-williams The whole work is interesting to elegant fuschias, and gaudy tulips—but the variety is useful for its professed purpose, charming after all, Mrs. Durnford." 'I have the effect not only of " What a darling quiz you are ! Oh, we shall become ley of those who have made icsapaietalilgfhritefunidls, seienatgheatis; qaouitammucyhfoettsepriatnodf character pilgrimage, but of suggest- dear Miss Stapleton ; but how few excel iu it, yoursor under 4. it to those who have not. stand it." " A dangerous gift, Mrs. Durnford," I said abruptly ; " people often like to display their wit at the expense of VELS. others, and 1 think satitical badinage the lowest kind of wit—next to a pun." in her Husband's "And some one has said—Dr. Johnson, was it not?— London : James that he who could make a pun would pick a pocket; so you and I, Mrs. Durnford, in future may consider our selves one remove only from the fraternity of light '3. London : finger/. Thank you, cousin mine, for the suggestion;' said Constance, turning to me and curtsying with mock gravity. `lf you are really fond of flowers, Miss Stapleton," ''.4ndon : said Mrs. Durnford, " for their own sake, and not merely as an adjunct to beauty in the salon, which I fancy is the secret of moat Indies' floral admiration, we will take a turn ,res through the gardens and greenhouses before luncheon— '4:l they are in excellent order just now, Jones, the head gardener, informed me yesterday, and there are some rare plants of which he is very proud." " I must plead guilty to an excessive love of flowers, and think I may say I love them for their own sake; in fact, 'ways think they look sadly out of their element in a hot ag ball-room, or adorning the macassared locks of "air belle, drooping their pretty beads as though they their degradation and our folly. No, I love tc do their loveliness," said Constance smiling, as she arm through mine and prepared for our walk ; n•itable slave to them at Stapleton, nursing, "uning them daily with my own fair hands, laud Mr. Montague, Berne, termed wy •dmiration for Constance appeared un• her conversation, her manner, she sotto eves to me ; whilst 1, being a in for her patronage. 'ill see but little to choose lsh and Mrs. Durnford's actual life ever say •trming young ladies prose about floral le manner ? We herself talks so with the story. some slight -tan if pos- I herself. to the 4' Mr. -ing TI