The Press. — London, England, 1857-05-09 00:00:00

460 to receive the party from the house. As the carriages were drawn up, the people who drew them, and those at the door, uttere I a shout of Gaelic welcome, which was echoed by all the occupants of the hall-room ; and when Glenben rough enterel with Lady Mac Neil, ushered by the tirieve and upper farm servants, there were vociferous shouts of welcome. _ _ _ _ _ The pipes then blew out loud and long ; and Glenben rough making a signal to the Grieve, that functionary ntter.d a short sentence in Gaelic ; whereupon there was a shuffling of feet amongst the sitters, and couples rose by dozens, soon forming reels all the length of the room. The Glenbenrough party stood up to look on. Many of the men were in Highland dresses, and a few hail ornaments in dirks and brooches ; almost all the others wore thick blue dresses of homespun manufacture, or grey costs and trousers: but they all were well and decently dressed. There were many very handsome young men, with bright glowing colours and sparkling eyes, in whom the volatile Celtic blood preponderated ; but there were also heavy figures with slouching gait and stupid faces. bw-browed and vacant—the iniolence of Celtic sloth evi lent in them. The women, too, were very diverse in appearance, some being positively hideous ; their complexions weather beaten and wrinkled, their figures Sat and ungainly ; not a redeeming point about them : even youth seemed wanting, for they hid no bloom whatsoever ; but again the eye fell upon a cluster of tall, handsome girls, with erect hearing and bright intelligent glances. The women were dressed according to their position : the unmarried generally in their Sunday cotton gowns, with muslin collars, and per. haps the ornament of a bow of ribbon; the mimed, with gowns of tartan or merino, a small shawl or handkerchief generally pinned with a silver brooch, and almost all with the high matron mutch, which concealed their abundant hair as eff,:ctually as a nun's coif might do. There is no charm which the Highland girls prize more than a fine head of hair; and in maidenhood no time is spared in setting it off to the best advantage, on the Sab- bath morn especially; for to have the glossiest head in kirk is no slight ambition to them. But the moment the wedding-ring is put on, the high structure in muslia and pasteboard which forms the matron cap is also assumed, and the hair is seen no more : frequently, indeed, for the sake of coolness, they cut off the back part, and merely leave the bands, which are seen at the front. S ome of the young men danced capitally in the reel, and with figures as erect as a tree; but none of the women d 'need gracefully : even those who looked best when stand• ing or sitting seemed to deuce awkwardly: they had no method, but gave little runs from side to side, or bobbed straight up and down before their partners. A second reel was formed, and Glenbenrough and Mrs. Macermochie stood up. Miss Christy seized upon the Grieve. the factor and M icpliertion of Nee made simultaneous bows to Marion and Julia Mac Neil, and lahbel darted off with her cousin Roderick, touching Harold as she passed, and exclaiming, " Follow Ili with Norah, we shall wait for you at the end of the barn." North held out her hand, with a smile, to Herold. "Come," she said ; you will find you can dsnce reels by inspiration : you only require to he very active" The pipes set up the preliminary drone, Ishhel beckoned frantic illy, and II ir,dd found hitn Ir sctu.ille run n i n g, pulling North along with him, to their reserved places at the end of the room. The bill had begun : the people were warming, and the second reel was kept up with sustained vigour; such a shuffling of feet and cracking of fingers ; some with a broad grin of delight ; others, with grave stolidity, making a business of the pleasure. The shonts and whoops grew lond and frequent, and the steps redoubled in swiftness and energy. Occasionally a man seize 1 the hands of his partner, and sawed her up and down, as it were, before him ; or, in taking the grand round in the reel, he would give a loud clap to the shoulders in advance, in sign of amicable encouragement. There are many things for a novelist ad. dressing an English public to learn Novels are frequently read aloud in the family circle around a fire, where the young and innocent are assembled, and passages without any psi tive indelicacy may still contain incidents of a kind which conventional propriety would require to be omitted. When this author will have learned more of his art, he will not go so closely to the bounds as in that passage where he describes the interview between Esme and Auber by the side of a Highland loch, where the latter argues on the harmlessness of kissing. The inequality of merit in this work betrays the hand of it novice, but (in spite of a certain air of unreality, as if we were perusing a translation "from the German'') the writer's force carries him through. Our previous extract showed the deso►iptive talent of Mr. Mackenzie; we shall now give a specimen of his dramatic force. Tho following tells its own story. Esme and Ishbel having been overtaken by a violent snowstorm, are sloping in a hut belonging to one of their fatlives shepherds. Float is the widowed mother : It might be near the dlwn, bnt the snow still fell so thick, an I the window was s.‘ darkly blocked, it was almost impossible to guess correctly, when norlt fell int., a tronh'ed sleep on her seat before the fire. Esme WWI also he4inning to dream, when a faint sound at the door arotuted her into wakefulness again. The wind had died away latterly, and the low wailing voice they now heard wit, not THE PRESS. that proceeding from it. There was evidently some one, or something, seeking to get in. Ishbel whispered to Esnie, "Oh ! what can it be ? Don't let Florh hear it; Ow will think it is a warning." They both sat up, and an awful feeling chilled their blood, when the unearthly cry ceased on a sudden, and something outside spvang up against the latch and scratched violently at the door. Dime now did not hesitate, but getting out of bed, noiselessly undid the door; a mass of snow falling into the room from the laden thatch as she did so. A rough, whitened dog bounded in, and then fell upon the floor. The noise woke Florh. It was Cones, Huis• tan's dog; but scarcely discernible : his bristly red coat was covered with snow, and his intelligent eyes seemed glazing in death as he turned them mournfully on Florh, and stretched hint on his side, his tongue lolling out thirstily at its full length. Florh put her finger to her month, and whispered, " Don't speak, don't speak ; if ye do ye'll excite him, and the spark o' life will fly. He's fair done : he has come a weary travel wi' news to us : he must na die till I hear 't." With eyes averted from the dog, she raked the fire together and hastily heated some milk ; she then poured whisky into a basin, and, kneeling down, lifted the poor collie's numbed and nerveless feet, and dipped them into it ; rubbing the region of its heart until, the snow melting from its coat with the warmth, it lay in a pool of water. She next dragged it back, and laid it in a dark, dry corner; then, putting the milk before it, she for the first time ad dressed the animal in an authoritative tone, desiring it to drink. The poor dog feebly put out his tongue and tried to lap from where it lay ; and after a few mouthfuls, she poured the rest down his throat. Cones seemed reviving: he made a staggering attempt to rise, and gave a low howl; but Florh struck him on the head and, in Gaelic, forbade him at his peril to move. He laid down again, casting mute wistful glances ; but Florh stood befol e him, and, having ordered him to lie there in silence, she moved away. . . 'lice girls were watching the scene with intense interest, and admired Flat.it's presence of mind. The animal had evidently come a long and perilous journey, and brought news fro n Huistan ; but no one there could have acted on any intelligence ; they must wait till Ewen's arrival from Glenbenrough before anything whatsoever could be done ; and the dog was so nearly exhausted, that any certain good from him as guide must depend on his life being sus. tained by rest and quiet. Florh made some oatmeal por• ridge and milk, in about half an hour, and again desired the animal to partake; and this time ha sat up and ate it all. After some touches, which we omit for want of space:— They [i.e. the laird and searchers] were away all that winter day, and the girls watched the face of the heavens with sickening anxiety, as with the afternoon fading light the snow again began to fall in those small, ominous, feathery particles, which betokened the gathering down. come of the mesas. It was not until upwards of four hours after they left Lochandhu that the laird and his men came upon the roof of the bothy on Ben Madhu. They had scrambled pin fully and wearily along the mountain summits, from where they had lelt the horses on the road beneath, half an hour's ride from Lochsndhu ; and, but for the instinct which guided them, the whole party might have lain buried in some of the deep intersecting the hills, and sheeted deceit- fully over by the drifted snow. . . The bothy was bu'lt against a projecting rock ; and who but those who knew the exact spot through all its altered bearings could discover it now? It was completely hid in the snow, and even the wicker door blocked to the top. They bad marked their way by shrill shouts and whistles ; but had never gained response, sive the occasional dull flsp of a startled grouse or ptarmigan, as it rose and flew heavily from the snow. Sound must have been linistan's sleep if he heard them not now, were he within the bothy, as they shovelled the snow from the entrance; but the laird and Ewen both felt already sure he was not there, and Conas's impatience alone betrayed it : he ran on in advance, as if to descend the hill, and whined and moved uneasily while they entered the bothy. It was utterly deserted, and the damp and burnt turf odour smelt like a vault. The men looked at each other and shook their heads, muttering, " Och, och, Huistan voch !" and Glenhen rough, putting his hand across his eyes, said in a shaken voice, " My goof Huistan ! oh, too good and faithful !" Ewen drew his bonnet over his eyes, and turned his face from the others : his nature never liked to show itself where tenderness might be revealed. But the most hardening of griefs was stealing over him : he thought he would be a wronged man if he now lost brother as well as loge. They rested for a few moments, and debated how to proceed ; the evening was already beginning to fall, and to be benighted there would be dreary work. Suddenly A voice rose above theirs, and sent them out hurriedly to the open door : the howl of a dog came clear and piteously from the glen below. " Coming, Cones, coming I" cried Ewen, as he stumbled forward down the hill, Glenbenrough at his side, and the others following with more habitual tardiness. The dog was in sight : he lav at the foot of a mound of snow, uu• stained and unruffled. Something of a reddish colour protruded from the surface. Cones lay with his head throw back, wailing unceasingly until they approached. Ewen reached the spot first, and exclaiming," There lies Frenehen. buried !" began to throw off the snow, until the stiffened body of the dog lay visible. Suddenly Glenben. rough uttered a cry of distress. Ewen started back, and rushing from the spot, sat him down in the snow some distance off: he knew what still lay there. SATURDAY, Freuchen had died while scratching the ever falling snow from off his mister's body: his paws were froz •n in the snow wreath, which, as it formed, he had aye kept scratching oft' from the cold face beneath. This was his part, while the other dog, in his instinct, went home for further help. With eyes closed in painless slumber, and hands crossed in prayer upon his breast, the faithful shepherd lay; his sunburnt face waxed white as the surrounding evening. tinted snow; and the strong-made limbs that had borne him over every hill and glen around, lying quiet now, never more to tread his native heather, or bow in prayer upon the solitary mountain heights. We have endeavoured to select such pas. sages as are most characteristic, rather than the most striking incidents. There are plenty of them in the book. Estne's tumble down the precipice, and Lady Ida's interview with the madman, are as "thrilling" as the most devout worshipper of strong effects could desire. Oxford Essays. Contributed by Members of the University. 1857. London : John W. Parker and Son. (Second Notice.) Mn. BADEN POWELL'S essay upon " The Study of the Evidences of Natural Theology" is not satisfactory. We do not mean because we disapprove of his opinions, but on account of the extreme difficulty of finding out what they are. He tells us that such and such a system of reasoning has been pushed too far, that parti cular objections to particular theories are ill founded, that we should do well to discard prejudices, and the like; and, having thus shown the world how well acquainted he is with rival schools, and how sagacious at de tecting their weak points, he makes his bow without having committed himself to a single definite assertion. There are some subjects to which this mode of treatment may be very well adapted, but we not think theology is one of them. Religious prejudices should not be lightly irritated, or without some practical purpose. It is no good stirring up the mud merely to show how shallow the water is. Mr. Baden Powell, as far as he says any thing distinctly, would appear to prefer the presence of order and universal intelligence in the world to that of power, or an efficient cause, as an argument for its Divine origin, and he agrees with Mr. Mill in discrediting the testimony of human consciousness in favour of the latter. But before he speaks so contemp tuously of " scholastic jargon about first and " second causes," he would do well to reflect whether in throwing this slur upon the con current evidence of the human constitution he may not be straying as far from common sense as the objects of his derision. It is difficult to get rid of the ilea of will existing somewhere as a fundamental cause; and, if we follow Mr. Mill on to the ground which he professes to think his strongest, and concede that human volition is determined by exterior causes, we cannot shake off the belief that these causes act under the influence of some higher volition. The "nude antem ?" of the great, orator of antiquity is immediately suggested at this point of the argument. Thus the difficulty is only thrown a step further back ; and the great difficulty of solving it is the measure of the unreasonableness of satirising any particular theories. The whole essay, in our opinion, wants symmetry, and we suspect that its writer has not yet attained to a synthesis ; but it displays great power, and oecasionally high argumen tative acuteness. Witness the following:— To allude to another somewhat parallel case very needless discussion has arisen from the impreacion that the question of materialism, in regard to the vital and intellectual fun'tions of man, is essentially mixed up with that of the existence or nature of God. Yet sorely no thing can be more unfounded than to suppose such a con nection : whichever way we may form our conclusions as to the principle of life and mind in man, it can in no why affect the argument for the existence of a Deity : if the human life or intellect were ever so entirely the mere result of physical agencies acting on the organised body, it is impossible to see how this could affect the argument from order or design in the natural world : nay, if it were to, it would rather tend to enhance and elevate that Argo. ment ; since it would only show the more wonderful m atinee of creative skill and power to educe such marvel lous effects as those of vital and mental action out of such simple elementary combinations as the ultimate analysis of the organised hotly displays. The principle of this argument is, we think, an important one, and has many further applications. We will just illustrate it by a single parallel case, which will be familiar to those acquainted with optical science : There were many very handsome young men, with bright thirstily at its full length. of them in the book. Estne's tumble down the glowing colours and sparkling eyes, in whom the volatile Slott put her finger to her month, and whispered, precipice, and Lady Ida's interview with the Celtic blood preponderated; but there were also heavy "Don't speak, don't speak; if ye do yell excite him, madman, are as " thrilling" as the most figures with slouching gait and stupid faces, low-hroweil and the spark o' life will fly. He's fair done :he has and vacant—the indolence of Celtic sloth evi lent in them. come a weary travel wi' news to us :he must na die till I devout worshipper of strong effects could The women, too, were very diverse in appearance, some hear 't." desire, being positively hideous ' • their complexions weather- With eyes averted from the dog, she raked the fire beaten and wrinkled, their figures flat and ungainly ; not a together and hastily heated some milk ; she then poured Oxford Essays. Contributed by Members of redeeming point about them : even youth seemed wanting, whisky into a basin, and, kneeling down, lifted the poor for they had no bloom whatsoever ; but again the eye fell collie's numbed and nerveless feet, and dipped them into the University. 1857. London : John W. upon a cluster of tall, handsome girls, with erect bearing it ; rubbing the region of its heart until, the snow melting Parker and Son. and bright intelligent glances. The women were dressed from its coat with the warmth, it lay in a pool of water. according to their position : the unmarried generally in She next dragged it back, and laid it in a dark, dry corner; (Second Notice.) their Sunday cotton gowns, with muslin collars, and per• then, putting the milk before it, she for the first time ad- Mn. BADEN POWELL s essay upon " The Study haps the ornament of a bow of ribbon; the !teemed, with dressed the animal in an authoritative tone, desiring it to of the Evidences of Natural Theology" is not gowns of tartan or merino, a small shawl or handkerchief drink. satisfactory. We do not mean because we generally inned with a silver brooch, and almost all with The poor dog season fblput out his tongue and tried to lap disapprove of his opinions, but on account of the the high metron mutch, which concealed their abundant front where it la after a few mouthfuls, she poured hair RR effectually as a nun's coif might do. the rest down his throat. Cones seemed reviving: lie extreme difficulty of finding out what they are. There is no charm which the Highland girls prize more made a staggering attempt to rise, and gave a low howl ; He tells us that such and such a system of than a fine head of hair; and in maidenhood no time is but Florh struck him on the head and, in Gaelic, forbade reasoning has been pushed too far, that parti- spared in setting it off to the best advantage, on the Sab- him at his peril to move. He laid down again, casting cular objections to particular theories are ill- bath morn especially; for to have the glossiest head in mute wistful! glances; but Florh stood before him, and, founded, that we should do well to discard kirk is no slight ambition to them. but the moment the having ordered him to lie there in silence, she moved wedding-ring is put on, the high structure in muslia and away. prejudices, and the like ; and, having thus pasteboard which forms the matron cap is also assumed, The girls were watching the scene with intense interest, shown the world how well acquainted he is and the hair is seen no more : frequently, indeed, for the and admired Milt's presence of mind. The animal had with rival schools, and how sagacious at de- sake of coolness, they cut off the back part, and merely evidently come a long and perilous journey, and brought tectiug their weak points, he makes his bow leave the bands, which are seen at the front. news fro it Huistan ; but no one there could have acted on without having committed himself to a single S ime of the young men danced capitally in the reel, and any intelligence ; they must wait till Ewen's arrival from with figures Rs erect as a tree; but none of the women Glenbenrough before anything whatsoever could be done ; definite assertion. There are some subjects to d 'need gracefully : even those who looked best when stand- and the dog was so nearly exhausted, that any certain good which this mode of treatment may be very ing or sitting seemed to deuce awkwardly: they had no from him as guide must depend on his life being sus• well adapted, but we not thi n k the o l o gy i s one method, but gave little runs from side to side, or bobbed tained by rest and quiet. Florh made some oatmeal por• of them. Religious prejudices should not be straight up and down before their partners. A second ridge and milk, in about half an hour, and again desired i • is , • • , • , iota) , irritateu, or wituout some practical reel was formed, and Glenhenrough and Mrs. Macennuchie the animal to partake; and this time ha sat up and ate ' stood up. Miss Christy seized upon the Grieve. the factor it all. purpose. It is no good stirring up the mud and M tcpherson of Pnee made simultaneous bows to After some touches, which we omit for want merely to show ho w shallow the water is. Merke of l and Julia Mac Neil, and lshbel darted off with her space: — Mr. Baden Powell, as far as he says any- cousin Roderick, touching Harold as she passed , and thin° , distinctly would appear to prefer the exclaiming, " Fellow us with Norah, we shall wait for you They [i.e. the laird and searchers] were away all that a' at the end of the hare." winter day, and the girls watched the face of the heavens presence of order and universal intelligence North held out her hand, with a smile, to Harold. with sickening anxiety, as with the afternoon fading light in the world to that of power, or an efficient "Come," she said ; " you will fin•l you can dance reels by the snow again began to fall in those small, ominous, cause, as an argument for its Divine origin, inspiration: you only require to be very active " feathery particles, which betokened the gathering down. and he agrees with Mr. Mill in discrediting the The pipes set up the preliminary drone, Ishbel beckoned come of the messes. testimony of human consciousness in favour of frattic illy, and Id iron foetid himself actu a lly r unn i ng , It was not until upwards of four hours after they left e palling North along with him, to their reserved places at Lochandhu that the laird and his men came upon the roof the latter. But before he speaks so eontemp- the end of the room. of the bothy on lien Madhu. They had scrambled pain. tuously of " scholastic jargon about first and The bill had begun : the people were warming, and the fully and wearily along the mountain summits, from where " second causes," he would do well to reflect second reel was kept up with sustained vigour; such a they had left the horses on the road beneath, halt' an hour's whether in throwing this slur upon the eon- shuffling of feet and cracking of fingers ; some with a ride from Lochandhu ; and, but for the instinct which guided current evidence of the human constitution he broad grin of delight ; others, with grave stolidity, m a ki ng theta, the whole party might have lain buried in some of a business of the pleasure. The shoats and whoops grew the deep gnllies intersecting the hills, and sheeted deceit- may not be straying as far from common sense load and frequent, and the steps redoubled in swiftness fully over by the drifted snow. as the objects of his derision. It is difficult to and energy. Occasionally a man seizel the hands of his The bothy was bu'lt against a projecting rock ; and who get rid of the ilea of will existing somewhere partner, and sawed her up anti down, as it were, before but those who knew the exact spot through all its altered as a fundamental cause; and, if we follow Mr. or, in taking the grand round in the reel, he would bearings could discover it now ? It was completely hid • Mill on to the ground which he professes to give a loud clap to the shoulders in advance, in sign of in the snow, and even the wicker door blocked to the top. amicable encouragement. They had marked their way by shrill shouts and whistles • think his strongest, and concede that human but had never gained response, save the occasional (lull volition is determined by exterior causes, we There are many things for a novelist ad. flap of a startled grouse or ptarmigan, as it rose and flew cannot shake off the belief that these causes dressing an English public to learn Novels heavily from the snow. act under the influence of some higher volition. are frequently read aloud in the family circle Sound must have been Huistan's sleep if he heard them The "nude antem ?" of the great , orator of around a fire, where the young and innocent not now , were he within the bothy, as they shovelled the snow front the entrance; but the laird and Ewen b o th antiquity is immediately suggested at this are assembled, and passages without any psi- felt already sure lie was not there , and Csnas's impatience point of the argument. Thus the difficulty is tive indelicacy may still contain incidents of alone b etr a yed it : lie ran on in advance , ' as if t o descend only thrown a step further back ; and the great a kind which conventional propriety would the hill, and whined and moved uneasily while they entered difficulty of solving it is the measure of the require to be omitted. IVlien this author will the batty. I was utterly deserted, and the damp and unreasonableness of satirising any particular have learned more of his art, he will not go s o burnt turf odour smelt like a vault. The men looked at each other and shook their heads, theories. closely to the bounds as in that passage where muttering, " Och och, Huistan voch !" and Glenh en - The whole essay, in our opinion, wants he describes the interview between Esme and rough, putting his hand across his eyes, said in a shaken symmetry, and we suspect that it s writer has Auber by the side of a Highland loch, where voice, not yet attained to a synthesis ; but it displays the latter argues on the harmlessness of "My poi Huistan ! oh, too good and faithful !" great power, and oecasionally high argumen- kissing. Ewen drew his bonnet over his eyes, and turned his face from the others • his nature never liked to show itself tative acuteness. Witness the following : The inequality of merit in this work betrays where tenderness might be revealed. lint the most To allude to another somewhat parallel case :—Miich the hand of a novice, but (in spite of a certain hardening of griefs was stealing over him :he thought he very needless discussion has arisen from the impression air of unreality, us if we were perusing a would be a wronged man if he now lost brother as well that the question of materialism, in regard to the vital and translation "from the German'') the writers as lost', intellectual funstions of man, is essentially mixed up with force carries him th roug h . O ur They rested for a few moments, and debated how to th a t o f th e ex i stence or nature o f G o d . Yet sore l y no. previous proceed • the evening was already beginning to fall, and thi n g can b e more unfounded than to suppose such a con- extract showed the desmiptive talent of o be . benighted there_ . would be dreary work._ Suddenly . nection :. whichever way we may form our conclusions as Mr. Mackenzie; we shall now give a specimen A voice rose above theirs, and sent them out hurriedly to to the principle of life and mind in man, it can in no why of his dramatic force. the open door : the howl of a dog came clear and piteously affect the argument for the existence of a Deity :if the The following tells its ow n s t ory. Esme from the glen below, h u m an lif e or i nte ll ect were ever so entirely t h e mere " Coming, Cones, coming I" cried Ewen, as he stumbled result of physical agencies acting on the organised body, and Ishbel having been overtaken by a v i o l ent f orwar d d own t h e hill , Gl en b enrotut h a t hi s s id e, an d t h e it is imposs i ble to see how this ould affect the argument snowstorm, are sreeping in a hut belonging to others following with more habitual tardiness. The dog from order or design in the natural world : nay, if it were one of their fatla v r's s heph er d s . 1E l ot h i s the was in sight :he lay at the foot of a mound of snow, un• to, it wou ld rat h er ten d to en h ance an d e l evate t h at argu • widowed mother : stained and unruffled. Something of a reddish colour me n t ; s i nce i t wou ld on l y s h ow t h e more won d er f u l i n - protruded from the surface. Cones lay with his head stance of creative skill and power to educe such marvel- It might be near the dawn, but the snow still fell so throw back, wailing unceasingly until they appmached. loos effects as those of vital and mental action out of such thick, ant the window was so darkly blocked, it was almost Ewen reached the spot first, and exclaiming," There lies simple elementary combinations as the ultimate analysis impossible to guess correctly, when Flush fell into a FrellVileß. buried !" began to throw off the snow, until the of the organised b o dy displ a ys. The p r i nc iple of this trotth'ed sleep on her seat before the fire. Dune was als o st iff ene d b o dy o f t h e dog lay visible. Suddenly Glenben- argument i s, we th i nk, an important one, and has many be.tinning to dream, when a faint so u n d a t th e door aroused rough uttered a cry of distress. Ewen started back, and f urt h er app li cat i ons. We w il l j ust illustrate it by a single her into wakefulness again. The wind had died away rushing from the spot, sat him down in the snow some I parallel case, which will be familiar to those acquainted latterly, and the low wailing voice the;: now heard was not distance off: he knew what still lay there. with optical science : ~,,, • •,.., - . .....aimmol....mkow.-.. -.81006.11; • 4m..... . . _„..__._ •