The Press. — London, England, 1857-12-26 00:00:00

I/ THE PRESS, DECEMBER 26, 1857. These are merits which will remain with her; her faults, we think, are transient. 7. In " Frank Millward," Mr. Kenrick has struck out an innovation in the established manner of novel writing. We are familiar with the good old orthodox plan of bringing the hero and heroine together to fall in love with each other, and then separating them by the cruelty of parents or the malice of cir cumstances till the conclusion of the third volume. We are also familiar with the newer—but neither good nor orthodox—plan of describing two persons perversely misunderstanding each other's feelings till the same point of the narrative brings their tortures (and those of the reader) to a close. But we never before met with a story constructed, as this is, on wbat may be called the Unclouded, or Total Happiness, principle. As it is in two volumes, we at first imagined that the usual allowance of misfortunes had been all contained in the second volume, and that this had failed to reach us. But the truth, we imagine, is, that Mr. Kenrick is tender towards the creatures of his brain,—cannot bear to furrow their brows with wrinkles or their faces with tears,—or even to throw a speck of mud upon the gloss of their old fashioned broadcloth. "Frank Millward " describes the manners and habits of the Roman Catholic gentry of Yorkshire at the end of the last century. Tho hero is a scion of a wealthy family,—handsome, spirited, honourable, brave, and a good rider, but in other respects perfectly common place. He falls in love, — is made uncomfortable by a Jesuit for a few mon ths, and by jealousy for a few days,—has his fortune doubled by the prudence of his trustees,—serves a campaign with the Austrian army,—comes home, marries the lady of his affec tions, succeeds to his father-in law's vast property, enters Parliament on the removal of the Catholic disabilities, and, after a few more plums of prosperity, dies a respectable and aged earl. Beyond what we have mentioned there is not a single check in his fortunate career : and the only feature in the book which redeems it from utter dulness, is the extreme distinctness with which the characters are conceived, and the amusing minuteness with which they are described. Mr. Kenrick chronicles the features, manner and dress, not only of his hero, but of his hero's grooms andgamekeepers, and of his heroine's waiting-maids, with the particularity of the Hue and Cry, or of a special correspondent at an exciting trial for murder. 'These points undoubtedly assist a reader in "realising" the personages of whom be reads, but they give the book a wondrously prosaic and matter-of fact air when carried to the extent of Mr. Kenrick's practice. We shall be happy to find ourselves in his company again—for he is not with out a certain sort of power—if he will but con descend to introduce us to some less conventional and rather more interesting characters than those which he has assembled on the present occasion. 8. Fiction founded on scriptural themes is not usually very attractive except to that., in both senses of the word, limited class of persons which arrogates to itself the title of the religious public. If adorned with the usual decorations of the novel, it is not unlikely to become unduly secular—if rigidly ad hering to the slender hints of its authority, it is apt to be dreadfully dull. We are happy to say that in " The Handwriting on the Wall " Mr. Atherstone has produced a much more readable book than we should have expected. The style, which is a sort of bastard epic crossed with biblical phraseology, is unavoidably stilted and sometimes unduly gorgeous ; but the characters are distinctly drawn and likely to engage sympathy, the action is rapid, and the plot very fairly constructed. Mr. Atherstone has read a good deal, and, having a pictorial imagination, has coagulated materials from the Book of Daniel. Herodoms, Xenophon, Layard, Ilawlinson, and Martin the painter, into a very effective and some times splendid panorama. We observe that be draws his conversations of Cyrus and Creases, with simple and undoubting faith, from the Cyropredia of Xenophon —unaware, apparently, that scholars have unanimously pronounced that work to be a mere historical romance, and probably intended as such by its writer, who could have had no means of knowing the minute details which he has recorded in his narrative. In other respects Mr. Atherstone follows his authorities with fidelity, and selects from them the most telling features; but they would have hem still more telling if described with less length and amplitude of language. 9. The author of Gardenia " is not without a considerable share of that facility in composition which a constant perusal of Tennyson, Keats, and Shelley is found to confer. He has some power of word painting, and has looked on nature with an affectionate and mindful gaze. He is generally free from affectation, and can be charged with no worse fault than insipidity, which Is now so common as scarcely to be a matter of reproach. 10. " Corona " is a little volume of which the principal feature is a poem concerning a band of emigrants to an uninhabited island, named Corona. Their object is to regenerate the world, and, strange to state, the expedition is a failure, and the colonists, who belong to some great modern kingdom which we cannot identify, embark once more in their ships, and resolve to settle in England. Mr. Reed, like Mr. Sandes, is drenched with Tennysonism. The language of "Corona" is just an echo of "The Princess," and the song of Atalia is evidently in spired by the famous garden song in " Maud." Mr. Reed, however, is a very expert versifier, and seems a man of taste and culture. 11. This is not a bad subject for a poem, though he is a bold man who should seek to succeed where Sir Walter Scott had failed. Any attempt, however, at descriptive or martial poetry in the present day deserves encouragement. Mr. Belaney has had the courage to grapple with a difficult subject, and to resist the siren temptations of the spasmodic bchool, which have wooed many a promising young poet to destruction. For this he deserves credit. 12. The illustrated Wordsworth is a good book for a Christmas present. The illustrations are suffi ciently good. Among the best are Mr. Birket Foster's from "We are seven," another from "Mi chael" by the same gentleman, and one from "Lucy Gray" by Mr. H. Warren—i.e., "They fol lowed from the snowy bank." As a carious instance of carelessness we may observe that in the three illustrations of " We are seven," by Messrs. Thomas, Warren, and Foster respectively, there is a different kind of church in each. 1259 is the ensuing Hilary Term. Thetesoher will be appointed, in the first instance, for a period ending Oct. 28, 1802, but to be re-eligible, with a stipend of 1501. a year. The Rev. Lewis Sneyd, M.A., Warden of AU Souls College, has tendered his resignation of the Wardenship which he has held thirty years, having succeeded Dr. Legge, late Bishop of Oxford, in 1827. Upwards of twenty candidates have applied for the vacant Head-mastership of Ipswich Grammar School. lmustments, &t. THE THEATRES. HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—Three special per formances will be given next week, with Giuglini and Piccolomini. On Tuesday the first performance will take place, on which occasion the Trovatore will be produced. HAYMARKET.—Miss Sedgwick, whose debut has been the great event of Mr. Buckstone's season, took her first benefit on Wednesday night. She played the principal character in The Reigning Favourite, which is Mr. Oxenford's adaotation of Adrienne Lecouvreur, and played it with much force and energy, and again appeared in the little comedy of The Dowager. Miss Sedgwiek's engagement bas now terminated, and she is on the point of quitting London. We hope, however, in a very short time to have her again among us, and then for a permanency. Her success has been unquestionable and legitimate ; and we believe her to be the most promising actress that we have had for many years past. The Burlesque•, Pantomimes, and Extravaganzas intended to celebrate the Christmas of 1857, if report be true, will surpass those of previous years. At DRURY LANK, a genuine pantomime, Little Jack Horner, in which Boleno, Flexmore, Milano, Barnes, the Brothers Elliot, with Miss Rosins Wright and Mme. Auriol, will undertake the principal characters. The reputation of Drury Lane for the excellence of its pantomime will no doubt be amply sustained. The HAYMARKET produces a new version of The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood, in which the Leclercq family will entirely support the harlequinade. The Purscess's will also give us a new version of the old story of The White Cat, in which the scenery and changes are promised to be brilliant and novel. The Corsican Brothers, in which Mr. Kean will resume his original character, will be performed this evening. The LYCEt adopts a burlesque of Lalla Rookh, the scenic effects of which generally, and of one scene in particular, report declares will sur pass everything which has ever appeared on the brilliant stage of this charming little theatre. Miss Woolgar will sustain the character of the Troubador Feramoz. The Or.vmptc, famous for its extravaganzas, pro mises us one new even in origin. The Doge of Duralto will exhibit Mr. Robson in an entirely new part. At the ADELPHI The Loves of Cupid and Psyche will exhibit Mr. Paul Bedford as Jupiter. The harlequinade will introduce the dogs and monkeys of M. Desarais. CRYSTAL PALICE.—A series of revels to last during Christmas week will commence on Monday next. It is impossible, in the limits of our necessarily brief notice, to do justice to the extensive preparations made to secure the enjoyment of visitors to the Palace. There are fabulous reports floating about with respect to gigantic Christmas-trees and plum puddings, of such a size that the Leviathan could scarcely contain one unbroken ; but we think the following may be relied on. There are to be " masques" and "revels," " terpsichorean sports" and "juvenile wonderments." There is to be a colossal cartoon of Grimaldi on the screen which shuts off the tropical plants from the less genial portions of the building, and the whole of the centre transept vr:11 be hung with mottoes appropriate to the season, and in keeping as regards size and deco rations with the great type of pantomime on the screen itself. The centre of the transept will be occupied by a gigantic Christmas tree, the prizes on which will be given away among the juvenile marks men who most distinguish themselves in shooting at (or near) targets which, with all the requisite appa ratus, are to be provided without extra charge. There is to be a Christmas•cake of stupendous pro portions, weighing four cwt., and expressly com pounded for this occasion by the Messrs. Staples. There are also to be swings and roundabouts pro vided, together with the royal nursery " Punch and Judy," a small ballet company for the opera stage, a grand wizard, to which he of the North is to be as nothing, with other attractions more or less appro priate, the whole concluding each day with Sir Roger de Coverley. " danced by a thousand couples." These festivities are to last for one week, commencing on Monday the 2t sill of December, and from the scale of preparations now going forward at Norwood there is not the least doubt but that the whole programme is intended to be carried out in the most thorough Kelly's Post-office Directory, 1858. THIS Post-office Directory is one of the most remarkable monuments of human patience, perseverance, and ingenuity which modern times afford ; and it is worthy of note that the Messrs Kelly, who have now been before the public for several years, endeavour each year to render their superb work more perfect, inas much as they make each succeeding edition more comprehensive and more accurate with out any corresponding increase of bulk. Our readers probably have no notion of the im mense amount of labour involved in the pro duction of a work of this nature. This year the typographical alterations alone, Mr. Kelly tells us, have exceeded all anticipation. The changes of residence and alterations of trade alone demand the utmost care in compiling, and would exhaust both the energies and accuracy of less skilful publishers. Among the many improvements of the present edition we find the district of each street placed so legibly that no possible excuse exists for the omission of the district letters in future ; and after a careful examination of the contents generally, we are willing to endorse the asser tion that the Directory of 1858 will certainly be found to surpass in comprehensiveness of detail and accuracy of arrangement every edition by which it has been preceded. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.-DECEMBEE 24. BOOKS. The o . Donoghue. By C. Lever. Chapman and Hall. Essays on the Drama. By William B. Donn. J. W. Parker. The Interpreter. A Tale of the War. By G. J. W. Melville. J. W. Parker. The Political Economy of Art. By John Ruskin, M.A. Smith and Elder. Birthday. Illustrated. Smith and Elder. Willie's Rest. Smith and Elder. The British lrorkmon. Piftridgc Grerille or, Paris in 1840. By Mrs. Gore. T. Hogs n. The 3lahomedan Religion Explained. By J. 1). Madrige, D.C.L., F.S.A. Seeley and Jackson. A Woman's Thoughts about Women. By the Author of "John Halifax, Gentleman." Hurst and Blackett. The Fables ..Esop and others. Illustrated. Kent and CO. The Young Lady's Guide to Arithmetic. Simpkin and Marshall. German Lore. By Susanna Winkworth. Chapman and Hall. Transatlantic Sketches. By Professor Kelland. A. and C. Black. PAMPHLETS. On .Some Deficiencies in our English Dictionary. By. R. C. French, DJ). J. W. Parker—A Charge Delirered by the Lord Bishop , 1 1 Limerick, Keeling and Shaw—The Fran chise, and rating by Ballot. By William Atkinson. Long mans—Metropolis Management, ire. E. Stanford—The Case y Hampstead Heath. Seeley and Jackson—Our Monetary System. Seeley and Jackson—The Hygiene; or, the Tarkis 3 / 4 Army. J. Churchill. UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE. OXFORD. An election will be holden in Trinity Term,l /kSR. of two scholars—one for proficiency in the German and some other language taught in the Taylor Institution ; the other for proficiency in the French and in some other language taught in the Taylor Institution. The curators of the Taylor Institution intend to proceed to the nomination of a teacher of the Spanish language on that foundation, to be afterwards submitted to conyocation ,~