The Press. — London, England, 1857-02-21 00:00:00

186 literally given up all worldly prospects for the sake of what he feels to be right, you would not wonder that I dread the coldness of the English Church, or shrink from its formal passiouleis services." We have read various forms of the religious novel, but we never saw one constructe on so shallow a scheme as the present. There is real antagonism between Protestantism and Romanism, as between the habits of religious life incident to those who cultivate exclusively either High Church or Evangelical principles. But to try and conjure up interesting situa• tions for a mind wavering between the Church and the Kirk is not only wrong in point of taste, but is an anachronism in point of time. There was a period when the two national Churches, north and south of the Tweed, kindled the fiercest political passions, and roused the ire of disputants. Those days are happily over, and are not likely to return. "Agnes Milbourne," therefore, is little better than a genteel tract against Presbyterianism, in which human sympathies are not touched, nor the mind refreshed by any varieties of human life naturally described. It is a pity that the authoress does not give herself more time, as with her rapid mode of composition Mrs. Hubback does not allow her ideas to accumulate. " Contemplate your subject long, " and it will grow upon you," was the advice given by a great master of literary composi tion ; and a rapid writer should possess a stored memory, well furnished with observations of life. A passage from the concluding pages of this novel will show the radical defect of " Agnes Milbourne " Amongst her wedding presents, which were no way in themselves remarkable for number or value, was one to the possession of which she had been looking forward with deep unspeakable interest. It was a small parcel which Bernard brought for her on her birthday. Almost silently he placed it in her hands and turned away. The envelope contained Arthur's Book of Common Prayer, the one which she well knew he had always car ried about him, which had been his daily companion for years. Perhaps the first page which caught her eye bad been the last on which his failing sight had rested, for the book opened at the service for the Communion of the Sick, and there followed next those words of comfort and hope, " I ant the Resurrection and the Life." On the blank page at the beginning, where she knew his name was written long before, her own was added in a tee- Tuitions hand, as though strength were ebbing fast, and then these words :—" Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard "—" endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace," and beyond she could jest trace—" One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism," and then it seemed the fingers could no longer guide the pen, and the imperfect letter which followed only shcwed that the will had not been accomplished. 1. Poems of Past Years. By Sir Arthur Hallam Elton, Bart. London : Smith and Elder. 2. Sir Edwin Gilderoy. By Feltham Burghley. London : John Chapman. 3. Poetry from Life. By C. M. K. London: Smith and Elder. ALL these poems possess a certain degree of merit, in that they are the product of writers who know what poetry ought to be, and evince an ear for rythm, in which many of those lately noticed by us are deficient. If they are not such as to add to the reputation of their respective authors, they will not diminish from it; and though they would probably have had as many readers in manuscript as they are likely to have in print, yet we have no wish to quarrel with anything which, being decently good, stimulates three such important branches of industry as printing, publishing, and paper making. 1. In Sir Arthur Elton's volume we like the " Heart's Sacrifice " the best, but we shall quote a shorter one, called the " Day Dream," as a very fair specimen of his style : She sat beneath the branches Of an old and lofty tree, And I lay on the grass And my head it as on her knee : The spot was green and sheltered On the steep side of a hill ; The day was bright and clear And all around was still ; A valley stretched keneuth us; It was a pleasant place ; But 1 cared not much for that, Fur I looked up in her face; I looked up, and I listened To the sweet words which she told me, While her dark eyes all the time Did earnestly behold me ; THE PRESS. A sort of dizzy languor Possessed me as I heard, And I trembled so with joy Tbat I uttered not s word; She told me that the tale Was false which men had said; How she had loved another With whom she was to wed; She told me 't was most false She was another's wife ; But that she loved me dearly, And would so, all her life ; She chid me very gently Itemise I had believed; And the tears stood in her eyes To think how I had grieved ; She took my hand in hers, And placed it on her heart, But that heart it felt so cold That I drew back with a start Oh misery for me! For suddenly she seemed To melt into the air; 1 woke, and had but dreamed! 2. " Sir Edwin Gilderoy" is an imitation of ancient English ballads, and we do not deny the writer the very modest amount of praise which he claims for himself, that is, " to have put two or three words together as they ought to bo ; logically • that is, without eccentricity, and yet in a mar.ner sufficiently fresh and vigorous." 3. From the poems of C. M. K. we select the following, entitled the " Home Angel ": She dwelt apart from early youth In gentle household ways; Contented with her mother's smile, And with her father's praise. Hers was " the grace of qutet born," Of fancies gay and pure ;I Of trusting love that could obey, And strength that could endure. Beauty from simplest actions rase, And harmony from strife; So did her kindly spirit fuse The elements of life. Hers was the hand that freely gave, The ready smile or sigh, The cheek that true to feeling flushed, The bright and upward eye. A stranger came, he look'd and loved, He whisper'd at her side ; There fell a shadow on her home The day he claim'd his bride. And well she kept her vows, she tuni'd The prose of life to song; But alt too high that strain fur earth— And it was hush'd ere long. She died, ere love was fully teld, As dies a flower in spring ; Earth never lost, nor heaven gain'il A fairer, sweeter thing. Ay, hundreds like her live and die, In England's household bowers; And blessed are the hearts that feel "Such angels yet are ours." Poetry, it has been often said, is not confined to those who have the power of composing it in words. Many persons may experience truly poetic emotions who cannot convey their ideas to others. But there will always be an effort to do so ; and that effort will be gra dually facilitated by the diffusion of liberal culture. The class of writings we have lately been reviewing under the title of " Recent Poetry" seem, as it were, a sort of inarticulate protest against the overwhelming materialism of the age a determined attempt on the part of persons conscious of poetic sympathies to give utter ance to their feelings regardless of the absence of poetic genius. As works of art they cannot but rank low, but as manifestations of gentle ness are entitled to our friendly consideration. THE AMUSEMENTS OF THE TOWN exhibit such vitality as the season may be expected to stimulate. The theatres are remarkably active. At the Olympic and Haymarket we have different versions of the same piece, the Femme qui Diteste son Mari of the late Madame Emile Girardlu ; both versions are good. At a favourable opportunity we will give a detailed criticism of each, and also of the new drama the Life's Ransom, brought out with such care by Mr. Dillon e.t the Lyceum. Among amusements non.theatrical, Mr. Gordon Cumming •till maintains his credit as the mighty hunter among men, while Tom Thumb, of illustrious diminutiveness, is ex hibited and kissed every day at stated hours at the Cosmorama. SATURDAY, THE NEAPOLITAN DESPATCHES. A PORTION of the despatches upon the subject of the Neapolitan interference has been published. The despatches extend from May 19th to Nov. 15th, 1856. On May 19, Lord Ciarendon wrote to Sir William Temple, at Naples, setting forth the grounds on which her Majesty's Government recommended that of the Two Sicilies to grant a general amnesty, and to adopt an improved administrative system. Sir William Temple acknowledges the receipt of this despatch, and communicates the result of his inter view with the Neapolitan Minister. The report of M. Brennier, the French representative, who acted with Sir William Temple, is also given. Sir William Temple then sends a memorandum upon the suffer ings of the prisoners, also reports of the trials at the Grand Criminal Court, and the representations made from time to time by M. Carafa to the English and French Governments,with the results. Between July 31 and Oct. 27, the correspondence from Naples to our Government is conducted by Mr. Metre. The letters of this gentleman include obser vations on the political state of the kingdom, the results of the trials, the sufferings of Poerio and others, the facts connected with the rupture of the diplomatic relations, and the departure of the French and English representatives from the capital. From the despatch of Lord Clarendon on the 19th of May we select the following passages:— This anxiety, and a profound conviction of the imminent danger with which Italy is threatened, can alone justify her Majesty's Government in deviating from that principle of which they are the first to recognise the importance— that no foreign power has the right to interfere in the internal affairs of another State ; and the Government of the King of the Two Sicilies may be assured that in offer• ing advice for the regulation of its internal affairs, the Government of her Majesty is actuated by friendly feelings, and the persuasion that not only the stability of the Sicilian monarchy, but the general peace of Europe, will be endangered by a perseverance in that system of internal administration which now exists in the Neapolitan do. minions. • •• •• •• •• • • It is, then, in a true spirit of friendship that her Ma jesty's Government would recommend the Government of the Two Sicilies to enter upon a new course of internal policy, to endeavour by a general amnesty to rally round the Throne those who have been alienated from it by a systematic distrust, and in too many cases by unmerited persecution, and to inspire all persons, irrespective of their political opinions, with confidence that jutitice will be duly administered, and that their personal liberty and their property will be respected. The attention of Europe is now directed towards Italy as the quarter from whence, more than from any other, the general peace, now happily restored, is likely again to be disturbed. The powers of Europe feel that they have a right to employ all the means at their disposal to avert a calamity so grievous as the renewal of war, and the means they may decide on adopting fur that purpose will be justi fied by necessity. On the 2nd June Sir William Temple replies, de tailing the reception his communication met with from the Neapolitan Minister for Foreign Affairs, M. Carafa. Sir William Temple writes : M. Carafe promised to lay these despatches before the King at the earliest opportunity, to which he assured us that we might expect very shortly to receive answers. He said that the King could not consistently with his dignity allow any foreign powers to interfere with the internal Government of his country, but he would always listen with interest to the represen.ations of friendly powers. M. Carala added that be could assure us that the King felt no desire to prolong the confinement of the political prlsoners unnecessarily, and that an extensive amnesty had been prepared, but the execution had been postponed, in corsequence of the excitement which had been occasioned by the expectations to which the Acts of the Congress had given rise. He expressed, however, his conviction that something would be dune before long, and the hope that he would be able to give an answer to our communications which he trusted would prove satisfactory. On the 12th of June Sir W. Temple wrote : I called upon M. Carats yesterday, to ask him how soon we might expect an answer to the representations which 11. Brennia. and I had been instructe.i to make to him by our respective Governments. M. Carafs assured me that the copies of the despatches we had lett with hint hail been immediately forwarded to the King at Gaeta, and that lie expected to receive an answer soon. I told him that our (internments were very anxious to ascertain what the in tentions of the King really are ; that we are desirous that his Majesty should act from his own good feelings; but that if, unfortunately, nothing were dime, very serious com plications would arise, for that England and France were in earnest, and would nut allow themselves to be put off or trifled with. . _ M. Carafe repeated again that the King had the he% intentions, but that he could not permit any foreign powers to interfere with the internal government of his dominions ; that an amnesty had been in preparation, but that the protocols of Paris prevented its being carried out at present. as it might be supposed to have been the result of compulsion. On the 80th of June was written the famous Neapolitan note, protesting strongly against the right of foreign interference in the internal adminis tration of the kingdom of Naples : The English Government displays apprehensions for the stability of the monarchy, and for the peace of Europe, ■