The Press. — London, England, 1855-02-03 00:00:00

THE PRESS• 114 congratulate her on her success in producing this pleasing and natural tale. It has been the object of Mrs. Hubback, in " May and December,"* to depict the unpleasant conse quences whicti may be anticipated from an ill assorted union between wealth and age on one side, with youth and vivacity on the other. The story is related in a sensible, straightforward manner. The general soberness of English life pervades the whole narra tive. There are hundreds of such steady merchants as Mr. Cameron, just but rather obstinate, amiable but somewhat suspicious, to be found in London at this present time ; plenty of such girls as Mary Luttrell, eager for riches and excitement, but deterred by honest principle from yielding to the seductions of vice; and very many clever, unscrupulous adventurers like James Wildey, maintaining an aspect of com mercial trustworthiness to the world, but intent on mending his fortunes by any desperate scheme which presents itself. The Mr. Arnolds are rarer in the world, as in the dense pressure and fierce conflict of life generous good nature is soon taught its limit. The fault of the book we think is, that it is somewhat too commonplace—a great fault in fiction, as nothing is more really depressing to the mind than to observe the smallness of the aims and the narrowness of the motives of great part of the busy world. The rascal James Wildey escapes too easily, and Mary Luttrell, as a wealthy widow, adopts a too conventional style of goodness with her ahurch endowment and parochial schools. " Mary Ellis "+ is another fiction in the sensible style, but tinged with romance. The only daughter of a great London merchant, she is suddenly reduced to poverty by the failure of her father, and at the same time is deserted by her dashing lover. Thenceforth the scene passes in the country ; but the attempted caricature of village character and manners is not very successful. She is most perfectly amiable, and fortunately the village is blessed with a handsome, excellent, young rector. Most fictions conclude with a realisation of the highest idea of bliss the writer can frame. The beau ideal of human felicity presented to us here is the celebration of service in a village church regularly each morning at half-past seven. The novel is perfectly harmless, and if it should be found rather drowsy the reader will only have himself to blame, as he could not, on the whole, be in the company of more amiable, or, as Lord Carlisle would waite, of " better-conditioned " people. These three-volumed novels, though very different in style, are all noticeable for the general probability of their narrative, and for the great part which what Mrs. Gore calls plainly " Mammon " plays in them. IMoney, in one shape or other, is the secret of the Iplot, the motive for the action of the characters. This one great agent seems to swallow up all other .springs of conduct, all other affections, passions, and instincts. Is this a faithful picture of what ekes place in life, and if it be, is it wise to reproduce it in fiction? We doubt whether the most sensible, probable, and provident narratives are really the best, unless, indeed, we concede that man's happiest state is as a money-grub, and that the collection of wealth is the one great object of life. Our own taste leads us in fiction to desire more of the poetry of life, for assuredly all the happiness or even the goods of this world do not depend on the externals of fortune, though we admit that for solid comfort there is nothing like a fair position in society and a respect able balance at one's bankers. In the other fictions, those in two volumes, better suited for private purchase, we detect a different tone. There is• more in them to interest the feelings. Greater prominence is given to social affections, and to the incidents arising from their exercise. It is to _ _ . trials, the enjoy as, against her, wins back the truant heart of her husband, and becomes to the high Lord and Lady Martindale a loving and much-loved daughter. The chief character in the book, however, is Theodora Martindale, a capricious, high-bred, intellectual girl, whose career is followed from first to last with deep attention from the skilful development of her nature and the uncertainty of her will. The book is crowded with personages, and we think would have been more pleasing had the interest been concentrated on fewer names. In one respect the author often dis appoints us. Circumstances are related with the minute pains which the old Dutch painters lavished on their little bits of canvas, and when our expecta tions have been highly raised there is no result to satisfy us but the elaborate description. Much ado is perpetually made about nothing. We do not say that we miss a purpose in the book, but we certainly miss a purpose in much of its action. In painting, the fidelity of representation is sufficient to content us with objects perfectly insignificant in themselves, but in fiction, the description of an interior, or of a morning walk, or of a dinner party, fails to satisfy us unless it advances in some perceptible manner the action of the story. Attempts are, besides, made in this tale of " Heartsease" to move the feelings by what comes little short of false pretences. Alarms are sounded which events do not justify. Everyone knows what a blunder Scott made in recalling Athelstane to life, and the blunder would have been still greater had the character possessed more hold on the seeder. With all our love for the " Vicar of Wakefield," we think it half spoiled by the return of Olivia after she had been mourned as dead. The pathos of such affliction should never be trifled with. It is to cheat the reader of his tears to show, after a time, that they ought never to have been shed. There are limits to that pleasure which it is the aim of fiction to impart. The mind may be kept sus pended on an event; but an author exceeds his privy lege when he leads us to a dying-bed, and paints all its terrors and agonies, only that he may comfort us by the restoration of the patient. Early in the first volume Arthur abruptly leaves Violet while she is unwell. The narrative proceeds:— Arthur came home late in the afternoon of the following day. The door was opened to him by his brother, who abruptly said, " She is dying. You must lose not a moment if you would see her alive." Arthur turnel pale, and gave an inarticulate exclamation of horror-stricken inquiry —" Confined?" " Half an hour ago. She was taken ill yesterday morn immediately atter s• left her. She is insensible, but tug . you . you may find her still living." • • • As Arthur pushed open the door there was a whisper that he was too late, and room was made for him. All he knew was, that those around watched as if it was not yet death, but what else did he see on those ashy, senseless features ? With a cry of despair he threw himself almost over her, and implored her but once to speak or look at him. No one thought her capable even of hearing, but at his voice the eyes and lips slightly moved, and a look of relief came over the face. A hand pressed his shoulder, and a spoon containing a drop of liquid was placed in his fingers, while some one said, " Try to get her to take this." Scarcely conscious, he obeyed, and, calling her by every endearing name, beyond hope succeeded in putting it be. tween her lips. Her eyes opened and were turned on him, her hand closed in his, and her features assumed a look of peace. The spark of life was for a moment detained by the power of affection, but in a short space the breath must cease, the clasp of the hand relax. The whole scene is described with great pathos, hut when Violet recovers we cannot forgive the author for having so trifled with our feelings as to expressly in dicate a fatal result. Generally, however, the tale is of high ety ;.- SATURDAY, It combines the morality of Miss Edgeworth's tales with a sentiment of a higher character. - --------- The author of " The Step-son"• is a zealous Pro testant, and, under the guise of fiction, shows the crimes which may be committed by really amiable persons, who, guided by the advice—or rather by the commands—of their spiritual instructors, conceive it to be their duty to yield implicitly to their directions. A wealthy and amiable man, of ancient family, after remaining many years a widower, marries, during the absence of his confessor, a young and lovely woman. This lady, although as good as she is beautiful, is hated by the confessor when he returns to England. She is a Protestant, and that is a crime never to be forgiven by the bigotted Roman Catholic. Under his directions her step-son contrives, by various well-devised falsehoods, to make his father believe his wife is unfaithful. She is driven from the house of her husband, who is, by the artifice of the priest, afterwards shut up in a lunanic asylum, by an order of his son, aided by the certificates of a couple of unprincipled medical men. The story, however, has a happy conclusion, owing to the sud den and violent death of the confessor. The tale is extremely well written, and the interest of the reader is sustained till the conclusion of the narrative. " General Buunce,"+ a story which appeared in Fraser's Magazine, has a title that so far agrees with the rule laid down in the preface to " Ivanhoe " as to give no idea whatever of the nature of the tale, but it so far violates also the " wizard's" rule as to raise ideas of a very different narrative than the able and graphic series of descriptions and adventures it con tains. The style of Mr. Melville is rapid and clear, making one acquainted with his character with a few strokes which remind one of Thackeray —per haps, indeed, a little too often; for though Mr. Thackeray uses such phrases as " his poor, old, gouty, " shiny boots," ai.d adopts Smollees relative of " that "young lady," and " this young gentleman," instead of she or he, there may be different opinions of the propriety of taste. The story of " The Lady and the Locusts" is a various reading of the old tale of the heiress desperately sought, and then at a rumour of a newly-found will as quickly abandoned. It affords the author, however, opportunity for various paintings of character, and for some playfully and painfully accurate description. Those who have not read" General Bounce" in its serial form have still a source of great amusement to come. Mr. Melville is, we believe, a gentleman of position and fortune, and has evidently extensive knowledge of society and a keen perception of the ridiculous in conduct and character. OUR notice of the last Quarterly has " stood over "so often, that we fear it now comes a day after the fair. This number is of more than usual importance, as it contains an article by Mr. Layard on the campaign in the Crimea. Mr. Layard was pre sent at the seat of war during the principal events of the campaign, and can, therefore, discuss them with the authority of personal observation. His article has been widely read, and much criti cised ; but it is unnecessary to notice it in this place, as we have already referred to it in our leading co lumns. The Review opens with an elaborate paper on " Fires and Fire Insurance," from which we learn that the provision of theßuilding Act, declaring that "no warehouse shall exceed 200,000 cubic feet in con "tents," has been set at defiance by the Manchester warehousemen, Cook's huge warehouse in St. Paul's Churchyard, containing 1,100,000 cubic feet of space, open from end to end, or 900,000 feet more than it is entitled to possess. The p ro prietors of these nothing like a fair position in society and a respect- peace. The spark of life was for a moment detained by the tuiu r Ire I.l.lnui ntiur, 5.•_,.. ” ........ ..,.. .-- ____ able balance at one's bankers. - x ires power of affection, but in a short space the brea th must the rovision of the Building Act, declaring that "no " wa p rehouse shall exceed 200,00 0 cubic feet in c on- In the other fictions, those in two volumes , bette r cease, the clasp of the hand relax. suited for private purchase, we detect a different The whole scene is described with great pathos, hut "tents," has been set at defiance by the Manchester wa rehousemen, Cook's huge warehouse in St. Paul's tone. There is' more in them to interest the feelin g s. when Vio l et recovers we cannot forgive the author for G r eater prominence is given to social affections, and having so trifled with our feelings as to expressly in - Churchyard, containing 1,100,00 0 cubic feet of sp ace, to the incidents arising from their exercise. It is to di c ate a fatal result. Generally, however, the tale is open from end to end, or 900,000 feet more than it is his faculty of depicting the trials, the enjoyments, a d m i ra bl y con d uc ted ; the tone of high society is well entitled to possess. The proprietors of the se immense buildings pretend that they escape tl e and sufferings of home life, and the play and con - preserved, and though there is a little too much provisions of the Building Act, as by reason of the ir trast of character, that the author of the " Heir of decorative description of parks, mansions, furniture, Redclyffe" owes his popularity. We do not know carriages, dress, and the like, and charity schools breaking bulk their places of business are not me re what the sale of his books may be, but we mee t with and mediteval fashions are somewhat too prominent, warehouses. The reviewer supposes that this pre - them everywhere. He has struck out a new vein of yet the book is well calculated for general reading, tense would not save them if the case came before a court of law ; and certainly it is Lime that a dec ision fiction by representing in the simp lest forms the and we doubt not has already f ound its wa y into man y d o mestic ideas of the higher classes of Englis h life a manse and manor, and is destined to enjoy an should be taken to ascertain whether an expres s p ro vision intended for the safety of the public can be set at the present day. " Heartsease" p resents the enduring popularity. " at nought by this quibble, more especially a s it is s t ro ngest contrast imaginable to the "Mammon of Mrs. Gore. In the latter we meet with a duchess, a The story of " Gwen"' is well written, and the affirmed here, "on high authority, that London has baronet, an heiress, and so on ;in the former with a sympathies of the reader are enlisted in favour of ‘‘ never since the Great Fire been in such danger of an mother, a father, a daughter, husbands, brothers , " The Cousins" from the moment of their introduc- s overwhelming con fl agration as it is now by the pre- and wives. In he one case social rank is paraded Lion. But the writer has evidently a far higher aim in s sence and rapid spreading of these huge ware- before our eyes as we see it abroad, in the other view than that of merely amusing her readers. She s houses." Among the statistics given here we do domestic feeling as it flourishes at home. shows, all through the work, how the want of proper not observe any account of the lives yearly lost discipline in early yout h contributes to vitiate the The story of "Heartsease ": is almost exactly that by fires, though we see it stated that in 1853 forty-six, happiness h. of a whole life. Without being anything an d i n 185.1 twen ty e i g h t , of Lady Scott's "]'ride of Life." In both cases the l i ke mind of tis usually called a "religious novel," the lives were saved by means son a a noble house marries a gentle, beautiful girl of fire escapes. In the immense houses erecting in theo the most careless reader must be impressed below him in birth and fortune; and in both the different parts of the metropolis, and especially in with .. earnest, yet unobtrusive, manner in which gentleman repents the sacrifice of himself, and treatsthose now building in Victoria street, it would, as an it is S hown h ow a constant and firm reliance on Pro- his wife with neglect. But in "Heartsease" thee ff ectual precaution against personal danger from vi ence for aid throughout all the trials of life miti-story is conducted with infinitely greater skill, par- fire, be very advisable, we imagine, to have balconies gates . their severity, and contributes far more to our titularly in the closing passages, which are perfectly running parallel with the windows of each " flat," as aptness even in this life than the highest point of natural, and written with great beauty. Violet, by escape might then be easy and instantaneous. These mere worldly prosperity can possibly do. Few works papers on social subjects give a distinctive character to her gentle goodness, overcomes all the prejudices we have recently met with can be placed with so the Review under the present editorship. In a • May and Decensher By Mrs. Hubbaok. 8 vole. much advantage in the hands of the youthful reader. + Mary ELUL By A. r,.. irer. !tope and Co. * The Step son. By F. N. Dyer. Bentley. t Heartsease ; or, the Brather's WOre. By the Author of "The • Gwen; or, the Coneinc. By A. M. Goodrich. J. W. Parker + General Bounce; or, the Larlyand the Locusts. By G..T. Whyte Heir of Beddyffe." J. W. Parker and Sons . and Sons. Melville. J. W. Parker and Son. 1•. N.,