The Press.
London, England, 1855-01-27 00:00:00

JANUARY 27, 1855.

" poore bedesman," according to the increase
of the value of money, with the same attention
to the strict terms of the grant as was shown
by the Baron of Bradwardine, when he pro
duced the boot jack to unshoe the chevalier,
and perhaps with as much result as the baron
accomplished when he found his royal high-
ness wearing kilts. That the charities of the
empire require thorough revision even the
House of Commons has been induced to
admit, but that revision is far more pressingly
required by municipal than ecclesiastical ap-
propriations, though it pleases a certain class
-to ignore all except where the Church can be
.assailed.

The " Warden" is, as might be expected,
the head of a house founded by the much mis-
used and misapplied charity of a pious me-
diieval testator. The application of the funds
becomes talked of, occupying the attention of
a weak-minded local reformer, who, with the
usual Roman determination of such gentle.
men, ceases his agitation for love of the
Warden's daughter. But Mr. John Bold's re-
pentance comes too late. He has raised the
storm ; and the Warden, without attempting
any reform, resigns. If the story have " a
purpose," it is not answered, for Mr. John Bold
and the Warden are equally foolish, the courage
of the one and the conscience of the other
being of the kind that leaves all things where
it finds them. The reformation of such abuses
is to be accomplished, as we seek for bodily
health at the hand of those who know the
complaint, and will by the aid of the patient's
own efforts care it. To give such things into
the hands of professional reformers is like
calling in your deadliest enemy instead of the
surgeon.
The author of the " Warden" aims at what
we cannot but think one of the lowest objects
of the novelist—sketches of the peculiarities of
Jiving persons. But who can his Attorney-
General be? It is not unlikely that the fol-
lowing is really supposed by Mr. Trollope to
•be something like somebody who has held the
'office of Attorney-General; but the only man it
describes, as to height and age, must have al-
ways had the goodluck to avoid ten minutes
•of the society of Mr. Trollope

Sir Abraham was a tall, thin man, with hair prematurely
grey, but bearing no other sign of age ; he had a alight
stoop, in his neck rather than his back, acquired by his
constant habit of leaning forward as he addressed his
'various audiences. He might be fifty years old, and would
'owe looked young for his age, had not constant work
hardened his features, and given him the appearance of a
machine with a mind. His face was full of intellect, but
devoid d natural expression. You would say he war a
man to use, and then have done with ; a man to be sought
for on great emergencies, but ill-adapted for ordinary ser-
vices ; a man whom you would ask to defend your property,
but to whom you would be sorry to confide your love. He
-was bright as a diamond, and as cutting, and also as un-
impressionable. He knew every one whom to know was
:an honour, but he was without a friend ; he wanted none,
!however, and knew not the meaning of the word in other
:than its parliamentary sense. A friend I Had he not
'always been sufficient to himself, and now, at fifty, was it
ilikely that he should trust another? He was married, in-
deed, and had children, but what time had be for the soft
idleness of conjugal felicity ? His working days or term
times were occupied from his time of rising to the late
hour at which he went to rest, and even his vacations were
more full of labour than the busiest days of other men.
He never quarrelled with his wife, but ne never talked to
her—he never had time to talk, he was so taken up
with speaking. She, poor lady, was not unhappy ; she had
all that money could give her, she would probably live to
be a peeress, and she really thought Sir Abraham the best
-of husbands. _ _ _ _

Sir Abraham was a man of wit, and sparkled among the
'brig'htest at the dinner•tables of political grandees ; indeed,
lie always sparkled; whether in society, in the House of
Commons, or the courts of law, coruscations flew from
; glittering sparkles, as from hot steel, but no heat ;
no cold heart was ever cheered by warmth from him, no
unhappy soul ever dropped a portion of its burtben at
his door.
With him success alone was praiseworthy, and he knew
none so successful as himself. No one had thrust him
forward ; no powerful friends had pushed him along on his
road to power. No, he was Attorney-General, and would,
in all human probability, be Lord Chancellor by sheer dint
of his own industry and his own talent. Who else in all
the world rose so high with so little help ? A Premier, in-
deed ! Who had ever been Premier without mighty friends?
An archbishop ! Yes, the son or grandson of a great noble,
or else, probably, his tutor.
-- -

In another instance, however, as Mr. Trol
lope, if he does not name the author, names
his characters, we may say that he has touched
one of Mr. Dickens's decided shortcomings :
Of all such reformers Mr. Sentiment is the most power-
ful. It is incredible the number of evil practices he has
put down : it is to be feared he will soon lack subjects,