The Press.
London, England, 1857-04-04 00:00:00

NEW NOVELS.

SEVERAL clever and agree.►ble novels have
been issued lately, most of thee► by writers of
established reputation. Our notices of th. m
must be brief, as it. does not strike us that any
are so remarkable fur originality as to call fur
critical examination.

(1.) Mrs. Marsh's novels are always plea--
ing. Iler new one, "The Rose of Ashurst,"
is chiefly concerned with the rural life she
excels in describing. It gives prominence to
the home affections and pure sentiments
which country life is calculated to nourish ;
and is throughout natural, though suffi-
ciently touched with romance to be attractive
in perusal. The characters of the brothels,
Paul and Walter Lewis, one " a genius," the
editor of a Radieal newspaper, and the other a
hard-working village doctor, are effectively
contrasted. There is less of incident and
story in this novel than we are accustomed to
find in the authoress's productions ; but many
of the descriptive passages are in her best
style. Sometimes, as in the epistolatory
parts of the novel, her pen runs too fast and
too far. She would do well to check this
tendency to exuberance. The sentiment of
the book is throughout healthy, and the lovers
of fiction will find it pleasant though not very
exciting relihng.

(2.) The "Second Wife" is a story of a
different cast, and of more crowded incident.
The plot is carefully constructed and well
sustained ; though too dependent, we think,
on what is a rather stale device of modern
novelists,—the prevalence of Jesuit intrigue in
society under the mask of High Church zeal.
We doubt the vraisemblance of this part of
the novel, which in other respects is so clever
that it might have been dispensed with The
sketches of fashionable life are all excellent,
showing intimate knowledge of society, and
keen perception. For this reason, and for its
general animation, the book is sure of a
favourable reception. Lady Armadale and
Lady Bouverie are in opposite styles the per-
fection of portraiture. The mind of the Avriter
frequently rises above the level of drawing-
room conversation, and expands in beautiful
thought. It is a favouraule sign that the
work as it progresses shows deeper feelir g
and higher power than could he anticipated
from its opening chapters. If the book is a
first production it promises to place the
authoress in the first rank of "fashionable
novelists."

(3.) The authorship of " Cousin Geoffrey"
was long a puzzle, as the book gave evidences
both of masculine force and feminine delicacy.
The like combination of mental qualities is
manifested in " Married for Love." The
struggles in a woman's heart between affec-
tion and duty, and the agony and despair
which follow on the illusions of love being
rudely dispelled, could only proceed from a
female pen ; while, on the other hand, severe
scrutiny of men's motives and passions indi-
cate a mastery of their nature seldom attained
except by one of their own gender. We believe
the name of the writer is now no secret, but
as long as the anonymous is retained, it is not
for us to disturb it. The moral of the story is
to show that love-marriages do not answer,
and that women should take better securities
for their happiness than are to be found in the
professions of lovers who would persuade
them to contract an unequal and imprudent
alliance. There is a double plot in the novel

(1) The Rose of Ashsirst. By the Author of " Emilia Wynd-
ham." Three Vols. London : Hurst and Blacken.
(:l) The Second Wife. Three Vole. London: Hurst and
Blacken.
(3) Marriedfor Love. By the Author of "Cousin Geoffrey."
Throe Yule. London : Hurst and blackett.

342

—the same theme being worked out both in
high and low life. The writer thoroughly
understands the art of keeping the action of
the tale always moving ; and expectation is
created, not by the concealment which tanta-
lises the reader with the desire of finding out
puzzling occurrences, but by the wish to
arrive at the result of a natural train of events.
The impression left by the whole story is pain-
ful—almost too painful for a work of fiction.
It is more instructive, as well as more pleas-
ing, to watch the development of character
upward than downward.

(4.) " Marguerite's Legacy " is a talc of con-
tinental life, crowded with characters and
bustling with incessant movement. It is of a
melodramatic character, with somewhat in-
volved story. Unexpected events arc always
springing up to surprise the reader and sustain
interest, while the reserve thrown over the
motives of some of the personages is so im
penetrable, that when the attention of the
reader is once engaged it is not suffered to
droop until the close of the narrative dispels
all mystery by the revelation of the real feel-
ings and sentiments of the actors. The nar-
rative is fir too complex for us to attempt to
give any notion of it. In varied adventure it
resembles the school of French romance, but
is perfectly free from objectionable matter.

" The Eve of St. Mark " is an historical
romance of the latter part of the sixteenth
century. It is the work of an artist, thought-
fully designed, and executed with elaborate
pains in all that relates to the accessories and
colouring of the time. It is of a tragic cast,
and belongs rather to the classic than the
romantic school of historic fiction. From its
careful execution it will, better than most
novels of the day, repay an attentive perusal.
(6.) " Still Waters Run Deep" is one of those
natural stories of domestic life which the
publishers, Messrs. Parker, have acquired a
distinctive reputation for issuing. The tale is
much in the sober manner of Aftss Austin's
novels. It is rarely romantic, slightly imagi-
native, and very little adventurous. It is
almost entirely occupied with conversation,
and the action is mainly composed of morning
walks, afternoon rides, social calls, break•
fasts, dinners, and evening gatherings.
We must acknowledge that we have no
great liking for this placid style of fiction ;
we think that a novel does not fultil its best
use which does not excite the itnagmation
and stir the heart, which does not rouse some
tumult in the mind, and detach it for a time
from the ordinary occurrences of life. But in
favour of such books as " Still Waters," it
must be said that they are extremely sensible,
that they reflect life with considerable fidelity,
and that they afford amusement with the least
possible amount of mental disturbance. The
personages introduced at the commencement
of the tale are nearly all standing on the
threshold of home, and the narrative shows
the manner in which they emerge from the
world, and, according to their several disposi-
tions, yield to or overcome its temptations.