The Press.
London, England, 1857-08-22 00:00:00

parents sent her to the wedding of a country cousin,
thinking the change and gaiety might do her good. But
this was the drop that overbrimmed the cup : the sight of
the new-married couple in their honeymoon happiness,
and the quiet domestic comfort of their little country
cottage in its tiny garden, sunk with a painful contrast into
her heart, and she returned home, only that ber mother
might rush wildly from one doctor to another, in the hope
that something might be done for her.
The body recovered, but the mind was gone hopelessly ;
and as she grew more vacant and unconscious, her health
got better, for the mind no longer wore out and harassed
the feeble frame. She had taken to writing over every scrap
of paper she could lay hands on—most likely from a linger-
ing association of past days, like the wind wandering
through the strings of a harp and bringing out An imper-
fect sound. It was almost always the same figures ; the
first, 17 and 23, were their respective ages—the lath of
May was the date of their first meeting, and the 2nd of
November the last time they met—that bitter parting that
had unsettled her intellect for ever. She had at first
been very difficult to manage, and reqnired more skilful
treatment than her poor heartbroken mother could give
her, and she had accordingly been placed under proper
care. As time went on, she grew as gentle as an infant;
but, on attempting to remove her to her mother's home,
had manifested such distress, that altboughthe expense of
keeping her away cost her mother every little indulgence
she had hitherto possessed, she submitted without a
murmur, only grieving that she could not have her always
with her.

I gaztd sadly upon the dim discoloured figures that had
before seemed to me but the mere vague wanderings of in-
sanity, but now that I had the key to them, the mournful
record of that blank existence—the summing up of that
humble tale of resignation and sorrow.
The style of this reminds us very much of
" The Pride of the Village." Many of Mrs.
Broderip's verses are very musical; and the
entire volume is distinguished by great facility
and elegance of expression, and great purity
of taste and thought.

Mr. Freeland's " Lectures and Miscella-
nies" (3) are the fruits of a mind interested
in literature and philosophy, rather than of
one that is either philosophical or literary.
The subjects chosen for illustration are all
good, and display a considerable range of
learning; but no single paper surpasses the
limits which any well-educated and well-
informed person at the present day might be
expected to attain. Mr. Freeland is neither a
critic nor a teacher, but he has acquired a
certain amount of knowledge which he dis-
burses with a pleasant and communicative air
to what we daresay was a very well-pleased
audience. The lecture upon " Literary Im-
postures " cannot fail to be interesting; and
though Mr. Freeland has nothing novel to
bring forward, yet his remarks are pleasing
from their good sense and charitable spirit.
The credulity of the world in these matters is,
however, less wonderful than the audacity of
the impostors. It is surprising to what length
this is sometimes carried. Rolt, the author
of a " Dictionary of Trade and Commerce,"
went to Dublin, gave himself out as author
of " The Pleasures of the Imagination, "
and was entertained, we are told, at the best
tables "as the ingenious Mr. Bolt ;" and only
a few months ago an adventurer in Scotland laid
claim to the works of a rising literary man of
the present day, and stuck to his assertion for
a long time, even in the face of contradictions
from the real author. But perhaps the most
extraordinary attempt of this kind, if true, is
the alleged assertion of Goldsmith that he had
a brother who was Dean of Durham. A
variety of other curious cases of impostures
will be found in " Boswell's Johnson," from
which we have taken the account of " the
ingenious Mr Bolt." Mr. Freeland's most
elaborate article is on the " Life and Writings
of Lamartine," which seems rather well put
together. His worst is the short criticism upon
" In Memoriam," which condemns him utterly
as a man of taste, sensibility, or ear fur
rby thm.

" Magdalene Stafford " (4) is a tale of a
rather peculiar character. With a consider-
able resemblance to the stories of Miss Sewell,
it blends something of the graphic power
and piquant tone belonging to the authoress
of " Dorothy." The self-examination and the
fits of penitence and remorse are all in the
style of the former lady. But there is no
allusion to any theological school in the pages
of " Magdalene Stafford," and the only three
clergymen introduced are as unecclesiastical
as possible. For vigour of thought and power
of playful sarcasm the story cannot be corn-

(3) Lectures and Miscellanies. By H. W. Freeland. London:
Longman..
(4) Magdakse Stafford; or, a GitINS of slolSitiltC on a .Rainy
Day. London : boll and JUaldy.