The Express.
London, England, 1859-10-14 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 14 1869.

LITERATURE

The Minister's Wooing. By H. BitCHER BrOwn,
author of " Uncle Tom's Cabin," " Sunny Memo-
ries," &c. Sampson Low, Son, and Co.
In this novel we have a better means of estimat-
ing Mrs. Beecher Stowe's literary powers than in
any of her previous works, though she is and
always will be best known as the author of " Uncle
Tom's Cabin." The remarkable popularity of that
book wu so largely due to cameo other than literary
that it can by no means be taken as even approxi-
mately a measure of her ability as a novelist.
Beyond the circle of persons habitually interested in
literature is a large outlying public, which if once
persuaded to take up some new book reads
it with en eagerness and praises it with
an enthusiasm which hold no sort of relation
to its literary merits. This audierce the strong
philanthropic purpose of Mrs. Stowe's first story
appealed to and neared, and accordingly " Uncle
Tom's Cabin " achieved • success which neither its
pretensions as • novel nor its force as au anti-
slavery tract would, singly, have enabled it to ap-
proach. Moreover, it was exceedingly difficult for
the moat cold-blooded critic of the work just men-
tioned to keep his mind sufficiently free from the
contagion of its warm and generous advocacy of a noble
cause to estimate impartially the strictly literary skill
of the writer. In " The Minister's Wooing" this dis-
turbing element is not present. One or two of the
characters, indeed, are slaves; and there are some
passages of the story which bear on the question of
negro slavery, and are animated by the writer's
strong feeling on the subject; but these are inci-
dental and subordinate, toe main interest, as the
title indicates, being wholly unconnected with any
" theory " or " purpose," and strictly in accordance
with orthodox principles of novel writing. We
must say at once that Mrs. Stowe has succeeded be-
yond our expectations in this essay in the more legi-
timate branch of her art. We were somewhat afraid
that in the absence of the potent sources of excite-
meat supplied by her favourite ground of fiction
she would be reduced to triviality or tempted to ex-
aggeration. We were agreeably surprised to find
that by every happy choice of subject she had found
employment for her broad human sympathies and
strong religious feeling in giving depth and fulness
to the current of her story, and that by these means
she had produced a work scarcely inferior in interest
to her famous first novel, and containing, rrimpn,
some scenes and passages of a higher quality than
any in that book.
The story is one of New England village life
towards the end of the last century. The little
community to which we are introduced is composed
of the simple yet shrewd, thriving, and God-fearing
people of the old Puritan type, which maintained
itself in New England long after it had degenerated
in the mother country.
The life of people of this sort is by no means new
in fiction—it is, indeed, rather favourite material
with novelists ; but in the works of most of them,
owing to Die writers' deficient sympathy and super-
ficial acquaintance with this form of character, it
partakes more or less of the nature of caricature.
The Puritan, with his nasal snuffle and his mouth
full of garbled texts—the strict religious professor,
with his hypocritical sanctity and his secret sins,
have lug been the "dock," conventional represen-
tatives of what is most distinctly and vitally christian
in the life of modern times. It is with very superior
knowledge, and in a very different spirit, that Mrs.
Stowe has delineated both the outer and inner life of
these primitive New England religionists. In this
picture of Dr. Hopkins and his congregation we
doubt not that we have a far truer description, as we
are quite sure that we have a far more intelligible
one, of the ordinary operation of a conscientiously
held and logically reasoned Calvinism than is to be
found in the harsh and repulsive sketches of social
and theological antagonism. Mrs. Stowe says, we
believe quite truly :

Never wee hunt • community where the mots of common
life shot down so deeply, end were so Intensely grappled
around things sublime and eternal. The founders of it were
a body of confessors sad martyrs, who turned their becks on
the whole glory of the visible to found in the wilderness a re-
public of which the Clod of heaven and earth should be the
sovereign power. For the first hundred years grew this com-
munity. shut out by a fathomless ocean from the existing
world, and divided by an antagonism not less deep from all
the reigning ideas of nominal Christendom.
In:a community thus unworldly must have arisen a mode
of thought, energetic, original, and sublime. The leaden of
thought end feeling were the ministry, and we boldly amen
that the spectacle of the early ministry of New England wee
one to which the world gives no parallel. Living an intense,
earnest, practical life, mostly tilling the mirth with their own
bends, they yet earned on the mat startling and original
religious investigations with a simplicity that might have
been deemed audacious, were ft not so reverential. All old
James relating to government, religion, ritual, and forme of
church organiestion haring fur them paved away, they went
@height to the heart of things, and boldly confronted the
problem of universal being. They bad come out from the
world as witnesses to the most solemn and sacred of human
rights. They had ac:uatomed themselves boldly to chal-
lenge and dieputs ell sheen pretensions and idolatries of past
sass—to question the right of kings in the state and of pre-
lates in the church; and now they turned the same bold in-
quiries towards the Eternal Throne, end threw down their
glove in the limas authorised defender* of every mystery la
the eternal government. The task they proposed to them-
selves was that of reconciling the most tremendous facts of
sin and evil, present and eternal, with those conceptions of
infinite power end benevolence which their own strong and
generous natures enabled them so vividly to realise. In the
intervals of planting and harvesting they were busy with the
toils of adjusting the laws of a universe. Solemnly simple,
they made long journeys in their old one-horse dishes to
settle with each other some nice point of celestial jeuisprn-
denos, and to compare their maps of the infinite. Their letters
to each other form • literature altogether unique. Hopkins
sends to Edwards the younger his scheme of the universe, in
which he starts with the proposition that God is infinitely
above all obligations of any kind to his creathres. Edwards
replies with the brusque comment This is wrong; God
has no more right to injure a creature then a creature has to
injure God;" and each probably about that time preached a
sermon on his own views, which was discussed by every
farmer, in intervals of plough and hoe, by every woman and
girl, at loon 4 spinning-wheel, or Yeah-tub. New England
WY one Alt sea, surging from depths to heighta with
thought and dis,:ussion on the most insoluble of mysteries.
And it is to be added that no men or woman accepted any
theory or speculation *imply as theory or speculation ; all was
profoundly real and vital—a foundation on which actors/ life
was based with intenaset earnestness.
From this extract readers will be prepared to ex-
pect that there is a deep and solemn undertone run-
ning through this story. "It is impossible," our
author says, " to write a story of New England life
for superficial thought or shallow feeling." It
must not be supposed, however, that there
is not abundant interest of what we may
term a secular kind in the sayings and doings of
these serious people. The story gives one the im-
pression—again, we believe, a perfectly just one—of
a fulness of emotion and a vividness of enjoyment
among the members of this earnest and iocorrupt
society, which makes the pleasures of mere pleasure-
seekers seem colourless and vapid; and there are,
moreover, scenes, some of which for their quiet
satirical observation, and others for their humour,
have not been equalled in any of the author's
former works. The story of "The Minister's
Wooing" is of the simplest construction. A
pair of lovers—a lovely and devout maiden,
and a handsome, hearty, but at first unre-
generate sailor—the supposed death of the latter at
sea—the gradual yielding of the lady to the "wooing"
of the worthy minister, and his relinquishment of
her on the return of the old lover, are the chief con-
stituents of the little drama. The descriptive power,
however, which the author displays, whether in
dealing with states of feeling or the aspects of the
outer world, her vigorous and finished portraiture of
the substantial New England society, and, above all,
the thoroughness with which she has apprehended
the working of sincere faith in a rigid creed
amid all the limitations and inconsistencies
of daily life, ampl7 compensate for any
lack of movement or incident. By the introduction
of two characters of a more artificial stamp—Colonel
Aaron Barr and Madame de Frontignac—she has
cleverly contrived to deepen the impression of the
simple strength of nature belonging to the unsophis-
I ticated villagers. The Frenchwoman is remarkably

good, and her childish awe at "the good priest," as
she calls " the minister," is a very natural touch.
Dr. Hopkins himself is firmly and boldly drawn ;
but by far the best characters of this novel are to be
found amongst its womankind, all of whom
are excellent, but of whom we must men-
tion three as supremely good, viz., Miss
Prissy, the dressmaker and itinerant gossip-
monger of the neighbourhood ; " Cerinthy Ann,"
the deacon's daughter, who being secretly inclined
to an admiring " young theological candidate," wil-
fully asserts to the unbelieving sisterhood that she
" never could see into it how any girl could marry a
minister—that she should as soon think of setting up
I housekeeping in a meeting.house;" and Candy*,
the negro woman, who is a sketch worthy to be
ranked with the immortal " Topsy." We must find
spice fur the following description of Candace and
her lord and muter :

Between Candace and her husband there existed one of
those whtroakerd oontrast• which one sometimes sees in mar-
ried life. Cato was • small-hdlg, thin, softly-spoken negro.
addicted to • gentle chronic tough; and, though • faithful
sad skilful servant, seemed, in relation to his better half,
much like • hill of potatoes under a spreading apple-tree.
Candace held to him with a vehement sad p•troaidsg fond-
ues., so devoid of conjugal reverence as to excite the coca-
ine:ma of her friend,.

" You must remember, Candace," said a good deacon to
her one day, when she was ordering him about at a We-
chning you ought to we honour to your husband ; the
wife Is the weaker vessel."

"I de weaker vessel r said Candace, looking down from
fb• sewer of boa ample urrpulence on the smell, quiet man
whom she had been Bodging with the ample folds of •
worsted comforter, out of which his little head and shining
bead-eyes looked much like • blackbird in a oast,—" I de
weaker vessel mph .."
A whole woman's rights' convention mold not have ex-
pressed more in a day men war given in that single look and
word. Candace considered a husband ass thing to be taut
care of--a rather inoonsequent and somewhat troublesome
epodes of per, to be humoured, nursed, fed, clothed, and
guided In ;leeway that he wee to go—an animal that was
always loafs( of buttons, catching colds, wearing his best
tilt every day, and getting un his Sunday hat in • surrepti-
tious manner for week-day occasions; but ahe otten conde-
scended to It as her opinion that he was a blessing,
and that she didn't know what she should do if it wasn't fur
Cat,. In fact, he seemed to supply her that which we are
told is the treat want in woman's At:nation—an objeot in life.
Sts sometimes sae heard expressing herself very merged-
' ally In disapprobation of the conduct of one of her sable
friends, named Jincy Stiles, who, after Wag presented with
bar own freedom,workederveral years to buy that of her hie-
haul, but became afterwards so disgusted with her acquisi-
tion that she declared she would " neber buy anoder
nigger."

"Now finny don't know what she's talkie' about," she
would say. /3'poee he does cough and keep bee awake
*hie, and takes little too much sometimes, a'n't he bet-
ter'n no husband at all P A body wouldn't mem to hab
tannin to lib for, of day hadn't an ole man to look atter. Men
is nivel!, foolish about some tinge—but dey's good deal bst-
ken Hates."
And Candor*, alter this condescending remark, would lift
of with one band a tome kettle in which poor Cato might
have been drowned, and fly amuse the kitchen with it as if It
ware a feather.

If any detractors from the merits of " Uncle Tom's
Cabin" were ever driven by their reaction against
the indiscriminate eulogy of that work by its igno-
rantly zealous admirers into impatient disparage-
ment of its author's genius, We are sure that alter
reading "The Minister's Wooing" they will be im-
pelled to atone for their pest discourtesy by the cor-
dial warmth of their praise.

WAKEFIELD BLBCTION COMMISSION.

WAHEFIBLD, TultiliDAY.
The commissioners resumed the inquiry et eleven
o'eleck this morning.
Yr. Joseph Wainwright, the electioneering went of Mr.
Leathern at the lets elsotioa, wee called. In reply to Mr.
Berjesat Pigott, be said—l am ea attorney In Waketi•ld, and
we. the legal agent for Mr. Leathern is the last election. I
was not engaged in the election of DM, cad know
nothing of the mansgement of that election. At
the late election, • portion named Gilbert was
swociated with too 1 introduced him med. Mr. Leatham
did not know that I intended to intro.:Mee Gilbert, but he
knew that 1 was to hew assistance. We had been prepar-
ing tar en election for some time, and I received 1001. is
11168 for attending to the registration. In the month ci
January Mr. Leathern last me • sum of 6001., partly to ad-
vent, his own Interest and partly to advance mine. It was
lent me to enable me to make loans to my clients, with •
view of extending my personal influence. no much of the
mousy as I did sot expend I was to repay. For instance,
if I advanced 261. to A. 8., and he became insolvent, it
would have been Mr. Leatham.. loss. If it bad been ne-
cessary to bring an action to refover money so lent I should
have appeared s. plaintiff, and not Mr. Leathern. I lent WI.
to Jacob Wood,. voter; end 201. to • person named Dixon,
• voter.

iii:Serjent Pigott—Did you take care that the persons
you lent money to were all voters?
Mr. Wainwright—l lent money to five persons all of whom
were voters. I lent 251. to Wood; 101. to • man named
Leighton, 101. to Holland, 201. to Dixon, and 261. to Wilson.
Dixon and Wilson borrowed the mosey on the distinct under-
standing that the loans should have nothing to do with the
election. I feel satiated that none of them knew that it was
Mr. Leatham's money. In March I organised • general
committee. It consisted of a large number of persons, but on
the 18th March it dwindled down to an executive committee.
At • meeting in the Music Saloon it wad resolved that Mr.
Leathern was • et and proper person to represent the
borough, and the canvass commenced immediately after-
wards. The different wards were allotted to different can-
vassers, end lists were given to the canvasetes of the persons
they were to call upon. Returns were sent in of the results
of the census. In many came a voter was returned as •
Morning fellow, who will give no answer." A man who
would give no Gnawer meant in Wakefield that he was wait-
ix c for a bribe. Gilbert arrived in the first week in April.
He came down as Mr. Field, his name being Field Gilbert.
It was wished that the name of Gilbert should be concealed,
and I called him Field myself. He bad been recommended
to me by my parliamentary agent, Mr. Wyatt. I did not tell
Mr. Leathern in the first instance what reel name was,
but I think I did subsequently. Mr. Noble appeared on the
stage &boat • week offer -.mid*. He was to assist me se •
clerk. Waal: I commenced the contest I found that all the
solicitors and professional men in the town were engaged on
the other aide, and I wanted assistance. The executive com-
mittee themselves thought that I ought to have maistance.
Gilbert was employed to give instructions as to
the canvassing, to make up the books, and to
give general directions. About the time he came down I
received Information that bribery had commenced on the other
side. I first applied to Mr. Leatbam for money shout the
Bth of April. 1 told Mr. Leathern that money would bo re-
quired, and he asked how much. I said ' about a thonsand
pounds," and be said he would write to • friend to send it is
me. 1 told Gilbert that money would come, but that I would
have nothing whatever to do with It. The money came in
four pickets of 2501. in registered letters, but I did not open
them. It cams in Bank of England notes. Mr. Gilbert
took the letters and pot them in his pocket without opening
them, in toy presence. A week or two afterwards Gilbert
&skeet for a further sum of 6001., end I applied to Mr.
Lmtharn, who promised that it should come down. He
made no demur, but I think he remarked that
it was a very costly affair. The 5001. lasted
but • very short time, and • further application
was made to Mr. Leathern, but net by me. I think the sp-
plicatiou was made by Mr. Simpson, in consequence of what
I had told him. Mr. Leathern spoke to me about the last
sum, but did not complain that the money was going too fast.
Gdoset received, I believe, • further sum of 1,0001, which I
think wee contained in one pocket. 1 heard of no further
money coming down from any source whatever. On the 7th,
and Bth of May I received 2001. and 7001_ for the expenses of
the election. I spent • considerable portion of the 6001. given
to me as a loan foe the purposes of the election—perhaps from
100/. to 2001. It was expended I believe in visiting public-
houses, and is paying watchers. I don't think the committee
because aware, except from rumour, that money was being
expended in bribery. Mr. Leath= said something to me about
the money shortly before the day of polling, and I told him
he had betternot inquire Into the particulars. That appeared
to satiety him. Mr. Morton resigned the office of committee-
man, but I believe that the reel reason was that he war not
on the executive committee. The letter said nothing about
bribery. Minutes of the proceedings of the general committee
were taken until the 13th of April, and were then dinar-
tinned, In eoneennence of the inquiries which Mr. Morton
and others persisted in making. Bribery begun to set in
about the middle of April. Mr. Gilbert permitted money to
go without my knowledge. I think Mr. Gilbert told me
that he intended to bribe. He said that bribery was Bon*
on very extensively on the other side, and mime we con-
sented to do the same thing we stool no thanes of snows&
In mosequesca of that communication I assented to the
bribery. I knew nothing of the - • who received

bribes oatil a subset-roma perterices—' sever oared
a bribe to Mrs. Ingham, bat I remember ber terns,'
toe that she had beta offered 101. Ora oar side.
I told her that she was fooliah if she did mot take it. I gam
so iostrneaoss to Noble to bribe llgeted. I DOW that
Noble sad Speight bad bees " chase" is York Castle, sad I
asked Noble to see him. I believe that Noble subsemteatly
told au that Bpsight would sot Tote without snow, 1 isi4