The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-26 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Newcomes. No. XIX. By W. M. Thackeray.
It could scarcely have been anticipated that
within the compass of a single number.the curiosity
of the readers of Mr. Thackeray would be satisfied
in regard to the three most bewildering doubts ex-
cited in their imaginations by the domestic plots
and counterplots related by our author in this his
charming home-story of " The Newcomes." Yet so
it has come to pass—the triple mystery being solved
within the chapters comprised in the present in-
stalment. Whether Ethei would marry Princekin?
Whether Clara would elope with Jack Belsize,
otherwise Lord Highgate ? Whether Rosy would
cajole Clive with her wicked, little, artful,
simple, 'designing . witcheries ? Already Mr.
Thackeray has answered each of these questions
—beneficently allaying . thereby the more poig-
nant pangs of inquisitiveness. The magnificent
Fergus Angus Malcolm Mungo Roy, Marquis of
Fariutosh, is—dismissed : literally dismissed by
Miss Ethel Newconie. His more quizzical ac-
quaintance would call it, in a whisper—flung aside
like a gala bouquet, after being coquetted with by a
petulant beauty for a stray hour or two as an amus-
ing ornament. His damned good-natured friends
would blurt out curtly, bluntly, flatly jilted.
However this might be surmised, Princekin actually
is dismissed, though with a sort of pathetic apology
and respectful obeisance. The young belle owns to
having been lured on by the glitter of the coronet.
She saves herself from the possibility of any future
calamity in its acceptance by giving a half-regretful
conge to her lordly betrothed. The manner in which
this incident is related is in every way inimitable.
Whether it be regarded in reference to the display
of Ethel's compunction and self-reproach at the
outset—merged, long before the close, into womanly
pride and self-gratulation ; or whether it be con-
sidered, on
.the other hand, in reference to the
amazement first of all awakened in the mind of the
Marquis of Fatintosh, irritated before many words
have been passed between the wooers into upright
wrath and downright indignation—" It's a shame
—it's a shame," the young lord cries, with tears of
rage and anguish—as they bring to an end their
stormy interview.. The truth is, Ethel has been
alarmed into this sudden rupture of the betrothal,
by the disastrous termination of just such
another incongruous union—the one between
her delightful brother Barnes and the un-
fortunate Lady Clara Pulleyn. As before
intimated, Lord Highgate has rescued the latter
from her miserable home at Newcome, by luring
her to an adulterous elopement. Thereupon fol-
lows the scandalous sequel of a trial for crim. con.,
resulting in a verdict for the plaintiff—damages
so-and-so, as a salve of gold for the wounded spirit,
or, as we may call it, a plaster of bank notes for
the bruised body of Sir Barnes Newcome, plucked
out of his saddle by the strong hand of poor sinning
Jack, and flung screaming on the pavement of his
patrimonial borough, in the presence of honest
Taplow and other members of its astonished
population. Then, fast upon the heels of the great
case, Newcome v. Lord Highgate, comes the costly
luxury of a divorce and the final match (too late
for the happiness of either) of poor Clara and poor
Jack, now Lord and Lady Highgate. Affrighted
by the calamity which has descended upon her
family like a thunderbolt, Ethel gracefully, if not
graciously, retreats from the consequence of her
ill-considered betrothal with Trincekin. It yet
remains to be seen whether it might not possibly
have been better for the young paragon of the gay
world had she borne in mind the sagacious hint
lying perdu, as it were, in the wise old adage, which
says—

--" It's well to be honest and true ;
It's well to be off with the old love before you are on
with the new !"

Ethel takes the recommendation literally; where-
fore, when we close the number before us, leaving
the gentle-hearted Laura Pendennis fairly weep-
ing, in the presence of Ethel, over the sudden news
of Clive's approaching marriage with Rosa Mac-
kenzie—hinc ilke lachrynue. It must be obvious
from all this that, as ever, the story breaks offeven
now most tantalisingly. Happiest among all the
life-sketches thrown in during the progress of the
narrative episodically, so to speak, or as by way
of a species of marginal illumination, there must
be especially mentioned as conspicuous in the num-
bers before us, the delightfully callotypic portraits
of two or three horridly natural specimens of the
genus toad-eater. For example, the florid toady,
Frank Henchman, whose " pompous flatteries and
ebullient fidelity" have so often called forth the
laughter of the late lamented Major Pendennis.
And with Captain Henchman, Jack Todhunter,
and with,that brace of worthies, Bowman the valet,
of whom we are not surprised to hear it said that
he was on familiar, not to say " contemptuous,
terms with the two other gentlemen." Altogether,
this latest fragment of " The Newcomes" is not
unworthy of the hand from which it emanates—
another sparkling bead strung on the thread of the
story which in style, at least, may be already re-
garded as Mr. Thackeray's masterpiece.

The Secret Marriage. By Miss F. Williams.
3 vols. Hurst and Blackett.

The readers of this novel will be considerably
perplexed to discover from what it draws its title.
It would naturally have been imagined that the
tale would have related the antecedents and conse-
quences of a secret marriage but the nearest ap-
proach to the subject is the discovery of a certifi-
cate of marriage which makes the hero the possessor
of large estates. The story commences with vigour
and effect. Lady Lisle and her friend are watching
for the return of her husband from a voyage, when
they become the horror-stricken spectators of a
shipwreck, in which he loses his life in saving that
of an orphan child whom he is bringing home-from
Italy. This child, Ormond Greville, is adopted
by Lady Lisle, and brought up with her only
daughter, Alice, who becomes much attached to
him. This affection he scarcely returns ; but at
length they are engaged. Ormond then goes to
Italy for a few months, where he finds a new
attraction in a relation of his Italian mother,
Rosina Gonsalvi. He offers to give up every-
thing for her sake, but she rejects him, and he
returns to England, where, after some time,
Alice becomes acquainted with his secret, and,
though nearly broken-hearted, insists on breaking
off the engagement, and he is married to Rosina.
Affairs are still further complicated, however, by
the discovery of the secret marriage of Ormond's
grandfather, who was a Lisle, and his consequent
right to the estates, which had been considered the
property of Alice, whom he thus deprives of her
foitune and her hopes at the same time. She con-
soles herself in the end with the long-tried affection
of an early friend ; so every one is left contented.
It must not be imagined, however, that this is the
whole of the plot, as several episodes are inter-
woven at the commencement, which are quite
separate stories. The history of Mary Graham
and George Alvanley is full of interest, and the
career of her gloomy and ill-fated husband is not
less striking. His affection for Lady Lisle exer-
cised a baneful influence over his life, and though
so many virtues were to be found in his
wife's character, he found too late that in his
hasty and inconsiderate marriage he had
marred the happiness of another without
making his own. The story of Lady Woodash is
neither very pleasing nor profitable, and the Count
Mattolino could be very well dispensed with.
Alice herself is a sweet and gentle character, but
a little more reserve and self-control would acid
greatly to her attractions. Her openly-confessed
affection for Ormond and tha, exigance of her
anxiety fail to arouse the reader's sympathy, and
the reader is prepared for the inconstancy of
Ormond by a feeling that the attachment is on
the wrong side, and that the fair Alice all through
the transactions is Sadly wanting in self-respect
and feminine pride. It is scarcely natural, although
the book is from a lady's pen, that Alice should at
the end so readily admit her feeling of regret to
Eustace Graham, however long or well she may
have known him. We confess we should have
admired her more if she had, at least, professed to
have attained indifference and forgetfulness more
quickly. The style is good, though it might be more
connected and condensed ; the events of the last
half-volume being disproportionate to the preceding
part. There is no lack, it will be seen, of variety
and incident, and we may expect better things
eroni this author.

According to a statement just published regarding the
various harbours of refuge respectively in course of con-
struction at Dover, Harwich, Alderney, Jersey, and
Portland, the total estimate of their cost is 3,368,959/.
Of this amount 1,491,0001. has already been voted, and
234,0001. will be required .to be voted for the present
year. The total outlay on each work from its commence-
ment to its completion will be 650,0001. for Dover ;
125,0001. for Harwich ; 1,300,000/. for Alderney ;
700,0001. for Jersey ; and 588,9591. for Portland.
COMPENSATION AND SUPERANNUATION ALLOWANCES
—The annual return, published yesterday, shows that
the total annual amount of compensation- allowann,
which remained payable on the Ist of Jantuealy 18
d i'n 1854,
was 233,7231. ; the annual allowances gre.
5,0481. ; the annual amount whichacelawls'aendeeien
w1,85,_4h,
20,206/. ; and the annual amount of
December,
which
remained remained payable on the 31stof
ation allwances, it
218,5651. As regards supera
annual amount
appears that 531,929/, remainednnpuayable ono the let of
January, 'n 1854 • 46,030/. the annual
1854; that 63,194/. was the
of allowances granted. 1185 ,_
ad 487,8791. the annual
amount which ceased Ind
ablepay on the 31st of D,ecem-
amount which remained
her, 1854.
Thus the total compensation and superan-
nuation allowances remaining payable on the 31st of
December, 1854,ounted to 706,4451. the actual
charge on the public, after allowing for the deductions
ingBs4, purtniant to the 27th
4 section of the act, 4th and
. fith of William IV., cap. 2 .