The Sun.
London, England, 1855-09-24 00:00:00

LIT E T RE,

Percy Blake ; or, the Young Rifleman. By Cap-
tain Rafter, author of " The Guards," and " Our
Indian Army." 3 vols. Hurst and Biackett.
This story consists of a series of sketches in the
life of a young officer. It is described in a vivid
and graphic manner, and the style is flowing and
agreeable. The Adventures of the hero are many
and various, and in the course of their occurrence
the reader is made acquainted with numerous in-
dividuals ; and is introduced to all grades of so-
ciety in the differing countries of Ireland, Spain,
and India. Percy Blake early commenced his
career in the militia, where he was inducted into
the mysteries of his future life. At first they were
trivial circumstances that occupied his time. In
explanation of this he remarks, that " our youth
is spent in killing time, and our age in repenting
of the murder." Some of the anecdotes are very
amusing, one of which was his sending a letter of
remonstrance to his commanding officer, in conse-
quence of his supplanting him in dancing with an
heiress. Another lady, whom he admired greatly,
was Mary Anstruther, but he was again unfor-
tunate, for an old uncle came up from the
country, and chancing to come in contact
with Percy, as the latter was hastening to
pay his respects to the ladies, he exclaimed, " Keep
your distance, sir." A few weeks afterwards
Percy Blake was summoned to protect his mill that
was set on fire by some miscreants. After some
time the unlucky owner of the property was dis-
covered at the top of the house screaming for as-
sistance. On his appealing to Percy for assistance,
the latter curtly replied, " Excuse me, sir, I know
how to keep my distance." It may be suggested by
some that this is. carrying on a joke too far, in the
presence of actual danger, but the testy old uncle
was speedily released—not, however, to be grateful
forpreservation;he was too indignautathisdetentior.
An interesting episode is introduced of the escape of
a French prisoner. The two sisters, the supposed
country cousin, are all very
ingeniously described,
and the sudden transition from jealousy to astonish-
ment, and thence to generosity, is natural in the
conduct of a hasty, kind-hearted person, like Percy
Blake. The good action was not thrown away ;
for, afterwards, in a battle-field of Spain, " even
where the thickest of war's tempests lowered,"
Percy Blake met the hero-of the escapade of that
dreary night in Ireland. He was then the pre-
server, instead of the preserved. An exciting
scene is given of a court-martial, in which an uncle
of Percy's was implicated. Flaherty was in
the ranks, but his nephew generously came forward
and by his adroitness contrived to outwit his ene-
mies, and proved that his uncle had been unfortu-
nate and imprudent, but not guilty. He was ac-
quitted by the Court, and his nephew obtained
much credit for so boldly befriending him when in
disgrace. But his accuser, Hopkins, a captain in
Percy Blake's regiment, was not so easily appeased.
Having previously formed a dislike to our hero, he
seized this opportunity to revenge himself ; and
being a first rate duellist, he determined to pro-
voke him to a challenge. He therefore took
occasion, in the presence of others, to offer him in-
sults he could not pass unnoticed, and the result
was a duel in which both combatants were
wounded. Hopkins was confined to his room
for some months, and his opponent prevented by
a fractured arm from accompanying his regiment
to the Peninsula, as ho had hoped, and intended to
do. As he had long been seeking an oppor-
tunity of winning that distinction on which he
had placed all his hopes, he seized the first occa-
sion to join his company at his own expense, and
his solitary journey across the disturbed peninsula
presents some striking scenes and descriptions to
the reader. One of the most remarkable of those
is his assumption of the dress of a Spanish senora,
in order to avoid detection by a company of French
soldiers. This disguise is, however, discovered, and he
is only rescued from immediate death by the energy
of the fair Maria, his companion, who stabs several
men in his defence, leaving him more horrified at her
murdering propensities than grateful for her de-
votion. He finally escapes through the interven-
tion of a band of Guerillas. While in Spain he
becomes attached to a young orphan novice, who
consents to an elopement; but, unfortunately, when
everything for their flight was prepared the com-
mander-in-chief forbids the officer's departure.
After some time the fair Julia fulfilled her original
intention, and became a Lady Abbess. Notwith-
standing these misfortunes Percy Blake preserved
his love of military fame, and bad the satisfaction
of joining Picton's division in the storming of Ciu-
dad Rodrigo. Here he had anarrow escape, being (ale
of the many sufferers from the explosion of a maga-
zine. His promotion subsequently removed him to
India. Several amusing anecdotes are narrated of
his various adventures there, commencing with his
inauspicious visit to Julia Monson, a lady to whom
ho had become much attached in his voyage out,
and to whose residence lie proceeded ; but an ob-
stacle opposed itself to the furtherance of their ac-
quaintance in the person of the aunt, a most ludi-
crous character, who made absurd mistakes, and
blamed others for the consequences of them.
Percy Blake resigned the affair in despair, and re-
turned to his new friends. " A day in the Jungle"
is entertaining, and the new coiner proved himself
a novitiate in Oriental subjects by flinging hinise3f
down to rest in awaiting his companions, on what
he thought the stem of a palmyra tree, but what
was really a monstrous boa constrictor. His dis-
may was great on being apprised of his mistake.
A deep:laid plan and subtle trick of the Brahmins
was clearly detected by Dr. Scott, of the -- Re-
giment, at the time when it was about to lead the
hero into serious consequences. In a skirmish
about some trifle Percy Blake had struck a
Brahmin, who pretended instantly that he was
dead, and with many forms and ceremonies his
companions brought the corpse to the tent of the
major, who was horrified, and on the point of
sending Blake to Madras, when the Doctor skil-
fully detected the cheat. Not permitted to touch
the body, he poured some sealing wax which he
had ignited, upon the defunct, who started into life
and fled away. Among numerous stirring events
time passed on, and Percy Blake had the happi-
ness of rescuing Julia, who •had married another
through treachery of her friends, from great danger,
and restoring her to her family. A painful inci-
dent is recorded of the break-up of the monsoon,
in which awful scene the unfortunate Croker, a
favourite friend and companion of Percy's, was
drowned. This was the hero's last tie to India.
Ho had retired from the service in India
owing to some misunderstandings that had arisen,
and returned home. Here, after some time, he
mot, in travelling, his beautiful cousin Honoria,
whom he had introduced to our notice at the com-
mencement of the story. After so many various
attachments that had been rejected, prevented, and
forbidden, it was a relief and a privilege to find
one who had been true Bud faithful totheepflialyis-
mate of her childhood through the years
esxtriilkeinagndsnetchteacvlearieofus changeslifeispreseonftetdheinwtohrledge.
veA.
lumes. We are intarnoddutcheedsttoirrtihne, es
execni teisn go
fegvleonrtis.
of social existence,
In all the disputes and differences in-
ous war.
sine pa
janrtaabili e fdrot mh eae
er
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emilfiat a herorgyenctalernieearn,thaend the
pri
Percy Blake pos-
sesses
t e the
admirers of the bril-
liantt r noblea a
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and sparkling in romance.
sue
manyity ofa

Aristobulus ; a Tale of Jerusalem. By M. Ka-
vanagh. 3 vo's. Newby.
The scene of this story is laid in the Holy City,
and its epoch is in the reign of Herod, about 30
years before the Christian era. Its hero is the
only brother of Herod's unfortunate Queen, Ma-
riamne. They were the last of the race of the
Maccabees, the only descendants of the Asmonian
princes. Both fell victims to the cruelty and evil
passions of Herod. He was always jealous of the
popularity of Aristobulus, and this feeling was
greatly increased by the proposal of some in-
discreet partisans to promote him to the
sovereignty on the day of his
as High Priest. He disseuibled hisi
him
for some time, but on being n
furtherps rtiat
nel leaaelit:
Di ohgs
ne
in-
censed by the haughty temper of -the
decided on havingprivately murdered as if by
accident. A day of sports and
rejoicing
unfortu-
nately afforded many opportunities for the crime,
and after escaping many dangers, the ill fated
Aristobulus was intentionally drowned in a swim-
ming race by two of the King's dependents. This
tragedy concludes the book, as it purposes merely
to relate the history of the Prince, and does not
touch upon the still darker story of his unfortunate
sister, whose sacrifice to Herod's jealousy has en-
gaged the pens of poets and romancists. Ths
violent and envious Herod, his wicked sister and
evil genius Salome, the beautiful and virtuous
Mariamne, and her cunning and crafty mother
Alexandra, whose idol is her son, all occupy pro-
minent places in the story, while several minor
characters serve toe fill up the tale and diver-
sify the interest. The love story of Julia
and Asop, the Egyptian, forms a pleasing con-
trast to the dark and angry feelings and mali-
cious plots that form the events of the
narrative. The total novelty of the scene and
characters may afford a refreshing change to those
who are weary of narratives of modern life, though
the passions of the human heart, and their influ-
ence over the actions of men, present the same
features in all times and countries. The well-
known features of the story may also prove an at-
traction to those who find an interest iu historical
romance.