The Sun.
London, England, 1852-10-01 00:00:00

L ITE RA T (IRE.

FANNY Dil-A-NiS,L)N. 3 Vols. Colburn.
The heroine of this work is certainly placed in a
very unusual position, and if the record of her adven-
tures seems unreal it must be remembered that her
circumstances are peculiar. Perhaps many who seek
amusement may be disappointed ; but there is instruc-
tion to be found in perusing this nerneive. It con
voys a solemn warning to all inexperienced in life i:ot
to follow the suggestions of expediency, or to imagine
that they can shape out their course ; above all, it
teaches them the misery of mistaking the greater for
the lesser evil of marrying to secure for themselves a
home, totally ignorant of the nature of that
home, or of the character and actions of
theindividual who is to provide it. Far better
would it have been for the ill-fated Fanny to
have entered on the most menial service
or hound herself to the hardest task-master by bonds
she could have broken at pleasure, than rush blindly
to destruction, throwing away all chance of repara-
tion, and risking far more than mere happiness, all
peace of mind and self-respect, at a venture, of which
who could foretell the fatal consequences. On the
other hand, it must be seen that Mrs. Staunton com •
mitted a crime of greater magnitude in urging on
Fanny ; her pride, reprehensible to the highest degree,
induced her to sacrifice an innocent girl, whose only
fault was that of lowly origin, rather than incur the
risk of thwarting her schemes.
.In Gilbert
Elton we are presented with a most des-
picable man ; he maintained a respectable
appearance in society, with moderate abilities
and great self-sufficiency, but in private he
was possessed of every vice. To crown all he was a
gambler, and thus it may be imagined to what a home
the orphan and destitute Fanny had recourse for a
shelter from life's trials. Her greatest fault was
want of self-reliance, but this was hardly to be ex-
pected from a simple girl who knew little or nothing
of the world without, and who was directed by one
selfish and hard-hearted in the extreme. After so
much sin and suffering, it is a relief to meet with the
kind and charitable Miss Martha. One of the most
striking scenes is the following, in which Fanny's
eyes are first opened to her husband's real cha,
racter :

" Alas! it needs but a little thing to bring back the
soaring spirit from its loftiest flight, and to load it fresh
again with all the chains and fetters of its earthly taber-
nacle. The sound of approaching footsteps turned my
thoughts from distant worlds to the ono that I inhabited.
As a sleeper waking from a dream I started, and, bend-
jog eauti,atAy a little forward, I saw two gentlemen en-
tering the conservatory door; I heard the rustle of the

foliage of the orange trees, as the unwelcome visitors
brushed them by; and, drawing myself as far back as I
could, I scarcely ventured to breathe, for fear of being.
disc ,vered. Tao footsteps, however, soon ceased ad-
vancing. There was a cessation of these sounds when
the two gentlemen had come within about a couple of
yards of me.
" We must be cautious, Stephen,' said a voice in a
very under tone, which, low as it was, I recognised as
my husband's. Dull as he is in many things, he is
somewhat sharp about his money. We have him se-
curely entrapped, however, if we only have a little
patience. We must lure him on for another
night or two, and I think after that our time will
come.' As you please,' returned his companion.
' Listen, Stephen. What I brought you here to say is
this. I dine to-morrow with Mtxcleverer, at Verrier's.
I want you to drop in there as it by chance, and after a
little while to propose an adjournment to our old haunt
at the Palais Royale. Will you do this, Wellard?'
Certainly, eertaii.ly,' was the reply, and then both par-
ties moving quickly away, I was left to solitude once
more. The spell of earthly hopes, earthly fears, and
earthly passions again descended on my heart and on
my soul. The few brief sentences which I had heard
roused up every earthly feeling in my nature. I fell
from the lofty pedestal which I had occupied a few mo-

merits previously, and from a calm survey of huma❑
destiny I had again sunk involved in the evils of human

safferilig. Oh (led of Heaven! I murmured forth, what

is this man whom thou Nast given me to be my hus-
band? Did I deserve this fate, this wretched fate, to be
tied to one in whose soul nothing but falsehood,
treachery, and meanness seem to dwell?"