The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-13 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

A Simple Woman. By the Author of "Nut-brown

Maids." 1 vol. Smith and Elder.

A simple story of a simple woman, very simply,
and naturally, and beautifully told. The adjective,
in this instance, of course implying the existence
of all true feminine qualifications, without art, or
artifice, or affectation. We all remember the poet's
tribute to such womanly simplicity, when Tenny-
son'a "Princess," casting aside " her falser sell,''
remains simply "woman,"--

" Lovelier iu that guise
Than in her mould that other when she rose
From purple deeps to conquer all with love,"
Mary Shenstone, however, has no falser self to cast
aside. Site is throughout her history natural, and
genuine, and truthful. At first a frank, artless,
Simple Girl,and then a tender,lovin g, Simple Woman.
An orphan, educated under the tender care of a
sailor-uncle and a dear Aunt Fair—a simple loving
woman herself—Mary Shenstone arrives, at the
commencement of the story, on a visit to the
Brookcs', of Buckley, her mother's family. That
proud and wealthy household is under a blight.
Harry Brooke, the master of all, is an old
man, rigid with paralysis, and a prisoner in
his room. The household is governed by the
widow of his son, a very haughty and
obnoxious individual, generally feared and
very generally detested. Her three daughters,
Vie, and Arbell, and Claor, or Octavia, Arabells, and
Charlotte, have in their various ways the faults and
follies likely to characterise the daughters of such a
mother. The redeeming member of the family is
Ralph Brooke, the reputed heir. Ralph is
the constant visitor of the old grandfather's
gloomy chamber, where the good qualities
of the young man are charmingly manifested
—gentle qualities the more attractive in one who
inherits the pride and self-will of a haughty
and imperious race. We will not spoil the interest
of the story beyond hinting that the plot turns upon
a will made by the old squire in a fit of passion,
just before his seizure (and unknown to all the
family), in which his son is disinherited and bis
daughter Mary, the mother of Mary Shenstone, is
made his heiress. This incident, in a certain degree,
resembles the main incident of Mrs. Oliphant's
capital story of " Zaide3 ;" but the resemblance is
immaterial to the interest of either story, as both
are in other respects quite dissimilar. The little
struggle in Mary's heart when, loving Ralph, she
discovers that she is to rob him of his inheritance,
is charmingly told. Like a " Simple" Woman, as
she is, Mary shrinks painfully from the idea of be-
coming the " benefactress" of her lover—" his bene-
factress! Ralph was her king. She would never
depose him from his throne." The scene in the old
man's death-chamber—when his senses are partially
restored, when the timid, neglected granddaughter
stands forth before the startled family (including the
astounded Mrs. Brooke), and strong in the power of
her simple love gives a meaning to the anxious
incoherent articulations, and a life and vigour to
the eager but almost impotent hand—is described
with singular skill and dramatic force. "The Simple
Woman," if we mistake not, will find favour with
many readers.

Gudrun, A Story of the North Sea, From the
Medieval German. 1 Vol. Edmonston and
Douglas.
moth and
There is a species of literature which is somewhat
akin to those fossil remains of the.
present time
the mastodon and other similar rfetlhicwes
which endure to the amazement
ts in those days." Of
to attest that there were aollf the past,
'ogo7nwhich this volume is
(from
Nibelungenlied of the
marvellous Saga of the Norse,
derived) such i is the a
nGdu dtrhuen l
famousie d
the
Germans ;Mary owitt ; the loves
rendered familiar to us
IY.ts ' of Fingal, as
of Bragels, and the cap at
b H .
preserved
in the obadowy numbers of Ossian, and some
ti'l'e are wrong, however, in
others. Comparing
these literary relics to fossil remains, for
, the latter
consist merely of dried bones from which
all life has
long since departed, while the traditionary poems
of ancient days on the other fragmentary
hand,
confused as they appear, preserve, if and
anything—the spirit and fire ve, they preserve
vitality. "hey are ghosts
They are best described rather than corpses.
of Echo— by that happy definition
"The vocal soul that lingers to the last,
Where Echo's step of
this class of lit
In
literature, the story of Gudrun, the
daughter of Hetel, •
a mighty king on the shores of
Friesland, and his imperious queen Hilda, daughter
of Wild Hagen, king of Ireland. Gudrun, the
tender and devoted bride of Herwig, is ranked by
critics as second only to the Nibelungenlied. Frag-
ments only of the original poem remain, and of
those fragments part are considered spurious. The
translator of this volume has d, emed it best to pre
-
sent to English readers a continuous prose Barra:Dv
of the fortunes of Gudrun. And a very interes g J

(narrative it is, recounting the perilous adventures
of that peerless maiden, who is a worthy embodi-
ment of the noble virtues of her race. Full of inte-
rest also is the very ably written introduction,
which narrates all that is known of the origin of
the old world - famous legends and romances.
Speaking of the family resemblance of the ancient
ballads of different lands, the writer happily ob-
serves—

" Cast into shape at first by a single mind, they soon be-
came,
Ne,ofrrthomertnhreaicnetse,raenstdoafrtehme
estuwbjietcht,inthleanpdrs widely opertyof all
sun-
dered. Borne by means as manif,ld and imperceptible as
those by which thistle-seeds are wafted, they reached the
moors of Scotland, the bleak coasts of Orkney the k
forests of Germany, the green valleys of Ireland. The
highland grandame taught them to the boy at her knee;
the peasants of the Danube repeated them in their huts;
•
the Icelandic mother sang them to her babe while 'ho
northern lights gleamed across the sky, and the ice-floes
thundered on the shore. Harsh mayseem thesyllables' rude
may be the theme, but these wild lays, shouted out with a
forcible enunciation of the consonants impossible to our
vocal organs, and emphasised by bellowing into the hollow
of the shield, claim our reverence as the first poetic efforts
of the race; in them lies the germ of those exquisite crea-
tions which have given us 'nobler loves and nobler cares,'
the most precious heritage which the centuries have
gathered for our favoured time."
A little later on, alluding to the fervour of the
middle ages, we find the following forcible descrip-
tion of the building of those great cathedrals of
former days erected by our forefathers, not "for
an age, but for all time" :
"To describe the natureof the sudden religious awakening
which accompanied the first crusade would be a difficult
task; the great cathedrals of the age are the best witnesses
that real strength and depth of religious feeling animated a
large portion of the men of that time. Each worked
vigorously in his degree. The builder piled the mighty
stones; the poet iabou,ed with his pen; the warrior &zed
the perils of the sea, the rage of the Saracen. Slowly, year
by year, generation after generation, arose those glorious
structures which look down upon the pigmy
works of
modern facility with an unattainable calmness and gran-
deur. Truly has the poet said that the builders built their
lives into the stones. What patience and love must have
animated the souls of those workers who grew gray over
their task, who shaped the stately porch, and pointed the
arch, and raised the majestic columns, the soaring roof, the
lofty towers, and beautified with skilful and tireless hands
every corner of the beloved edifice, with scr)ll and tracery,
and trefoil and lily, and lighted the solemn gloom with hues
of ereeiald, and sapphire and onyx; and yet must die and
leave the great work mfinished
Tae same unselfish spirit is happily defined by Pope
where he save—
" Who builds a church to God and not to fame,
Will never mark the marble with his name."
In external appearance " Gudrun" is singularly
attractive—printed on paper of unusual thickness,
it is furthermore adorned with quaint typography
and mediaeval illustrations.

The Shilling Volume Library. Matilda the Dane.
By C. J. Collins. Ward and Lock.
Very truthfully, it would appear, has the Poet
Laureate exclaimed, in his address to the fair
Princess of Wales—

“Norman, and Saxon, and Dane are we I
We are all Dane in our welcome of thee !
Alexandra I”

for the Danish element is just now peculiarly promi-
nent in the literature of the day. After turning over
the pages of " Gudrun," a partially Scandinavian
romance, the next volume that comes to our band
is entitled, "Matilda the Dane," and is dedicated to
the Princess of Walethes.lair Matildheroinea the
o f Dane
the isvolume
, how-
ever, a mismmer,
being an English Princess, the sister of George 111.
of England, and the consort of Christian VII. of
Denmark. The story, with a slender foundation of
fact, is very extravagant in its details, and essen-
tially ephemeral in its character.

Wilson's Tales of the Borders. New Edition.
Vol. 1. Ward and Lock.
We are glad to find that these popular stories
are now to be issued in shilling volumes, the first
of which has just made its appearance. Like the
Last Minstrel of Walter Scott—
" The last of all the Bards was he
Wha sung of Border Chivalry."
The name of John Mackay Wilson is identified with
the records of Border chivalry and romance. In
th© households of the past generation these tales
were familiar friends, and now, by the happy
advent of this new edition, they are placed within
reach of the rising generation, and will, we doubt
not, achieve a new and deserved success.

Agnes of Sorrento, By Mrs. Beecher Stowe.
New Edition. Smith and Elder.
This interesting story, from the gifted authoress
of " Uncle Tom's Cabin," originally appeared in
the pages of the Cornhill Magazzne. It is now
issued in a separate form, and will be welcome
to many readers. The pure and gentle Agnes,
and the Painter-monk, her uncle, are very attrac-
tive portraits, and afford a new evidence of the
diversified power of the mind that imagined, and
of the hand that delineated, Uncle Tom and Topsy,

Tableau from Geology. Sonnets, Stanzas, Sketches,
and other Poems. By Matthew Brydie. Hard,

wicke.
A metrical version of the creation of the world
would required the inspiration of a Milton at the
very least. It is not surprising, therefore, that Mr.
Brydie has proved unequal to the very ambitious
task he has undertaken. Of the minor poems,
those on "Infancy" and " Childhood" are among
the happiest. -

Autobiography of Lutfullah, a Mahomedan Gentle-
man. Edited by E. B. Eastwick, F.R.S., F.S.A.
New Edition. Smith and Elder.
Many more than those already acquainted with
it will be interested in this work as a mere lite-
rary curiosity, it being the composition of a na-
tive Mahomedan. On a re-examination it
found useful, also, as sonveying the opinions of
.4 one of themselves," on the habits, customs, and
characters of the Hindostanese. will be

The Procession of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales,
and the Princess Alexandra of Denmark from
Eton to Windsor. Published by W . F. Tay

oat in
in
giv in - hand;
fair
High-street, Windsor.
when the whole United Sing dom
o_
f Windsor was,
On the festive occasion of the participated
one common rejoicing, the old town
nanifestations of its
gayest of holidayweadtatiinrger;
of course, conspicuous in
at
"The Roy.itowonn oefveWryindsor," says
rams,
the letter-press accompanying
ruins ritaodyibneenfifauglsly
gar-
landednareupiatiirpeidi:tifeisrutomonesnbely
a p ano i n
loyal affection.
itself
bad been caused by the Wind and
this bridal
hthedea evdcyak
me decked
decorations;
words of greeting to -welcome the coming and,
speed
ysiwlybere ; and al). gladness
gsotnaenfidligsahiientg;
seemed merry as the
the parting guest abounded
matilopaaupnrcedrhais sr twegodee windowr
everywhere
v bellsbeur
that ushered in g.
formed by the iron gates and
corvoewreddedseawtsitwheraellhtehree
George I.V.'s
Within the enclosure the early morning*.
e vcseroef c
gate,thes row
erected, and
charms and attractions that beauty wealth, and
fashion command. The bonnt,
s and dresses of
the ladies
were light and elegant, almost bridal in
their character and • hscarcely •
with an exception every
person wore a wedding favour." The letterpress
refers to the day of the wedding, March 10, while
the picture represents the arrival of the Princess,
March 7. The above description, however, is
equally appropriate to both occasions. The whole
line of procession from Eton to Windsor is faithfully
represented and prettily coloured in an engravingt
which unfolds to the length of at least three
ity yards.
To the good people of Windsor,
especially,
and
serve as a suitable memento of a me
happy occasion.
--------------

ORIGIN OP TELE WORD " TEXAS." -- General
Hamilton, wh making speeches about Texas,
says that state fe capable of producing three times the crop
of all the rest of the states in the Union. What a wonder.
fni change from its early prospects I Your readers prc•
bably know from whence Texas derived its name. In early
times, when all sorts of people found a refuge there, the
erntitronts on their way used to sing this:—
,6 When every other land rejects us,
This is the soil that freely takes us."
.6 Takes WI" after a while became " A
Letts" 4010 ion

nIPERIAL P

HOUSE OF LORDS—Last Evening.
The LORD CaItNCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at
the u.-ttal hour.

PETITIONS.

The Earl of SHAFTESBURY presented a number of
petitions from Blackfriars and other parts of London on
behalf of Poland.

The Marquis of NORMANBY presented petitions from
Raman Catholic congregations in Scotland in favour of the
Prison Ministers Bill.
THE VOLUNTEERS.

Lord HARDINGE asked the noble earl the Secretary
for War whether he had any objection to lay upon the table
of the house a copy of the regulations relative to the volun-
teer force which had been promised by his predecessor (Sir
G. C. Lewis).
Earl DE GREY and RIPON said the late Sir G. C.
Lewis had not, promised to lay these regulations before Par-
liament ; but be would, on the second reading of the
bill, which would be before the House of Commons this
week, state the nature of these regulations. They would
merely refer to the discipline of the force which would be
necessary to entitle them to the proposed Government
allowance.
LONDON (CITY) TRAFFIC REGULATION BILL.
On the motion for going into committee on this bill,
Lord CHELMSFORD stated the object of the bill. The
traffic through the City had of late years increased enor-
mously, and at some times its dimensions caused inconve-
nience. This bill would enable the Corporation to make bye-
laws to mitigate the evils of the present system. Cannon-
street had some years ago been widened, with the view of
diverting into that channel part of the traffic flowing east
and west; but the expectations then formed were not rea-
lised, as Cannon-street was not a favourite line for public
vehicles. One day last year, between the hours of half-
past 12 and half-past 1, 291 omnibuses passed through
Cheapside ; while, at the same time, only two passed
through Cannon-street. It was found that, between 10
and 11 o'clock in the morning of one day, the number of
vehicles which passed Bow Church was 1,255 ; and be-
tween 4 and 5 o'clock in the afternoon 1,252, while the
number of vehicles entering the City daily was 57,765.
The bill would enable the City authorities to regulate this
enormous traffic. It was provided that the regulations to
be licensed by the Lord Mayor and aldermen were not
to come into operation until a month after they had re-
ceived the approval of one of her Majesty's Secretaries of
State.
Lord REDESDALE said the provisions of the bill were
of a novel and stringent character. It was a large power to
give any municipal body to allow them to determine what
route should be taken by public vehicles. However, think-
ing such a measure to be necessary he did not offer any op-
position to it, contenting himself with bringing it under the
attention of the house generally before it was adopted.
Lord CRANWORTH thought power ought to be given
to the Secretary of State to call upon the City authorities
to adopt such additional regulations as he might think ne-
cessary.
Lord CHELMSFORD thought the matter might be safely
left with the City authorities.
The Earl of DERBY called attention to the nuisance that
was caused by the practice of driving a number of empty
cabs backwards and forwards along the streets. A few days
ago he had counted in Pall-mall 12 or 14 empty cabs mov-
ing slowly along, and in some cases two of them side by
side, the drivers of them conversing. _ _

Earl GRANVILLE promised that steps would be taken,
if such were possible, to abate the nuisance complained of.
The motion was agreed to, and the bill passed through
committee. _ _

CAYMAN ISLANDS BILL.
This bill was read a third time, and, with the exception
of certain words containing taxing powers, which could not
be introduced in that house, passed.
ELECTIONS DURING THE RECESS BILL.

This bill passed through committee.
LONDON DIOCESES BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
HARBOUR OF •
HOWTH.

The Marquis of CLANRICA R DE moved for a copy of a
memorial presented to the Treasury laet February relating
to the harbour of Howth, and of the answer, if any, which
had been given, and any minute of the Lords of the Trea-
sury thereupon.
Earl GRANVILLE said no answer had yet been given.
An Act of Parliament was necessary to effect the objects of
the memorialists. The Lords of the Treasury had given
instructions to prepare the bill for this purpose.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening.
The SPEAKER took the chair at the usual hour.
THIRD READINGS.

The Stockport District Rates Bill was read a third time.

PETITIONS.

Mr. P. TAYLOR, from the Emancipation Society of Lon-
don, stating that the petitioners viewed with abhorrence the
building of war ships in this country for the Confederate
States, and praying the Government to enforce the Queen's
proclamation; Mr. A. SMITH, Truro, against the sale of
intoxicating liquors on the Sabbath; an HON.. MEMBER,
against the opening of the Botanic Gardens at Edinburgh
on the Sabbath ; Mr. LOCKE, Southwark, against the
amalgamation of the metropolitan with the city police,
THE SUEZ CANAL.

Mr. D. GRIFFITH gave notice that on Friday he
should ask whether the Sultan had issued an edict against
enforced labour on the Suez Canal, and if so whether the
noble lord would give effect to the carrying out of the
principle.