The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-18 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Story of Ell.zabeth. Smith, Elder, and Co.
One of the heroes of ancient Greece, when his
friends were lamenting round his death-bed that he
left no children to preserve his lineage, exclaimed
triumphantly, " Two fair daughters have I,"
naming two of his victories, " who will bear my
name to the latest posterity," and the prophecy
has been realised to this day. Happier than the
warrior of Greece, the author of " Vanity Fair "
can boast not only a goodly offspring among the
creations of his fancy, but " fair daughters" also,
who bear his name and inherit his genius. " The ,
Story of Elizabeth" beers no author's name upon
the title-page, but rumour, we believe correctly,
ascribes it to Miss Thackeray. Such an author-
ship would make any volume welcome, but
this work would be welcome ware the author's
name unknown. Again and again it has been our
happy office in these columns to award our genial
tribute to the author of " Penclennis," and with
yet greater pleasure we now congratulate him on
his daughter's auspicious entrance into the world
of literature. " The Story of Elizabeth" is a
charming little romance, fresh in its style, original
in its treatment, and conspicuous throughout for its
entire freedom from any appearance of effort, or
affectation, or striving for effect. It is simple, and
natural, and :truthful. As the microscope reveals
greater marvels than even Lord Rosse's telescope,
so does the attentive student of one human heart
discover more matter for amazement, and interest,
and instruction, than can be obtained by a more
superficial survey of all mankind, even "from China
to Peru." The narrator of Elizabeth's history is
aware of this, she ooncentrates all our attention
upon her heroine, and for the time being we feel for
her, and we feel with her, albeit we do not always
have good reason to approve of her. Poor Elly is
no ideal perfection, but just such a one as Words-
worth might have pictured—

"A creature not too bright and good
For human nature's daily food, &c.
" This is the story (so begins the history of Eliza-
beth) of a foolish woman, who, through her own
folly learnt wisdom at last ; whose troubles—they
werenot very great, they might have made the happi-
ness of some less eager spirit—were more than she
knew how to bear. The lesson of life was a hard lesson
to her. She would not learn, she revolted against
the wholesome doctrine." Here is a picture of

ELIZABETH.

"Elizabeth had great soft eyes and pretty yellow hair,
and a sweet flitting smile, which came out like sunlight
over her face, and lit up yours and mine, and any other it
might chance to fall upon. She used to smile at herself in
the glass, as many a girl has done before her ; she used to
dance about the room, and think, " Come life, come life,
mine is going to be a happy one."
Such is the buoyant and impetuous being to whom
the lesson of life is so severe. At one time over-
come by sorrow, and heart-weary with hope de-
ferred, she exclaims, " To-day I am twenty, and I
feel a hundred. Oh, what a sin and shame to con-
demn me to this hateful life. Oh, what wicked
people these good people are. Oh, how dull ; oh,
how stupid ; oh, how prosy ; oh, how I wish I wa.
dead, and they were dead, and it was all over !"
another time her s3rrowful meditations take a better
direction. She is war.dering out in the busy city
alone—