The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-04 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

COLBURN'S NEW MONTHLY.-" The Shadow of
Ashlydyat" is continued. It now records the ap-

proaching death of Maria. That long-suffering lady
is fast drawing near to the goal where the weary
may find rest, and there is nothing to regret in her

death. It is melancholy to p 3ruse the passages where
Maria is taking leave of Meta, her cherished child. When

trying to make her believe the sad reality approaching,

she said she would look down upon her frOin heave:

" Meta turned her eyes to the uncurtained window, looking
up to the winter evening sky—" Has heaven got windows ?"
she asked. " I think it has ; I think tb at God allows us

to look down on the dear ones we have left ; at least it is
pleasant to think so when we are about to leave them, Meta,

darling ; it can do you no harm to think so." It would
hardly be possible to convey a more truthful picture of the
sorrows and sufferings of life than is done in this story. We
are shown how the sins of others are visited upon the un •

offending and guiltless, and how, as in the case of Thomas

Godolphin and Maria, the burden is often too heavy to
bear. But their portion is not all dark; and when they

reach the end of their painful course, the death of the sor-

row-laden is better than the life of the sinner, who, in care-
less ease, is shifting the burden to other shoulders, and de-
termines to enjoy himself, setting care and memory at

defiance. " John, Lord Carteret," figures as Sir Nathaniel's

worthy of this month. The sketch of his career will at-

tract notice. The Life and Letters of Washington Irving
form the subject of an interesting article. It is very en-
tertaining to follow the anecdoOs collected of this remark-

able man ; and the writer seems thoroughly to have appre-

ciated his subject. " Strathmore" is continued, and i.s as
exciting as ever in its foreign style. " Twice Sacrificed "
. _

is the first part of a melancholy tale, from the Danish. It
is well written, and ably exemplifies the imprudence and
misery that result from the disgraceful practice of marriage
de convenance, which obtains so much abroad. " Homo
Hominum Deum," is the title of some very impressive
verses that record a touching picture of the misery inflicted
by the heartless votaries of fashion, and the ruthless rulers
of business upon the helpless beings who aro doomed to
stitch, stitch, stitch, till life becomes a burden, and death
is gladly hailed as a rescue from toil, and a release from
cruel slavery, The last sad scene is truthfully and
touchingly described.

BENTLEY'S MISCELLANY.—The lively and en-
tertaining story of " Six Weeks at Hunsdon
Manor" is continued at some length, though it
chronicles no more important incident than a pic-
nic. "At the Tower Window with Sir Walter
Raleigh" is the title of an essay suggested by the
well-known anecdote of Sir Walter's burning a volume of
his History of the World in disgust at the contradictory
versions given him of an affair which he had seen with his
own eyes. The difficulties in the way of the impartial his-
torian have forced themselves on the minds of many emi-
nent men, whose opinions are here cited. In concluding
his reflections the writer pertinently remarks that every
modern writer who tells the story of Sir Walter and his
irreconcileable witnesses gives a different version from his
fellows I We meet with a lengthened history of Count
Wala, the first prisoner of Chillon, which is taken from
the French, and may serve to interest the reader, although
it is far too long and diffuse, A sketch of the career of
Sir John Hawkweed, one of the most eminent of the
Free Lances of the middle ages, pays a high tribute to
his abilities as a commander, " After the Battle" is
founded on the narrative of a French gentleman, who,
happening to pass through Upper Italy at the time of the
late Italian war, became a spectator of the supplemensary
horrors of Solferino. He was an actor also in the har-
rowing scenes he records, since he devoted himself to the
succour of the unfortunate victims of the war, together
with a few other voluntary assistants, some of whom were
obliged to abandon their charitable offices, overwhelmed
wi▪ th distress. Truly such scenes as he describes strip the
gaudy colours from the triumphs of the battlefield, and
mi▪
ght serve to disenchant the most enthusiastic. The ex-
travagant production. of M. About, entitled " The Notary's
Nose" (of which a resume was some time back given in the
columns of The Sun) is summarized for the benefit of the
English reader.
novels, asder. It might almost read for a caricature of
sensation"
modern school of poets " Firmilian" was a satire on the
y. The editor's animated story of
"Cardinal Pole" proceeds with interest. In the present in-
stalment Derrick Carver meets the fate which has so long
been hanging over his devoted head,
THE ECLECTIC REVIEW.—Ats essay on one of
the celebrities of the era of the Reformation—
Ulrich von Hutten—opens this number. It is fol-
lowed by an ethnological paper on the " Races of Europe,"
containing some curious and instructive details of the pe-
culiarities of our European families. " A Triad of Muses"
gives a fair and favourable criticism on some new competi-
tors for poetical fame. The eccentric Swedish Queen,
Ckristina, is the subject of an article founded on a re-
cently published life. Other papers on theological subjects
complete a number of average interest and merit,
GOOD WORDS.—The pencil of Mr. Millais this
month very beautifully illustrates the Parable of
the Woman, broom and lamp in hand, search-
ing about the floor of her house for the lost piece of silver.
There is a pretty but rather fantastic drawing, moreover, in
this same number by another illustrator, delineative of
"Childhood." The letterpress is, for the most part, as
usual, very excellent. Not the least worthy of perusal
among the contents being a brief letter to the Editor of
Good Trords, penned by Dean Alford of Canterbury, in re •
ference to the last ill-natured attack upon himself by the
self-appointed critic on the Dean's "Plea for the Queen's
English." With this gentlemanly but caustic note the
number for September is brought to a conclusion.
MISCELLANEOUS MAGAZINES.—The Sixpenny
21rayazine has its usual liberal allowance of stories
and sketches, one of the most ingenious being the
tale of a madman, who, being taken by a friend to
a lunatic asylum, suspected the truth, and contriv-
ing to abstract the papers of admission, certificate, etc., in-
troduced his companion as the maniac, and himself as the
sane guardian. the _Met gives its fair readers an extra
plate of fashions, and some very good advice in a slightly
Horseman," "In the African Bush," "Up in the Alps,"
improbable story, entitled " The Wedding Bonnet." 21te
Boys' Own l'dagazine is full of attractions, the very titles
being enough to fascinate the
young reader. We have
" The Story of the Black Prince's Page," "The Young
and "Midshipmen Ashore." It is plentifully illustrated,
and offers astounding riddles, puzzles, and perplexities of
all sorts to the solution of the skilful.
_Newton's
_London
Journal presents its usual supply of recent information on
all matters connected with patents and the patent law.
Cassell's _Popular Educator and
_Must, ated History of
England are proceeded with. The former contains most
various instruction, while the latter has come down to the
present reign. Beeton's Dictionary of Art ,science, and
Literature is a closely printed and comprehensive repertory
of information. The Boys' Own Library and the Boys'
Penny Magazine are good samples of their class,

MONUMENT
O_LORD BYRON'S
DAUG lITER
ADA, AND HIS GRANDSON, VISCOUNT OCKIIAIM
Two handsome monuments have just been finished erecting
to the memory of the above noble personages, the former
being placed in Newstead Abbey, and the latter in the
parish church of Ripley, Surrey. They are both Gothic
monuments, of white Carrara marble, are most elaborately
carved, and are ornamented by the arms of the family, the
whole having been executed by Mr. T. Gatlin, the sculptor,
of the Quadrant, Regent-street. The following are the in-
scriptions :—‘• In the Byrons vault below lie the remains
of Augusta Ada, only daughter of George Gordon Noel,
sixth Lord Byron, the wife of William 'Earl of Lovelace.
Born 20;h Dec., 1815, died 27th Nov., 1852. R 1.P." " In
memory of Byron N,,el Viscount Ockham and Baron Went-
worth eldest son of William Earl Lovelace. Born 12th
May, 1836, died Sept. 1, 1862." It will be remembered
that Viscount Ockharn before his death, bad been working
as a smith in one of the dockyards.