The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-19 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

St. Olave's. 3 vols. Mast and Biaekett.
This story has an air of repose about it that cone
veys a pleasing impression to the reader. Some of
the characters are most interesting to study. The
calm that pervades the work Lee not spring from
the absence of suffering, for some of those who ap-
pear before us are placed in the most trying situa-
tions. With the exception of Mrs. Edinaii, they
all have wonderful self-control ; so that we bear of
their troubles without witnessing any startling oc-
currences or wonderful coinmotions. The chief point
on which the story turns is the mystery which sur-
rounds the heroine, pretty Alice Grey, as she was
called. This young lady wes much to be pitied,
she was la: ought up in the prim demureness
and stiff propriety of a cathedral city, where
the spirit of convention ruled the day, and
the claims of sympathy were totally disregarded.
Instead of being the niece of the simple old lady,
Mistress Amiel Grey, Alice was the daughter of an
illegal marriage, and the tried guardian who
watched over her childhood committed a great error
in bringing her up in so peculiar a spot, and in en-
couraging deceit. After her happy girlhood, poor
Alice had a sad awakening—life suddenly opened
before her in its dullest, saddest, and hardest aspect.
Some of the dignitaries of St. Olave's are drawn
with much discrimination. Mrs. Scrymgeour, the
widow of the archdeacon, is a model of starchiness
and self-complacency. She is here described as
" a tall, severe, dignified-looking woman, bristling
all over with ecclesiastical propriety, and bearing
a respectable family likeness to the gaunt
effigies which some old monk, in a fit
of ill humour, had carved, centuries ago, on
the west front of the Cathedral!' She was the
lady-presiders of the Position Committee, and woe
betide any one who attempted to enter the sacred
society of St. Olave's without bearing the requisite
credentials of good birth and long descent. After
noticing the exceeding cunning and cruelty of that
lady's conduct, it is a relief to know that at last she
was disappointed. Her pet schemes for her nephew
totally failed, and she left the position she had tried
to make so exclusive to enter another state where
the barriers of her conventional sect should exist no
longer. Her nephew Cuthbert was worthy of her,
which is saying a good deal. The manner in which
he behaved to Alice was more than cowardly an d;cruel,
it was really inhuman. It is great satisfaction to find
that the stately bride he selected in place of the gentle
maiden he deserted was a source of annoyance, as
her grandfather married again, and his enormous
fortune was lost to the designing young man. It
is a relief to turn from such hard and had natures to
the refined Ile and simple doings of Janet Bruce.
She is the most attractive character here met with,
and is very suitably described. There is something
almost sublime in the calm dignity of her demean-
our, and the unselfishness of her whole life is a
striking contrast to some of those around her. As
often occurs in the world, all others seemed to be in
some way happily disposed of while she was left
alone. But Janet's strength lay in this, she did not
think she was alone. She knew in whom her trust
was fixed, and she turned from the delusive solaces
of earth to fix her hopes where never could they meet
with disappointment. Hard as were the sufferings of
her early youth, the struggles of her after years were
also great. After the record of these painful and
weary days is over, we take leave of her in these
words : " Poor Janet Bruce ! peace, peace ! It may
be grand to place the sword point to our breast, and,
weary of the battle's strife, rashly dare the death.
that lingers over long. It is grander far to take
that sword, and, strong in the strength of the lowly,
fainting never for any toil and hardship that it
brings, to fight bravely, patiently on, until leaving
it buried hilt deep in the heart of the latest enemy,
we wait for the Captain's voice to say, " Enough,
come up higher." Some of the scenes here are most
ably described. When Marian Brandon and Janet
Bruce met at the death-bed of their common de-
ceiver, we behold a picture of existence in
its deepest excitement and in its wildest agony.
This is the secret of the success of the story. There
are no startling occurrences, but all the events are
quietly introduced, and the characters gradually
made known to us. In real life, in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, events take place which change
the destiny of many ; but those standing near do
not observe them—the neighbours do not know of
them—the various members of the family may not
take cognisance of them—but the heart knoweth
its own bitterness; and in long after-years, when
only its Maker can see its anguish, it turns to that
unnoticed but never to be forgotten day or hour
that stamped its seal of doom on the bright hopes
and glowing purpose of its opening career. Here
or there through the story we come upon some
passages which aptly pourtray the writer's purpose
of leading the mind to study the remote connexion
which simple things may bear to higher ones. When
Janet and her brother David Bruce went home by
the front of the cathedral, and gazed on the carved
figures, it might have seemed to a commonplace
observer an ordinary affair, but it is here made to
represent an allegory of their lives. The statues
of saints and martyrs were round them, their hands
clasped in perfect rest, their brows bound with
wild wreaths. It is said they were put there as an
image of the soul's progress, that "only through
passion, strife, and suffering men mount to rest,
and climb over wreck after wreck of human hope
to the heights of eternal repose. Was that
grand old cathedral front, gleaming out in the
moonlight, an allegory of life, joy, tumult,
strife, passion, pain, despair, after these the crowned
rest, the folded hands, the gathered robes, the
wreathed brow." Janet and David at all events
accepted this symbol, and even in this world reached
a haven that such spirts as Marion could never
reach, and such natures as Douglas Ramsey could
never enjoy. David Bruce is a fine character.
He was more decided than his sister, but he
shared her simplicity of manner and honesty of
purpose. The account of the bitter trial of his life
is most eloquently told to us. We are shown that
he was admitted into the grand company of those
who have become perfect through suffering. His
disappointment reached him at the hour of his
greatest success. "So David Bruce's coronation
day passed away, giving him besides the laurel-
wreath of glory, that other and sometimes nobler
crown of thorns that is never wanting in the
regalia of God's royal children. He wore
it very calmly, and the world loosing
only at the shining leaves above, never knew
it was there." Mrs. Edinsll, as M
was called, was not an attractive Tcheifttuning point
a
h Marion Brandon
but she
that
Brandon
is interesting from her troub
l
eurned ' e
s
t•
from her wild
of her career was when sh
chase after the object of r
her early affection and
entered
ta: neeting-house of prayer. The earnest-
nessserviceimpressed her wayward spirit,
of
h
and she recognised something beyond and above her
fitful life. The minister, who had noticed her agi-
tation, said to her in parting, " I trust we are mem-
bers of that family which shall one day meet un-
broken before the tnrone of God." He employed
his last opportunity to advantage; when next the
oongregation met he was absent, and the time
after he was " 'worshipping in the temple not
made with hands." It is satisfactory to notice
that A Irce married David Bruce, who was far
worthier of her attachment than Cuthbert; also,
that retributive justice came to her, since in an old
pocket-nook they discovered the proofs of her
mother's marriage, which her father, to suit his oven
purpose, had tried to destroy. Years afterwards
they came to light, and then the -sanctin?ontousiosues
of St. 0 lave's were greatly grieved at their previous
tnistake. tnistake. This novel is a peculiar one,. butiti
into
likely to become a favourite tr.om,
ls
ts
great insight
discern-
lite, its depth. of feeling,
and it is to be
to its
the
may
oninenotuirn
favourableepi c depicting
attention;character. a 3111 t 1 t IS many claims
equal
tapaossesses attraction
waithoped
on that tapapesaruacriceesz
of most interesting heroes and heroines, and aptly
informs us how the most secluded spots, sacred
in their character, and exclusive in their nature,
are likely to be invaded by the deadliest evils of
humanity, sin intrudes in its most delusive forms,
and selfishness is sure to make itself known.
St. Olave's" is a work that is quite out of the com-
mon from its many distinctive attributes, and, in
some parts, it contains passages of great eloquence.
It may, therefore, be considered an acquisition to ther
reading community, for
novels many who do not care o
novels as a class, will be pleased at this opportunity
of meeting with so superior a work, and so
refined
a production,