The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-03 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JULY 3, 1863.

LITERATURE.

Dragon's Teeth, By thritev. James Pycroft, B,A.
Two vols. Booth.

As we sow, so must we reap. They who, like the
hero of the old fable, plant the teeth of dragons in
the earth will find an armed harvest the recompense
of their toil. Such is the theme of Mr. Pycroft's
new work—the dragon's teeth particularly alluded
to being the evil self-indulgent habits fostered in
early life by a bad education, The plan of the
story is very ingenious, and the first portion is ad-
mirable. Edward and Nathaniel Walford are the
twin sons of a widowed mother, and Edward, the
first-born, is the heir of Rickworth Manor. The
difference of one hour in the time of their birth is
the cause of an immeasurable difference in their
careers and fortunes. Theadvantage is apparently
with the elder, but is in reality with the younger,
brother. Flattered and followed by time-serving
favourites from his childhood upwards, consigned
to the pernicious influence of tutors who dispense
with all discipline from a dread of offending their
patrons, poor Ned grows up weak and wilful and
wicked, full of his own importance, seeking only his
own pleasures, unhappy himself and the cause of
unhappiness to all connected with him. Meanwhile
Nat, the more fortunate younger brother, stimu-
lated and invigorated in mind and body by the
discipline of Eton, sets to work resolutely to earn
for himself friends and fortune and position, all
of which have been by the accident of
birth already lavishly bestowed upon his brother.
In describing the different effects of the education
of these two brothers, Mr. Pycroft strongly advo-
cates the advantages of public schools over private
ones, especially for the sons of wealthy men. In
the latter, he argues, the boy has no real training
or discipline, as the master, in many instances, fears
to irritate a spoilt child, and exasperate the parents,
who will probably withdraw the pupil and injure
the establishment. However this may be as a
general rule there can be little doubt that a few
years of Eton or Harrow would have been of
amazing benefit to Master Ned. The conclusion of
the tale is very inferior to the commencement. The
author seems to anticipate that the adventures of
Hannah Hengan wilibe the subject of animadversion,
and no wonder. Her conduct, no less than the whole
concluding portions of the story, is unnatural, and
even ridiculous. A young timid girl, Alice Hengan,
has been deserted by her lover on the eve of an
attempted elopement. She pines away, heart-sick,
with hope deferred, and her elder sister, Hannah, a
strong-minded woman, burning to revenge her sis •
ter's disappointment, matures and carries out a
scheme of retribution the like of which we will
venture to say would never have entered into any
woman's head or heart to project or to perform.
Actually, Hannah Hengan personates a wealthy
heiress, and by way of revenging her sister she
marries the deceiving lover ! Immediately after
the marriage, of course, the bride declares herself
and -takes leave of her husband, who finds that he
has lost the expected fortune, and is deprived of all
liberty to seek for another heiress. Mr. Pycroft, in
self-defence, assures us that two or three women he
could mention have been actually married under
similarly false representations. We feel assured,
however, that on inquiry a difference would be
found in the actual circumstances of these cages and'
that of Hannah Hengan. Motives of personal re-
venge or ambition for self-aggrandisement might
have been at work, but we cannot conceive such an
example of sisterly • retribution to have had any
parallel in real life! The whole conclusion of the
story is greatly inferior to the commencement,which
is admirably well-planned. The lesson inculcated is
so excellent, and the moral reflections are so worthy
of general attention, that we very cordially wish
success to Mr. Pycroft's book, notwithstanding the
blunders we have mentioned.

The Historical Works of Giraldus Cambrensis.
Bohn's Antiquarian Library.
This is a la orthy addition to Bohn's very valu-
able library, The works contained in this volume
are "The Topography of Ireland" and "The His-
tory of the Conquest of Ireland," translated by
Thomas Forester, M.A., and " Tilt, Itinerary
through Wales" and " The Description of IV ales,"

translated by Sir Richard Colt Hoare, from the
original manuscripts of Giraldus Cambrensis.
Giraldus was a native of Wales, hence his denomi-
nation of Cambrensis. He was born about the year
1146. He was at one time preceptor to Prince
(afterwards King) John, and accompanied him to
Ireland as Secretary. As the compiler of the pre-
sent edition of the old chronicler's masterpiece
observes in the Preface :
Giraldus was evidently a zealous, if a rather credulous,
observer and collector of facts. It was during this visit to
Ireland that ho occupied himself diligently in collecting
materials for a description of that country, and remained
there for that purpose some time after the departure of
Prince John. The result was his " Topography of Ire-
land," which he began to compose soon after his return to
Wales, a little after the Easter of 1186, and completed in

1187. Its completion gave occasion for a remarkable dis-
play of the writer's vanity and love of ostentation. He re-
cited his book, which was divided into three parts, which
hs called by the then fashonable term of distinctions, before
a public audience of the University of Oxford on three
successive days ; and, to give more effect to this proceeding,
he gave on each day a sumptuous feast. The poor people
of the town were entertained on the first day; the doctors
and students of greatest distinction on the second ; and on
the third the other scholars and the burghers and soldiers
er been
tnhe a
e poetsen i n o
England,
antiquity,
te and
effectt h aatpnpoeethreintge
Giraldus was evidently very proud of the sensation he had.
made on these occasions; for in one of his books (that De
Gestis Suis, lib. c. 16), he declares that it was worthy of
ltheike
iclassict
had v
agese of
have been to increase its celebrity.

Giraldus appears to have been equally remark-
able
diligence in collecting facts and for his
them. Into the especial merit s
of skillhis fo
n ar k
ing e
do not now propose to enter. We
iworks
hisorasnvi
have said enough already, in these few words, to
show the lovers of history and antiquity what a
treasure Mr. Bohn has here laid before them.

THE NOCTES AMBROSIANA.—Part 11. of the
cheap popular edition of the Noctes appears with
the July magazines, bat this time without any en-
graved portrait by way of illustration.

SUICIDE IN ...T-TIGHGATE PONDS.—Dr. Lankester
held an inquest yesterday afternoon on the body of
Mr. Joseph Rawlins, a decorator, residing at 10, Breck-
nock-creseent, Camden town, who was found drowned in
one of the Highgate panda. The deceased left his home on
Wednesday morning week to go to his place of business as
usual, and kissed his children, as was his custom, before he
went out. He was not heard of till Wednesday evening,
when some boys who were fishing caught their hooks in the
hair of the deceased's head, and brought his body to the
surface. It was got out and conveyed to St. Pancras dead
house. Some lines of poetry were found in his pocket
headed " Creedy the Neal" (the latter being his wife's
maiden name), in which from their tenour he was evidently
under a delusion that his wife hated him and did all she
could to destroy his prospects in life. It was stated they
did not live very happily together. Verdict "Temporary
Insanity,"

NEW OIL WELL.--The editor of the Oil City
RviBter has recently paid a visit to the wonderful flowing
oil well in that neighbourhood, which throws every vein
yet struck entirely into the shade. He says :—" While
there the parties owning it were making preparations to
put on a stop-cock, so as to control it. The first joint of.
tubing was taken off, and the oil spouted up to a height of
50 feet, with a roar like a hurricane. The stream from the
pipe was 21 inches, and was incessant, and we looked at the
scene for an hour or more, and finally had to leave before
the stop-cock could be put on. We could form no definite
estimate of the capacity of the well; some estimate it as
high as 2,000 barrels, some 1,000. But we are satisfied
that it was flowing at the rate when we saw it of 1,200 to
1,500 per day. The depth of the well is about 450 feet.
A despatch from Oil City to the Cleveland Plain Dealer
states that the market is unsettled in consequence of the
new well.

FATHER THAMES A LITTLE CLEANT:R.—The
high and middle-level sewers of tht main drainage
of the metropolis aro announced to 1,
partly in operation
in two or three months' time, vb:en Father Thames will be
relieved of at least one-half de refuse which he is now
obliged to carry.

ANOTHER
eAs
tneortdliaeyr
very 11
s-:Jckinc.gi6olCaslof
DE
mor- ONsuicAideß
O.A
cI
cE:rrrAeYd. —y
-ding on the Midland Railway. About one o'clock on
the above named morning the mail train from London was
passing the Thrumpton-road crossing, between Kegworth
and Trent Stations, Notts, when the engineer saw by the
moonlight a man coming down the bank side and walk in
front of the I rain. Re was instantly knocked down, run
over, and killed on the spot. The body, which was fright-
fully mutilated, was afterwards conveyed to the Kegworth
Station, and an inquest will be held this evening. The de-
ceased was well dressed in black, but no money was found
upon him. Rill name at present is unknown,