The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-02 00:00:00

Veronia. Three vole. Hurst and Blackett.

If " Veronia" be the first work of its author, we
are inclined to augur well for his future career. It
evinces great powers of thought, and a very con-
siderable ability in their development. The cha-
racters are not crowded on the canvass, but they are
drawn with very great discrimination. Veronia
de Medul, the heroine, is the fair and haughty
daughter of a ruined patrician. We first discover
her in a poor and lonely habitation, working to
support a dying mother—dying for want of that
succour for which Veronia is too proud td ask. The
painful death of the mother produces a sad and
thrilling effect ; it is portrayed with tragic power.
The severe lessons of affliction produce their effect
upon Veronia. At first her pride of birth is
t‘lmost amusing in its arrogance, so Van Helder
finds it. Van Helder is the kind, cordial friend
env) tries, but for long in vain, to bring comfort
to the isolated and unhappy ladies, while, as a
doctor, he is attending the sick bed of Madame
de Medul. At one time, while a friendly but most
animated discussion about patricians and plebians,
the rights of birth, and the pride of rank is going on,
Veronia naively exclaims,with a half complimentary,
insolence, "I always forget you are not a gentle-
man !" Few gentlemen are more deserving of the
name than is the worthy Dr. Van Helder, decidedly
the character of the book, a most original and most
graphic portraiture. Van Helder, notwithstanding
his inquiring and incredulous temperament, is the
bosom friend and constant companion of the vener-
able Cure of St. Andrews, of which parish he is
himself the doctor. He is also the constant subject
of the indignant animadversions of Godensca, the
Cure's housekeeper. The mutual war of words
which almost continuously prevails between this
well-matched pair of originals is very entertaining.
Godensca's bitter tongue is, however, as is often the
case, no criterion of the disposition of her heart
towards the doctor. Jacques Henricart, the Man
of the People, and Adrian de Boisvante, the treacher-
ous lover, are a well-contrasted pair. M. Bouchard
is also happily sieetched, but his daughter's picture
is somewhat overdrawn. Even the assistance
which she gives to her father's law business (acting,
in fact, as chief clerk) cannot quite account for all
her disagreeable qualities Miss Sally Brass
becomes an attractive companion when compared
with Mademoiselle Justine Bouchard ! The Vicar's
two sisters, Beth and Ana (the scene is laid in
North Flanders) are simple, homely maidens, kept
very much in the background, while the fascinating
and dangerous Herminie de Mont Brison, and the
devout and treacherous Madame de St. Barthelemy
take, as becomes them, a very prominent position.
The last volume is the most interesting of the three,
and until the very end the reader is quite ignorant
as to what may be Veronia's fate. The episode of
Carl Dopter and his little wife Gretchen,
perishing of fatigue and want in the Canon-
gate of Edinburgh, is quite unnecessary
to the story, and might have been omitted.
Again the author commits a serious error when, in
the middle of the third volume, he enters into an
explanatory discourse with his readers on the
peculiarities of novel-writing and novels, his own
among the number. Such a proceeding is destruc-
tive of all illusion. The reader is to believe the story
true, or it is worthless. Such aside conversations
with the audience have become a fashion with our
novel writers nowadays, introduced, we sus-
pect, by th® 'roundabout confessions which Mr.
Thackeray delights to bestow upon his readers.
The example, however agreeable in his instance,
is dangerous, and would be well avoided. We the
more readily mention these exceptionable parti-
culars because we consider " Veronia" to be the
production of one who is fitted to take high rank
among the novelists of the day.

Left to Themselves, By Mrs. Gordon Smythies,
author of " Cousin Geoffrey," &c. Three vols.

Hurst and Blackett.

Mrs. Gordon Smythies has taken for the heroes
of her new novel two little friendless, helpless,
neglected boys, "left to themselves" in the wide
wilderness of London. The moral of 'her story is
to enforce the truth that all that is essential to
success in life comes not from without but from
within. Honesty and truthfulness, energy and per-
severance, faith and patience, are better than
any gifts of friends or fortune which take to them-
selves wings and flee away when most required.
With the history of these little " city Arabs" as her
theme, Mrs. Smythies presents to us many of the
varying phases of London life, its trials and temp-
tations, its privations and its penalties. A bed at
night in the Adelphi Arches and a halfpenny cup
of coffee for breakfast are at that the only sorry
comforts within the reach of poor Harry and Sim
Hazeldean. Very graphically and very forcibly
does Mrs. Smythies " point the moral," while she
pleasantly and skilfully " adorns the tale—the les-
sons conveyed in the apposite histories of the two
brides, Mercy Mayflower and Blanche Melville, are
full of warning to fair maidens of high and low
degree who " love not wisely, but too well." The
admonitions about temperance which are inciden-
tally, and not obtrusively introduced, would endear
the volumes to the heart of George Cruikshank, and
will, we doubt not, win for the fair authoress golden
opinions from many readers. We congratulate
Mrs. Smythies on this new work, which is a fresh
evidence of her kindness of heart, and her anxiety
to devote her abilities to the true cause of the
people, namely, their social regeneration and im-
provement. We are somewhat disappointed to find
at tha end of the tale that the two devoted com-
panions in many trials, Harry and Sim, are not
brothers, but cousins. We sympathise with the
dismay of poor Harry, who has watched with an
elder brother's affection over Sim, when ho finds
him removed to a more distant relationship, and the
change is not really necessary to the development
of the story. The romantic affection of Lena
Linley, and the life-long devotion of Little Prim-
rose, are mysteries that we shall not touch upon,
but leave for the personal discovery of the reader.

Tonal

Foreign Courts.

PARIS, August 31.
Prince Napoleon has again left Paris for Havre,
accompanied by the Princess Clotilda.
Prince Napoleon and the Princess Clotilda, the
Moniteur de la Flotte states, are shortly to proceed
to Lisbon in their yacht the Jerome Napoleon.
Prince Labanoff, the Russian Ambassador at
Constantinople, who is now on leave of absence
from his post, has arrived in Paris.
The Chevalier Nigra, Italian Minister, is pre-
paring to quit Paris on leave of absence, for the
recovery of his health.
"We regret to announce," says the Memorial
Diplonzatique, "that the state of the King of Spain
causes serious uneasiness. The strength of the
august patient after he had undergone a very
painful operation has sensibly diminished, a
symptom the more alarming, that his Majesty's
constitution has never been robust."

BRUSSELS, August 31.

Prince Amadeus of Italy arrived in Brussels on
Sunday from Copenhagen. His royal highness
was accompanied by Count Montalto, by the Por-
tuguese Minister, and other high officials. The
prince will proceed to Ostend on a visit to the
Belgian royal family. He travels incognito under
the title of Count de Pallanza.

The Prince and Princess de Joinville, the Duke
and Duchess de Chartres, with a numerous suite,
have arrived in Brussels from Ostend.

The Duke and Duchess di Fiano have left
Thomas's Hotel, Berkeley-square, for Brussels.

The Duke of Marlborough has returned to Blen-
heim Palace, near Woodstock, from a c,uise in his yacht.
The Earl and Countess Fortescue are passing the
season at Castle Hill, Devon, with their family. It is un-
derstood that the noble earl and countess purpose again to
pass the winter abroad.
The Countess (Frances) Waldegrave and Mr.
Chichester Fortescue, M.P., are expected to arrive in town
at the close of the week from the countess's seat in Somer-
setshire, and will then leave for Dudbrook, Essex.
Lord Blantyre, who has been on a visit to the
Duchess (Dow.) of Sutherland, at Stafford House, St.
James's, left yesterday for Erskine House, Renfrewshire,
N,B. _ _ _

_
Lord John Hay has left town for Stratlafieldsaye,
Hints, on a visit to the Duchess of Wellington.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer hae arrived at
Pen-maen-maur, Conway, from Hawarden Castle.
The Right Hun. Sir Robert Peel, Bart., M.P.,
arrived at his residence in Whitehall-gardens, yesterday,
from Switzerland,

Miss BRADDON, whose " Lady Audley's Secret'
and "Aurora Floyd" everybody knows, has just
addressed a characteristic note to a French writer who
asked for some particulars of her life : " Story I Lord
bless youl " she writes, " I have none to tell, sir I I have
not, like Aurora Floyd .. . nor like Lady Audley • •
although some of our critics on this side of the Channel
have declared that I would never have been capable of
speaking of . . and of .. . unless I had previously been
familiar with the way in which such crimes are committed,
I began my literary career with a little comedy entitled
The Loves of Arcadia,' which was played at the Strand
Theatre in 1860 ; next I wrote a volume of poems in 1861.
This comedy and this volume of poetry were followed
firstly, by the Trail of the Serpent;' 2dly, 'Lady Lisle ;
third, ' The Captain of the Vulture ; ' fourth, Ralph the
Bailiff;' fifth, 'Lady Audley's Secret ; ' sixth, Aurora
Floyd ; ' all of which made their first appearance in peri-
odicals. Besides these novels, I have at the same time
edited a monthly review and a weekly review, and I wrote
anonymously a great many articles for the latter. lam
writing now, as you know, ' John Marchmont's Legacy,'
and ' Eleanor's Victory.' The former is publised in Temple
Bar, the latter in Once a Week. In enumerating the titles
of my books, I have given you the history of my life, at
least to the present date."
THE LIBRARIES OF CONSTANTINOPLE.—It is
perhaps not generally known that the capital of
Turkey possesses a large number of public libraries, a
general catalogue of which is now being made. According
to an ea imate which is considered reliable, the total num-
ber of manuscripts thus catalogued will exceed a million.
Unfortunately, however, many of these MSS. have been so
damaged by lying in heaps in damp cellars or worm-eaten
chests, as to bo partially, and in some cases entirely illegible.
It is also to be regetted that, until now, none of the trea-
sures of the early periods of Byzantine literature, which it
was hoped would be brought to light, have been found. It
has, on the contrary, been proved that all the works of those
times which are known to have existed have been ruthlessly
destroyed. The remaining works are consequently chiefly
in Arabic, or in other Semitic languages; but they form, on
the other hand, the richest collection of Oriental literature
in existence. Ahmet-Vafick-Effendi Subhi-Bey and other
Turkish men of letters have proposed that this inestimable
mass of literary treasures be collected in one building, so as
to render it accessible to students engaged in historical
researches, and there is every reason to believe that this
proposal will be adopted, notwithstanding the opposition it
has hitherto met with. The first step towards the forma-
tion of an imperial library has already been taken by placing
40,000 volumes of good works, in various European lan-
guages, and which belonged to 11-Hami-Pasha, in the Dar-
al-Fanoon, the building of the University. Orders have
been given to increase this collection considerably, so as to
create a tolerably complete library for consultation, to which
the public will be freely admitted. Adding to such a col-
lection the MS. already mentioned, Constantinople would
be superior to any capital in a literary point of view, espe-
cially if by some lucky chance the plays of Menander, or
the lost books of Livy, or the remaining tragedies of
eEschylus, were suddenly brought to light from amidst the
parchments now being so carefully examined.—Critic.
APPARITION OF THE LIVING.—Add now for an
apparition which had a definite and distinct pur-
pose. A solicitor, resident in the Isle of Wight, had busi-
ness at Southampton. He stayed at one of those hotels for
which the town of mail steamers is famous, and, after
dinner, he was looking over his law papers
while he sipped his port. Ho was aroused
from his foolscap and red tape by the
opening of a door ; his wife (whom he had
left at home in the Isle of Wight) entered, gazed at
him steadfastly, and passed out through the opposite door.
Ho naturally thought that it was a hallucination, and re-
sumed his reading, with a wondering smile at his own
weakness. But, within a quarter of an hour, the very same
n athingnoe oocfc urt rheed
aapgeaci
tnr
e; a
annd
itnih eprleo r
isnv
ga s
looonk t
whichh e c ou n
tert e.-
rifled him. He at once resolved to return home; with
some difficulty got a boatman to take him across ; and
when he reached his house, was struck by the ghastly and
alarmed lock of the maid servant who opened the door.
This woman was so frightened by his unexpected return,
that she spontaneously confessed her intention to murder
her mistress, and her confession was confirmed by
the fact she had concealed a carving-knife wader
her pillow. This is a very perplexing case for
those who think spectral phenomena can be philo-
sophically explained. Here you have the phantom of
a living person projected, entirely without that person's
consciousness. Let it be assumed that a person in extreme
peril can, by intense volition, act on the nervous system of
the universe, so as to influence hie dearest friend : but here
the person whose likeness appeared was entirely devoid of
apprehension, while the servant, who alone knew what was
likely to happen, would naturally exert no volition towards
revealing it.—The Dublin University for September.
EXPLOSION OF THE MONROE DOCTRINE.--The
Emperor of the French, by the establishment of a
monarchy in Mexico which will be in alliance with the
Southern States and the British possessions in North
America, extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and
from the United States to the Pole, the germ of a mighty
monarchy—proves the nonsense of the Monroe doctrine.
In British America there is a population of whites nearly
as numerous as in the Confederate States, backed by the
voewreur
lienektandee,wsoorltdh,atwtifththaoycooansltywbhoitcrhaethtoo
gFreedaetreas
its neaavna lnpe
themselves, they need not fear Mr, Sowara's cry of " On t('
Canada." England can man the fortresses and supply
them well arras, ammunition, and ships, but for the &Aerie°
of their country they must rely on their own resources—'
their volunteers and militia. Our Government should sco
that a sufficient supply of artillery and stores will be eent
out, With a dozen or two of our idle gunboats, which can lie
in the Ottowa, the St. Charles, under the citadel of Quebec,
and Halifax, ready on the first open water to enter the
lakes—the canals passing vessels 140 feet long, and 26
wide, with a draught of 9j feet—and this should be don°
before winter sets in, Let the CanadEaue then remember
Cromwell's address—" Put your trust in God, and keep
your powder dry." As to a threat of war, if steamers are
permitted to leave our shores, it is " Buncomee'—a •• VO%
et preterea nihil." Let England no longer be troubled, but
act as she did in the Trent affair and there will be no war,
but let her yield in dishonour, and we drift into war.
(From a CorrespondeutO
A MONUMENT TO SHAKSPERE AT OUR. ANTI"
PODES !—Our Australian cousins—at least those of Mel-
bourne—are, we learn, preparing to do honour to the
memory of Shakspere. The Age, of that city, Bar —"I'll
clay model of a colossal statue of Shakspere has been
exe-
cuted by Mr. Charles Summers. It is proposed to erect
the statue, in bronze, in front of the public library. -