The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-08 00:00:00

THE BASHFUL MAN.

John Leicester was one of this unhappy race. With
talents above the average, with personal advantages which
alone would have brought most men into notice, an unac-
countable diffidence had laid its frozen hand upon his soul.
The world in general is too busy to observe those who
withdraw themselves from notice ; but even among those
who did observe, Leicester was misunderstood. He had,
by the exertion of common sense and by natural strength
of character, so far conquered his shyness as to subdue
some of its outward signs, He had learnt not to stand
waving his tall body, as many shy men do, when a seat
would set him at easo ; he taught himself to go through

the common forms of society, and to speak common forms
of speech with a grave composure which concealed his in-
ward trepidation ; but the very conquest of outward weak-
nesses made him but the more liable to be misunderstood ;
and, while it displaced pity, brought criticism in its stead.
He was called proud, when often he would have been
thankful for a child's notice ; cold and indifferent, when
his heart was beating with sympathy ; dull and apathetic,
when, had he dared to speak, his words would have won
golden opinions from men. He knew his infirmity, and
owned his weakness ; but knowledge brought neither

strength nor comfort; he felt his bonds, but could not
burst them.
Thus it was that in general, as Albert had said, he said
neglected and overlooked. He could not put himself for-
ward, and no kindly feeling went forward to drag him
out ; and thus too it was that, neglect acting and re-acting
upon his character, he withdrew further and further from
notice, into the solitude of his own soul.
Whether shyness proceeds from pride or humility is a
question often asked ; and since it probably proceeds from
both, will be often disputed. It is a very true humility
that causes a poor soul to doubt of its powers to please ;
that causes it—comparing itself with other more gifted
beings—sadly to to feel that the charm of attraction is
wanting. But it is pride that makes it acquiesce in this
want of attraction ; and, rather than seem to court a notice
not freely given, to hide for ever the gifts it is conscious
it does possess. The different ingredients are variously
blended in different characters ; in some, pride prevails
in some, humility ; but probably both are necessary to pro
duce shyness in any aggravated form. In Leicester, the
humility was very genuine. The talents that were over-
looked by others, he overlooked himself ; and in the op wer
to attract, he was but too painfully conscious of a defi-
ciency. But though thus genuinely humble, it was als°
true that pride was slumbering in no small properti°n
within.

When affected with any peculiar degree of nervous
embarrassment, Leicester has a most extraordinary
habit, a habit so ludicrous that we could alni°st
imagine, if taken from the life, for it is surely " t(7O
.
strange not to be true." When Leicester is
in
society, and feels especially nervous, and does 11°'
know what to do with his hands, be employs
himself in twisting pieces of paper into the figures
of birds and beasts ! While waiting for diener4t°
be announced, at a party, he is conversing with Ir'°d
let, something drops, and she picks up what /la
been, a few minutes before, an envelope of a letter,
but which now is the exact representation of a stu
monkey 1 Was ever lover or hero more ludo'
crously employed ! On visiting his home Violent
finds that his sisters have a drawer full of thris
curiosities—birds and monkeys, &c., that " John' ,
in the habit of dropping about whenever he is
ticularly embarrassed ! Such a ridiculous anti-
climax is enough to convert the lady's tone inert°
laughter ; and whatever his sisters or
her
//,0
biographer may think, we are inclined
regard Violet Osborne, at both periods a he
life, as too good for the excellent but ridieelle
artist of the paper monkey. Violet's cousin,
good-natured, matter-of-fact Albert, is a very
natural character, very naturally described. 11.01 e o
father and mother, and the five sisters of Leiees,,,wiir:,
and some of the minor characters are also laaPP,,,'
sketched; as is Mr. Pope, the pompous cow
clergyman, clergyman, who believes his parish and all ill
himself included, to be the best parish, 17 of
and people, in all England. With some sug.
drawbacks, as we have above indicated, the stp4
"
of " Violet Osborne" is very interesting and attra'c•
tive—the heroine, save at one temporary luterlai,
being herself very charming and delightful.

Can you Forgive Her? By Anthony Trollope.
No. XVII. Chapman and Hall.
Mr. Trollope's story—the title of which, by
rights, ral
rights, ought to have been given in the Pi.,10
number, as " Can you Forgive Them?" u
heroines, as it appears to us, about pretty c(lllaii-
needing forgiveness, Lady Glencora, indeed,
Ice
more so towards the close of the work than A
Vavasor—Mr. Trollope's current monthly sends
story is now evidently winding its way toWg,
its conclusion. It might even be averred,
.;
t
point of fact, that the Pronoun Ferailliho
upon the interrogative title page of
10
tale, applies, for that matter, 31° gra.
positively to Kate Vavasor and to '
Grenow, than it does to either Lady Gleac°r;
Palliser, or to Alice the real heroine of the fie of
as the wooed and won and lost more than (068
John Gray, the Squire, and George Vavaser,,„, 5,
member of Parliament. The widow, we as rea"-rer
might not unreasonably be asked to forgive. f°r b
an
preposterous flirtations with Captain Bellfielu -150
Farmer Cheeseacre—Kate needing somepardon.ta
at the reader's hands for her perverse interpesiioo of
between her cousin and her betrothed in favour
her own vagabond of a brother. Alluring in its way
though the story is, the characters in it are one
all of them simply detestable. George is a swealt.110110;
blaspheming villaiu—MrPalliser, though a chiva'u-m.
gentleman at heart, is a horrible bore, yawning
self, and nearly everybody else, too, into Piece+. of
John Vavasor, Alice's father, is the very dullto,
old fogies—Cheeseacre, a selfish vulgarian—Bell e,
a petty, scampish fortune-hunter—while Of 41.,a1re
Kate, Mrs. Greenow, and Lady Glencora,
already expressed our opinion, both upon the pa
sent occasion and before now pretty frequeili p
to
Altogether the book is in effect no more hkelthe
live upon the bookshelves than a periodical al
Fashions.

THE FIFTEEN NEW F.R.S.--Last Year ~rs
'
selected list comprised four M.D.'s • this year it ca,,
one poet and three astronomers—physical science PreP°+be
derates over physic. The election is announced for
Ist of June :—H. Christy, Esq. the Hon J. Cockle, ..tt:
W. R. Dawes, A. Geikie Esq. G. Gore, Esq., B. 61.,7,4a
Esq., G. R. Gray, Esq., G'. Harley, M.D., W. Huggins, Vt.:
Sir F. L. M'Clintock, R. 31‘Donell, M.D., W. h• Par-se
Esq., A. Tennyson, Esq., G. H. K. Thwaites, Esq., a

Lieut:-Col. J.- T. Walker, R.E.
„Fthe
THE POPULAR REVIEWER.—The part --
Grwculus esuriens is now played in London by th°
popular reviewer. Omnia noscit. He is an encyclord3w..
Tom Sayers is not beneath his notice, nor Mill above:sj
He will instruct one in boxing, and the other in politi r
economy. He will slap one in the face, and pat the etbe.o
on the back; and he will be surprised if either resent tio..l°
attentions as an insult. His style, it is needless to 001' -
longs to the rollicking, fast school. He is on good ;:es
cowoffi
cheaphs t
a alln tl
ytkhbne
by
whli world,knowledge
d side
se b; u;
wt
aenaespeciallydrs
has
ah sealwaysf
amwc ishtshh mweo
coffinr deef. :f ie n'.l7
pyrnoilo..
met suspended in the air. With two weapons 13° til;
laterswor
sword
all theere world.reverently
placedou r pa ri tn,A t
weth
latter were decently buried. Looked at more "er,,inota"
style is decidedly composite. It is plastered over With Seine
tions tions considerably the worse for wear. The muclef t into
defiles his well of English. For learning he breaks °ll it
the coffin,
thatautL.hioE:fie
slang, and persists in writing Siren with a 97 becgi,,,lln-in-
looks more knowing. For humour ho adopts the ,slostY
the-back style, and wouldn't mind calling her for
" Vic." Of real power of criticism he possesses 1101:00
he has no knowledge but that which he gains fr° 3 set
book under review. If the author is wrong, he Cal;
him right; but if the author is right, he can often slot,-
wrong. Then, like a second Phaeton, he "whips
"And brings in cloudy night immediately" riier"
As for any philosophy, you might as well expect
church'
ledge of international law from a policeman, or a 'n. Dat
warden to refute the last German theory on St• J°1:001-
a popular reviewer despises philosophy. When in for first
ties, he quotes his favourite Birmingham LatinLaild b. Ph
principles comes back to his Stratford-at-Bovr Free s 1 is
in fact, appeals to public ignorance. And the app be
never in vain. Every one applauds him ; and he of 140
said to live not so much by his wits, as by the 'Arent
in others.—The Reader. of the
NEWSPAPER PRESS FUND. —A meeting 1301-d
committee of this fund was held on Saturdal;
seoror
Houghton, the president, occupying the chair. 111_,eoetis$
tary announced that he had received since the last wreseir
subscriptions to the amount of £lO5. Several re el cte3
A e e ,
tatives of the press from the provinces wer-verryo"
members of the association. A letter from g• his in -
the eminent French avocat, was read, regretting,..oo
ability, owing to the pressure of professional ..,""or to •
during the month of May, to be present at the 4'0;004
be held on the 20th inst. In his letter, which 3s. 130.
to be entered on the minutes of the associatic%o of tbe
ryer said that he had heard with infinite pleast,ors con-
formation of the association for the benefit of valb
.stnlate
nected with the daily and weekly papers. 44 I COngistep to
your happy country," he said, "that it has takellettto the
honour and reward men who so worthily adv° Foul
cause of social and political liberty, while vr
are compelled to confine our efforts to regain for the
old -
rightt
protot
and the most patriotic of our intellect the
liberty to enlighten their fellow citizens, and
their dearest and most cherished privileges?
ullt of
THE BALANCE-SHEET.---The annual 8"-e, C isstieuA
•
the public income and expenditure has beehilsi, 1865'
The income for the financial year ending Mared
consisted of £42,130,000 from Customs ail,,st..offics,
£20,780,000 from stamps and taxes, £4,loo,oooialu'otto
£310,000 Crown lands, and £2,993,436 reiseelr...seb troo3e
eluding £872,750 received from India for 13_ 1tLi,319,4
serving there); making a total gross income of tor' 'est of the
The expenditure comprised £26,369,898 for i,11„ the 735Vid
debt, £14,382,672 for the army, £10,898,253 to nchle,,,
£9,160,140 for civil services, to which me
an
5i.74,5'
£870,673 for the Post-office packet service, pc!
.„ toosei_.;
ntlo din%
for the second moiety of the Scheldt toll ren,—. /win to
£4,606,471 for cost of collection of the revenue.tiaro
uP
£3,851,230i1: .101; on
1..
the Post-office establishment) brings the expert „color.,
£66,462,206, leaVing a surplus of
to this expenditure the sum of £620,000 was laid Govel
tifications, the amount being raised by the Sale
mont annuities terminable in 1885.