The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-30 00:00:00

'AYE!.
Cash.

LITERATURE

Doctor Harold. By Mrs. Gascoigne, author of
" Temptation." Three Vols. Hurst and Blackett.
This work possesses the double attraction of a
continuous narrative and a series of separate tales,
the different reminiscences of Doctor Harold having
each a distinct individual interest, while the thread
by which they are connected has an attraction of its
own, being the personal history of I'ercie Harold
and the charming Violet. " The Violet of Violets-
nest" is the subject of the first story, a pretty little
romance with a happy ending, the heroine being
one of the gentlest, and purest, and lovliest of her
sex, and the hero one of the most singularly obtuse
of mortals. All, however, is well that ends well,
and, as we have said, the drama comes to a satifac-
tory conclusion. A little later on, after an amusing
interlude, entitled " Our Fa:thionable Relations,"
comes one of the sweetest but withal one of the
saddest of all the chapters in the three volumes—
" Rose and Violet"—the little history of the lovely
lives and early deaths of two twin sisters, aged five.
Very tenderly has the author's hand lingered over
their descriptions, and very touching is the picture of
their devoted affection in life and in death. Equally
melancholy, and of a more painful character, is the
story of " Esther," which follows. The character of
the unfortunate Esther, with her unhappy love, and
her fruitless attempts to become refined in manner
and grammatical in speech, is very effectively de-
scribed ; but in the following tale of " Ma" we find
the wretched Esther transformed for the time into a
perfect tigress. The manner in which (having been
'introduced into his house as nurse to his sick wife
and child) she discovers and springs upon her be-
-trayer, tearing and wounding him with her hands
and nails, is perfectly revolting, and the conclusion
of the chapter, in which Dr. Harold discovers the
invalid wife, startled from her bed, a sudden maniac
and the infant dead, with a horrible suspicion that
the distracted mother has been its murderess, is of the
same painful and horrible character. This scene, this
whole tale, in fact, is, to our thinking, the chief
blemish of the book. We are becoming pretty well
accustomed to continual horrors and terrors in the
novels of the day, but we were not quite prepared
for them from the first volume of " Doctor Harold,"
which is natural and pleasant enough, as is also
volume three. Volume three contains the story
of Uncle Guy, which is the longest of the
tales, and a novel of itself full of characters,
many of them very skilfully described, the best
of all being Uncle Guy himself, with his generosity
and frugality, his testy temper and his tender heart.
Retired from the army of India, Uncle Guy main-
tains in his small household the discipline of the
camp. " His housekeeper sent in her bills of fare,
her daily reports and lists of questions every morn-
ing on a sheet of foolscap, and he returned his
answers and instructions on the turned down corner
of the leaf in true orderly-room fashion, with as
much abbreviation as possible." Some capital and
amusing scenes occur in the course of this narrative,
which will interest many readers. Doctor Harold,
at the c:ose of his reminiscences, holds out a partial
promise of again favouring us with a peep at his
treasured records. The pleasant manner which
pervades the principal portion of these three volumes
will incline his readers to look for a realisation of
the pledge. The story of " Ma" excepted, Mrs.
Gascoigne has given us a very interesting novel.
She has committed an error, however, in making
the worthy Doctor the spokesman, every page,
every line in the volumes betrays the secret--the
tender sentiments and graceful style reveal through-
out the authoress. This we do not quarrel with.
Mrs. Gascoigne's manner of narration is admirable,
she lures her reader on in the most agreeable
way. We only advise her, in the next publication,
to be herself her own tale-teller. Assuredly she
could find no better, and her many readers will be
of our opinion.

The Quarterly Review. No. 236.
An interesting number is this before us, and we
find more variety than is often met with in these
periodicals. Perhaps the most attractive article is
the " Poetry of Praed and Lord Houghton." It is
written con amore, and by one who evidently enters
fully into the spirit of his theme. Nowadays the
study of poetry is too much neglected, and it is quite
refreshing to meet with a paper of this kind, in
which many things are put before us in a masterly
manner that are quite worthy of attention, and yet
which might well escape notice in the hurry-skurry
of every-day perusal. A similarity is observable in
the writings of these poets, for they will rest their
chief claim to remembrance on the merit of their
contributions to literature in which they describe
" contemporary life, manners, and feelings." Diffe-
rent in many respects, they resemble each other in
this, and the writer of these pages has fully explained
his reasons for coupling their names in his criticism
of what has been called vers de societe. Some selec-
tions are given which richly illustrate Praed's par-
ticular style, and an excellent definition appears of
their chief characteristics in this passage, where it
is said, " light, polished, and brilliant, they sparkle
like gems upon the finger of beauty, they are
not to be worn every day like the jewels of a
Burns or a Wordsworth ; they are for hours
of festive vivacity, they have boudoir elegance
and propriety ; the light under which they shine
most exquisitely is not sunlight. These pecu-
liarities, if they limit them, give them also their
special place in our literature." Conspicuous among
descriptive pieces of any period stands out Praed's
" Good Night to the Season." It is truly said here
that high poetry cannot give that " minuteness of
narrative detail" which is so delightful in Miss
Austell or Sir Walter Scott. All exactness of
sketching and interesting but inferior description
must cease to belong to the order of poetry proper,
and be classed under the category of " occasional"
or " minor," or vers de Societe. Lord Houghton's
marked success is here justly attributed in a great
measure to his advantages of education in the highest
and widest acceptation of that term ; and indeed
nothing can compensate for the lack of that deside-
ratum, no matter of what intrinsic worth are the
natural gifts possessed. " Granting, of course, the
existence of an original or instinctive genius, nine-
tenths of success in the fine arts are demonstrably
due to education—education in the Oxford and
Cambridge sense ; old-fashioned, conventional, lite-
rary, classical, limited, if you will,—lay on and
spare not ! but it is this which has given us Eng-
land's poetry ! Shakspere, always exceptional, is the
one just possible exception." This passage deserves
to be singled out for especial attention. Nowadays,
that the march of mind has led many disciples
of new-fangled notions to decry the advantages
and deny the benefits of the old style, a course of
argument which cannot be too strongly opposed,
for our literature will suffer, and our general taste
and appreciation suffer proportionately as a classical
education is neglected. We meet with a good defi-
nition of Lord Houghton's style, as that which de-
picts the " emotional elements" of English life.
Such as it is, he is a great adept in his art, and all
find him a pleasant companion and a graceful guide
to the flowery walks and elegant spheres to which
he conducts them. As here said, " the notes of the
world's great lyrical singers have a greater compass,
but within the range adapted, and it is no small
range, Lord Houghton's are true notes, and he never
strains them." Among the extracts given from the
works of this gifted writer we find some verses
which are descriptive of the poet's true mission, his
holy privilege, his godlike gift, to diffuse upon earth
a semblance of heaven's peace and serenity.
" Amid the factions of the field of life,
The poet held his little central ground."
Many -who have dwelt withdelight upon the author's
graceful and genial sketches will concur with what
is here said, that Lord Houghton carries his idea
into the actual works of his genius. "Itis a junc-
tion to which no writer of our time has been more
faithful; nor is there a more truly enviable fame
than that of the poet, who, so far as Nature has
given him power, and Life opportunity, has
accomplished it." At the conclusion of this
excellent article a Jew words are said to point
out the chief points of similarity between
these poets, and they are defined as writers
who seem rather to have chosen " verse" as the
fittest exponent of their sentiments on subjects of
the day, rather than to have been moved by the
more decided and determined love of poetry ; they
"creative." Such: a
are receptive" more than

delineation seems upon reflection to explain in an
able manner the characteristics of these shining stars
to our periodical literature, but the reader must
bear in mind what is added to the opinion thus ex-
pressed, that a "rigid" or " exclusive" boundary is
not intended. The least territorial limitations of
the world of real property " are not formed within
the garden of the soul." The " Cathedrals of Eng-
land" will prove to many a delightful sketch for
perusal. It is curious to notice that " nearly forty
years have passed since Briton's Cathedral Anti-
quities' were reviewed in this journal by Southey."
The architectural glories of our English cathedrals
are well worthy of consideration, and it is to be
regretted that many persons of influence and im-
portance concern themselves in discovering the
grandeurs of foreign States, while they totally ignore
the wonders that belong to their own country. The
facts connected with the preservation of " ancient
relics" and the praiseworthy efforts of those who
have laboured in the work of " restoration" are here
chronicled in an impressive manner. "The Re-
sources, Condition, and Prospects of Italy" are here
considered, and, after an elaborate investigation, it
is said that the difficulties to which the Italian
Kingdom is now exposed are greater from within
than from without. "By persevering in a policy
thus successfully commenced, Italy may acquire a
prosperity not unworthy of its ancient commercial
importance and antiquity, suitable to the great part
which, it has acted in the history and civilisation of
the world." " The Russians in Central Asia" is
the text of an article which draws public attention
to a centre but now too little regarded, and yet
which may one day prove a source of anxiety to the
nations of Europe. All that appertains, directly or
indirectly, to the policy of the Government of St.
Petersburg is of imporfance. There is much sound
sense to be found in the remarks here met with,
and at the present juncture especially we need to
be told of the evils that loom in the distance, if we
continue our present unguarded course. The chief
danger, it is said, lies in the chance that Russia may
think this country will tolerate any amount of en-
croachment on her part, rather than be led into
a declaration of war; but we must be on our guard,
and watch the progress of events. " The time may
come when it will be our duty to remember that
outworks are as necessary to the defence of empires
as fortresses, and that in this view Herat and Can-
dahar are the Malakhoff and Mamelon of our posi-
tion. in the East." " Field Sports of the Ancient
Greeks and Romans" form an agreeable contrast
for the diversion of the reader, who may thus gain
an insight into those amusements which engrossed so
large a share of the notice of the earlier generations.
Some remarkable incidents are recorded, and it will
excite the attention of many to find that cards of
the races, with the names and colours of the riders
and drivers, " were handed about, and betting was
carried on with perhaps as much vigour in the days
of ancient Rome as in those of modern England."
"Blind People" is the subject of an article that is
both instructive and interesting, and it is difficult
to decide whether it is more sad to know how many
human beings suffer under the terrible deprivation
of loss of sight, or to reflect upon the chances that
are lost of affording to them some alleviation of
their grievous affliction. It is almost incredible to
conceive the immense advantages which those enjoy
who are put under proper training, and early re-
ceive the requisite learning which gives light to those
who sit in darkness, and in a great measure consoles
them for their great loss. It is curious as well as
deeply interesting to follow out the course of in-
struction which the blind receive, and it leads us to
consider it at the pitch of perfection when a blind
man is made a Professor at Cambridge, lecturing
on the " solar spectrum, the laws of light, aid the
theory of the rainbow," none of which he had ever
looked at. The change which comes over the life
of a blind child who is removed from a home,
where he is a species of lumber, to an in-
stitution where his faculties are trained, is al-
most a magical one, and it is only to be re-
gretted that more of the blessed asylums are
not in existence. Many are the claims on the
wealth of this community, but surely the example
of Him who made the blind to see should be present
to our minds when we contemplate the position of
the thirty thousand blind people scattered over
Great Britain. Are not they solemn charges
and weighty responsibilities to those who have
wealth, means, and influence at their command ?
Milton has made immortal the sufferings of the
blind, and he has also declared their particular
vocation. " They also serve who only stand and
wait," but those gifted with full possession of their
faculties have another work ; they should arise and
assist their afflicted brethren. Due weight is
attached in this article to the importance of the
training of these afflicted sons of mortality, and it
seems hardly possible that they who can assist in
su:-.:11 a work should be indifferent to its progress or
ignorant of its meaning. It resolves itself into
whether these children of night shall drag on their
dark existence, a misery to themselves and a burden
to others, or whether their better instincts shall be
awakened, and their perceptions watched, until
they are educated as far as they may be, and better
fitted for passing through their state of darkness
here, and hereafter awakening to the light
of that land where the eyes of the blind
shall be opened. The concluding words of
this article are well worthy of notice. It is said that
the hope is a just one which dwells on the possi-
bility of these afflicted beings attaining to some
success in their labours. We have seen in these
records the noble part their work can bear, and
can thus readily concur in the sentiments thus
expressed. " None indeed but He who made the
eye can give sight to the blind, but human hands
and human hearts may do much to help them to
find out their share in all the privileges, joys, and
responsibilities of human toil, and in it to discover
Him who has set up his present kingdom here, in
this world of work, given to every, man his task,
and when evening is come will give to each labourer
his wage of reward." There is an article on " The
Mariner's Compass," which is discussed in a pains-
taking spirit, from a wide range of publications on'
the varying subject. The deviations of the compass
have puzzled the inquiries of the learned and
scientific in all ages and countries who have led a
seafaring occupation. The Chinese, learned in the
most abstruse subjects, knew the use of the com-
pass and practised it some four thousand years
before the Christian era. But with all our scientific
knowledge and maritime enterprise we are as yet
very much in the dark as to the laws which govern
the action of ship's compasses ; yet this is not for
want of publications by elaborate inquiries into the
mysteries of the magnetism which influences the
world, whose bearing points and guides the
seaman's course on the trackless deep. The Chinese
read from the south, while we read from the north
pole—such is the strange diversity of nations ; but
not more so than is exhibited in the characters of
the compass itself. The variations are so singular;
and the errors so frequent arising from so many
disturbing causes, that they puzzle the most devoted
enthusiast to account for the causes. It appears
that in 1809 a new era in the history of the compass
commenced with Captain Hinders, in his voyage to
Australia. He observed that the direction of the
compass needle frequently wandered from that
which the known variation due to the geographical
position of the ship assigned to it. The phenomena
was found to be caused by the direction of his ship's
head being pointed east or west, for then the
north end of the compass needle was drawn by

some unknown force towards the ship's bows. But

when his ship had got as far south as Bass's Straits
the phenomena was entirely reversed from what it
was in northern latitudes. Now it was the south

end of the needle which was drawn towards the
bows. We give this as a specimen of the marvel-
lous variations incident to the mariners' compass.

But another perplexity has now arisen with the sul, -
stitution of iron for wood in the building of ships,

It seems that soft iron is far more susceptible'of
being influenced by magnetism than 14rd. But
what is more singular still is the fact that not only
is an iron ship different from a wooden ono,
but each individual iron hull has a special
magnetic character of its air. No two kinds of air
have exactly the same magnetic qualities. It would

seem that new iron ships lose much of their mag-
netic character after having encountered rough