The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-09 00:00:00

LITE.RATURE.

SMITH AND ELDER'S SHILLING SERIES OF
STANDARD WORKS OF FICTION.
Among the many series of reprinted novels which
of late years have placed works of a first-rate cha-
racter within the reach of readers of the most
limited means, we have seen none which combines
in so high a degree, ability of construction, variety
of style, high moral tone, and moderation in price.
Messrs. Smith and Elder have often been among the
first to introduce young and talented writers to the
public, and the novels published by them are fre-
quently remarkable for vigour and originality.
Some of those before us present no exception to the
rule, and a few of them are especially interesting
as belonging to the earlier works of authors who
have since attained a high degree of reputation.
Prominent among these we may rank the fictions
of Holme Lee, whose two works will prove most
acceptable to the reader. Gilbert Massenger is
a powerful example of the virtue of sacrifice, and
an instance of some of the sharpest sorrows that
can afflict humanity. The description given of
Gilbert is a grand one, and while it truly depicts
the suffering, it speaks in solemn earnestness of the
triumph and the victory. "On his brow is no re-
pining, in his eye no gloom, on his lip neither
despondence nor complaint. He bears up with
a brave, honest, faithful soul. Having put his
hand to the plough, let what sorrow will tutu up
in the furrows he will not look back ; ho looks up
instead, and there sees afar off what shall satisfy
him." "Yes," said he, " the light is enough for me,
God I thank Thee hat though earth's joys are
withheld from me Thou hest given me thy Peace
within." Miss Messenger is a stern, cold, hard
woman, who is to be respected for her strict ideas
of duty, and one feels more pity than anger for
her peculiar way and severe notions when the sad
secret of her life is made known. Her trials were
not valueless, nor her labour in vain, for her endu-
rance was an example to her nephew, and the
memory of her fortitude nerved him for the like
contest, and led him on in success by the thorny,
road and up the steep ascent which was his por-
tion in the weary pilgrimage of life. Thorney
Hall is the story of an Old Family, and very in-
teresting for its events, and also from its style.
The manner in which the sorrows are told us ren-
ders the work peculiarly attractive, while the last
passage which we meet with is solemn and sad. It
records the death of the only son and hope of his
family. The account given of the gloom of the
household, and the anguish of the father is life. like
in its illustration. "It is sad to see my brother ;
yet he struggles hard t 3 bear his sorrow, as it be-
comes a good man to do. The grey hair on his
temples is almost silver now, the lines round his
mouth and on his brow grow more marked, and I
have not seen a smile in his kindly eye since the
earth closed over his son. It is finished now, all
the life-long ambition—all the proud hopes—ail the
happiness imparting care. The story of his life is
done; what remains is but as notes and reflections
of the past, which were summed up lorg ago by a
great king, ' All is vanity.' All of life is vanity,
save its end. The wild wintry winds have begun
to blow, Christmas is close at hand. In many homes
will empty places be counted then ' • in many hearts
will mournful echoes ring to the old chimes of loving
remembrance. Amidst our tears and our regrets
may the spirit of the time come to us with a sooth-
ing whisper of that other home where those who
are gone before wait for us, and where parting
cannot be, nor death nor weeping any more for
ever." Confidences, by the author of "Rita,"
is among this Series. It is a well-written story,
that contains some striking passages, but it is not
so successful an attempt as "Rita," which indeed
was particularly attractive. We meet with two
productions of Talbot Gwynne. Nunnette and
Lovers is a quaint style of narrative; it instances,
however, much to win regard, and Nannette herself
is a charming sketch. The story turns on the
French Revolution, which delays the marriage of the
heroine. The account of the devastation that the
Reign of Terror caused in the quiet village is very
ably done. Nannette was one of the few gainers
among the many losers in that fearful time, since
the delay that was made caused her to escape a bad
husband, and the time that elapsed induced her to
consent to a marriage with a very worthy man, in
comparison with whom her first lover was not to be
named. "La fin couronne L'oeuvre" was truly
exemplified in the case of Nannette, since she heard
of the dreadful end of her first attachment, when a
happy wife. "On hearing these words Nannette
Potier reddened, then turned pale, looked round on
her husband and children, clasped her hands toge-
ther, and bowing her head over them, said gently,
Oh, righteous Heaven, from what a man, from
what a fate, hest Thou not, hi Thy goodness, saved
me." Charpentier's miserable fate, together with
his death, saddened the miller and his wife for a
time. The cloud, however, passed away by de-
grees, leaving them in the bright sunshine of
happiness, a well deserved happiness, solidly
founded on religion, and all the good therein con-
tained, and which never left them during the re-
mainder of their long and peaceful journey through
life. Nannette would oftimes repeat the poor
Cure's words, of which she so deeply felt the truth,
" Everything is for the best to the righteous ; if not
in this world, at least in that which is to come."—
lhe Life and Death of Silas Barnstarke is the
story of a miser's miserable and disgraceful career.
It is a painful history, but powerfully told, and the
wretched death of the guilty man by the plague
which desolated London, is forcibly described.
Still it is a tale to be admired for its vigour rather
than liked for the pleasure it affords. The same
cannot be said of The Cruellest Wrong of all, by
the author of " Margaret; or Prejudice at Home."
Although some parts are extremely melancholy,
there are others which relieve them ; and the great
interest attaching to the characters awakens the
reader's attention, which the ingenuity of the plot
secures till the end. There is no diffuseness or
flagging in the style since the tale is compressed
into comparatively brief limits. Although strik-
ingly original, there is nothing extravagant, but
the story certainly diverges from the beaten
track, It is full of interest, and cannot fail to
please the reader, notwithstanding the shade
of melancholy which overhangs it. Erlesmere,
by L. P. Lavenu, is a tale of considerable
talent, but painful and peculiar. The author shows
us several distinct and original characters, gifted
with keen intelligence and powerful feelings, who
are shipwrecked by evil training and mistaken
theories. The plot is somewhat involved, and the
incidents are, to.say the least, startling. The only
one who struggles through the conflicting troubles
which beset him is Herbert, who at the outset of
the story seems to be the most unpromising. He starts
in life under the evil influence of one guardian's
injustice, and another's injudicious training. Mil-
dred Effingham is an unsatisfactory character, but
the heartlessness of her mother accounts greatly
for her faults. The work is interesting to the
thoughtful reader who loves to muse over the great
questions of life and character ; to ponder the why
and wherefore of sorrow, suffering, and sin ; and to
trace how the cruelty or mistakes of the trainers of
sensitive youth, bring misery on natures that are
beyond the range of their limited experience,.
,and
darken years of promise. But it leaves an unsatisfac-
tory impression, a sense of ideality rather than
reality; the joys and sorrows hardly seem life-like.
It is a world of mists and clouds which seems to
need a fresh, homely, earnest life to revive and
purify the moral atmosphere. The author's un-
deniable ability has been more pleasantly shown in
his later productions. Tender and True, by the
author of " Clara Morison," is a pleasantly written
story of domestic life, which conducts us to the
antipodes. The title is taken from the words of an
old song, which thus specifies the qualities needed in
married life. The hero of this story, Mr. North,
only fulfils half the requirement—he is true, but
not tender, although married to an affectionate and
estimable woman. He is unreasonably jealous of
her love for her own family, not being wise enough
to see that the love of a woman who could so soon
forget her earliest affections would not be very re-
liable; and that the exclusive possession of a nar-
row heart cannot be compared in value to the chief
place in a warm and feeling nature. He determines
to go to Australia very much against his wife a
wishes, and refuses the offer of her favourite sister
to accompany her, rejoicing in what causes
_ her
pain—her total separation from her own f
prin-
ami!y
The story shows very ably how excellent
ciples and real attachment may fail to secure
happiness, if the "truth" be nowthaicchcomispeannitewdinbeyd
" tenderness." Rose's history',
with her sister's, adds considerably
ar
y, ta
o troublesthe
rest tned-
rest of the volume ; and since
better than we fear they would be likely to do
in real life, the reader lays down the book with
an agreeable impression. 111 y Lady was the first
work of an author, whom it at once brought
into notice. The plot is a very painful one,
since the point on which it turns is the disgrace-
ful desertion of his wife and family by a middle-
aged man. The interlude is equally painful,
since My Lady's eldest daughter forms a secret
attachment to the brother of the lady with
whom her father has eloped, both being ignorant
of the fatal barrier which exists between the
families. My Lady is a noble character, full of
gentle, womanly dignity, and motherly affection.
The universal esteem in which she is held is tes-
tified by the title by which she is always saluted.
She conducts herself in her painful position with dig-
nity and self-respect, and the allegiance of her family
and numerous dependants never falters under the
feminine rule. Though the story and its episodes
are 'not pleasng, the characters are well drawn,
and the style easy and correct. _Rose Douglas,
the autobiography of a Scotch minister's daughter,
is a simple and interesting story of domestic life.