The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-15 00:00:00

his subsequent hasty union with the your girl,
and the money he gained by the death of Harriet,
who had left no children, with the freedom of
choice it imparted to him were enough to tcrrify a
' stronger man tleau he ever was. Some of the de-
tails are most ingenious as the incident of Ned Costar
with his bag of bones. Thu very means Herbert
took to put away suspicious confirmed doubts, and
was the strongest proof against him in his trial,wbile
Ned's audacity in trying to fasten the deeds of his
own crime on another brought to light what other-
wise would have escaped detection, and was the
uncontrovertible witness of his guilt.. Herbert was
acquitted completely, his friends sought out the hid-
den cause of grief and crime and brought herinto court
She had done this cruel thing from revenge, and
had, indeed, been more successful than those who
labour in a better cause can often hope to he.
Triumph was not for Herbert, he felt where he had
done wrong, and if his fellow-men declared h;m in-
nocent of the charge, he knew, in the sight of heaven,
he was a criminal. He had deceived his first wife
by his professions, neglected her, and caused Je‘sie
much annoyance by trifling with her to amain e him-
self. Then, hail he put a bold fuse on things, and.
knowing himself to be innocent, had sought to prove
it, he might have instituted a search and discovered
the wandering ghost to be a living creature. There
is a warning in this highly wrought fiction which
the reader may study with profit. It points out
the danger of deceit, the harm of selfishness, and
the sin of giving way to passions of whatever
nature. How much happier would ILrla:rt have
been had he never been wealthy, had lie never re-
built the property, but lived on it in pauper form.
How much more dignified would Harriet Windham
have been had she never married one who cared Lot
for her, but tried to benefit others by her wealth
and put a restraint on her violent temper. Jessie
was the least to blame from her youth and inex-
perience, but she knew she was wrong in deceiving
her aunt, and when she rejoiced over her rival's
supposed death, little did she think that event was
the harbinger of some years of misery, and her final
bereavement of reason. Sad was the lot, indeed,
of the bright young
being who was introduced as a
.
blooming child to us in the first pages of the book.
She was early taken away at last, and her errors,
which were not great considering the conduct of
i
others, were lost n the memory of her fearful suf-
ferings. Such is the lesson imparted in these stir-
ring recitals of events supposed to occur in the last
generation. It will not be unobserved by the reader
how well the rival families of the Leiton's and
Bothwells are sketched, also the craft of Mr.
Leslie, the cunning of Miss Sibyl, and
the adroitness of Mr. Johnstone. Mr. Hope
is one of those who are never successful in this
world, but whom it may console their friends to
think are acting in the spirit that belongs to that
other world, where mart and commerce are over
buyers and sellers no more, and he who has made
the largest fortune or gained the most powerful
command will not be the pre-eminent or the glori-
fied. Simon Frazer does not appear very promi-
nently on the scene, but he does his best if the pro-
mise of an upright youth that eschews the tempta-
tions of tl'e world, doubly alluring to poverty, can
give any satisfactory herald for an after career. He
was honourable, which in itself was of great mo-
ment, and if some would point to his success as a
proof of virtues, summary reward in stories, it may
be said that all looked dark enough when ho had
to make his choice, and had he followed the example
of Herbert he had more temptation. This work
exhibits in bold relief the different natures that are
found in the world, and the various means by which.
they are improved or deteriorated. Some pass
through trials as the refiner's fire, and come out
stronger, purer, and more stedfast; the wiser for
knowing evil, the kinder for feeling suffering, more
fitted to tread their Masters' footsteps below, more
faithful to wear His crown above. Some give way
and are led on from one wrong to another till they
seem shut in past all hope of recall. Others are
only weak and wavering, but while they hesitate
they are lost. Again there exist second-rate dis-
positions, never great for good or potent for mis-
chief, but they can torment and wrong. others,, and
render their Own lives a burden by their foolish no-
tions of gentility and their inveterate habit of
wrangling. Many varieties of outward character
appear before us in this story, and perhaps tho
most to be admired is the one who conducted the
difficult trial and brought it to a successful termi-
nation by his foresight, sagacity, skill, and judg-
ment. Barrett Vasey was, it is to be feared, un
homnze comme it y en a pea, but the harrassed and
perplexed ones of humanity may well wish his race
multiplied, and his descendants to be numerous. He
was always the same when Anne stood before him a
helpless stranger as when he was in the crowded
lova which witnessed his triumph, so great so
unexpected. " His name and fame are still great
among old lawyers of the last century, particularly
those familiar with the Eastern Circuit, and when
rehearsing his legal experiences, for the benefit or
younger aspirants, they generally agree his
crowning victory was the Castleford Case." Those
who desire an interesting story in the real accep-
tation of the term, will find their wish amply
realised in this novel, while these who would
survey a picture of human actions, and an analysis
of motives most ably represented and most vividly
illustrated, can do no better than peruse these
animated pagesel, which are replete with strange
and stirring incident, and nerved with eloquent
language in description and dialogue. What is un-
common is made more forcible by being quietly told
as is always the case here in important passages.
The details of the peculiar occurrences are given itt.
a weird-like form that will delight the lovers of
the strange and startling, and altogether there is
substance and shape here for all diversities of tastes,
from the variety of persons, the number of events,
and the complication of matters, which combine to
create a laybrinth that may figure here to some
happy ones as the mazes of romance, but to others
of sadder experience may represent in the spirit, if
not the letter, the dark pages of life they have had.
to turn, or the:shadowy valley their feet may now
be treading. The Castleford Case is well calcu-
lated to win regard that does not vanish when the
last volume is closed, but dwells in the mind anti
lingers in the memory.

The CIVIL SERVICE.—Home-office.—The Lord-
Lieutenancy of the County of Lincoln has become vacant by
the death of the Earl of Yarborough. Post- office.—Mr.
William Hughes has been promoted from the supplementary
to the second class of clerks at Liverpool. Customs.—Mr
James Rowan has been appointed an out-door officer in Lon-
don ; Mr. Alfred T. Hayward has been appointed an out-
door officer in London ; Mr. S. Bailey has been appointed
en out-door offic-r at Dublin; Mr. Israel Hall has been ap-
pointed an out-door officer at Goole ; Mr. Robert Hood has
been appointed an out-door officer at Glasgow; Mr. Robert J.
Mason, now boatman, has been appointed an out-door officer
at Hull ; Mr. W. B. Smith has been appointed an out-door
officer at Bristol. Inland Revenue Department—Excise
Branch—Mr. James M`Donnell, officer of Cloughjordan
division, Birr collection, has been appointed to Burntisland
first division, Stirling collection ; Mr. Charles Kipling-,
officer of Southwark first division, London south collection
has been appointed to Southwark second division, London
south collection ; Mr. W. T. Bishop, officer of Northwick
division, Warrington collection, has been appointed to
Southwark first division, London south collection; Mr.
Edward Horncastle, officer of Dewsbury fourth division,
Halifax collection, has been appointed to Northwick divi-
sion, Warrington collection ; Mr. Henry Wilkes, officer of
Bowling first division, Ayr collection, has been appointed
to Dewsbury fourth division, Halifax collection ; Mr. Wm.
Mackenzie, officer of Bridgend third division, Argyll
collection, has been appointed to Bowling first divi-
sion, Ayr collection; Mr. J. Marsh, officer of Carapbelton
twelfth division, Argyll collection, has been appointed to
Bridgend thiri division, Argyll collection. Ireland—Mr. P.
Butler has been appointed Gentleman of the Bedchamber
to his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, in the room of Lord
Otho Fitzgerald, resigned ; the Hon. Henry Leeson has
been appointed Chamberlain to his Excellency the Lord-
Lieutenant, in succession to Mr. Paget Butler. East Indies
—Mr. D. F. Carmichael bas been appointed to act as sub-
ordinate judge of the Zillah of Chicacole ; Colonel J.
Im-
pett has been appointed Sheriff of Madras for the ensuing
year ; Lieutenant G. G. Leathes has been appointed to
act as first assistant to the political agent in
.K.attywar ; Lieutenant 11. 11. Elliot has been appointed to
act as second assistant to the political agent in Katty-
war ; Mr. W. H. Neweham bas been appointed to act
as assistant judge and session judge at Alimednuggur,
the appointment of Mr. M. Melvin having been can-
celled, and that gentleman having resumed charge of his
appointment as assistant judge and sessions judge of Tanna;
Mr. R. W. Hunter has been appointed acing sub-collector

and joint magistrate of Broach; Mr. H. Birdwood, acting
third assistant to the collector of Ahmedabad, has been ap-
pointed vice president of the municipal commissions of
Purantej ,and Morassa ; Mr. T. B. Curtis, head master of
the high school at Ahmedabad, has been appointed a muni-
cipal commissioner for that town, vice Captain Pym ; Mr.
H. T. had, LL.D., has been appointed ccroner of Bombay.
—Civil Service Gazette.
THE LONDON MASONS AND THE HOUR SYSTEM.--
A deputation from the masons' committee had an interview
yesterday morning with Mr. Wilson, the extensive master
builder, of Suffolk-street, Borough, who has some large
contracts in hand at Morice Town, Devouport,.and at Dover.
The interview took place in consequence of a letter sent to
the masons' committee from Mr. Wilson, expressing his
intention to withdraw the hour system and pay by the day.
The deputation, who were courteously received, stated they
were instructed to acknowledge the receipt of the lett.er. as
above, and to ascertain whether Mr. Wilson intended giving
the Saturday half-holiday, as well as
Mr. Wilson assured the deputation ho had withdrawn the
hour system unconditionally, and accepted the terms of the
payment by the clay
compromise, while at the same time he thought the men
were wrong. Mr. Wilson will require for his town and
country works about 300 mapons.
jobs immediately.
will resume
their employment at Mr. Wilson's