The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-03 00:00:00

of the Prophet Smith." It takes a fair view of the
question, and expresses just contempt and indig-
nation for the mixture of sacred subjects with
human depravity. " A Heart Struggle" is con-
cluded. It is a most painful sketch, and jars on
the mind of the reader. Really, it seems a pity
that storytellers cannot invent something that can
excite and interest without trenching on such hor-
rors. "Aurora Floyd" is another new tale that
begins with the New Year. It commences in a vigo-
rous manner, but the narrative will evi-
dently be full of mystery and fraught with
troubles, as the heroine is a most unsuitable
style of damsel, and has already in her
19th year, become skilled in deceit, treachery,
and perhaps worse. "London Poems" has for
subject " Christmas in the City." It is written
in a suitable style, and contains some good
thoughts. "The Morals of the Decade" gives a
lively resume of the changes that have taken
place of late years. The greatest advantage is
ascribed to the effect of the Exhibition, as will
be seen ff om this passage :
Our theory, then, is, that the ameliorations which we
have pointal out, and many others besides, are to be ascribed
to the in:luence of the Great Exhibition of 1851, which
awakened us all to a new life, and set before us new objects
of ambition, and a wider field for active life than we had
ever dreamt of before. If we are correct in our deductions,
the result is a literal and remarkable illustration of the
familiar precept of the Latin Grammer :—" Fideliter dedi •
cisse artes emollit mores, nee siuit esse ferns." And if so
much has been accomplished by this new engine of civili-
sation at the outset of its career, retarded by the friction of
a fresh start, what may we not expect to see ten years
hence, now that it is about to derive fresh impetus in the
midst of its increasing force and speed I
A tribute is offered to the memory of the de-
parted Prince in the following verses. Without
being remarkable in any way, they are above
the average, and the spirit that animates them
seems in accordance with the universal sentiments
of sympathy and sorrow.

IN MEMORIAM.
Dec. 14, 1861.
Across the breadth of all the land,
A sudden stupor, worse than grief;
A nation mourning for its chief,
With woe too new to understand.
Life's noblest climax barely won,
Where manly power and wisdom meet
The track of youth's receding feet :
And, lo ! the Princely race is run.
Too short for England and for us I
Too great a loss, whenever lost :
But lost to-day, when needed most:
It is not strange we mourn him thus.
Oh, widowed Sov'reign I drowned in tears ;
Oh, orphaned children I new bereft—
Take comfort that the Lost has left
A. record of unsullied years,
A stainless life, a golden age
Of quiet virtues new to kings,
And greatness shown in simple things :
A story with no blotted page.
In this, how deep a comfort lies I
In this, God sanctities our grief;
And sorrow, chastened by Belief,
Turns skyward when a good man dies.
31, E. B.

Orley Farm
The commencement of 'the second volume is full
of interest. Poor Mr. Furnival, clever lawyer
though he be, is checkmated by his jealous spouse,
and his annoyance is the more because her suspi-
cions in the present case are groundless. Lady
Mason pays him another visit at his chamber, and
he endorses young Orme's advice to break off the
marriage with Sir Peregrine Orme. John Ken-
neby, the former lover of poor Mrs. Dockwrath,
pays a visit to Hamworth, where, in spite of
Miriam's advice and his own resolve, the crafty
Dockwrath contrives to turn him round her
finger. His subsequent courtship of Mrs.
Anisley, his sister's friend, is a fair specimen of the
simplicity of some weak-minded men, and his cha-
racter is brought out forcibly by the contrast of
the determined and self-willed Moulder, who, al-
though a kind and affectionate husband, will have
his own way, coute qui coute. The concluding
chapter, in which Lady Mason tells the chivalrous
old baronet the dread secret, as the only means of
breaking off the ill-advised marriage, is written
with great feeling—
" In doing this I shall gratify my own heart, and also
serve you in your great troubles. Believe me, I have
thought of that,'
" I know you have, Sir Peregrine—and therefore it
cannot be.' _ _

" But therefore it shall be. The world knows it now ;
and were we to be separated after what has past, the world
would say that I—l had thought you guilty of this crime.
" I must bear all that.' And now she steed before him,
not looking him in the face, but with her face turned down
towards the ground, and speaking hardly above her breath.
" ' By heavens, no ; not whilst I can stand by your side.
Not whilst I have strength left to support you and thrust
the lie down the throat of such a wretch as Joseph Mason.
No, Mary, go back to Edith and tell her you have tried it,
but that there is no escape for you.' And then he smiled
at her. His smile at times could be very pleasant !
" But she did not smile as she answered him. ' Sir
Peregrine,' she said; and she endeavoured to raise her face
to his but failed.

" Well, my love.'
" ' Sir Peregrine, I am guilty.'
" Guilty I Guilty of what?' he said, startled rather
than instructed by her words.
" ' Guilty of all this with which they charge me.' And
then she threw herself at his feet, and wound her arms
round his knees." . .

We look forward with interest to Sir Peregrine's
answer to such a crusher to his hopes.

The St. James's Magazine.

A very interesting paper on " The Repose of
Nature" opens this number, and discourses on the
winter sleep of squirrels, dormice, and similar
animals. '[he editress continues her story of " Can
Wrong be Right ?" with her accustomed ability. It
is very original in plot, although painful. The
unfortunate Mildred loses all her beauty by an
attack of small-pox, and is so much altered that
her husband speaks to her, but does not recognise
her. An explanation seems, however, to be at
hand, and the reader is left in expectation at an
exciting moment. The story of " The Tracy Family"
is brought to a conclusion, which is not much loss,
and there is the first part of a tale which promises
interest and ability, entitled "A Tangled Skein."
For more solid contents we have an article on
" Pneumatic Despatch;" a paper on " The Pilgrim's
Shell," by J. Emerson Tennent, author of the cele-
brated work on Ceylon ; and some remarks on the
defences of British North America. Mrs. S. C.
Hall commences a series of " Sketches of ; Irish
Character," which is likely to enhance considerably
the attractions of the magazine. Molly Candy, the
heroine of this first instalment, is a good-natured
Irishwoman, who disguises herself as a good-
for-nothing idler of the neighbourhood, and
so proves an alibi fur him on a trial
for smuggling. The sketch is full of
Irish fun and wit, and the success of Molly's device
is amusingly told. " Cosy Nook" has its customary
pleasant words for little people, and the poetical
contributions consist of some mournful verses by
the author of " John Halifax," and a spirited boat
song for the Naval Reserve, by Thomas Hood, jun.

The New Monthly Magazine.
There are two papers on America in this part;
one of them discussing the propriety of rectifying
the frontier of British America, the other on the
affair of the Trent. They are both worth reading,
and neither of them are very favourable to the pre-
tentions of our Transatlantic friends. The story of
" The Shadow of Ashlydyt" is eontinued with in-
terest, and this fourth part chronicles some very
important incidents. The reader will regret that
one of the most attractive characters disappears
from it, and her death brings fresh sorrow on the
troubled house of Godolphin. " The Shadow"
certainly does not appear without founda-
tion, since the old baronet's end seems also to
be fast approaching. Miss Cornelia Knight's
autobiography is the subject of an agreeeable paper
which gives a summary of the work and several
extracts from it. Those who have not met with it
will obtain a good idea of its style and character
from this notice. " Granville de Vigne" is proceeded
with, and one of its romantic friendships seems
likely to come to a happy termination. The insou-
ciant colonel has, it appears, been haunted by a
spectre in the back ground, very similar to that of
his friend Granville de Vigne. Nicholas Michell
contributes two poems, one on the year 1862, and
the other an elegiac tribute to the memory of the
departed Prince. " Colley Cibber," best known
through Pope's kind assistance to his reputation, is
the subject chosen by Sir Nathaniel, who gives an
spiteT displayed by
he History of
the French Army" is brought to a close as regards
the native regiments, but the history of the foreign
auxiliaries remains to be told.

Good Words. Edited by Norman Macleod, D.D
Groombridge, London.

-- -
We congratulate the editor and contributors to
this able and interesting journal on having opened
a fresh year with unabated merit, and corn
a happy art, unfortunately very rare, the
bhii
moral and religious tone, with a variety
;ihnegstby
and attractiveness not always found in serials de-
voted solely to the purpose of entertainment. With
writers as Sir David Brewster, Archbishop
such writers
editor himself, Dr. Stanley, the Rev.
uvehhately,
Macduff, and many
others, the standard
merits of the work cannot be brought in question,
while Miss Muloch, Mme. Gasparin, Dr. Brown,
and many others, contribute papers no less fasci-
nating then profitable. We are glad to see the
initials of an essayist who has attained some cele-
brity added to the list of authors, and A. K. H. B.'s
brief essay is by no means the least profitable of the
"zontents. The author of " John Halifax, Gentle-
man," begins a tale of domestic life entitled, "
treag and Maid," which bids fair to be full of lute.