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

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 e
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 courts 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 power
to attract, he was but too painfully conscious of a defi-
ciency. But though thus genuinely humble, it was also
true that pride was slumbering in no small proportion
within.
When affected with any peculiar degree of nervous
embarrassment, Leicester has a most extraordinari
habit, a habit so ludicrous that we could almost
imagine,. if taken from the life, for it is surely " too
strange not to be true." When Leicester is in
society, and feels especially nervous, and does not
know what to do with his hands, he employs
himself in twisting pieces of paper into the figures
of birds and beasts ! While waiting for dinner to
be announced, at a party, he is conversing with Viu-,
let, something drops, and she picks up what liau
been, a few minutes before, an envelope of a letter,
but which now is the exact representation of a sual
monkey ! ',Was ever lover or hero more ludi;
crously employed ! On visiting his home violet
finds that his sisters have a drawer full of these
curiosities—birds and monkeys, &c., that " Joie is
in the habit of dropping about whenever he is par-
ticularly embarrassed Such a ridiculous anti-
climax is enough to convert the lady's tone into
laughter ; and whatever his sisters or her
biographer may think, we are inclined to
regard Violet Osborne, at bath periods of her
life, as too good for the excellent but ridiculous°
artist of the paper monkey. Violet's cousin/ til
good-natured, matter-of-fact Albert, is a ver,,,
/
natural character, very naturally described. violet
father and mother, and the five sisters of Leicesteri
and some of the minor characters are also happily
sketched; as is Mr. Pope, the pompous country
clergyman, who believes his parish and all in
himself included, to be the best parish, Pars°,-t
and people, in all England. With some &lg.'',
,drawbacks, as we have above indicated, the star.'
of " Violet Osborne" is very interesting and attr3ci:
tive—the heroine, save at one temporary interv3
being herself very charming and delightful.

Can you Forgive Her? By Anthony Trolice.