The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-14 00:00:00

Idisappointed. It does not trace the variations of
temperament, the high aspirations, the struggles of
the sensitive spirit and inspired mind with a pre-
judiced and calculating world. It will be, there-
fore, more attractive to the lover of romance than
to the student of art, to the novel reader rather
than to the psychologist. Most readers will agree
in preferring the gentle yet high-principled Lilith
to the passionate and imperious Carmen, whose
suicide extinguishes the pity that might otherwise
be felt for her. At least the author spares the
reader the marriage of Ambrose and Lilith at the
conclusion, which is but too general a termination
to such tales. The authoress has, however, had
sufficient good taste and discernment to avoid this,
for which she is highly commendable.
The following extract is from the introduction,
in which the position of art and artists is con-
sideredj:—
" Are such gifted men, then, to be honoured amongst us ?
Have such men not in every age been found worthy of
all honour? Do not the names of Apelles, Phidias, Ra-
phael, M. Angelo, Bramante, Wren, and many others,
attest it ? In old times : but are they now so honoured,
especially in England ? The question is not new, and has
been answered, Yes, and No.
"Art is great, intrinsically great, It may advance from
rude beginnings—develope itself from simple germs —im
prove in its scope and in its details—may become sta-
tionary, retrograde, degenerate, and recover itself again.
"Art is a lire, not of one man but of generations : it is a
history of mind and men. But one man can embrace in
his career but a small portion of the long progress of art.
Every artist must begin, and it is long before he can reach
even the outskirts of high art. Can the patronage, the
honour which is willingly and deservedly bestowed on the
profession and the highest na,m.,s in it, be indiscriminately
lavished on the working majority ere they have attained
the eminence of fame? It is impossible : general patronage
is all the majority can look to until the celebrity of some
work raises the name of its author to public notoriety.
Now, this working part of his career is of necessity the
greater part of the life of the Artist—and if he meets due
honour in the latter half of his career, it is unreasonable
to complain of neglect in the former portion when the
pinnacles of fame were occupied by an older race.
" It may be disheartening, but it is not cruel : it can
hardly be ordered otherwise. The man who shows most
mental courage in persevering through long years of severe
training, and whose strong heart braves the suffering of
disappointment and delay, has already proved that force
of mind which is the highest moral qualification of an ac-
complished Artist."

.Terningham : a story._ 2 vols. Chapman and

Hall.

This novel has every appearance of being a first
work. It has all the energy, vigour, and diversity
of a new author, and, we must also add, some of
the faults usually to be attributed to inexperience.
Such are, a want of connection in the incidents, and
some striking improbabilities in the plot, which
mar the effect of a great variety of characters and
events. It opens with the christening of the only
child of Mr. Jerningham, a landed proprietor. A
large circle of friends are met to celebrate the joy-
ful occasion, and the gay party go in great state to
the old church, where the infant heir receives the
rite "with the priest before and the dead around."
All these festivities are, however, soon stopped by
the sudden death of Mr. Jerningham ; his wife
sinks under the shock, and the hero is left an
orphan. We next meet him running away from a
school where he had been placed by his guar-
dian, Lord Haverdale. After Mr. Jerniug-
ham's death it was discovered that owing to
a passion for gambling his entire fortune had gone,
and the old family estate was lost. Jerningham
comes to London to try his fortune as an author,
and makes many strange acquaintances, one of the
strangest being a young girl named Vlarie, who
lives alone in an old house. Jerningham under-
takes her education, and she subsequently becomes
an actress. They are much attached to each other,
but Lord. Haverdale refusing to sanction their
union, Marie, unwilling to interfere with Jerning-
ham's prospects, becomes the wife of a rich baronet.
After some years he dies, but Jerningham refuses
to be reconciled. He has, meanwhile, advanced
in his profession, and is a successful author. At
length he overcomes his anger and they are mar-
ried, and, like the good old fairy tales, " live
happily ever after." But this romantic history does
not occupy all the volumes. It is a sufficient proof
that the author is not wanting in invention, as the
above plot would be sufficient for many three
volume novels. Many literary characters are
introduced, some of them evidently being meant
for portraits. There are also many exciting scenes
respecting French politics about the year 1820.
Jerningham accompanies Lord Haverdale to Paris,
and becomes engaged in secret meetings and plots.
The murder of the Due de Berri is described, and
many other striking events of that period, together
with an attempted insurrection, which fails. The
least agreeable part of the story is unquestionably
that relating to Lord Haverdale, who does not win
either admiration or interest. The episode of
Ayesha, the Gipsy Girl, is one of the unlikely
incidents to which we have alluded. The writer,
however, is evidently possessed of talent and infor-
mation, and much inventive power ; and if he
will be more careful in the construction of his plot,
and avoid the improbabilities, we might even say
improprieties, which at present interfere with
the other parts of his narrative, we may ex-
pect from him a much higher production than
"Jerningham."

COWES, ISLS OF WIGHT.-July 13.

ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON INTELLIGENCE.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

ARRIVED.-July 6.—Fancy, schooner, Rev. R. P.
Hartopp, from the Channel Islands. B.—Camilla,
schooner, J. E. W. Rolls, Esq., from Portsmouth. 9.
—Stormfincli, schooner, Lieut.-Colonel Brown, C.R.,
Eastward. 10.—Ione, schooner, Sir H. Oglander,
Bart., Western Ports and Guernsey. 12. Julia,
cutter, Wm. Peareth, E-q., Ireland and Greenock ;
Stella, cutter, Rd. Frankland, Esq., Cherbourg ;
Plover, yawl, Lieut.-Colonel Brown, Gravesend. 13.
—Brilliant, schooner, G. H. Ackers, LA., South-
ampton.

SAILED.—JuIy 7.—Stella, cutter, Rd. Frankland,
Esq., for the Coast of France. 10.—Irene, schooner,
Jos. Reynolds, Egg., London river. 11.— Fancy,
schooner, Rev. R. P. Hartopp, Western Ports and Ire-
land. 13.—Susan, yawl, Earl of Hardwick, Downs ;
Titania, schooner, R. Stephenson, Esq., M.P., Lowe-
stoft ; Shark, schooner, Win. Curling. Elq., Lowestoft.
YACHTS AT AND ABOUT THE STATION.—AIarm, Zaza,
Amazon, Fairy, Lavrock, Camilla, Spider, Cygnet,
Dryad, Ripple, Titania, Osprey, Caprice, Enchantress,
Lancashire Witch, Sultana, Geneva, Stormfinch, Julia,
Stella, Plover, Shark, and Brilliant.