The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-10 00:00:00

FLOWERS.

" I only had no bouquet. I like to see flowers grow-
ing; but when they are gathered they cease to please.
I look on them as rootless and perishable—tkeir likeness
to life makes me sad. I never offer flowers to those I
love."

Amabel • or, the Victory of Love. By Mary Eliza-
beth Wormeley. 3 vols. Smith and Elder.
There is a deep meaning in this tale, although it
may appear at first sight but a simple fiction to
while away an idle hour. The, authoress has evi-
dently a purpose above amusement, and a design
beyond edification. The characters are exceedingly
well drawn, that of the heroine in particular—she is
described in all her various stages of early exist-
ence, for the narrative terminates while she is still
young. She is entirely the creature of the extra-
ordinary circumstances in which she is placed—an
ordinary routine career would never have produced
such results, or witnessed such emotions. The only
drawback to this style of composition is, that it
cannot be so pleasing or so gratifying to the taste as
a more unassuming but less masterly class. Instead
ofsoothing, it stirs; instead of calming, it excites); but
then it rouses the spirit in a noble cause—that
of devoting passion to principle, sensibility to
reason, self to others. Amabel's faults are evident :
she studied her own pleasure, her own convenience
too much at first. With no friends to take an in-
terest in her, and with a mother who had almost
cast her off; she did not feel herself bound to give
up her opinions, whatever they were. Hence arose
many of her mistakes, her engagement with Felix,
when he had no position to offer her, and when she
was ignorant of his character ; and, subsequently,
her imprudent marriage with Captain Warner, con-
tracted with a view to interest and policy, not with
a feeling of regard, much less of affection.
The authoress shines conspicuously forth in
her delineation of such a union. The structure
based on that false foundation, never yet
could hold fast against the storms of fate. The
only safeguard in the perilous course would be to
preserve caution, and exercise self-denial; but that
is not to be expected from those who can sacrifice
their affections, and shut out their convictions of
right and wrong. Still, as human beings will per-
sist in trying the experiment for themselves, in
defiance of the answer given to others by Fate—
" Where its whirlwinds have answered no," it is
desirable that such a casualty should be considered
by novelists. Admirably is it depicted here,
Amabel married to make herself happy. In escap-
ing from a wretched family, she never considered
that she had undertaken to please her husband,
and exert herself in his house, in consequence of
which she gave nothing but dissatisfaction. Cap-
tain Warner was very much to blame in his way of
acting, for he did not consider the difficulties of her
position, or make enough allowances for her • at
last he quite negleated her, when she really liad
done nothing wrong. Her subsequent follies and
faults are too numerous to clW:ell.on here ; suffice it
to pass over the causes, and trace the effects.
Amabel was discarded by her husband, and had to
return to her stepfather's home. He had lost her
fortune for her (which her husband had generously
returned on their separation), and it was therefore
necessary for Amabel to exert herself in every way for
the benefit of the family. Here she showed her true
character, here she displayed her right disposition ;
she was still a girl when consigned to a widow's
fate, but the feelings of a noble-hearted and up-
right-minded woman, abeyant in prosperity, deve-
loped themselves in adversity, and gave life and
vigour to her state that had seemed worse than
death. Her energy sustained a drooping circle,
her talents kept together a decayed family, and,
above all, her patience, her charity, and her reso-
lution prevented discord from reigning in a con-
fused and disorganised household. In the latter
portion of the work the interest is of the highest
kind, in the pourtraying of Amabel's now natural
regard for her husband, whose merits she
too late had discovered, and whose love for
her had made him over susceptible and jealous,
in the struggles pride had to encounter, the
work patience had to perform, the suffer- •
ings newly awakened feelings had to endure, and,
above all, in the unequal contest that a weak woman,
lovely and unprotected, had to wage against a piti-
less world, the authoress rises to the height that
is due. Amabel committed nothing but folly—
crime was far from, her—but the appearance of evil
was her ruin for a time. In the end she met her
husband through the intercession of friends ; but
again doubt came between them, and he went to
Africa. Amabel was staying at Portsmouth
when his ship returned • the plague raged
on board ; all were forbidden to approach .
the deadly neighbourhood. Then the forsaken
wife aroused herself, she felt she could be of
service, and the consciousness of that enabled her
to be strong in virtuous pride. She bribed the
boatmen in the dead of night : they conveyed her
on board—that ship, so neglected and deserted, the
grave of many a gallant heart, shunned by all
who beheld it, was her forlorn hope of life's happi-
ness, her land of promise after an awful desert
wandering. The storm increased, the ship drifted
down the coast, till at last they were inveigled by
" wreckers" on the shores of Brittany. Captain
Warner, who had been seized by the plague,
roused himself in the danger, and contrived
to save himself and Amabel. Then, tried in the
furnace of affliction, he recognised his wife. Pre-
vious explanation had cleared away his doubts as
to her conduct, and he now acknowledged " that
which could brave pain, fear, and death" could be
no dream nor delusion. Tins was the victory of
love. In sorrow, in suffering, and in shame Ama-
bel fought.well and bravely—it was but meet that
at last she should win the spoils of triumph, and
in her long-desired home she should rest—" her
warfare o'er." The characters of the subordinates
in this tale are ably given, and it will, doubtless,
become a favourite with many. If in the com-
mencement it may not appear attractive, it gains
on the attention, and the force and pathos of its
final scenes are enough to entitle the authoress to
consideration and eulogium of the highest order.

Diary and Correspondence of John Evelyn. Vols.
3 and 4. Colburn.
The two first volumes of this very excellent edi-
tion of Evelyn's famous diary have already 'ap-
peared. The third and fourth, which are now
before us, complete the work, and furnish us with
much interesting correspondence never before pub-
lished. Among others are many letters from Jeremy
Taylor—one of the most delightful of English
writers, as well as one of the greatest of Anglican.
divines. Added to the correspondence of John
Evelyn is a collection of the letters of his excellent
.and accomplished lady, who, according to the char-
acter here given of her by Dr. Bohun, must have
been a most loveable and admirable woman. The
private correspondence between Charles I. and Sir
Edward Nicholas, and between Lord Clarendon.
(when Sir Edward Hyde) and Sir Richard Browne,
are also given, and the whole has been edited (from
the original SS. at Wotton) by Williainviiiagrba:
Esq. These four volumes, beautifully printed and
well arranged, will be treasures to those who de-
light in genuine curiosities of literature, while to
the student of history they will be
Now, on the completion of the entire work., -we
must congratulate both editor and publisher en the
very excellent manner in which they have presented
it to the public.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.
LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY.TraffiC Teo.
week last year .................... 16,477 8 3
turn for the week ending March 6, 1853 ...... 21.8,133
Corresp•nding
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY.—Traffic return for
railway and steam-boats for the week ending
March 6, 1853 ................. . . .................... 23,194 4 6
Corresponding week last year .....
2,489 19 8

Increase in 1853 .............................
£m 410
GLASGOW AND SOUTH-NPUSTERIC RAlLWAY.—Traffic
sre-
Corresponding Week 1a524,120 i„ 11
turn for the Week ending march 5, 1853
3,746 t year u

Increase in 1853

£374 16 6

al o"n e° der
for the'
. ...-uQ, -,
Exhibition
Majesty'share
th entered upon
e occupation of this and other houses on the estate
recently
~ purchased at Kensington, and have permitted
the
Department of Practical Art to hold the next exhi-
bition of the works of the students of all the schools of
art there in the month of May, as the space at Marl-
borough-house is already fully occupied. The same oc-
casion will be used to make an exhibition of cabinet
work for the benefit of the students in the furniture
class ; and it is said that her Majesty has been pleased
to allow examples from • the Royal palaces to be placed
in the proposed exhibition.
THE FORGED ORDER ON SIR BENJAMIN HEYWOOD
AND CO.—The young man charged with forging an
order on Sir Benjamin Heywood and Co., bankers, Man-
chester, for 3001., formerly a clerk in their employ, who
was remanded by the magistrates yesterday week, was
again brought up yesterday. Mr. Cobbett then stated
for the prosecution that the case would be abandoned
unless the magistrates insisted on their proceeding
direct They could carry the case very little further by
evidence, and the instrument called a confession
of disclosures made to Mr. Wright, probably consisted
understanding they would not be given on the
tion ; and Heywoods did not wish
t to the proseeu-
magistrates said it was a case not f 0 use them. Tho
evidence was not given they m or them to deed •
1 e—if
He was accordingly discha must discharge the prisoner.
THE CONSERVATIVE rged,
LAND Soo,
chase of the society was made SOCIETY,—The sixth pur-
Hertfordshire, between the yesterday (Tuesday) in
towns of Ware and Hertford.