The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-21 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Progress and Prejudice. By Mrs. Gore. 3 vols.
Hurst and Blackett.
" Aloof with hermit eye: I scan
The present deeds of present m an,"
is the motto of this work, and it is one suggestive
of reflection, prophetic of satirical sketches, and
vigorous criticisms ; yet it is certain that the
authoress of this story has never given a more in-
teresting tale to the public than this °Le before us.
There is less of bitterness and more of feeling in
her style, with some few exceptions. There is more
of the heart's sympathies evinced by her chief per-
sonages than is usually the case ; they have hitherto
presented more of the abstruse and subtle qualities
of the head, and talent has flourished to the
nearly total exclusion of virtue. Hence human
nature seems more softened than sharpened, less
rendered of the earth earthly than brought
nearer to its high and holy standard. This is
peculiarly and pre-eminently the case with the
young members of the circle introduced to our
notice. The only two great contrasts are Lord
Davenport and Mr. Hargood; the latter, however,
bad many redeeming points, and when we take
leave of him he is rapidly progressing towards a
more genial and generous state of mind. " Adver-
sity had not sweet uses for him;" he saw only deeds
of darkness around him, while the light of gladness
seemed to illumine his richer and more powerful
neighbours. Lord Davenport had very few merits
to counteract the effects of his many failings. A
better lesson could not have been conveyed of the
real equality of men than by looking at the two
homes of wealth and poverty, both wretched from
the same cause, the want of right feeling
and principle in their masters. The immor-
tal influence of mind is shown to act the
same in the varying and different positions of
the children of mortality. Equal credit cannot be
assigned to the authoress in the scenes which show
forth some peculiar divisions of society as it exists
at present. The elder and younger Drewe, for
instance, are rendered intolerably ridiculous. This
for a novel is of no consequence as concerns an
actor for a brief instant on its fleeting stage but
where it concerns in reality the world of living
men it becomes of very different import. It passes
from being the pastime of fancy to being the
exercise of the judgment, the expression of the
feelings. The question to decide is whether the judge
be just, the critic fair, and the sentiments honest,
before merit can be awarded to one venturing on such
a difficult and daily task as that of making a lite-
rary mirror, where we are "to see ourselves as
others see us." Unsparing ridicule is not an argu-
ment, and most of our readers will be at a loss to
know what the unfortunate heirs to high places in
our land are meant to do with themselves, after
comparing notes in this story. They are forbidden
several times to taste the fruits of knowledge, or to
teach others how to do so in meetings, or scientific
lectures, &c. On the other hand, all the country
gentry who figure in these page, are represented as
being capable of doing, thinking, and talking no-
thing but that which relates to farms, and insigni-
ficant things, more befitting a ploughman's home
than a gentleman's habitation. It is pleasing to
leave these subjects, and return to the sphere
over which Mary Hargood sheds the light
of a glorious genius, and Amy Meadows
irradiates with her grace and loveliness. The
smiles of nature had been the portion of Amy's
childhood, and she was a true child of her guar-
dian watchers, serene and gentle, cheerful and
loving. " The charms of art" had been the only
beams to enlighten the darkened youth of Mary,
but they were not always spirits to minister to her
happiness. At times when left to herself, the con-
sciousness of high and mighty powers would rouse
her to exaltation, and the study of the sublime, the
worship of the beautiful, that was the happy duty
of her life and the bright portion of her
labours, seemed to inspire her with visions that
were not natural to her age or sex, but ap-
peared to be more the appanage of one who
exclaimed on beholding some masterpiece of his
art "ed io anchio son pittore. These glorious
imaginings in Mary Hargood's life were soon checked
by her stern and uncongenial taskmaster, the ob-
durate father before-mentioned. It was not till after
years of suffering and struggles that a fairer lot was
the destiny of one so gifted and so good. Amy is
more pleasing than her brilliant rival, but she
does not rivet the interest so much as Mary in the
end. She displays little powers of any sort, and
her first attachment to her cousin Marcus was not
very characteristic of taste, as he seldom cared for
any one but himself, and his conduct to his
own family did not at all redound to his
credit. William Eustace is not an attractive
character at first, but he is shown to improve gra-
dually and to put away many of his early failings,
while Mark Davenport seems to retrograde in mind
and manners as he advances in years and experi-
ence. One sought to conquer self, and the other
to indulge it. The most interesting hero is Lord
Davenport's eldest son, Hugh. Ho seemed more
simple than the others in early life ; but when the
conceits of Eustace and the daring of Mark failed,
Hugh prevailed by his calmness, gentle bearing,
and noble self-forgetfulness. He was valued be-
yond his brilliant brother's hopes, and held a higher
place in the consideration of others than Eustace
ever had expected in his most sanguine hours.
There are many other points of interest and attrac-
tion in the plot of the story which it is impossible
to dwell on, but which will meet with the attention
of the peruser. With all its faults and shortcom-
ings, in some cases, it is most probable that the
last feeling will be a favourable one, the last im-
pression a tribute of respect and admiration to the
thought that influenced and the talent that exe-
cuted the work—a work which would show there
can be no progress worth mentioning till prejudice
is among the things that have been.

Lady Lee's Widowhood.

By C. B. Hamley, Cap-

tain R.A. 2 vols. - Blackwood.

This tale having appeared in the pages of Black-
wood's Magazine, is doubtless familiar to many
readers, who will not regret, however, to see it in
a connected form. It is an interesting tale, with
a great variety of characters, some of them, indeed,
of not the most pleasing kind, but all cleverly
drawn. Lady Lee is a young widow who
is left with a considerable fortune, with the
restriction that, if she marries again without the
consent of her husband's uncle, she forfeits a largo
sum and the guardianship of her child. The
uncle, Colonel Bagot Lee, is the evil genius of the
book, and the acquaintances to which he intro-
duces the reader are not always of the most agreeable
or respectable class of society. Perhaps a little of
this could not be avoided, but we apprehend most
readers will be glad to find themselves in the company
of Lady Lee and her companions rather than in that
of Mr. Seager and his betting associates. There is
some originality in the plot, and much diversity in
the incidents. The characters, which are of every
grade, are ably sketched. Lady Lee and her two
friends form a graceful group of heroines of very
different dispositions. The charge of uniformity
cannot certainly be brought against them. Of
the heroes, Josiah Young, the curate,
ap-
pears to be the authors favourite, though it is
doubtful if many will coincide in preferring him to
his more energetic and spirited rivals. As is pro-
per in all love stories, whether grave or gay, sundry
very natural incidents and accidents occur, or are
pposed to occur, which plunge heroes and heroines
into doubts, difficulties, and despair. They are
all satisfactorily rescued from their dilemmas
at the conclusion, much to the reader's gra-
tification, for none of them fail to interest.
If this is the author's first attempt at fiction, it is
certainly a promising commencement, for it dis-
plays observation, knowledge of the world, and
ability. It is to be regretted that he is not suffi-
ciently careful in those little refinements of manner
and expression which, far from weakening the style
or making it tedious, must gratify the least indul-
gent, and cannot offend the most fastidious.
Writers may be assured that readers who admire
" vulgarisms," or expressions that would not
be used in correct society, are not the judges
whose praise is worth gaining. Wit is never
less shown than by want of taste, and a page
which can be found fault with on that point is no
proof of a superior judgment. Of course these re-
marks are not applicable to descriptions of low life
or such passages,
but merely where the author
quite unnecessarily lowers his style. Such errors
are easily avoided, and we trust the next work of
this writer will give us the same ability, the same
skill in delineating character, without any draw-
back from occasional want of elegance.

A Visit to Portugal and Madeira. By the Lady
Emmeline Stuart Wortley. Chapman and Hall.
This volume must not be regarded as an authen-
tic account of the physical peculiarities of the coun-
tries described, or as a sober analysis of the social
or political position of the people, or even as a
series of panoramic descriptions. It is in a lively,
rambling style, that is sometimes half satirical, and
at other parts takes a more elevated tone. It is
evidently intended more as an entertaining volume
to pass an idle hour than as a work of reference or
instruction. Nevertheless, much casual informa-
tion is given, particularly on the subject of
Portuguese history and its celebrities. It is
interspersed with numerous anecdotes and sketches,
and contains an impressive description of the fearful
earthquake of 1755. The number of persons be-
lieved to have perished by that calamity, and the
fearful conflagration that succeeded it, amounted
to more than sixty thousand ! It is indeed terrible
to consider that the fire which burnt for six days
is not believed to be the result of nature or acci-
dent, as was first supposed, but the work of inceu-