The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-18 00:00:00

LITEPATUBE.

Sketches in, Ultra-Marine, By J. Hannay, late of
Her Majesty's Navy, author of " Singleton Fon-
tenoy," &c. 2 vols. Addey and Co.
These volumes will form an agreeable subject •f
perusal to those who delight in the witty and
sparkling style of composition, and who find en-
tertainment in satires on men and manners. There
are various incidents narrated as occurring to dif-
ferent persons mentioned in the work before us,
but there is no regular story, and no definite plan
observed. The object seems to be to amuse by the
" sallies of youth" recorded, and to show forth
some of the inconsistencies and improprieties of
the present naval arrangements. " King Dobbs"
is the most striking of the episodes here met with.
It relates the adventures of some young men who
went out in a yacht, in the hope and expectation
of becoming celebrated characters, but who were
compelled finally to return home no more famous
than they departed. The following scene will
serve to illustrate the styli of their exploits :
" What's that noise ?' cried Dobbs, suddenly.
" They jumped from their seats.
" Now, don't be frightened,' said Chilton ; it's a

gun.'
"At this point, M'Mizen came down the companion-
ladder with a lantern, enveloped in a huge greatcoat.
Maister Chilton, hae ye got the papers —the ship s
papers, ye ken ?'
" What are they ?' asked Dobbs, in affright.
" Chilton turned rather pale—.' Come on deck !' he
cried to his friends.
"They all hurried up together, and found the whole
crew assembled, gazing to windward, where there lay
the heavy form of a large revenue cutter, with three
lanterns hoisted perpendicularly in her rigging.
" Good God ! ' exclaimed Chilton, why did you let
her go to windward of us ? D—n the moon !' he con-
tinued, as that luminary, shining in the clear heavens,
threw a most distinct light on the elegant figure of the

Baboon.
" ' Why, sir,' said M'Mizen, ' it's o' nae consequence ;
of course ye hae the papers. How's the cutter to ken
that you are no a smuggler, or even a pirate? It's
only a form.'
"The smile that passed over Chilton's face short and
quick, and luminous in its scorn at these words, was
singular ; but it was nothing to the feelings that passed
across his heart. With one glance, he took in the whole
pOsition, as his eye dwelt on the cutter, the assembled
crew, the calm gaze of M'Mizen (wherein was much to
be noted), Carisford and Pereira in startled silence, un-
happy Dobbs awestruck with terror, and knowing not
where to look.
" Carisford saw Chilton's glance and came up to him.
In friendly grasp he took his hand, as he whispered
You may have thought from what passed in the
cabin that I am timid ; try me now ; what you will, I
am ready to act.'
" Then two men came forward from the crew, to
speak to Chilton.
" ' Well, Hartly, what have you to say ?' he asked.
" Why, sir,' said the fellow, a huge man, with black
whiskers, who looked as if he had the strength of a
Titan, and an equal readiness to use it against Heaven,
me and my friend doesn't understand this ; we don't
want to be shoved in limbo. What we does, we
does : we want no humbug. How about that 'ere
cutter ?'
" Both the vessels were now laying to, the cutter oc-
cupying her windward position. The situation of poor
Chilton and his friends became alarming. Here was
the poor Baboon, that had been suspicious in her ap-
pearance—watched by the Tulip, telegraphed, probably,
down the coast, from station to station—now with a
government vessel to windward, and two of the best
men in the crew in a state approaching to mutiny !
" Oh,' said Chilton, 'I suppose the ass takes us for
a smuggler. We must send our papers on board. What
an infamous thing, that a gentleman's yacht should be
interfered with in this manner ! Mr. M'Mizen, get a
boat ready, and show a lantern on the weather bul-
warks.' Chilton then went below ; and coming up
again, gave some documents to Hartly, and said—' Go
on board the cutter with these, and Mr. Dobbs's (the
owner's) compliments.'
"The boat was brought up to the lee gangway.
Hartly and the sailor who had come with him to speak
to Chilton, went into it with the papers—shoved off,
dropped astern of the Baboon, and pulled towards the
cutter, on board which the lieutenant in command,
who had watched every movement, prepared to receive
them.
"The boat pulled towards the expectant cutter; but
soon the Baboon lay to no longer ; over the quarter
glided the huge boom ; the jib sheet flowed free for-
ward; smart hands rounded in the weather foretopsail
brace (she was a foretopsail schooner), the gaff-topsail
rose like a balloon to its station ; the water foamed be-
neath her bows, dashed along her sides, quivered in
whirling eddies and sharp curves in her wake ; a kind
cloud hid the moon's face ; and when it shone again on the
Baboon, she was rushing in solitary sovereignty through
the waters, headlong on, towards the stormy bay, which
dashes on the shores of France, the accumulated terrors
of a thousand miles of waves.
" Meanwhile, the cutter having caught a glimpse of
the retreating Baboon, was in such a hurry to chase her,
that she rolled heavily on to the boat which Chilton
had dispatched, experiencing, of course, a vexatious de-
lay, and with difficulty saving the lives of the men,
whose screams compelled her to lay to for the purpose."

The Life and Times of Madame do &acl. By
. _

Maria Norris: David I3ogue.
The life of an author and the history of a revo-
iution must always be full of striking incidents,
and worthy of attentive consideration. In the
present case they are combined, and the same vo-
lume traces the life of France's greatest authoress,
and the picture of her darkest times. Miss Norris
is a young writer of promise. It is easy to trace
the enthusiasm of youth in her pages, nor is it diffi-
cult to discover a certain decision of tone on im-
portant subjects, and a partiality of judgment
which often characterise the early works of an
author. Her admiration of her subject is very
great, and she does full justice to it. Not content-
ing herself with praise, she points out to our notice
those excuses which may well be offered for an
eager impulsive character, devotedly fond of society,
and shining in conversation, to a nation which is
generally stigmatised as cold and reserved. Madame
de Stael's devotion to her father, M. Necker, the
Minister of Finance, who experienced both ex-
tremes of public opinion in so short a time, was con-
stant and unchanging. Her mother was of a directly
opposite disposition to herself, and in spite of her
Spartan disposition and the many admirable quali-
ties for which Miss Norris gives her credit, she is
not at all a pleasing character. Of the revolution
itself Miss Norris is an impartial historian, but in
criticising character she is too apt to be guided by
her admiration of the individual or his opponents.
It is nevertheless a work of striking interest and
much ability, and will deservedly increase the
writer's reputation. Speaking of her heroine's
share in the political troubles of the day, she says,
with truth:—
" We may indeed settle the question by saying that
as a woman she ought to have left politics entirely alone,
but a very little consideration of the times will show us
that such a course was impracticable. Who was she
that could in those days leave them alone ? Certainly
not the wife of an ambassador, who was expected to
preside at public receptions and to entertain her guests,
all of them political people. Certainly not the daughter
of a minister whose character and policy were variously
handled, and often so unfairly considered that filial love
must have been cold indeed had he lacked one adherent
in Paris, where he had formerly counted so many. Cer-
tainly not a woman who had been in peril of losing her
life in a political convulsion and who had subsequently
been urged by her own noble nature to confront the
tyrants who decimated her country, and demand mercy
for one unhappy political miscreant after another, until
she again put in hazard her own safety.
" Heaven forbid that women should interfere or
have a voice in the little questions of the day, that
often provoke disagreement and contention without
involving any high interest. The profoundest wisdom
has hedged round the sanctuary of domestic life, and
protected it from the storms of party discussion and the
violence of political hate. But in any great crisis of
public affairs, surely every noble man would have his
women act as the wife and daughters of a patriot should.
If the real liberties of a country—the fundamental prin-
ciples of government be at stake, that woman is little
worthy of the name who, having great influence, stands
inertly aside and says, lam a woman, it is no concern
of mine.' Are women, then, incapable of public feeling ?
Let history decide. History, which tells in one page
how women cut off their hair to string the bows of their
defenders, and in another how the wife and mother of
Coriolanus went forth, unheeding the Volscian cohorts,
and besought him to spare his country and theirs. One
can better sympathise with the poor Spartan mother who
shed no tear when her son, who had fallen in defence of
his fatherland, was brought dead to her on his own shield,
than with women who only smile insipidly when some
stirring history is read, and feel that, as women, they
are absolved from the obligation of caring whether
Stuart or Hanover hold the throne—whether they
breathe the air of slavery or freedom. This kind of in-
difference is often put forward as a most feminine and
agreeable quality, when it is in reality an idle excuse to
save the trouble of earnest thought, or an evasion to
cover ignorance of the question at issue. Alice Lisle
and Rachel Russell, at any rate, were not women shaped
in this mould. We believe that the men of a country
are never so good as when they know something of the
women's virtues, endurance, and
.resignation, nor the
women so fully capable of playing their own part in the
drama of life, as when they have caught somewhat of
the hero's spirit."
•

DEATH or AN OLD SOLDIER.—Mr. John Taite, for-
merly of Kildale, in Cleveland, met and triumphed over
his last enemy at Middlesbozough, on Saturday last, in
the 80th year of his age. Deceased, at an early part of
volunteered from the
the last great European war,
North York Militia into her Majesty's 7th Regiment of
Foot, in which he served throughout the seven years'
Peninsular war ; and it was probably owing to the in-
domitable courage, the patient endurance and valour of
such men as John Taite that the splendid victoriSala-
es of
Vimeira, Talavera, Ciudad Roderigo, Bazados,
manca, Vitoria, and Toulouse, with all their immense
consequences, are to be attributed. To the last de-
ceased presented a fine and pleasing specimen of the
British soldier, was much respected, and would often
tell of "the battle's havoc," and show " how fields were
won." liis end was peace.