The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-06 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Popular BLiory of BritLk Mosses. By R, M.
Stark.
Popular British Colichology ; a Familiar History
of the Molluscs inhabiting the British Isles. By
G. Brettingham Sowerby. Lowell Reeve.

We have frequently had occasion to commend
the very excellent series of popular scientific works
issued by Mr. Reeve. Each volume is embellished
with numerous illustrations, beautifully coloured,
which considerably enhance its value, rendering the
explanations doubly interesting. The students of
the two works above-mentioned will learn, perhaps
with surprise, what marvels are connected with the
lichens and mosses they tread under foot in a coun-
try ramble, and the Shelly habitations of the
"creeping things" they would otherwise consider
unworthy of attention. As a means of rendering
some among the wonders of nature more attractive
and intelligible to the unlearned, the volumes of
Mr. Stark on British Mosses, and of Mr. Sowerby
on British Conchology, are valuable additions to
Mr. Reeve's excellent series.

Arvosi ; or, The Trials. By C. Mitchell Charles,
author of " Hamon and Catar," &c. 2 vols.

Routledge and Co.
This work is entitled a legend, but it may rather
be considered an historical romance. The author
is already favourably known by his earlier produc-
tions, which display much vigour of style and ori-
ginality of construction. His favourite epochs are
evidently ancient ; and although this tale is not,
like his first, of an antediluvian era, it relates to a
comparatively antiquarian period. The year 1341
is the date selected, and the scene is laid in Brit-
tany, r.kt the time when the rival clainiants for the
dukedoms, the Earl of Montfortannede,Lowerrde
fighting Charles
Blois, nephew of the King of Fm
for the possession of Nantes, the chief town of
Brittany. The interest of the narrative does not,
however, rest with the leaders of the factions. The
reader is somewhat startled at the opening of the
story to be introduced to no less than three youths
of undiscovered parentage, residing at the court of
the Earl of Montfort. then Duke of Brittany
'.l.lais extraordinary coincidence is suosequeubi,
plained by two of them being brothers. The plot
is somewhat elaborate, and, to add to the diffi-
culty, we are led to suppose, and, indeed, it
is stated by one of the parties interested that one
of the three is Edward Arvon, the brother of the
hero, wL'ile in reality it is his companion who is
Edward ~M.von. This intricacy of plot will, no
doubt, be very attractive to many, and certainly
it has the retlommendation of arousing the reader's
attention, for it would be difficult for the most ex-
perienced novel reader to foretel the conclusion.
The heroine, Alice de Leon, is a very attractive
character. She is the niece of Sir Herve de Leon,
a haughty and violent man of much power, one of
the councillors of the duke, who, on some provo-
cation, went over to his rival and surrendered
Nantes to him. In youth he had committed many
crimes, of which tho greatest was the accusation
of murder, which he had brought against his for-
mer friend, Henri Arv,m, knowing it to be false.
The poetical justice by
vhich his unrelenting per-
secution of the supposed .Thild of his victim leads
him to kill his own long.-lost son is powerfully
drawn. The style and language is quite modern,
which, if not so correct, is certainly more agree-
able to the reader. It is an interesting romance,
in which love and hate, private quarrels and public
war, escapes and murders, plots and discoveries,
romance and history, are skilfully blended.

Railway Reading.
The great demand that has arisen of late years
for cheap literature, more especially for works of
fiction, has given rise to a rapid increase in the
publication of shillina, volumes. While the benefits
of education for the rower classes are now generally
admitted, and while none can deny a taste foe
reading to be an elevating and profitable acquisi-
tion, yet there are many disadvantages attending
the perusal of works of this class. In the first
place, the copyright question having been so long
in so unsatisfactory a state, many foreign works of
a questionable tendency have been among the
novels selected for publication, and secondly, the
lowness of price, when the works were original,
have necessitated their being of a very second-rate
character,. This would signify very little to those
who had opportunities of a better kind of reading,
who, directed by a cultivated taste, would be quite
above their influence. But those who would most
eagerly peruse these volumes as the only ones
within their reach, the half-educated of the upper
lower class would be those most unable to see their
faults and absurdities, and most likely to be charmed
with the wild romance or exaggerated sentiment of
their style. After reading a few of such works,
those. of a higher class, should they obtain
them, would appear dull and tame. Hence-
forward they would only seek fresh excitement,
aad require it of a more stirring kind. Even
should they possess no decided fault in the moral
they are very apt to disgust the reader with real
life; and instead of teaching him that "life is
earnest," and showing bim that " we can make our
lives sublime," they tend to make him dissatisfied
with his position in the world, and to take away
his interest in practical life. The obvious method
to counteract the influence, it is to be feared, very
largely exercised over the lower reading classes of
the community by these pernicious works, is the
publication of novels of a high class and standard
character, with the prestige of well-known names.
Novels are no longer what they were. A hundred
years ago none but the most trifling and silly could
have devoted their time to their perusal. Now,
genius of the highest class, taste the most refined,
and knowledge the most varied, unite to produce
works that elevate, while they enthral and in-
struct and fascinate the reader. There no longer
exists a dearth of works of fiction of the highest
class ; and could they be brought to supersede the
worse than nonsense now so freely circulated the
benefits would be very great. It is, therefore,
with much pleasure that we see that many
respectable publishers are meeting the demand
for cheap literature with a re-issue of many
standard works, formerly published at a high
price. Conspicuous among these we may men-
tion the production of the " Waverly Novels,"
now publishing at eighteenpence each, by Messrs.
Black, of Edinburgh. The " Select Library of Fic-
tion," published by Chapman and Hall, contains
works of a superior character, and of great attrac-
tions. Among those now ready we may mention
" Mary Barton," a novel of deep and thrilling in-
terest ; the " Blithedale; Romance," by the well-
known American author, Nathaniel Hawthorne ;
" The Head of the Family," by the talented writer
of " Olive ;" and the lively and clever "Bachelor of
the Albany." Those who wish for standard romances
are also supplied by Messrs. Routledge and Co., who
are now bringing out the novels of Sir E. Bulwer
Lytton, in monthly volumes. The entire series
will be included. Two sets of Cooper's novels are
also being published—one by Messrs. Routledge
and Co., and the other by Mr. Hodgson, the
founder of " The Parlour Library," which has been
so long in existence, and includes, among many
others, the works of G. P. R. James and Mrs.
Marsh. Among recent American works issued in
this country, one from the pen of Miss Mcln-
tosh sustains her character as a simple and
pleasing domestic writer. " Ida May," a story of
the slave states, is also an attractive and truthful
tale, while a now romance entitled " Fashion and
Famine" is one of the sentimental and unprofitable
class above alluded to. The editionfift.lic,of
G.
Warburton's celebrated " Ilochea,, and Minx
Pardoe's " City of the Sultan,,, haveacrhe.centlyn
tahpe.
1p
?eaa ewda
ya t
Library,n one shilling and sixpence
" _Rockingham,' a well-written
, e
taining of Mrs. Gore's clever
and interesting novel, andosntherioefs,t,h,eriminomst
oennetz;
bnyKalinngostvoenls
we may mention ,
have been lately intchleudf,dA.
1 b aAt rmo sosn, 'g naval
'
improbable but interesting
somewhat
and "Singleton Fontenoy," by J. Hannay. " Sybil
Leunard," a
"Modern Flirtationr)
Sinclair, are also among recent
by Miss Catherine
by Mrs. Grey,. and .
With such works as we have mentioned
rsetoprryin,th.
widely circulated among romance readers let us
hope that the good will conquer the evil, and that
translations of French novels, and tales of which
highwaymen and murderers are the heroes, win no
longer be tolerated, but that the works of our first-
rate romancists, who in this century have eclipsed
all their predecessors, may fulfil their highest and
noblest task—the elevation of the literary taste of
the people.

HOP DRYING NUISANCE NEAR GUY'S HOSPITAL.—
Yesterday, at the Surrey Sessions, William Trower and
s
Jacob Mass, extensive hop factors and dryers, were in-
dicted for carrying on the business of drying and colour-
ing hops
i iesor kilns, by means of sulphur, on
the premises,
furnaces,
, Queen's Head-yard, High-street, South-
wark ; such being a public nuisance and injurious to the
healths of the inhabitants, more especially to the in-
mates of Guy's Hospital adjoining. The case lasted the
whole day, and excited great interest. A great many
eminent medical gentlemen were present, among whom
were Drs. Taylor and Letheby. Several of the wards
of the hospital adjoin the back of defendants' premises,
and it was contended by the prosecution that the sul-
phuric acid from the defendant's factory afkcted the
health of the patients, and, indeed, had caused the death
of a child. Dr. Taylor wts examined for the prosecu-
tion, and Dr. Letheby for the defence. A good many
other witnesses were also called on each side. The
jury, after nearly an hour's deliberation, found the de-
fendants guilty. The defendants were then bound over
in their own recognisauces in 5001. to appear for judg•
merit when called upon, they undertaking to abate the
nuisance immediately.