The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-29 00:00:00

LITERATUItB.

May and December ; a Tale of Ifredded Life. By
Al; s, flul):44ek, author of "The Wife's Sister;
or, Th., 'Forbidden Marriage," Jsc., tt-c. 3 Vols.
Skeet:

This is a very interesting story ; the plot is one
not often met with, and it is skilfully worked out.
The character of James Wildey, in particular, is
very ably shown forth. May Luttrell was a gay,
generous, and good-hearted being, but unhappily
she was wanting in thought and judgment. She
bad. no one to guide her, and she was not at all fit to
direct herself. It is true she had some excuse for
her conduct, unnatural and strange as it may ap-
pear at first sight. She was miserably situated at
home with an eccentric uncle, in an old neglected
house in a dreary neighbourhood. Her wily and
ambitious cousin, James Wildey, urged her to fol-
low his advice, and become the wife of Mr. Came-
ron, a rich merchant, of the age of sixty. May did
not all at once agree; the natural feelings of a
young and lovely girl were against it, and her high
spirit shrank from the chains with which this gran-
deur. was to be accompanied. Not only the re-
straint of a fashionable life, and. the uneengeniality
of taste and sentiment in her husband to chill her
ardent feelings, awaited her union with the rich
man, but a private compact was made by James Wil-
dey, stipulating that if he expedited the affair, May
should advance his interests in every possible way.
The evil consequences that ensue from such selfish
and deceitful measures are very skilfully and
powerfully demonstrated. Tho most striking moral
is deduced in regard to the different courses pur-
sued by Grace and May, when they met after a
long separation, one in the height of worldly pros-
perity, and the other reduced to the most distress-
ing circumstances. After a long talk on their
varying careers, May exclaimed in accents of
melancholy and heartfelt earnestness, "Oh ! happy,
happy Grace !" The concision is satisfactory to
the mind, for May Cameron retires to a country
residence to repair by acts of well-doing and bene-
volence the errors of her giddy youth. Mr. Ar-
nold is an original character, who appeared unob-
serving and unfeeling, but in reality was full of
kindness and attention for deserving objects.
Although some painful scenes are introduced in
the course of the story, on the whole it affords en-
tertainment, and presents a great variety of cha-
racter to the notice of the reader. ,

Home Life in Russia. By a Russian Noble. Re-
vised by the Editor of "Revelations of Siberia."
2 Vols. Hurst and Blackett.

At the present time, when every one
is anxious
to obtain information. concerning Russia and its
people, it is most probable that a bock of this sort
will be generally attractive. It affords an insight
into their manners and customs such as could only
be gathered from private sources of information.
Many various characters appear in the narrative,
and the very extraordinary scenes that take place
in consequence of Tchichikoff's demands are ably
described. The project that was formed by this
daring individual is said to have been really pro-
posed, and the main facts are well known. Tchi-
chikoff was a clever and unscrupulous man, who
was never satisfied with simple labour, but was
continually endeavouring to make his fortune by
some daring stroke. He was found out in many of
his tricks and conspiracies, but, nothing daunted,
he began anew. He at last determined on the
purchase of dead serfs, in order to become a nomi-
nal proprietor, and then obtain money from the
Government, in virtue of a society established for
the purpose. The innumerable obstacles that pre-
sented themselves in the way of this stupendous
undertaking may he imagined, but Tchicthikeff,
with energy and industry worthy of a bettor
cause, persevered, and, indeed, for a time
all seemed to progress favourably. The pa-
pers were signed by the imperial employes,
and on all sides he was hailed as a wealthy and im-
portant personage by the good people of Smolensk.
Suddenly, however, his airy castles were hurled
down. A man whom he had been unlucky enough
to °fiend appeared on the scene, and spread dismay
and consternation around. Tchichikoff tried to
escape ruin, but in vain ; he advanced towards the
disconsolate hero, exclaiming, " All the gentlemen
from Kherson, the Chersonese slaTeowner I Well,
how many more dead men have you acquired
But your excellency does not perhaps know that
our worthy friend here deals in dead serfs." The
latter part of this speech was addressed to the
governor of Smolensk, who was present. The
confusion may be supposed, and Tchichikoff was
glad to escape and seek retirement. After sundry
other tokens of all going wrong, he determined to
make a precipitate retreat. However, this was un-
availing, for the suspicions of all were aroused, and
ho was pursued. When taken by the imperial mes-
senger the courage that had so long sustained him
vanished, and the shock of imagining the tortures
that awaited him occasioned sudden death. All the
manceuvres and complicated workings out of the
scheme are graphically described, and, besides,
there is ever a source of attracting interest in the
pictures of the people constantly met with. If
there is not much to win admiration in their pecu-
, liar style, the attention is engaged and excited by
the glimpses of the domestic doings of a people so
little known and understood.