The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-22 00:00:00

LITERATUR:It
The Pride of Life. By Lady Scott, author ofilie S;
"Henpecked Husband." 2 vols. ROaledke.
Although it is very unlikely that such events
should often occur in real life as those we see
chronicled hero, there is an air of reality imparted
to their description. The characters of the many
persons required to be introduced are also easily
and naturally drawn. The plot is exceedingly
complicated and intricate, but that is necessary
for the carrying out of the author's design. That
design is evidently to show forth in its most unin-
viting and glaring colours the false feeling of self-
esteem, pride of station, &c. The -vice asit was engen-
gered in the mind: of the Eveleen family was,
indeed, reprehensible and inexcusable. They had
no excuse to offer of being forced to associate or
mingle with a low-born or ill-bred individual.
Saverell, the ill-used and persecuted heroine, was
more than equal to mix with them, or any of their
titled circle. In nature, grace, and inward re-
finement they were far her inferiors, and while
they felt this they would not yield to their convic-
tions. The conduct of Mordaunt Eveleen, the ill-
chosen husband of the lovely Saverell, is well
sketched. His love was not of very deep founda-
tion ; it was more from self-will and flattered
vanity than any other cause that he was urged
by his fancy to seek out one whom he had
far rather never have seen for her peace and
his credit. Once united in that unequal struggle
against a scoffing world without and the still more
to be dreaded world within, whose confines were
bordered by his home, only one straight course
lay before them. They should have held together
and been superior
ghtoe,tahne
Halite
others. By this means their friends would have
been afraid or ashamed
to be otherwise than civil ;
d their
on th© contrary, Mordaunt was at heart more a
Proud and selfish thanfaamnilaymwiosuchildehf a voef
member of
his circle. He was tinai
mean spirited. He stood dny vacillating, and
and the next he lamented
the by herside day,
. r
his order. By this means, of course etd dignity
he f
one rtu-
nate Saverell, as she was styled, for particularuio
and un-
fortunate reason, was soon subjected to most cruel torments. Mordaunt forbade her
seei
her parents, as she supposed them to be, till her
mother, as she then believed her to be, died with-
out having seen her again. Saverell Muggridge,
as she was called prior to her wedding, was not
one to return evil for evil. The dark hour came to the ancestral hall, which had
struck terror to the gloomy lodging, and
Mr. Eveleen was summoned away. Then, while
his large and prosperous family were scattered far
and wide, on matters of business, fashion, or plea-
sure, the unhappy and deserted old man would
have died alone. " There were none of all his halls
had nurser —had it not been for his despised and
discarded daughter-in law. She stood by him in
the night of suffering and sorrow, and rendered
his last moments happy. She was alone with hint
in the awful hour of death. Afterwards it was
found out that the Eveleens must descend in
the world, for all the property was mort-
gaged and encumbered to a heavy extent.
At' this gloomy prospect the hearts of all
were downcast. Saverell's spirit supported
her, and induced them to exertion ; she reminded
them that poverty was no new lessen for her to
learn, and that she could support herself, and
some of them by her paintings, which she had been
celebrated for in youth. Mordaunt was forced to
acknowledge her superiority to his sisters, who, each
wont her way, complaining, but impervious to
remedy or belief. A brighter prospect dawned
on the young adventurers, all the overbearing
members had left them alone, and now Saverell
was resolute to work. Next of all she sought out
her supposed father, whom she had lost sight of
for some time. lere the narrative becomes
very complicated ; but it will suffice to say that
after much search and inquiry the unfortunate
Mr. Muggridge was discovered, and the secret
enemy discovered to be the usurper of Saverell's
rights. She was only the adopted daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Muggridge, and not their real child, as
she had believed herself to be. After all the
sneers and sarcasms of the Eveleens as to " m6s-
alliance" and " parvenues," their unwelcome re-
lation took a far higher grade in society than they
did. Saverell's first act, on the recovery of her
fortune, was ono of generosity. She purchased
the family seat of the Eveleens, which had been
sold in consequence of their debts at the father's
death. After the ill-natured and incon-
siderate conduct of Mordaunt Eveleen, it
is only the fate he merited to be cut off
from the enjoyment of the new-found trea-
sures. His death was no calamity, although the
gentle sufferer, by his ill usage, mourned deeply for
him. After the lapse of some years we are in-
formed that she married Lord Arlington, who had
always been a firm friend of hers. The conclusion is
more satisfactory than such denouements generally
are, for it was ;certainly a change for the better
for the long-tried and much-enduring heroine to
turn from selfishness and conceit to generosity and
high-mindedness.

School Experiences of a Fag at a Private and a
Public School. By George Melly. Smith,
Elder, and Co.
The author of this work, being of opinion that
the public had received unjust impressions of the
monitorial system of public schools, determined to
chronicle the result of his own experience. His
opinion is that the system adopted at public schools,
where the younger boys are under the protection
of the monitor and heads of " the house," is far
better than that of a large private school, where
there is no check upon the tyrants. Much may no
doubt, as in other questions, be advocated on both
sides ; but it is to be questioned if all private
schools are as ill-conducted as the one here de-
scribed ; for it is evident that the head master must
have been greatly to blame for not having a better
knowledge of what went on under his guardian-
ship, and for not vigorously checking the system
of persecution when instances were reported to him.
In the public school, also, the writer may have
been particularly fortunate in the dispositions of
those iu power. But allowing the principle which
he advocates so strongly to be the best, some other
compensation might certainly be allowed to the
sixth form, instead of the practice of " fagging"
the younger boys. The writer asks, " What con-
stitutes the difference between a public and a pri-
vate school Y It is not the numbers, for many of
our private schools contain two or three hundred
boys. It is self-government. We admit and che-
rish the principle in eveiy other relation of life—
why refuse to admit it here ! The British consti-
tution is founded on the principle of local self-
government, and the great value of a public school
is its close resemblance to the outer world around
it." The following extract is from the concluding
remarks of the author
"The chief deduction which I draw from my expe-
rience under each system is this : where a large number
of boys are gathered together there must inevitably be
much oppression and tyranny ; it is, therefore, better
freely to sanction and strictly to legalise that power
which you cannot withhold from the bigger boys, by en-
trusting it to those who combine influence with know-
ledge, and age with high character. By making theta
responsible for its impartial exercise, and rendering it
their interest, as well as their duty, to protect all who
are in need of their protectie -.you at once enlist them
on the right side.
"It has been urged that it is bad for the morals of
monitors to ibe, as boys, entrusted with such absolute
power. I reply that they actually possess it already, and
nothing can prevent their exercising it ; and that the
r force rong
is n
monitorial system only places it under due regulatioa.
In every community—be it a family or a township, a
seci
uech
etno,
no etel
hde,
e. oo rymepe-
Tarahtnti
matured
rteei
soduwnpee
artki
judgment,
e t
h set will,though
not only
oesnpl
ydowt the
powerful
predominatingu ln ei nitel-
exert
tl
innate, but
acknowledged, and, under due regulation, it is beneficial
to all. That system, therefore, which best provides for
its judicious exercise in a community of boys,
is the
most salutary ; and, whatever improvements may yet
be made, the monitorial system seems as yet to be the nest, if rightly carried out.
"It has been suggested that, instead of monitors,
it would
•
the masters should be more nIiDACTOIIII
require an enormous increase of their numbers.
would they be as efficientas monitor
could expect that boys
of every dage' fsm .
twelve to
twenty, could live continusllY.un
er the eve of a mas-
ter as they do under that ot theif espionage as could be
r own sixth form. That
ro for no one
Nor
would be as bad a systera
adopted, for the
master would
sters could not enter into, un-
derstand, or appreciate
the feelings, or discover the
k be at once 'accuser,
o
judge, and spy.' The masters
p, and vicesof the school so well as the moni-
tors,ea
who are still
schoolfellows in every game, and only
-students while on duty. The fags
are the
w
fellow
the monitors in all respects but
cease to be
equals o
and experioints of
t ongth, sense,ease—p
different order, and cannot either be
tors belong to a
loved, respected, or feared as a monitor would be, whose
s
age,
:Prioxrirty which boys readily acknowledge ; but mas-
ters
alone, moreover, exerts a most salutary influ-
encethe boys under his control. I cannot for a on
mo-
ment con
template the spread of vice and the increase o
deceit, which would ensue if Eton, Harrow, and Rugb y
were
to substitute for monitors a numerous staff 0
masters.
The writer certainly succeeds in placing the system
in a favourable point of view, and many may feel
interested in perusing his details and examining his
arguments, while the lively sketches of schoolboy
doings will entertain many who do not trouble
themselves to examine the relative merits of oppos-
ing systems.

BIRICINHXAD AND CHIIIIIIRII RAILWAT.---LIMPOOL,
Thursday.—The adjourned half-yearly meeting of this
company has Inca postpond to the 24tit of October
nat.

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