The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-06 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Autobiography of a Missionary. By the Rev.
P. Fletcher, author of " A Two Years' Residence
in Nineveh." 2 vols. Hurst and Blackett.

Some doubt has been expressed as to the reality
of this work—it has been questioned whether it is
truth or fiction. But it certainly appears to pre-
sentus
episodes,wi those fortunate chances, those ro-
manticand those very convenient coinci-
dences which are unhappily chiefly confined to the
world of imagination. It is not usual for an adopted
child to be discovered to be the grandson of his
protector, nor in cases of disappointed attachment
does the husband of the lady
former usuaaellyuadiiniealaiendititihhiaes
lady happen to meet her form foreign country. We question the moral oef
episode, which is now fortunately disappearincr
from the pages of modern romance. The work,'
however, is by no means a romantic and foolish
tale, devoid of interest ; on the contrary, it pos-
sesses a great variety of scene, a clever delineation
of character and eccentricities, and an impressive
and unobtrusive piety. It is not exactly what
would be imagined from the title, for though the
hero is certainly a missionary, and spends many
years in India, the scene of his labours, yet he nar-
rates this part of his life in a few chapters, which
is to be regretted, as it would have proved, without
doubt, the most interesting division of the tale.
To have described the first dawning of the sublime
truth on the benighted Hindoos ; to have detailed
the struggles of the minister of Christ against the
prejudices of the disciples of Vishnoo and Buddha,
against the obstinacy of ignorance and the incredulity
of learning, would surely have been a task well fitted
for a writer who has not shown himself deficient in
power to depict, or in judgment to appreciate,
such a recital. Much of the second volume alludes
to the poverty of the curates of the English Church.
Having lost all their fortune, the missionary and
his wife are in great distress. They accept a small
curacy in a populous and miserable neighbourhood,
but at length are relieved from their difficulties by
the intervention of a friend. A gloomy picture is
drawn, but the author finds it difficult to suggest a
remedy to the perplexing evil. It is to be trusted,
however, that one will shortly be found, when we
shall no longer read (as in this work) of an associ-
ation for providing poor clergymen with second-
hand clothes. The author's great talent lies in the
little incidental sketches of character, to which he
gives life and reality. Perhaps to be more concise
in his narrative, he has abbreviated the important
events, and thus, while we sometimes find a dif-
fuseness in details, we are astonished by the catas-
trophes of a lifetime meeting us in a few pages.
Notwithstanding these inaccuracies of style, the
volumes are interesting and profitable. The high
tone of morality which pervades them is calculated
to elevate and refine. In these days of avarice and self-
interest, it is refreshing to turn aside from mat-
ter-of-fact ordinary pursuits and occupations to the
quiet halls of the Missionary College, where though
the students present the imperfections and inequa-
lities of human nature, their object is self-sacrifice
and their intentions sincere. But the thought
arises as we read, just before the Missionary's de-
parture for India, in a conversation between him
and one of his friends about the ignorance and
the misery of our poor—Are not the missionaries
needed here ? Need they cross the waves to find
infidels, to instruct those who have never heard of
the great truths of Christianity ? We may say in
the words of a celebrated character of the present
day, " Can you not spare one missionary from
Tahiti for your fellow-countrymen ?"

The Nature, Symptoms, and Treatment of Con-
sumption. By R. P. Cotton, M.D. Churchill.

This work does not pretend to the discovery of
any remedy for so direful a disease as consumption,
but it has the good credit of not introducing any-
thing speculative. The remarks are all practical,
and dictated by sound sense and extensive observa-
tion. As prevention is allowed to be better than
cure, it is certain that if all followed the Dr.'s ad-
vice many valuable lives might be saved, and the
astounding numerals of 71,106 deaths annually
from phthisis would cease to be registered ; for,
according to this calculation, not much less than
one-fifth of the aggregate deaths are from consump-
tion. It would. be desirable information to ascer-
tain how far the climate of Australia, where so
many thousands of our countrymen are gone, is
adapted to the cure of this all-devouring malady.

Memoirs of a Stomach, written by himself, that all
who Eat may Read. With Notes Critical. By a
Minister of the Interior. W. E. Painter, Strand.
This is a droll, facetious book, and will rank in
the category of those favourite byegones—" The
Gold-Headed Cane," " The Velvet Cushion," and
" The Complaint of a Left-Handed Member of So-
ciety." The grievances which a stomach has to
complain of are very wittily told, and the members
of the medical profession are unsparingly but justly
dealt with. There is a smart dialogue between
Homceopathy and Aeopathy, and both are hit off
admirably. Sir James Eyre, who has lately pub-
lished a book called " 'rho fdtoznach and ito Diffi
culties," cuts a somewhat ludicrous figure, as the
author states Sir James " has written a book,
ostensibly about digestion, but in reality to intro-
duce what he terms an elegant' preparation—the
oxide of silver." The little book is a most witty
production ; and whatever Sir James may boast of
his " elegant " oxide of silver, a caustic dose of
nitrate of silver is admirably administered. We
only hope it won't turn him blue. Fashionable
doctors and fashionable doctrines are held up to the
well-deserved ridicule which they so richly merit
and deserve. We advise all lovers of fun, and all
who have dyspeptic stomachs, to take one dose of
humour from this work ; it is worth 500 fees paid
to an M:D., which are often not worth one D.M.

The Art Journal.—The three plates of this num-
ber are all taken from the Vernon Gallery. The
first is from Mr. Etty's picture of the " Brides of
Venice ;" the second is a "Woodland View," by Sir
David Wilkie ; and the last, " The Wayworn Tra-
veller," represents a poor woman arriving at a door
at which two women and a child are standing. The
selection of sketches of articles in the Dublin Exhi-
bition is continued, and a great variety of illustra-
tions given. " Dress, as a Fine Art," by Mrs.
Merrifield, proceeds, and several interesting criti-
cisms of exhibitions of pictures are added.

MISCELLANEOUS MAGAZINES.
The Colonial and Asiatic Review will appear
next month for the price of one shilling, thus ren-
dering it easier for many to obtain it. The present
number contains an article on the " State of

Jamaica," another on "Emigration," in which it
is stated that Van Diemen's Land has suffered

from the unfair arrangements of Government in
converting it into a penal settlement. In order to
counteract this evil tendency, it has been deter-
mined to offer a reward to any capitalist who will
settle in that "once flourishing but now neglected
colony."—Newton's London Journal and Repertory
contains the usual information concerning new
patents in arts, sciences, &c. Scientific notices are
also given, and the provisional protections late!),
granted.—Lawson's Merchant Magazine, Statist

and Commercial _Review, edited by B. N. Strons-
berry, F.R.G.S., has the following appropriate
motto for its title-page :—" Commerce knits man-
kind together in a mutual intercourse of good
offices, distributes the gifts of nature, finds work
for the poor, adds wealth to the rich, and magni-
ficence to the great." It presents us with reflec-
tions on the " Indian Affairs," " American
Politics," the " Eastern Question," &c. The
Traveller's Library of Longmans', numbers 42
and 43, are on the subject of " Our Coal
Fields and our Coal Pits—the People in them
and the scenes around them, by a Traveller
underground." After giving a description of how
the coal is found, what it is composed of, &c. ; of
what information the colliers possess, their man-
ners and customs and religion, the author goes on
to tell of how some eminent characters, once
being pitmen, have gone down lower, and after-
ward risen higher, than most other men." The
following celebrated characters were associated in
early life with mines :—Dr. Hutton, the mathema-
tician • W. Huntingdon, the preacher ; the inge-
nious Ingelby ; and Thomas Bewick,
,the wood-
engraver. It will be evident from this brief
epitome of the contents that this little work is
replete with information and interest.—The Poul-
try Book contains three most admirably-coloured
plates of prize birds, namely, "Black-breasted Red
Game," "Black Spanish," and " Grey Don Kings ;"
also, sonic accounts of their treatment, &c.—The
Ladies' Companion continues Miss Pardoe's tale
of " The Race for Gold." " The Woman of the
Writers," by Mrs. Cowden Clarke, is devoted to
Richardson. The usual variety of fashions and
light literature are included in the contents.
--Chambers's Edinburgh Journal presents its usual
features of attraction, and the little Pocket Miscel-
lany which gives information of the most varied
description, with tales and verses, for the price of
sixpence, has reached the eighteenth volume.—The
Home Companion is one of those numerous msiscel-
lanies which have recently appeared.
point is Ainsworth's romance of theu's n Starthe C
‘lt 1
i
ber."—The Ladies' Portfolio gives
third
number a beautiful pattern for embroidery of a
violet flower, which forms an excellent match to the
roses that bloomed last month in its pages. Patterns
for Broderie a L' Anglaise and
crotchet are also
given, which are very
superior and elegant. The
beauty and moderation of this serial should render
• it a favourite with all votaries of the work-table.—