The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-07 00:00:00

but that the spirit of Christian charity should be
the crown of all our efforts; and the guiding influ-
ence in life and death.

DISPENSRRS FOR THE EAST.—Among the gentlemen
sent out to assist the medical staff in the Crimea, the' Go-
vernment have selected Mr. J. Fitze, son of Mr. Fitze,
stationer, Exeter, whs has just embarked. The pay of
this class per diem, including allowances, is half-a-guinea.
ROYAL MARINES FOR THE CRIMEA.—In addition to
the officers already named as ordered from this division to
join the „Royal Marine corps in the Crimea, Capt. Kennedy
and three subalterns of the Portsmouth division have been
placed under orders to hold themselves in immediate readi-
ness for embarkation for the East.
DUBLIN, Wednesday Morning.—Large quantities of
powder and other munitions cf war were conveyed, on
Monday last, from the magazine in the Phoenix-park to
the Pigeon-house Fort, near this city, for the convenience
of shipment. Sixteen tons of gunpowder were taken on
board the steam-ship Arabia, at Kingstown, yesterday.
This splendid steamer, which belongs to th? Halifax line,
arrived in the harbour yesterday morning, and after get-
ting the powder on board, sailer' at 3 o'clock direct for
Marseilles, to embark French troops for the Crimea.
THE SICK AND WOUNDED OF Tilt BATTLE OF INKER-
MAN AT PERA.—We find the following in a foreign jour-
nal :—"I yesterday visited the extensive hospital at Pera,
and saw the wounded in the battle of Inkerman,who had ar-
rived on the previous day in the Chaptal. Notwithstanding
the gravity of their wounds, theysuppor t their sufferingiwith
the greatest firmness. Among them I remarked several
Russian officers whose countenances were very intelligent,
showing a strong contrast to those of the common soldiers,
who are generally very stupid-looking. All of them ex-
perience the same treatment as the French. The number
of the sick and wounded in the hospital yesterday was
1,065. Among them are about sixty officers, of whom
eight or ten have undergone amputation ; but they are all
going on very well. Up to this time it is the medical staff
Which has suffered the greatest losses. Out of six officers
who have died at the hospital at Pera may be reckoned
three surgeons ; and this is not astonishing, for a man need
be made of iron to stand the fatigues which the medical
corps undergo. The Sultan has on different occasions tes-
tified the interest he feels in the condition of the wounded.
The other day he sent to the hospital. at Porn 256 kilo-
grames of excellent pates and ex.:ellent preserves, articles
for which the Turks are unrivalled, and this present to the
1 great delight of the soldiers was accompanied by a similar
weight of good tobacco."

Tropical Sketches. By W. Knighton, M.A.., author
of "Forest Life in Ceylon." 2 vols. Hurst

Herbert Lake. By the author of " Anne Dysart."
3 vols. Hurst and plackett.
Without aiming at anything remarkable or out
of the way of every-day life in thought or action,
this author contrives to render her works in no
ordinary degree a pleasure and a profit to the
reader. If, at the commencement of the narrative,
the plot may seem tame and the characters ordi-
nary, it is because they are life-like and simple.
We are shown human nature as it is in its every-
day garb, but as soon as we become acquainted
thoroughly with the various characters, they are
described with their cares and their follies as they
suffer and commit them in their struggles with the
world of sin and sorrow. Herbert Lake, the hero,
is not what heroes are ordinarily depicted, in the
usual acceptation of the term. Richard Wyvil
comes nearer to the standard in his romantic and
refined notions, in his lofty contempt for toil and
trouble, his wayward fancies, which scorn the
trammels of wealth, and
,yet which peculiarly re-
quire riches to indulge them. Herbert was fear-
less and self-reliant. The same dauntless courage
and determined energy which raised him from a
lowly origin into being the equal of a refined and
instructed assembly, and even the superior of many
of its votaries, enabled him to steer clear of the
perils which proved so fatal to his friend, and to
maintain his dignity and position when assailed
by many desperate circumstances. As the story
so soon developes itself, it will not interfere
with the interest to revert to the unfortu-
nate and clandestine marriage of Richard
to Mary Harris. The miseries that resulted from
that alliance are skilfully shown forth. It is not
that Mr.Wyvill is screened from censure ; his pride
and his revenge are denounced, and a terrible suf-
fering is seen to visit his sin; yet this faultiness of
his conduct did not prevent his son's actions being
unworthy and inconsiderate. His hesitation and
yielding to fancied suggestions of wrong deterred
him from enacting the bold, straightforward course
becoming a man—above all; one preparing to enter
a solemn engagement. This part of the story is
eminently successful in delineating the evil that
was effected from the indulgence of opposite views.
Obduracy and weakness combined to blight the pro-
mise of a brilliant youth, and to render wretched
the decline of an honourable life. It is true that
Mr.Wyvill at last consented to receive his sou into
the home of his youth again, but ho had to learn
that man cannot take destiny into his own
hands to fashion. The day of grace was gone
by, the heir of his proud name and fair
inheritance was never to enjoy or to inherit it.
Before his father had schooled his haughty spirit
to relent, Richard Wyvill was cited to receive the
award of a higher tribunal than that of man, and
the tardy restituf on of earthly justice was as no-
thing to him wilt:se hope and expectation were en-
shrined in the promise of the mercies of Heaven;
still it was a sweet and soothing thought to die in
peace with home and friends, and as Richard
Wyvill was lying on the bed of death, looking out
on the smiling prospect of his earthly home, he
offered a solemn warning to all wayward and self-
sufficient spirits. In the pride of intellect and the
flush of youth and health lie scorned control, and
did not brook counsel. He set out for himself
without principle or plan. At last, worn out and
withered in what should have been his prime of
life, he confessed that he was an unprofitable
worker, and his father, as he laid low in the dust
him who should have been the prop of his age and
the mourner at his tomb, to keep alive his memory
by the practise of his precepts, and transmit to
posterity the successors to his name, he might
'well have exclaimed, " Alt is vanity." A more
welcome truth, and a more pleasing knowledge is
conveyed by the life of Herbert, although his career
was greatly overshadowed. He, too, was alienated
from his friends, but that was from unfortunate
circumstances, and not from daring defiance or
self-willed actions. The powers of his mind were
more the sterling than the striking; his was more
reason and reflection than fancy and imagination.
He did not find it easy to come before the public
although he wished to be practical, and for a time
his wisdom was as much at a loss as Richard's more
volatile disposition. They found friends who were
ready to serve them after their own fashion, a
kindness only too prevalent in the world. Mr. 1
Fandshaw, who seemed the very man to refer to,
and the most useful assistant to unprovided talents,
had his own views and wishes which he thought
just the thing to be observed, and the only course
to be adopted. As may be supposed, such a sub •
servience did not suit the high nature of Herbert
Lake; it was not pride of his own opinion, or vanity
of his own writings, but his self-respect and con-
sciousness of worth which resisted the slavery im-
posed. Ho heard with scorn that Iltaard had
forced himself to conform—but he declined. For-
tunately, he afterwards met with a more congenial
spirit in Mr. Grant, whose acquaintance he made
in performing an act of kindness. The many dark
scenes through which Herbert and Richard passed
are given with skill and vigour, and the crowning
act of misery and destitution, when in mourning
for their only daughter, Richard and May are sur-
prised by bailiffs, is touchingly depicted. The
knowledge of the human heart is shown yet
more by the workings out of the home life.
As Herbert beheld his wretched friends in their
misunderstandings and troubles, he realised that
the sharpest stiles, of poverty is the effect it pro-
duces on the minds of the sufferers. Harder than
the scanty meal and the unfurnished hearth, more
painful than the want of friends and fortune, was
the harsh look and the unkind words from each
other. The love that had sprung up amid roses
and sunshine should have bloomed in its native
atmosphere and flourished in its kindred soil ; it
had not been tested in the toils of city drudgery
and the details of the poor man's fire-side. Her-
bert, although spared such suffering, had a secret
trouble, which dimmed the lustre of his rising
fame, and obscured for him the pleasure of making
his way in the world. Kate Wyvill was a noble
and generous girl, her education had tended to warp
her judgment, and she was, besides, greatly in-
fluenced by her father in all her decisions and
opinions. In the society of literary and intelligent
men in London Herbert was conspicuous, but in He might have clutcht the palm of victory
his own village they remembered him as a farmer's In the world's wrestling-rin,, of mightiest deeds i
son. The Vyvills of Wyvill's Court were the mag- But he went down like a rich* Argosy
nates of the circle in which the Lakes were hardly At sea, just glimmering into sight of home,
recognised. True to this early prejudice, Kate With its rare freightage from diviner climes.
Wvvill, kind and gentle to others, became abrupt The world may never know the wealth it
tomb,
lost,
and repulsive to the unfortunate Herbert, who, When Hood went darkling to his tearful
always welcomed by her with respect and consi- So mighty in his undevelopt force !
deration, forgot the distance between them, fur- With all his crowding unaccomplished hopes !
Tic' unuttered wealth and glory of his soul !
tiler than as regarded the interchange of civilities.
And all the music ringing round his life,
Kate's spirit was roused to sustain her wavering
firmness, and she for a time forgot her uniform Aonidhles.ngs ,
don poems stirringh
about infehristhdeying stain.
firmness,
grace and gentleness. Herbert's spirit was like- Which 3s•learn
wise excited, and he hastened away. In this dark How like a bonnyunthe wosrlodnf,isll i'
then sang--
for birth !
bird of God he came,
hour of sorrow and wounded feeling he had to And pour'd his heart in music for the poor ;
make another effort. He had been greatly indebted • Who sit in gloom while sunshine floods the land,
to the clergyman of the place, who wished him to And feel through darkness, for the hand of help
!
succeed him in his sacred calling. ,ut Herbert And trampled manhood heard, and claimed his crown,
felt that his vocation was not that of the Church, And trampled womanhood sprang up ennobled !
and he gave up every prospect of fortune rather The human soul lOokt radiantly through rags !
than be a hypocrite in so sublime a service. This And there was melting of cold hearts, as when
The ripening sunlight fingers frozen flowers.
act of sacrificing self at the outset of his career
seemed to set a stamp of glory on his whole subso-
His Mausoleum is the people's heart ;
fluent life. The approval of his own conscience There he lies crown'd and glorified,—our king
was with him in the hardest of his labours, and the In state, with singing robe wrapt richly round.
most dreary of his solitary hours. The only in- But 't is not meet, my England, his dear dust
stance in which blame can attach to him was in Should lie where splendid flatteries flaunt on tombs,
the engagement he formed with Jessie Grant, but As treachery serves to brighten wanton tears—
lie had the excuse of being deceived by Kate With not a line of letter'd love to tell
Wyvill. She had shown indifference to him,. and Whats mighty heart lies quencht and broken there,
he could not imagine that indifference was feigned
Ivo i letth u s build our poet's monument !
to conceal the affection that pride disdained. BY And passionate hearts of love for cornerstones,
a chance, Miss Grant discovered her rival and her tears that temper for immortal fame:
real sentiments towards Herbert. She suspected. The " Love Lyrics" are full of tenderness, though
all, and acted according to her conviction. This the faults of too much profuseness of language and
was the only darkness in the retrospect of his life ;
imagery are chiefly shown here. " The War" and
but Herbert had not acted unfeelingly, but un- ce People's Songs" are full of fire and spirit, though
knowingly, and in the end Jessie Grant was satis- some of the latter are decidedly democratic in their
fled of his truth and rectitude, although she in- opinions. Thie, of course, is but natural, but one
sisted on their engagement being dissolved. It of the high aims which the author has sot himself
was not until they had met at the death-bed of is "to write some songs that may become dear to
Richard, whom both so dearly loved, that Rose
'
the hearts of the people, lighting them on the way
and Herbert overcame their angry feelings and
up which they are groping; after better things." The
softened their proud hearts. In the presence of poem from which the following extract is taken is
that mighty Power, before which the petty jealou• this subject ••
on .—
sies and vanities of the world are laid low, they of darkness and the city's soil of sin,
were awed into the right understanding of truth Come from the d!ii
and the Angel's blessing
Put on y?ur, radiant manhood,
and nature. The pride which seemed dignified was
Richard's stumbling-block through life, and scorned Where wv.l-nealthier . sunlight comes from heaven, like
about to bring Mr. Wyvill with sorrow to the welcome•smiles of God,
grave. The love of place and power had been the And earth's blind yearnings leap
to life in flowers, from
misery of Alice ; in the pride of her beauty and out the sod :
the fore,,t-temple, dim and h usb ,
her youth she was wandering au alien in a foreign Come worship beauty in .
d amin t and God burneth
land, having given up her husband's home and her Where stands Magnificence re g .
in the bush :
father's house to seek a refuge amid strangers. old hills worship with their silence for a
Herbert and Kate did hot rush to the altar, as Or where the
psalm,
Richard and Mary had done, in ignorance of life heart doth keep the sabbath of its calm.
and its realities. They knew their way ; Herbert OrCo ocean's weary
Conic let ies worship beauty with the knightly faith of old,
11:-.4 fought in the world of action, and Kate had 0 chivalry of labour toiling for the age of gold !
suffered in the retirement of her existence. Their
Come let us worship beauty : she bath subtle power to
thoughts had been directed to the contemplation start
of their work ; they had learned from their rela-
Heroic word and deed out•flashing from the humblest
tions and friends, and Alice and Richard had been heart I
monitors of an awful lesson. " They build too Great feelings will gush unawares, a freshly as the first
low who build beneath the skies," has been often and
Rich rainbow that up startled
heaven in tearful
cited as a moral, and declared as a precept to the splendour burst.
ardent and aspiring, and the sequel of this story 0 blessed are her lineaments, and wondrou h sareher ways
would exemplify how pride has no place among us) To re ore God's worn likeness is the ff • h
su ern) g _ureau
in self-sufficiency, aelf-righteounces, or self-love, i face f.

and Blackett.
• These Tropical Sketches or Reminiscences of an
Indian journalist, as they are called, are not re-
stricted to descriptions of one place or country—they
include sketches of Ceylon, Calcutta, Delhi, and the
Tristan d'Acunha Islands. The first of these, the
island of Ceylon, was the subject of the author's
former work, and a large portion of the present
volumes is devoted to it. At the conclusion of
the second volume a brief outline of its history is
appended, and the amusing narrative of the author's
editorial perplexities relates also to his residence
among the Ciugalese. His accounts of " Men and
Manners in the City of Palaces," does not give a
very tempting picture. The chapter entitled
" Anglo-Indian Comforts," is sufficient to terrify
any intending emigrant. On the subject of Indian
education, the author writes strongly, drawing a
vivid picture of the ignorance of the people. Even
in the Government colleges of India the results of
the instruction given do not appear to be very
beneficial, for it is asserted that the religion in
which the students have been brought up, Brah-
minism, being uprooted by the study of astro-
nomy and geography, and no opportunity af-
forded them of learning a better, they combine
"great intellectual acuteness and a total want
of moral principles, utter infidelity in reli-
gion, combined with an enthusiastic worship
of reason and money." One of the most in-
teresting and instructive portions of the work is
a brief summary, which is given at the commence-
ment of the second volume, of the rise and fall of
the Seikhs. It is justly observed that, should the
incidents of this history appear in a drama, they
would be stigmatised as improbable. • The horrible
rites and ceremonies of the Brahmins are related,
and the writer demands, with indignation, why
they are tolerated. The customs of the Mussul-
mans are not of so barbarous a form, though their
great fast of the Ramezan is sufficiently distres-
sing. It lasts twentlT-eight days, during which
time they must not eat or drink from sunrise to
sunset, and this under a tropical sun, for men
engaged in daily labour, sometimes in the hot-
test season of the year. It gives some idea
of the character . of the people that some of them
die under this self-imposed infliction. The ac-
count of the inhabitants of Tristan d'Acunha is
singular and interesting. A variety of information
respecting the different races and nations is con-
tained in these volumes, and much entertainment
may be derived from their lively and amusing
anecdotes of Life in the Tropics.

The Last Earl of Desmond. 2 vols. Hodges and•
Smith. _ _

This is an historical novel, and relates the for-
tunes of the last Earl of Desmond and his com-
panions. A good deal of romance is introduced by
the affection of the earl for the fair Ellen, a poor
and friendless orphan, who resides with an old
priest with whom he takes refuge. She is subse-
quently discovered to be the daughter of Spenser
the poet, whose infant, it is well known, was left
behind him in his flight from the rebels, and was
always supposed to have pershed iu the fire. This
very improbable discovery does not render the
heroine any more suited for a bride for the
last Earl of Desmond in the opinion of
one of his companions, who accordingly poisons the
old priest, the only one willing to perform the
ceremony, by slow degrees. The old man hastens
on the marriage, and his murderer increases the
poison. At the altar he faints, the other presses
forward to give him a cordial ; he refuses it, and,
with a great effort, completes the ceremony and
falls dead. Political events and private history
are mingled throughout. It is said to be the first
work of the author, and, as such, certainly deserves
commendation, for it displays none of the exaggera-
tion which usually marks the style of young
writers. Indeed the error is on the other side,
for, in his assumption of a free and easy manner,
the author is sometimes careless in his style. This,
however, is a trifling fault, and the work certainly
possesses the attractions of originality and con-
ciseness, variety and interest.

The Ballad of Babe Christabel, and Other Poems
By Gerald Massey. Fourth Edition. Bogue.
This is a volume of great promise, which has
been written under peculiar circumstances. The
fact of this being the fourth edition is not neces-
sarily a guarantee for the merit of the poetry, but
most readers will be of opinion that the success it
has obtained has not been undeserved. Gerald
Massey has arisen from the people. At eight years
of age he worked in a factory, and since then he
has ,met with countless obstacles in his upward
path of ',self-instruction and improvement. His
life, which is given in this volume, is full of inte-
rest. None would suspect, from the perusal of the
work, HI., difficulties in the way of the writer's self-
education. His early circumstances can only be
guessed at from the tone of some of the political
lyrics. The writer, in thanking tho critics who
have given him a generous welcome, declines the
title of poet. He says—" I knew what a poet is
too well to fancy that lam one yet. It is a high
standard that I set up myself, and I do not ask it
to be lowered to reach my stature—nor would I
have the poet's awful crown diminished to mete my
lesser brow." It is true that the title of poet is
much too readily bestowed, but
" Poeta nascitur, non fit."
Study, time, and cultivation may do much; they
will remove defects, adorn and embellish the style,
but if the inspiration of the muse be wanting no
efforts can ever make a poet. It is not wanting
here. Much remains to be done in minor points,
but there are many passages which display talents
of a very high order, especially if we take lit° ac-
count the author's history. One great merit of the
style is its clearness. Here and there a too great
redundancy of language and profuseness of imagery
mar and encumber it ; but the prevailing defect of
the present day is not there. The writer has a
meaning in all lie says, which is really surprising
in these days, and, what is still more so, the reader
sees it. If he mounts to the clouds, at least he
carries his readers with him. As a sample of the
most ambitious style, we subjoin the following pas-
sages from a very fine poem to the memory of
Thomas Hood :