The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-08 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

THE MA GI C' OF KINDNESS; or the Won-
drous Story of the Good Huan. By the Brothers

Mayhew.

The brothers Mayhew have written, George
Cruilahank and Kenny Meadows have illustrated,
and Messrs. Darton have published a little volume
bearing the above appellation, which unites in itself
the charms of the fairy-tale, the truthfulness of
history, and the morality of the Gospel. These three-
fold characteristics will be recognised when we say,
that the moral of the tale is "Love one another," that
the incidents narrated are all matters of history, and
that the form of the narrative is a most attractive

fairy tale. " This book," says the preface, "is more
a matter of fact than a matter of fiction. For, strange
to say, though professing to be a fairy tale, there is
not a magic change in it that has not had its origin
in the world without rather than in the imaginations
of the authors. Indeed, to prevent the appear-
ance of romancing—in this, perhaps one of the
most wonderful romaacis ever written—chapter and
verse have been given for every wonder in it." The
writers are not far wrong in styling this volume one
of the most wonderful romances ever written. No
records of king or conqueror, not even the instan-
taneous (veni, vidi, vici) triumphs of Caesar, or the
wonderful achievements of Napoleon, can parallel the
marvels effected by the magic" power of kindness.
Let those who doubt the assertion turn over the pages
of this volume. Let no one despise it as a fairy tale,
for there is matter in it more strange than fairy tales
can boast of. Among the great evils put an end to
by the " magic" of kindness the revolting cruelties
practised towards supposed witches are here enume-
rated. The details of the trials and tortures of these
unhappy beings during the ieign of the Royal
Witch-Finder, James 1., as here referred to,
are full of a terrible interest. Among the
good deeds effected by the " magic" of kindness
here recounted is the liberation of maniacs from the
excruciating torments to which, under the name of
imprisonment, they were formerly subjected • and
their restoration, through the instrumentality ofkind
treatment, to the ranks of human nature. The de-
scription of the exhibition of the incarcerated idiots
at " feeding time," like so many wild beasts, as used
to be occasionally done in good old times, is very
revolting ; and the account of the liberation of the
poor wretches follows with a beautiful effect. This
account is for the most part taken from M. Pinel's
statement regarding the emancipation of the maniacs
at Bicetre. It loses nothing by Mr. Mayhew's
telling ; it is full of power and pathos.
The establishment of schools and means of instruction
for the blind, and the deaf, and the dumb, by means
of which, as it is beautifully said, " the spirit of
kindness gave eyes to the fingers of the one, and voice
to the fingers of the other, making the blind to see, the
dumb to speak, and the deaf to hear ;" the erection of
hospitals for the sick poor, and among others the new
Hospital for Consumption, in speaking of which
Jenny Lind is thus gracefully commemorated :
" When the bounty of the kingdom had been
exhausted, so that the last hospital stood half raised,
and Kindness called in vain upon the people to finish
the home of their wasting children, a sweet voicedbird
from other lands poured forth her song, and as the
heavens rang with her melody, the building rose and
rose, till it grew to be the noblest of all the noble
monuments of love and kindness that graced the
city "—the emancipation of the negroes and the
peaceful triumphs of the missionary, are the
subjects of some of the most interesting portions of
this most interesting book. In addition to the
glorious lesson it teaches, this little work is both in-
teresting and valuable for the information with which
it is stored. In following " the gocd Huan" in his
expedition to the savages we become acquainted with
the manners and peculiarities of the wild Indian
tribes, and we obtain a terrible insight into their
cruel laws and inhuman customs. These terrible
atrocities are all guaranteed by the foot-note re-
ferences to " chapter and verse," and also, happily,
the truth of such incidents as the following is as-
sured in the same manner :

"Next an ohl Priest stood up, and, holding out his
hands, moved rapidly the joints of his wrists and
fingers. Then he opened and shut his mouth, and
raised his leg and moved it in various directions.
And, having done this, he said See, I have hinges all
over me 1 If the thought grows in my heart that I
wish to handle anything, the hinges in my hands enable
me to touch it. If I want to utter anything, the hinges
in my jaws enable me to say it. And, if I desire to go
anywhere, here are hinges in my legs to enable me to
walk thither. Now, I perceive great wisdom in the
adaptation of my body to the wants of my mind ; and,
when I look into the_ Book of Life, I see wisdom in it
equal to that in my frame ; and my heart tells me that
the Maker of my body i.i He who therein commands us
to love our brethren as ourselves.'—(Speech of a native
priest before Captain Waldegrave, at Raiatea.)
"Scarcely had the priest finished, when a body of na-
tives rushed into the temple, dragging with them a chief
which they had taken in ambush.
" As they forced him forward to the altar, they cried,
See, Great Malietoal we bring thee thine enemy at last.
Now, take thou thy vengeance on him.'
" The Malietoa rose, and, advancing to the captive,
said, Thou didst take my child as thy prisoner in war,
and pressed her to become thy wife. But she would
not consent, and even thine own people said it was base
in thee to take by force the daughter of a chieftain like
myself. Upon this, thou didst seise thy club, and swear-
ing that it thou didst not have her no one else should,
didst strike her on the head and slay my only child.
Now, my blood urges me to avenge the death of my girl,
but I have learnt the religion of Peace, and I will begin
by tryingto love thee my bitterest enemy.'—(Conduct of
Malietoa, Chief of Upolu, to one of the Chieftains of

Manono.)
" Then the chief, who had come prepared for death
torture, was stricken down with the charity of his
enemy; and, as his head fell upon his bosom, he cried,
I will unite myself to this new religion, for it is one of
wondrous mercy, and I know, by my life being spared,
that none but agreat and good God could have made it.'—
(Speech of the Chief of Tahaa after the war at Raiatea.)
Malietoa might serve as a model to many Christians.
With interesting historical records like these the
volume is crowded, and the whole is woven together
by a charming fairy tale, which from the very com-
mencement enlists our sympathies. The fictitious
opening of the story is almost as strange and as sig-
nificant, as the truthful passages which succeed it.
The " Good Huan" is the ill-used cripple son of
Prince Aleph's foster-mother, who had bestowed her
maternal cares upon her royal nurseling, while her
own child languished from neglect. Huan (not the
"good" Huan then) grew up with a jealous hatred
of his foster-brother gnawing at his heart.
Neglected by his mother, ill-used by his father, and
turned adrift in his helplessness, he sought refuge in
a magic cave. Here he was visited by the Spirit of
Revenge, animated by whom he became a giant, and
went forth to conquer and destroy. This portion of
the story is most beautifully told. The giant, giant
though he is, fails in accomplishing his cruel mission.
Huan is again sought by an angel visitor--this time
it is the Spirit of Kindness, who transforms
the unnatural strength of the giant into
the exceeding weakness of the dwarf, and turning his
spear into an olive branch, bids him go forth her
servant, and "by the very might of his weakness, and
the magic of its peaceful power, make more glorious
conquests than with the weapon of war." Huan
obeys, and thence follow the marvels effected by
the Magic of Kindness. The story is skilfully inter-
woven with the record of reality. Huan's sister
Anthy, beloved and deserted by Prince Aleph, and
Aleph's sister, the blind Princess Evoi, are the
heroines of the tale. Many beautiful allegories are
appropriately introduced. One of the best is the
following history of

lUSTICE AND HER DAUGHTERS•

" Of the blind Goddess Justice tieieTWere born two
children. The one was fair and golden-haired as the
Morning, the other dark and black-eyed as the daugh-
ters of the East. The fair one was weak and gentle
like the Lamb—the dark one proud-spirited and daunt-
less as the Lion. And the fair and gentle maid they
named Forgiveness, while her dark, proud sister they
called Revenge.
" When the two had grown up to womanhood, their
blind Mother called them to her side, and having blessed
them, bade them say which of her possessions she should
bestow upon them as their dower. To her eldest child,
Revenge, she gave the first choice.
"And the dark damsel asked for the sword where-
with to protect the Injured and punish the Injurer.
But gentle Forgiveness, falling on her knees, besought
her Mother that she might inherit her blindness as her
portion, so that, being blind, she might be merciful to
erring Man.
" Then Justice, turning to her younger child, said
' Thou bast chosen rightly, my gentle one ; for whereas
thy sterner sister bath asked of me that which was given
to me by Man, thou host desired of me that which was
given to me by God.'
from ef,ojreeavloeur,saoefdhwereestisatherre'sadprtaeissee,e partedwhieh
Then Revenge,
of the two would win most favour among the sons of the
Earth.
At her mother,i
di n
" Wherever she went, high and low, noble and ignoble,
bent the knee and worshipped her. And to those who
sought:her aid she gave such strength and courage, and
smpoeknemissotoek herwinninfgolry
J,
uansidieelohe
ekresdelf.so like ht
r
na-
tion warred against nation; for she preached the capti-
vating creed of blood for blood, until men blessed the
sword, and the fairest of the laud admired him the most
who wielded it the best.
proudof her
spirit
do I he
" So that, when at length Forgiveness came, and strove
to teach a gentler doctrine to Mankind, they spurned
her for her blindness and her weakness; and those that
listened to her counsels they branded as cowards, while
those that slew the most they praised as heroes.
" Dost thou know me now V the Spirit a ked, as
Huan lifted up
ehisri
cried,
I
i s hands,edael t inhouart
adorationthe
of Re—.'
" • Hush !' she exclaimed, before the word had passed
his lips. 'On Earth they call me Honour—in (leaven
alone am known as Revenge!'"
"The Magic of Kindness" is illustrated by Cruik-
shanit's very effective and Kenny Meadows' very