The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-13 00:00:00

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LITERATURE.
DUDLEY CRANBOURNE ; or, a Woman's

History. 3 Vols.
The writer of these volumes tells us that it has
not been ,is object to seek interest by stratagem and
a cunningly contrived plot, but he has preferred
rather to found his claim to attention on correct de-
lineation of character, and the grave or lively manner
in which be has endeavoured to present certain views
and,thoughts. In so doing, he has aimed wisely, and,
to a certain extent, he has succeeded in carrying out
his idea. His delineations of character are occa-
sionally very effective, and his manner, whether grave
or lively, is generally interesting. Still, much as he
disparages a " cunningly contrived plot," a plot was
necessary to give vitality to his characters. Now
although it answers that purpose admirably, and al-
though its various incidents serve to bring out the
lights and shadows cf individual portraits, the
plot contrived by the author of " Dudley
Cranbourne" is not a very natural one. It
contains, to our thinking, one or two glaringimprobabi-
lities. These imperfections, however, are redeemed by
the truthful painting of other portions. Once or twice
during our perusal of the work we have been some-
what disagreeably impressed in its behalf; but on
closing the third volume we must confess that those
disagreeable impressions had disappeared, acd the
effect of the book as a whole is pleasing and salutary.
It teaches a double moral lesson—in one instance with
most painful force. The title-page bears a motto
from La Bruyere, to the effect that some men differ
so greatly from themselves at different periods of
their life, that it is impossible to judge their charac-
ters in early youth. This assertion is illustrated by
the career of Dudley Cranbourne. Reared in the
worst possible school, familiar with extravagance and
depravity from his childhood, his heart is not utterly
corrupted, when a change of scene and of situation
brings him into close companionship with a noble-
minded man and his pure-hearted family. Dudley,
still very young and impressionable, yields at once
to the ennobling influences of this friendship,
the good points of his character develop themselves—
he is thenceforth another and a better man. From
this time the fortunes of Dudley are full of vicissi-
tudes, but he himself remains unchanged, and his
character, frank, earnest, and manly, yet gentle and
affectionate to an extreme, is more really interesting
than that of any novel-hero we have met with for a
considerable period We have given but a very brief
summary of Dudley's most eventful career, but we
leave the unravellingof the plot to the curiosity of,the
reader. We have mentioned only so much of it to
show the moral which it teaches—and a very useful
moral it is—namely, that if evil communica-
tions corrupt good manners, good influences
have an equally powerful, but contrary effect.
But " Dudley Cranbourne" teaches also another
lesson. Its title-page tells us it is a " woman's his-
tory"—a history on the old theme, ce n'est que 1e
premier pas qui coilte. Favourite as that theme is
with fiction writers, it has here been treated in an
unusual and a very effective manner. The first
volume opens in the quiet village of Longfern, where
a Mrs. Cameron, the widow of an officer, lives in re-
tirement with an only child. Mrs. Cameron is re
presented as almost a paragon of perfection. She is
the favourite of old and young—charitable, good,
gentle; in short, possessed of every virtue, "yet not-
withstanding her life of peace and well-doing, Mrs.
Cameron was not happy. There was a void in her
heart, for she was young and very beautiful, and she
thought with a pang that she was henceforth to pass
through life in loneliness of heart." She was, how-
ever, mistaken in this supposition. Lord Cran-
bourne has a castle in the neighbourhood, and
he forms an acquaintance with the widow. Lord
Cranbourne is represented as a noble-minded, admir-
able man. He is gloomy and melancholy, for he is
unhappily married. He passes his time in retirement
in the country, while his countess is flirting in town.
Lord Cranbourne and Mrs. Cameron become frießds,
but after a while the lady, suspecting that their
friendship deserves another name, !withdraws herself
from his Lordship's society. He resolves to leave the
country, but first insists upon saying farewell, and
here follows one of the glaring improbabilities to
which we have alluded, as disfiguring the pages of
" Dudley Cranbourne." Lord Cranbourne and Mrs.
Cameron, be it remembered, are no longer actuated by
the passions of youth, both are of virtuous and admir-
able character, parents living in retirement educating
their children—the one a nobleman duly conscious of
the responsibilities of his high position, the other the
widow of an officer and the daughter of a proud
family. When she refused the hand of William
Durham (one of the noblest characters in the book),
we were told " Mrs. Cameron was not a woman to be

lightly won ; she had been a St. Clair, and some of
the pride of that proud race might perhaps
have been found even in her gentle nature, though
she was not conscious of it." Bearing all these things
in mind, we cannot but think the catastrophe most im-
probable. Lord Cranbourne, returning from the visit
in which he had proposed bidding farewell to Mrs.
Cameron, is thrown from his horse and killed. The
unhappy woman is left to bear her shame and sorrow
alone. After the birth of Dudley Cranbourne—her
son and the son of Lord Cranbourne—the metamor-
phosis in her character takes place. Twenty years
afterwards we are introduced to a Mrs. Cameron,
whom it is difficult to recognise as the once proud
Emma St. Clair, The cause of her altered manners
is however natural enough. After her fall she had
at first thought of assuming another-name, and still
continuing her retired life, " but that solitude which
had before only been haunted by melancholy became
insupportable, now she had remorse and guilt for her
companions." She turned to society for refuge—" she
sought forgetfulnesand found despair." Shut out from
the companionship of her former friends, she became
compelled to associate with characters from whom
she would once have turned with disgust. But we
have pursued the " woman's history " far enough—
, the lesson is vividly but painfully set forth. To re-
turn again to the consideration of the book as a
whole, we must say that it affords ample room for
condensation. The scenes from low life are far from
pleasing ; here and there they are amusing, but such
themes soon grow tedious. The author, in his
anxiety to avoid a cunningly.contrived plot, has fallen
into the opposite extreme, and become much too
prolix in his episodes and descriptions. One-third of
" Dudley Cranbourne," especially of the first volume,
might be very well dispensed with, and the remain-
ing portions would, in consequence, be far more in-
teresting than at present. En revanche for this pass-
ing condemnation, we must cite some of the
more attractive features of " Dudley Cran-
bourne." The author has told us that one
of his great objects has been to render
his pages attractive by the grave or lively manner in
which he has presented various scenes and thoughts,
and in this he has been successful. Many of the thoughts
and reflections which occur in " Dudley Cranbourne"
testify that its writer thinks much, and often well.
Here-is one truthful sentence taken at random :--
"None are so unhappy as those whose conduct is
vicious, yet whose hearts still yearn mornfully after
virtue. Hell must, indeed, be hell, if it be peopled
with fallen angels!" Here is a sentence which we
cannot pass over without a passing censure, it is
illiberal to an unpardonable degree::—" What a mean,
cold-blooded, heartless race, are the nobles of out
day! An occasional bright example in vain endeavours
to disprove this assertion, and they are only excep-
tions-to a rule, which is fearfully general. Our no-
bility have neither the chivalry of their remote ances•
tors, nor the wisdom and talent that grace their order
at a later period," &c. We were about to enumerate
list of noble noblemen, beginning with the
friend of the Poles Lord Dudley Stuarts
and the friend of the poor—Lord Ashley,
but on a second reflection we presume that these are
the "exceptions" to which the author of "Dudley
Cranbourne" alludes. His condemnation is of the
nobility as a body. He should have contented
ahim-
self with a less comprehensive censure.. Asa
far
our nobility are in a political point
from
blameless ; but as a class,
m meriting the
characters are far, very far, fro
~
most assuroefdlvyletwhe.i.r privat
Cameron's
terrible Cranbourne,"—" a
Mrs. nbo u rcnaem,
smweeaenp, i ng censurecold-blooded, of
heartless ‘
lld
lreayc e
terrible and continued extravagance, which repeatedly
overwhelms her with debt, gives occasion for the
author's favouring his readers with some very excel-
lent admonitions on the subject of debt and debtors.
It also enables him to throw a light upon the ini-
quitous proceedings of Messrs. Fleeceman and Co.,
for the benefit of those ignorant persons (though in
these enlightened days their number can be but
few), who may be unacquainted with the prac-
tices of such gentlemen. Besides the thoughtful and
truthful observations, sometimes very beautifully ex•
pressed, which are to be met with in its pages,
" Dudley Cranbourne," notwithstanding its some-
what improbable plot, abounds in natural touches.
But we have lingered long enough over these vo-
lumes, we must commend them to the attention of our
readers " with all their imperfections on their head."
We shall, however, expect something yet better at
the hands of the author of " Dudley Cranbourne."
This production amply testifies that he does not lack
abilities, and those abilities would be more manifest
if he were content to winnow the chaff from the
'enuine grain.

THE MAN MADE OF MONEY. By Douglas
Jerrold. Part VI.
This is the concluding number of perhaps the
most philosophical work that Douglas Jerrold has
yet given to the world. With all the shrewd tact,
the sarcastic wit, and the delightful style
of the
tales of Voltaire, it has none of their cynicism, and
no one can rise from the perusal of the " Xian made of
Money" without being not.only a wiser, but a better
man.

The Siekhs'are so called, as the disciples of Nanick
Shah, the founder of their sect, in the 15th century ;
from stkina-g4ii•ers, $o leas.

• rim LEGAL TITLE ASSURANCE
COMPANY.
(Provisionally Registered, January 17, 1849.)
Capital, 2,000,000/., in 80,000 Shares, of 251. each.
Preliminary Deposit, 2s. 6d. per Share
Prospectuses and full information may be obtained at the Tempo-
• Offices of the Company, 13A, Cannon-row, Westminster, on ap-
plication to

G. F. HOWE, Hon. Sec., pro tem.

Now ready, at all the Libraries, 2 vols., 215.,
SAM SLICK'S NEW WORE,
THE OLD JUDGE
Or, Life in a Colony.
" These volumes are redolent of the hearty fun and strong mascu-
line sense of our old friend, Sam Slick. The last work of Mr. Hall-
burton is quite equal to the first. Every page of The Old Judge' is
alive with rapid, ftesh skefthes of chasacter—droll, quaint
told , Tea'
anec-
cy
sayings—good-humoured practical jokes, and capitally
dotes."—Morning Chronicle.
Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street.

QT.
ko

JA.MES'S THEATRE.
Season 1849.
FRENCH PLAYS and OPERA COM.IQUE.
T 0-3.IORROW EVENIN G
The Performances will commence at Half-past Seven o'clock, with
LE MAITRE DE CHAPELLE ; ou, le Souper Imprevu.
Barnabe, M. Beauce ; Benetto, M. Chatcaulort ; Gertrude, Mdlle.
Guichard.
To conclude with the
DOMIN popular O
NOIR Opera ComiqUe, entitled
LE .

Lord Elfort, M. Chateaufort ; Juliano, sf. Soyer ; Horace, M.
Couderc ; Gil Perez, M. Buguet ; Angelo, Mdlle. Charton ; Brigitte,
Mdlle. Martial ; Ursule, Mdlle. Morel ; Jaciethe, Madame Mancini ;
Gertrude, Mdlle. Tigny.
Mr. Mitchell begs also to announce that, notwithstanding the in-
creased expenses of the present entertainment, the prices of admis-
sion are determined as follows:
Boxes .. ss. Dd.
Fit as. Od.
Amphitheatre 2s. Od.
Subscriptions for the season may be arranged at Mr. Mitchell's
Royal Library, 33, Old Bond-street ; Mr. Sam?, St. James's-street ;
Mr. Andrew?, New Bond-street ; and at the Box-office of the
Theatre, which is open daily from eleven till five.

I_1-E
K AIAJ E STY'S THEATKE.
The Nobility, Subscribers to the Opera, and the Public, are
respectikilly informed that-this Theatre
Will OPEN on THURSDAY EVENING next, March 15,
being the First Night of the Subscription, when will be presented
(for the first time these five years) Rossini's Opera,
LA CENERENTOLA.
The principal parts by
Alboni (her first appearance at this theatre),
Mille. Pollonia, and Mme. Grimaldi;
Signori Garden!, F. Lablache, and Beletti.
To conclude with, first time at this. Theatre (the Scenery by Mr.
Charles Marshall) the celebrated Ballet, entitled
LE DIABLE A QUATRE.
In which will appear
Mlle. Carlotta Grist, I Mdlle Marie Taglioni, and
Mine. Petit Stephan, Mdlle. Carolina Rosati,
DI. Paul Taglioni, M. Charles, M. Louis D'Or ; Mdlles. Thevenot,
Julien, Lamoureux. and 4.ussandon.
Applications for Boxes, Stalls, and Tickets to be mate at the Box-
office, Opera Colonnade.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
Mr. B. Webster, Sole Lessee and Manager, Old l3rompton.
THIS EVENING,

Wlll be performed the :Drama of THE HOUSEKEEPER. The
principal characters by Mr. Charles Kean, Mr. Webster, Mr.
Keeley, Mrs. Charh s Kean, &c. _ -

After which, THE WONDER.
Donna Violante, Mrs. C. Kean.
To concl de with A SEPARATE MAINTENANCE. The prin.
El pal characters by Mr. and Mrs. Keeley and Mrs. Ilumby.

Don Felix, Mt. C. Kean

THEATRE ROYAL. ADELPHL
Under the direction of Madame Celeste.
THIS EVENUSt,.

Will be perfOrmed THE HOP PICKERS. Principal characters
by Messrs. Lambert, Boyce, Wright, Paul Bedford, Hughes, 3lun-
yard, 0. Smith, Cullenford, Madame Celeste, Miss Woolgar, Mrs. F.
Matthews, Miss Taylor, Miss E. Chaplin, &c.
To conclude with COCKNEYS IN CALIFORNIA. The principal
characters by Mr. Munyard, Mr. Paul Bedford, Mrs. Chitlins, Mrs.
F. Matthews, and Miss Turner.
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NATAL LYCEUM THEATRE.
Under the Management of Madame Vestris.
Sole Lessee, Mr. Charles Ma, he Ns.
THIS EVENING

Will be performed a new' and original petite Cemsdy, entitled
WHO SPEAKS FIRST?
After which, a new Drama, called A ROMANTIC IDEA.
To conclude wihh•a Fairy Extravaganza, entitled TtiE KING OF
PIIE PEACOCKS. Characters by Messrs. Marley, John Reeve,
Selby, 11. Ball, Marshall, and H. Marshall ; Miss Kathleen Fitzwil-
slam, Miss L. Howard, Mrs. Macnamara, Miss Marshall, Miss L.
Marshall, Miss Coleman, and Madame Vestrls.
Dress Poxes, ss. ; Upper Boxes, 4s. ; Pit, 25.; Gallery, Is. No
Nialf-price to any part of the house.
The New Buz-office, No. 2, Wellingtor..street, Is open to the
public every day, from Ten till Six.

PRINCESS'S THEATC.E.
Mr. J. M. Maddox, Sole Lessee and Manager.
THIS EVENING,

ITIII be performed a new Opera, entitled FRANCESCA DORIA.
After which, M. ILLARIL will, execute most extraordinary feats of
Ddxtertty and Elegaace on Le Globe Roulant.
To conclude with a new grand Pantomime, entitled BLUFF
KING HAL ; or, Harlequin anti th (Charmed Arrow. Harlequin,
Mr. Bologna; Pantaloon, Mr. Paulo; Clown, Mr. Flexmore ; Sprite,
Mr. De Barr; Columbine, Miss Fawcett.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.
Proprietor, Mr. W. Batty. _

Under the Patronage of /ter Majesty the Queen, his Royal Highness
Prince Albert, &c.

Mr. Batty respectfully announces that he has entered into an en-
gagement with the celebrated American Equestrian Young Hernan-
dez, who has just arrived in this country, and whose talent has
gained for him the title of the first rider in the world. He will make
his e•ghth appearance

THIS EVENING.

The curtain will rise at &Quarter to Seven o'clock precisely to the
magnificent Spectacle, by Fitzball. entitled
CORASCO ; or, the Warrior's Steed.
After which the double Tight-ropes.
To be iollowed by an Inimitable display of SCENES IN TIIIL
CIRCLE. supported by the first Equestrian talent of the day.
To conclude with the farce •f THE DUMB DRIVER.;
Box-office open from Eleven till Five.
Stage Manager, Mr. W. West.

TUE WEATLIER.—Sraz OFFICE, MARCH 13.
TugalioNETßß, Lowest, 45, Highest, 53; Noon, 56.

BiacsmrEu, 30.15.
WIND variable from W. to W.N.W.—fresh gales s►al

squally, but fine; afternoon, cloudy.

111•1FI WATER AT LONDON 131411)0E.
Tnzs DAT —Morning, 33 min. after 4 J Evening, 60 min. after 4
To-Ifoattosv— +iortitn7, 6 ruin. alter 5 i Eventmtr. 23 min. atter 5

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