The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-08 00:00:00

GEMS OF POETRY. No. 1.

The singularity of this republication of many almost
forgotten beauties of our olden poets engages our sym-
pathy for its success. It is charmingly got up, though
we are inclined to object to the scanty allowance of
leaves to a single part, As a specimen of the materials
employed, we will transcribe an exquisite poem by
James Shirley, entitled " Death's Final Conquest." We
are told in a foot-note that it was greatly admired by
Charles the Second ; a circumstance which, to our
thinking, speaks admirably for the poetical taste of the
Merry Monarch. The words run thus—
The glories of our birth and state
Are shadows, not substantial things;
There is no armour against fate;
Death lays his icy hand on kings.
Sceptre and crown
Must tumble down,
And in the dust be equal made
With the poor crooked scythe and spade.
Soilat men with swords may reap the field,
And plant fresh laurels where they kill ;
But their strong nerves at last must yield;
They tame but one another still.
Early or late
They stoop to fate,
And must give up their murmuring breath
When they, pale captives, creep to Death.

The garlands wither on your brow,
Then boast no more your mighty deeds ;
Upon Death's purple altar now,
See where the victor victim bleeds.
All heads must come
To the cold tomb :
Only the actions of the just
Smell sweet and blossom in the dust.
The verses are embellished with quaint devices.

THE RAILWAY REGISTER.
The present number brings the third volume to a con-
clusion. This valuable record of railway statistics is
now the sole property of Mr. Hyde Clarke, who edits
the Register, and who has amalgamated with it the
Railway Portfolio. In addition to the usual information
regarding the railway proceedings of the month, the pre-
sent number contains a valuable paper on " Atmospheric
Fropulsion,"„by Mr. Smith, of Toronto, Upper Canada.
Mr. Smith proposes an entirely new plan of atmospheric
propulsion, combining the advantages of propulsion by
exhaustion, as used in what are commonly called atmo-
spheric railways, and propulsion by compression, as re-
commended by Mr. Nickells. Mr. Smith's proposals are
most ingenious) and are well worthy the attention of
engineers.

We have not received either the New Monthly or
Ainszeorth's for the present month.

LITERATURE.

MEMOIRS OF A FEMME DE CHAMBRE.

A Novel, in 3 Vols. By the Countess of Blessington.

This is a very amusing and interesting tale, or rather
series of tales—the history of the heroine being only
the connecting link to the histories of the numerous
personages, of all classes and all characters, with whom
she was, at various times, engaged. Following her
career as governess, or femme de chambre, among the or-
dinary or the vulgar, the exclusive or the refined, we
mingle with all ranks. Varying groups are brought
before us, and all are portrayed en maitre. With a
tendency to exaggerate or even to caricature, which only
renders her descriptions the more piquant, Lady Bless-
ington presents us with a series of graphic portaits; and
if from the absence of one entire plot the work loses the
concentrated interest of an ordinary three-volumed novel,
the deficiency is more than compensated by the amuse-
ment afforded by the separate fragments, and the bril-
liant vivacity of the whole. The most entertaining por-
tion is decidedly the last, where Selina becomes femme
de chambre and compagne de voyage to Lady Caldersfoot,
a (self-imagined) authoress of celebrity.
It was hardly to be supposed that such a character
would have been drawn by the pen of one an authoress
herself, but its very exaggeration is its safety. It is of
course unreal—it is of course impossible—but yet it is
most amusing. Poor Lady Calderfoot, so conscious of
her own abilities, so completely blind to her own de-
fects, our smiles accompany her through all her vagaries;
whether walking in'the streets, conspicuously dressed,
she fondly believes the observation she attracts is due,
not to her garments, but to her genius; or, again, when
she favours the captain of the steamer with a sure pre-
ventive to sea-sickness, let him huy her books for the
benefit of his passengers—the consequent elevation of
mind will maintain bodily equilibrium, or when she in-
sists that the French Douaniers shall let her boxes pass
unsearched, because such a favour was voluntarily ac-
corded to Sir Walter Scott. Perhaps the bitterest mor-
tification of the unhappy lady is when calling incognita
at the circulating libraries, she finds her books uncared
for and unread. Such a disappointment will not, most
certainly, await Lady Blessington should she be inclined
to make a like attempt.

LLEWELYNS HEIR; or NORLH WALES. A

Novel. In 3 Vols.
In giving these volumes to the public, the avowed ob-
ject of the authoress is " to offer to the world a true
picture of the men and women of the land of Llewelyn—
their customs, manners, and superstitions, as they ex-
isted during the last century,"—and this object she has
very satisfactorily accomplished. Regarding this work,
not as a novel, but as a picture of Wales and the Welsh,
it is worthy of attention, and will be read with interest.
The habits and manners of the simple children of the
mountains, their rough pastimes, their superstitious
ceremonies, but, above all, their genuine warmth, sim-
plicity, and kindness, are portrayed with singular mi-
nuteness, are dealt with con (more. Among sundry
scraps of information, we learn the origin of the well-
known " Welsh rabbit." The famous national dish of
toasted cheese, when accompanied with toast steeped in
strong ale, was called " the rare bit," and hence our
present definition . Judging from these volumes, it
appears that the people of North Wales, a hundred
years ago, were in many respects as ignorant of our
luxuries and refinements as are the North Indians of
the present day. We have an amusing account of the
dismay and discomfort experienced by a mountain
family, on first riding in a coach, and the astonishment
'of a rustic Welshman on seeing the lamps which lighted
the metropolis, when he shrewdly enough exclaimed
" What bad consciences the people of London must
have, or else surely they would not be so much afraid of
being in the dark."

If, as a picture of Wales, this work fulfils its object,
as a tale, as a novel, it is singularly deficient. De-
ficient especially in two great properties, both of which
are essential—one or other of which is indispensable—
to a work of this character—interest and probability.
We forgive the absurdities of the wildest romance
because it attracts, it enchains our attention ; or, again,
we pass over many a dull commonplace, because the
Iv/hole has something of vraisemblable, of zeal. But the
interest of Llewelyn's heir is confined to the Welsh, as
a people--little is left for the heroes and heroines. There
is no story, no plot, save the slender thread which serves
to connect the delineations and descriptions (which, after
all, are the main object of the work) until the close of the
third volume, where, in its turn, probability isdone away
with. Llewelyn's heir having joined the Duke of Marl-
borough's army, is supposed to be dead, his eldest sister
(a most unnatural character) takes possession of his in-
heritance. On his return, some years after, she refuses
to restore it, and with her knowledge and approbation he
is murdered. Most of the dramatis personce are sum-
marily disposed of, and she is left alone with her ill-
gotten riches.

FOREST HILL; A TALE OF SOCIAL LIFE
• 11V 1830-1831. 3 Vols.
If Forest Hill be the first work of its author, we an-
ticipate much from him hereafter. In any case, frag-
mentary portions of his book assure us, he is capable of
producing something far better as a whole. True and
beautiful thoughts, original ideas, are scattered about
with profusion, And a tone of good feeling pervades it
all. Nor are the characters deficient in interest—and
yet there is something amiss, there is evidently some-
thing wanting. This is, perhaps, owing to an absence
of unity or concentration in the plot, or
perhaps to the incongruous materials of which it is corn-
1. Ostensibly for the sake of illustrating social life
Ma. 1830, the author has, most unnecessarily and most
unfortunately, intermingled private affairs of private
English individuals with plots and conspiracies of secret
societies abroad—
Had he wished a theme literally foreign to the subject.
to touch upon politics, for which he is
apparently nut
un
story a year ortawuoiteida a
'nhe should have advanced the
the great struggle at ho told of social life during
, not
slulat bonne heure, it
avonld have been well enough.
as its is,
ithe
public and, private affairs do not
*ions to Itakrand introductions to Carbon, ra%!
ri i:owaevluar-
interestin., in themselves, and details and delineations
of English domestic life, however atomuthsiengcointnad„,..
are quite incompatible. To add iue, the
herois an American, and the affairs of his ncountry are,
of course, occasionally, though not prominently, brought
upon the Avis. The author has evidently a great
leanhing towards " the ytang and strong republitch,;
yet e does little credit to its inhabitants by
selection he has made. Philip Verdune, who is appro-
priately described as " unstable as water," is another
Wa.verley or Vivian—another of those unhappy beings
doomed by an unfortunate organisation "to see
the right, and yet the wrong pursue." He
involves himself and all around him in ap-
yarently inextricable confusion ; yet, nevertheless,
all ends well. One great object of this work,
which is decidedly of a moral and even religious ten-
dency, is to lead us to place reliance upon Providence ;
the third volume, concluding with the appropriate text,
"Men see not the bright light in the clouds, till the
'wind passeth and cleanseth them." The following
specimens will show the political opinions of the

Writer :
" Men of large landed property, who live only for them-
selves, who stickle for the privileges of their position, without
tasting a thought upon its duties, will not long be tolerated.
There is a Catholic spirit abroad amongst us, both socially
and politically ; we are learning to think more of the human
race. To do good in an extended scale, we must look, not
upon men in masses, but regard each individual amongst
them as one of a like nature with ourselves. ' * *
The next great European revolution will call upon
men to account for the abuse of riches. The last
punished fearfully a breach of the great trust of
power. Then let each man of family and wealth lead
'the van in social improvement; and. that the less fortunate
may pardon him the prosperity which God has given him, let
hint seek to promote a feeling of kindness between his own
order and the poor. To do this, let him keep his heart warm
towards . thou. Let there be amongst all men a reciprocity
.14 T.^. , ' :. • . WU knows how far the influence of one solitary
• -- ' te . .....eaa. as between man and man, may extend to
,
(<;',.r--- ' ''' ": 490\FASSiOlIS of both parties, in the great and
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