The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-15 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Laura Gay. 2 vols. Hurst and Blackett.
This is an agreeable and amusing novel, without
any very great amount of talent or originality. In
some respects it differs from the usual romances
which appear under the head of novels. It is of a
more solid and practical character, and its heroine
is a very business-like and strong-minded young
lady. She is left by the deaths of her father and
brother the heiress to large estates, entirely under
her own control. Her father, foreseeing this pro-
bability, had striven to qualify her for her onerous
duties by cultivating her mind and accustoming
her to exercise her powers of judgment and reflec-
tion. She was therefore fully impressed with a,
sense of the responsibilities of her position, and de-
termined to exert herself for the benefit of all
within her influence. Accustomed to the pursuit
of severer studies than usually form the education
of young ladies, she was quite capable of under-
standing the management of her affairs, and carried
out her plans with judgment and success. The
pleasure she felt in these occupations was, how-
ever, considerably damped by an event which
occurred before she came of age, and which caused
her much sorrow. The story opens in Rome, where
several travelling parties meet and form each other's
acquaintance. Laura Gay and her aunt, who are
making a Continental tour, ars among the number,
and are there introduced to Charles Townsend, the
hero of the book. After a short acquaintance he
and Laura become much attached to each other,
though they part without having come to an
open understanding as a sudden pecuniary loss
summons Charles Townsend home, and he is un-
willing, under such circumstance, to propose to the
heiress. They, however, contrive to express their
feelings, veiled under conventional platitudes, and
part each fully assured of the other's affection.
The incident which immediately occurs is a suffi-
cient proof that the writer is an author—net an
authoress. Laura being desirous to assist Mr.
Townsend requests her aunt to advance him a large
sum of money through her agent, and prefaces her
request by the information that they are engaged,
and, afterwards, when her aunt is expressing her
hope of seeing her married before her death, she
encourages her by the assertion that she will be
married as soon as they arrive in England. This
is not very likely, even from so decided and prac-
tical a heroine as Laura Gay. Her anticipations,
however, are not realised, for, owing to a series of
unfortunate mistakes, a misunderstanding arises
between them, and they are not reconciled for a
very long time. A number of other characters are
introduced, many of them drawn with ability, and
most of them pos,essing distinctive features. We
must demur, however, to the fashion the writer has
apparently borrowed from the old novelists, of pre-
senting each of his characters to the reader with
their history and antecedents, so that as soon as a
new actor appears on the stage he may expect an
account of his parentage, his early educatioq, and
all connected with him. The variety of the cha-
racters and frequent dialogues relieve the tale from
monotony, although there are not many incidents
of importance. The chief events are all contained
in the first volume, yet the second is the more in-
teresting. Many remarks and reflections on moral
and social questions prove the author takes a
praiseworthy interest in the happiness and welfare
of his fellow-creatures, while a spirit of tolerance
and moderatioi which pervade the volumes is
highly to be commended. We are less inclined to
admire Miss Gay's analysing and philosophical re-
marks, which, indeed, sometimes approach the
modern school of incomprehensibility. The work,
however, has more of a purpose and a moral than
is often found in works of fiction, and, as its errors
are easily avoided, we may hope for better things
from this author.

Macs and Charlie. Bogue.
This is one of the most attractive of all the
Christmas stories, for juvenile readers, that have
lately appeared. Indeed it is one of those children's
stories in which elder folks need not scorn to take
an interest. The adventures that Mia and Charlie
met with are certainly not very common, but that
only adds the interest of novelty for their young
readers, as there is nothing that might not happen
in every-day life. Though they had their faults
and failings, the good they accomplished by trying
to he good themselves forms a very useful lesson
for all their juvenile admirers, and the opportu-
nities they had of serving others they used to the
best advantage, till they were able to ren-
der a valuable and important service. What
this was we will not disclose, but com-
mend all who are curious to peruse the story
themselves. The bold and spirited Charlie, who
got into so many scrapes, and yet could not be
laughed into doing what he thought wrong, and
the gentle and sensible Alia, whose influence did so
much good to all about her, are the most attractive
characters in the tale, but there are many others,
both rich and poor, who appear in it. The little
daily troubles and trials are very naturally de-
scribed, and there are few young readers who will
not derive a large amount of profit and pleasure
from this charming little story.
The Birthday Council. By Mrs. Alaric Watts.

Hamilton, Adanis, and Co.
This is a very pleasing and instructive tale for
the young, likely to to productive of quite as
much profit as pleasure. Its second title is " How
to be Useful," and the subject of the tale is the
efforts of a party of young girls to benefit the poor
in their neighbourhood. Without any large sums
to expend, and with only the benefit of the advice
of some of their elders, these industrious young
people contrived to clothe n number of poor chil-
dren in comfortab!e suits made out of their own
cast-off things. It will be an encouragement to
any of the juvenile readers of this agreeable little
volume, should they feel inclined to attempt simi-
lar benevolent plans, to learn that it is founded
on fact, as the scheme was put in practice by
the authoress herself and her friends some
years since. In the preface she justly observes
that one of the great wants of children of age is
employment. "Few," she remarks, " are aware of
the amount of latent energy that exists in almost
every mind, though all are cognisant of the weary-
ing complaint I don't know what to do.' " The
plan adopted by the little heroine of the present
tale and her companions combines the pleasure of
doing good to others with the satisfaction proceed-
ing from a worthy object of interest, and an inte-
resting occupation, the difficulties met with in the
way only increasing the triumph of success. A
mixture of other topics forms a pleasing variety in
the little narrative, which we can heartily recom-
mend to all young people desirous of learuht
" How to be useful."