The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-24 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Life's Lessons. By Mrs. Gore, author of " Mothers
and Daughters." 3 vols. Hurst and Blackett.

This work claims attention from its brilliancy
and vigour, its social sketches display the knows
ledge of the world which so peculiarly distinguishes
its authoress, and many of the events that appear
in its course are unusual, if not original. In the
first place, the time is not the present hackneyed.
period so proverbially the fashion in recent ro-
mances, when the heroes disappear front their
home circles to join in one or other of the engage-
ments famous in Crimean warfare. Again, it is not
very remote, not at all romantic or mysterious, but
yet sufficiently untrod to be fresh, namely, thirty
years ago. The heroine is a most interesting cha-
racter. She attracts from her very inexperience
and ignorance more than many might from the
display of shining abilities. Her position in social
is a strange one, and as such liable to many mis'
constructions. Born of a lowly, though honourable
family, which on the mother's side was Dutch, she
became in the course of years mixed up in the con-
cerns of those greatly her superiors in rank and
social acquisitions, although Nannie Balfour pc's'
sessed an advantage of her own, inherent in Na'
ture's nobility, the charm of an innate refinement
and the grace of a pure heart. She was unfortu-
nate in many of the circumstances of her early
years, for mystery is an evil attendant on the path
of a friendless orphan, as Nannie afterwards be-
came. A great deal of skill is manifested in the
delineation of the widow Varnham and her war
ward son Maurice. The gentle recluse who spent
so many years of sorrow and Buffering was no
match for the fierce and undisciplined youth, who
inherited so large a share of the father's nature,
that father whose dark career had cast an ever-
lasting shadow over the path of his wretched wife.
To the young and guileless heroine all this was
unknown, when she perceived in the visitors to their
quiet village the devoted mother and attached son.
With the ill success that ever attends conventional
engagements Nannie regarded the project of her
parents and aunt to effect a union between her and.
her quiet cousin, Elisha Hildyard. While she
acknowledged the merit of the suffering youth—for
Elisha was very delicate—her heart inclined her to
regard the bold and dashing Maurice, so bright
..
with early strength and youth's excitement.
remained for the hours of trial to demonstrataster
utter vanity of the courage that was the soPPnI tv
of selfish indulgence and untamed assion
s, Pa
develop° the full force of that strength
p
which, un-
known and unnoticed in the hour of ease, becomes
potent to succour and mighty to save when
distress
aid danger threaten. Elisha Hildyard was gifted .
with the latter attribute, as Maurice possessed the
former feeling. In the interval, however, during
which the one advanced and the other retrograded
in moral excellence, the heroine met with many
strange adventures. The proprietors of the pro-
perty on which her relatives were engaged as
stewards were of a noble Dutch family, and some-
thing more than the common bond between master
those hose
and servant existed between
had for succeeding generations held the samefamilies
rela-
tive position of mutual benefactors. The agent or
trustee who zealously labours in his devolved
duties, or faithfully delivers up with life his trust,
has a claim on the regard of his employer, inasmuch
as having conferred a benefit which money cannot
assuredly command nor wealth adequately requite.
It was with the respect engendered by such a sen-
timent that the Van der Helde regarded the family
of the Veihonts, of which latter was Nannie -Bal"
four. It is not, therefore, improbable, that when
improved by a liberal education and intercourse
with a superior class to that of her native village in
point of worldly estimation, idea
that the gentle ma ,
should have been admitted and
by so many richer
nobler circles. It was
impossible to become
acquainted with her, without respecting and admir-
ing her. Her first change was her introduction to
the long-absent holders of the house in which her
mother had passed the greater portion of her life
family reasons the son of the
old proprietor came over for a short time, 20°131;
panied with his wife's relatives. This brilliant
circle of young and lively persons was a change to
Nannie Balfour. They remained but a short tine'
but the acquaintance then formed was never after-
wards relinquished ; and when, in after years, °
t.O
English village maiden visited their foreign lancle
she was warmly welcomed by those who, wh.r,
seeing her in far different and much grander °lea
cumstances, never forgot how she first charmed
them in her simple home where she was pecullarV,
in her place, because she fitted and adorned it. "-I
is deserving of notice the episode of the foreign
nobleman's stay in England, in which is skili° OJ,
portrayed the evils attendant on the race course'
Not that unqualified censure is to be applied t° of
proceedings, but it would be well for the Peae°
many if no prototypes had existed for Lord aka
e,
gill, and if Sir Ralph had no living likenes'imi
Fortunately for the individuals herein coneerurae,
they were wise enough to withdraw in tl ro.
although they had to make many sacrifices of P.
party to atone for the few days of feverish exe;te of
moat passed in England. During the period of
Miss Balfour's foreign sojourn the revolution
0..
1830 occurred. This, of course, rendered hef„Pful
sition an awkward one, and she had some Par'op,
scenes to go through. Her health suffered ir
ed
many causes, but the chief one was the envene°l,,q
dart of malice. From the most trivial events ,0e
and hatred can deduce marvels, and at IL-re
many things conspired to give a colour to the
they
ports spread by the "Warburton Wasps," as the
the
were appropriately termed. The talent 01 do.
author has here a fair field for its exercise, i° oiol
tailing with vraisemblance and vigour these,,siqbur
delinquencies. Few can rise like Nannie ,L'arosed
superior to the strife, and can pass unu°,..cha-
through the fiery ordeal. A great variety °' the
rector meets the view in perusing this work' ge,
range extends through different countries, , o-
de
ad disposition, from the volatile Leonce
vine, to the solemn Van der Helde ; and ega the
England, from the sober Lord Garstanec,
wily Skewgill and the time-serving Wick" so.
It is therefore to be regarded, with the Other in
cessful works by the same authoress, as pcnasiould
their peculiar style—a style which, if all the
not choose for their study, none can dell•Y ir-
possession of sparkling satire and powerful des
Lion.

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE'

The
UNIVERSITY
NaturaIHONOURS.—OXFRD NOY. ....---,T,
examiners in the Setwol of Science 114" -111.
afternoon issued the followin, class-list :—CI3" Clarke'Gre
Griffith, Jesus College. Class 2. Charles G.
17., err:ester College ; 'E'd ward H. F. Coseua, St. 1‘18r57
Hall ; Robert Henniker, Trinity College ; -
Lloyd, Magdalen College.—JOHN- p Las g• ' #
PAIL I ,
..s.
STOREY MASKELYNE, HENRY J. T. SIIITH, exaouoo
SELECT PREACRERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF C)11:,b r 0 .•
FOR THE YEAR 1857.—The nomination of select pr:ea" :0,
by the Vice-Chancellor, the -octors, the regius P•fi,
fessor of.ch
feasor of divinity, and the P‘
Margaret pro
the Bishop ,
nity, took place on Thursday last, when . the
of Salisbury
'; the Principal of Brasenoss College I ,be
Rev. A. S. F. Michael, Fellow of Queen's College ; ''
d the
Rev. G. H. Curtei., Tell..w of Exeter Coe nominatedau for
Rev. W mr,i
W.
TA
-r'e 43 11. /College, were
the year N 57., ' ° aIQ
Wiiii74lll.