The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-14 00:00:00

LITERATURE

y.
Agnes T7aring ;an Autobiography. Edited by
the author of " Kate Vernon. " 3 vole;
Newby.
There is originality in this work, for it is not
probable that many readers have met with a simi-
lar story. No one can help feeling interested in
the heroine, even if they do not approve of her
conduct altogether. It is certain that if ever any
one had an excuse to act as she did, it must have
been one circumstanced as she was. It is evidently
the intention of the author to point out the hazard,
as well as the wrong of contracting a marriage for
the sake of expediency. It was no wish to be
grand, and no desire to escape toil that induced •
Agnes to become the wife of Mr. Millar, Only the
earnest and ardent hope that, by this means, she
should ameliorate the condition of her mother, and
be able to serve effectually her brother, who was
in a very unfortunate position, led her onwards.
After studying the motives of her actions, the theme
of her hopes, and the miserable catastrophe, instead
of the bright realisation that was their finality,
the reader feels an interest in one so unhappy, and
a spirit of indignation for the wrongs of one so
cruelly used. All the details of the plan by which
Agnes escapes from a life of torture that was worse
than any mode of death to her nature are artisti- •
tally arranged. The courage that nerved her to
the effort, and that afterwards sustained her alone'
in the wide world, was that of despair, and, it- ia
naturally typified how she who could brave large
troubles, sunk under the weight of minor casualties.
The magnitude of the cause at stake supported hear,
but petty annoyances, and above all the sense of
mystery and concealment, oppressed her. She
paid a heavy penalty for the unwise step she took
in youth, and years which matured her judgment
and developed her feelings, only augmented the
knowledge of her fault, and increased the sufferings
it entailed. The various persons she encountered
in her life are for the most part well delineated,
and the account of American manners and
customs imparts a variety to the narra-
tive. Frank Dawson is a likely sketch of a
young man, giddy and impetuous, yet full
of kind feelings, and possessing right principles,
could he only profit by them. Reginald Leigh is
a peculiar character, but a deserving one, never-
theless. It is sad to notice the constant struggle
going on in his mind concerning the career of her
he loved so well ; and certainly the course of his
love was as rugged and thorny as over was depicted
by romancist or represented by the drama. The
end of the story is melancholy in the extreme.
After years of doubt, difficulties, and delays all
obstacles are removed, and the death of Mr. Millar
frees Agnes from her hateful bonds. Suddenly
Reginald Leigh is killed in a skirmish with some
marauders who attack the house at night, and the
prospect on which the star of hope at length had
smiled in promise was darkened for ever. It is a
dangerous practice fur the novelist to clear away all
difficulties at last, from whatever cause they may
have arisen ; and it is certainly one which the writer
of this work has not adopted ; yet it is to be desired
that ti.e purpose had been made more manifest be-
fore, as there is something disappointing to the
expectation in believing Agues at last happy, after
her trials, and then suddenly being shown the con-
trary. Nevertheless, the record of her eventful
career is most interesting ; and it depicts trying
situations with remarkable skill, and with striking
accuracy describes the warfare of the mind within,
which forms the real trouble of life when all the
secondary evils of time, place, and circumstances
have been surmounted. The unfortunate Agnes
Waring might well have agreed withithe poet, who
asserted that when all things had been tried it
would be found that real happiness consisted in
" a quiet mind." This novel is adapted to the
taste of all those who are please& with a striking
style of romance, and who prefer the powerfully- •
written story, although it is interwoven with pain-
ful feelings, to the more monotonous details of as
every-day- existence.