The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-21 00:00:00

-17::4 Iti 11, 's I,
ILATU IcE.

The Sorrows of Gentility. By Geraldine Jews-
bury, author of " Constance Herbert," etc.
2 ♦ols. Hurst and Blackett.
This is an excellent production, full of spirit,
energy, and right feeling. It brings life before us
in a natural manner, and demonstrates successfully
the varying grades of folly, affectation, vanity, and
selfishness ; at the same time we are shown the
bright side of the case, and some examples appear
of kindness, thoughtfulness, and generosity, The
heroine presents a striking instance of the sin, as
well as the shame, of leading the young mind astray
by false notions of their station, and its merit.
Gertrude was the more to be pitied, as she really
possessed good qualities, and was endowed with
many mental gifts, as well as personal attractions.
If she had been rightly instructed, she would have
been an honour, as well as a pride, to ler family,
and a blessing to her immediate circle, instead of a
cause of excitement and anger, now the theme of
their envy, anon the subject of theifscbrn, How-
' ever, the bitterest retribution that befell the proud
Gertrude was her own reflection, "as she had
sowed, so must she reap," and the harvests that
she gathered were enough to break a harder spirit
than was hers, and might have crushed the powers
of endurance in any mind, not se buoyed up with
youth, and unshadowed by experience. After her
elopement her life was begun in earnest ; she
stepped at once into' the-struggles of the world in
the most uncomfortable and profitless manner.
The scenes that follow on her immediate introduc-
tion to the family of her husband are artistically
sketched, and display an insight into human cha-
racter, and a knowledge of the inner recesses of the
domestic domain that are considerable and remark-

able. The extremes were matched.— Gertrude
was ashamed of her family, who bad not station
to adorn their wealth, while Mrs. Donnelly was
nervously susceptible as to the prejudices of her
position, and ever solicitous to hide the scanty
ways and means she could muster to support the
dignity of her ancient family. Miss Donelly was
even more supercilious than her mother, and the
climax of her horror at the mesalliance was at-
tained, upon the first evening of the arrival of her
sister-in-law. She produced a small work of her
own compilation, in which she had chartered the
arms of the Donnelly family. She demanded of
Gertrude what was her father's crest, what arms
he bore ? She did not know that her new
relative was the daughter of an innkeeper.
In some trepidation Gertrude answered
" The Mettringham Arms-," alluding to the
sign of the inn. For a moment Sophia Donnelly
imagined that she was a distant' connexion of a
noble family of that name ; but when undeceived,
and informed that the nobleman in question was
her father's landlord only, she was confounded.
Augustus Donnelly, who had been struck by the
beauty and intelligence of the young girl—(he had
met her on a visit to a sch-ooltellciw of higher rank
than herself)—had never once thought of his duties

in regard to her. He was well-meaning enough if
:he did not come in his way ; but as to studying
her comfort in preference to his own, or in addition
to it even, was not to he thought of. He uucere-

inoniously left her with his mother and sister,
whom she had never een till that day, and hurried
sway to London to amuse himself. In the miser-
Able magnificence of Mrs. Ihnnelly's house, G-er-
rude learned the first of her bitter lessons, but it

vas not the hardest. The volatile Augustus con-
'rived to obtain some appointment in London, and
summoned Gertrude. She hurried up, delighted
At the prospect of emancipation from the present
lisagreeables of her position. For a few months
The was tolerably contented. Misfortune super-
vened, in the shape of Mrs. Donnelly and her
daughter-taking a fancy to see-a--little of London,
►ud, of course, they took up their quarters with
their son. It was not likely that an experienced

;actician, as the old lady certainly was, would long
be held' at hay by the weak mauwuvres of an inex-
perienced girl, and that a meddling disposition
would be inactive while an opportunity for making
mischief presented itself. Worse than the time in
the country was now the life in town. The do-
mestic sceptre wrested from her grasp, the amuse-
:nents she had enjoyed put out of her reach, because
A Ngustus' friends, who admired his pretty and
gentle wife, would not be troubled with his over-
bearing mother and. canceited sister. _ Of course

they would not hear of her going without them,
and the result was that Augustus went alone, and
the last do that kept the ill-assorted husband and
wife together was broken. He became wild and
reckless, she discontented and morose. Some time
titer this the establishment was broken up, and
the un:ongenial elements of its social structure
wore dispersed far and wide. Augustus fled by
nigh t from bailiffs to a foreign shore. Mrs. Donnelly
and Sophia returned to retirement, and Gertrude
pith her infant, was fetched away by her mother.
It was not "home," however, that she went to,
although under her parent's roof, and although the
dreaded inn was no longer their abode. It would
not have concerned her what the place was if she
had been at peace within, but doubts arose, diffi-
culties presented themselves,. and poor Mrs. Mor-
ley's ideas of happiness at her daughter's return
were now laid low. It was her father's invincible
repugnance to her husband that induced her to
leave his house for that of her brother, who was
now settled at the "Metringham Arms," of famous
memory. Augustus announced his intention of
returning for a " change." He wished to enjoy a

little of the far-famed wealth of his wife's relations.
Simon Morley, jun., was well disposed towards
his sister, but he had married since her departure,
and Mrs. Simon was a different mistress to what
Gertrude remembered in the home of her child-
hood. A dreary season was passed here, and a
welcome change was that which removed them from
the old place. A more tranquil time ensued for
he distressed heroine.- Augustus, discovered by
his creditors, was glad to profit by the chance of a
situation abroad that ho had before spurned, and
went off to Africa. It was not feasible for his wife
And child to accomnany him, nor was it desirable ;
and the new life that Gertrude led was, for the
first time, an independent one. A kind friend,
who had before promised to help her, now came
forward, and bestowed upon her the greatest kind-
ness in her then harassed state—the means of
useful employment, and of honourable support.
This calm was not to endure, and the last scenes of
Gertrude's suffering; are more painful than the
earlier ones. It was not outward irritation now,
Init inward torments that she endured, and above
all was the consciousness hourly dawning
upon her that she was wrong, not only in
having first run contrary to her duty, but
in her after acceptation of its results.
Wisdom can never be too late learnt to effect some
good, and thus she, as its votary, grew more con-
tented. After some months suffering her husband
became a confirmed invalid, and thus the patience
of Gertrude was fully tested. It was a satisfaction
to her that they were enabled to part in peace
after so stormy and chequered a career. It is not
by the events themselves, so much as by the way
iu which they are described, that the reader's at-
tention is rivetted, and interest sustained. A few
of the chief persons are most admirably delineated,
and the filling up of the portraitures evinces judg-
ment and skill. The fine shades of opinion, the
minute degrees of difference, the various and tri-
vial points seem as nothing to a casual observer,
but the reflecting mind will know, and see, that it
is the influence o these lesser evils, these small be-
ginnings, that create dissensions, divisions, and.
sorrow in a household. "The Sorrows of Gen-
tility" exhibits human nature in its true aspect,
most depressed by petty annoyances, most hurt by
small unkindnesses, and most harassed by little
troubles. Its domestic drama presents various
degrees of rank, for the most part equal
one thing—false pretences. The straits and.
subterfuges to which they have recourse are suffi-
ciently absurd to be sometimes ridiculous in the
extreme, while the mortification they underwent
occasionally holds out a powerful warning for the
would-be and the make-believe. The style which
is adopted is a sparkling and brilliant one; and
from its merit in design, and skill in execution, its
interest as a tale, and its deduction as a moral,
this novel will doubtless be welcomed as a
favourite.

MARKET NEWS.—(This Day.)

CORN EXCHANGE.

The show of English wheat in to-day's market was mo-
derate, and chiefly composed of Monday's unsold samples.
Very few large buyers were in attendance, and the demand
for all kinds of wheat of home produce ruled heavy, at
Monday's prices.
There ss as very little inquiry for foreign wheat; yet no
change took place in the quotations..
The supply of barley was moderate, and the trade was
heavy, at barely stationary prices.
Malt was dull, but not cheaper.
There was a fair demand for oats, at very full prices.
Beans, peas, and flour realised Monday's currency.

~TheFt.
I.nglish , 1,140
lash • • • •
elfin 1 1,830

ARRIVALS THIS WRNS.
I Barley. I Malt.
90 610

1 Oats. Vlnur;
1,3C0
2,250
4820 brig
j 3,290

1,010

BOROUG]
There is a moderate demand
Inferior kinds, however, are a

HOP.
or fiuo hops, at full piece.
lull sale.

WHITECHATEL.
Beef, from 3s 4,1 to 40 4d ; mutton, Ss 8d to 48 8d; lamb,
4s 10d to 5s 101; veal, 3s Sd to 4s 8d ; pork, 3s 4d to
4s Sd per Sibs., by the carcase.

CRYSTAL PALACE.—OtIe Shilling Day, May 20.—Ad•
missions Olt payment, 4;702; do. by season tickets, 567 ;
total visitors, 5,269.