The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-02 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Over the Cliffs. By Charlotte Chanter, author of
" Ferny Combes.' 2 vols. Smith and Elder.
The readers of this story will certainly not be
able to complain of lack of incident, for the plot is
singularly intricate, and the variety of events and
characters would be more than sufficient for the
ordinary three volumes. The scene is laid chiefly
on the sea coast some fifty years ago, and the
smuggling which was then so extensively practised
forms a prominent feature. Indeed the lives of
all the chief actors in its pages are chequered by
NOM strange and startling incident. Either they
have themselves outraged the law, or they have
connived at the misdeeds of others, or become
involved in some perilous secret which keeps them
in the power of their associates. More than one
murder darkens the tale, and plots and counter-
plots are thickly interwoven. The heroes and
heroine aro introduced in childhood. They
are Edward Mountjoy, the son of a privateer and
smuggler, and Reginald and Gratiana Dawson,
the children of a small landowner. Mr. Dawson,
their father, is described as a perfect monster, and is
painted in true romaneist's colours. He has killed
his wife some years previously, a fact that puts
him in the power of his smuggling neighbour, Mr.
Martin, and he crutay ill-uses his unfortunate chil-
dren. In his o•-,vn opinion he occasions the death
of his daughter, by causing her to fall "over the
cliffs," and his deathbed is haunted by the recol-
lection. This event gives its title to the story, but in
reality it is not so tragic an occurrence as the name
implies, for Gratiana is rescued by Edward Mount-
joy, her smuggler lover, who is watching below,
and whose meeting with her has been the cause of
her father's anger. When she recovers, after many
months, from the effects of her frigbtful accident,
she no longer refuses to become his wife, knowing
that all at her home believe her to be dead, and
feeling that she no longer owes obedience to her
father's commands. Her brother has adventures
Of his own, including capture by the enemy, and
escape from a French prison by favour of the
commandant, wbo proves to be a relative of
his mother. There is another romance con-
nected with (the story of Agnes Erlingham,
Edward Mountjoy's mother, and her treacherous
cousin, who murders her father, and is the secret
enemy of her son. Besides these we have many
other characters, prominent among them being
Hortense, the French commandant's daughter, and
fair Lily Fowler, the rival candidates for Regi-
nald's affections. Then there are Frank Dawson and
Ocean Margaret, who has been saved from a wreck
in childhood ; and Mary Horton and her father,
who is one of the many aspirants to Grace Daw-
son's favour. There are besides many minor
flaures occasionally flitting across the stage or
filling up the background, often appearing as the
tools of the leading actors. With so numerous a
escapee
whocape s
seeks a nd
adventures of every
cortege and such stirring scenes, with love and hate,
war and murder, shi
P description,w reek ss
theui readerde suicides,
excitement and vivid interest will probably be de-
lighted with the perusal of this story. Those who pre-
fer quieter and more natural delineations, who find a
l of
charm in the faithful portraiture of chara
evercter d
and
records of the trials and strugg y
but
we will perhaps object to the intricacy's of they-
plota
and occasional extravagance of the characters,
we must remember that it refers to a time and scene
which was very different from the calm and routine existence of the present day.
Theauthoress
_
unquestionably possesses ability, and if in future
she will preserve a little more simplicity
and con-
nection in her plot, and ri,duce the
superfluous
talent
branches of her story; she will display lsier well a
for construction to greater advantage, a
making her tale appear more life-like and probable.s
The style is generally good and occasionally im-
pressive, and we have no doubt that future works
from the same pen will deserve still higher com-
mendation.

CHATHAM, October 1.--This morning 34 medical
students, for commissions as army surgeons, joined the
headquarters of the medical department at Fort Pitt, in
order to undergo the necessary course of instruction at the
new army school, which is to be opened to-morrow, when
the inaugural lectures will be delivered by the several pro-
Nom