The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-28 00:00:00

(To be continued.)

Scottish heroes in, the Dabs of Wallace and Bruce.
By the Rev. Alexander Low. 2 vols. Hurt
and Blackett.

It would he difficult to find a more interesting
page in history, than that which is here unfolded
before us. It is not from wonderful feats of arms
being performed, nor from mighty events taking
place, that the attention is awakened ; but from
the spirit that reigned pre-eminent and triumphant.
Oeiniona vary, and the wisest and most learned
differ as to the relative merits of the conquerors of
the earth. It is not possible that an unanimous
decision can be arrived at in analysing the motives
that urged them and the actions they achieved.
But if there is one thing which more than another
attracts universal homage, it is the career of the
patriot, whose life is devoted to the service of his
country, and whose death is a sacrifice offered up
at her altar. Ambition has a lofty standard to
aspire to in such a cause, and the zeal and ardour
of a warrior can be aroused by no nobler inspira-
tion. The sublime spirit of patriotism was never
more grandly displayed than by those heroic few
who came down from their rocky fastnes,es, their
mountain strongholds, " in the garb of old Gaul,
in the fire of old Rome," to confront the flower of
Europe's chivalry, and to dare perils of their own
countrymen joined to dangers of the foe. Success
is generally the criterion of merit ; but if the in-
trinsic value of motives be analysed, the tribunal
of after ages should award a purer fame to those
who deserted not the oriflanarne of Wallace in the
darkest trials than to those who afterwards exulted
under the victorious banners of Bruce. Among
those whose mission was to point the way to others
more than to achieve himself, the name of William
Wallace is distinguished. He was not favoured
to see his beloved country free, nor did he know
the full extent of his own labours, as they consisted
more in influences that are apparent when their
planter is no more. The truth of the adage, so
hard for the pride of human nature to c3inpre,;
hend, " one sows that another may reap,
was manifested in a striking manner in the
career of Wallace. What a life of honour might
not have procured his native land, a death of igno-
miny obtained. The thought of his unburied re-
mains had a more stirring effect on his countrymen
than the marble monument where princes held the
pall could have produced. The vanity of human
wishes is seen in this retribution of tyranny and
cruelty. The act which Edward thought wont,
seal the doom of Scotland sounded the trumpet of
her freedom. The heroic spirit is not extinguished
with the hero's life, and of Wallace it might be
said with truth, "E'en in our ashes live their
wonted fires," for the key-note of independence
was the memory of his name. It was cherished iu
the heart of his country ; it was re-echoed by her
mountains and floods, till it swelled Into the song
of praise that recorded the victory of Bannockburn.
By his cruelty the tyrant prepared the way for the
greatest defeat that his country ever sustained in
battle. The style in which this chronicle of events
is written is one eminently suitable to its purpose.
The author is treading a beaten track, but every
step is made interesting by its own importance,
added to the simple and effective manner of its
description. As may bo supposed, the principal
portion of the volumes is that dedicated to the con-
sideration of the exploits of Robert Bruce, although
cast into the shade at the outset. by the brightness
of the career of Wallace, when that hero had been
readered a martyr ; then did the star of his suc-
cessor rise into the ascendant. For the indecision
of his early life Bruce paid a heavy penalty, and
suffered years of toil and hardship ; but not the
less is true reason to admire the energy, persever.

ante, and discretion that characterised his con.
duct. Few crowns in -history have been more
hardly won than was his, and when he at last was
enabled to rejoice as undisputed sovereign of Scot-
land rest was not for him. The cares which he
had undergone in reaching the goal prevented him
from appreciating the success. The pains and infir-
mities of a premature old age came upon him, andle
was unwillingly compelled to relinqUish entire per-
formance of his duties. However lives like thOse
of Wallace and Bruce are too full of incident and
adventure while they la,st to allow of a chance of
their reaching to the extreme limits of mortality
unimpaired and une,hequered, and if Bruce had
been spared he might not have done more essential
service. The details of the years that intervened
between Falkirk and Bannockburn are equal to
the legends of romance and the fables of tradition.
The circumstances which are recalled to the me-
mory in perusing this work are striking. A more
forcible moral as to the value of perseverance can
nowhere be instanced in history than is offered in
the life •of the wisest of Scotland's kings. It is
observed here that " the history of Robert the
Bruce is certainly of a most romantic description,
and being himself. a chivalrous knight, of consi-
derable strength and matchless valour, the simplest
narrative acquires the interest and embellishment
of romance." Foremost in interest and import-
ance in these pages stand the details of the battle
of Bannockburn—a name inseparably associated
with that of Bruce, of whose life it was the glory,
and of whose labours it was the crown. It is
declared that " This engagement entitled him to
take his rank among the most distinguished con-
querors of ancient times, and further on it is
truly said that " the effects of that battle are felt
at the present day ;" also that in the anion
which took place between England and Scot-
land many of the privileges secured to the
latter country were the fruits of Bannockburn,
" Ireland was a province of England ; but Scot-
land has always been, blessed by that enlightened
knowledge which springs from civil and religions
liberty—that noble independence which is to be
traced back through five centuries—to the heroes
of -this day." Second only to the exploits and
achievements of their chief are-the wonders effected
by his friends Douglas and Randolph, and his
brother Edward. This prince was daring, ash,
and impetuous ; but though he does not appear
thus to advantage by the side of the shining wis- .
dom which cast so bright a halo on the head of
Robert, viewed by himself he is a noble knight.
Sir James Douglas was distinguished for nothing
more than the determined zeal with which he res-.
cued again and again the castle of his ancestors
from foreign invasion. So numerous were his de-
vices, and so daring his deeds, that by his enemies it
was styled "the perilous Castle of Douglas." There
is something touching as well as solemn in Bruce
exhorting, at the last moment'of his lite, his faith-
ful and tried companion in arms, and friend in pri-
vate, to carry his heart to the Holy Land. There
is also an attracting interest in the last passage in
the life of the good knight—" Lead on as thou •
wert wont, and Douglas shall follow thee or die,"
were his last words, as his spirit passed away on
" the death-bed of fame." This work combines
the interest of biography, with the importance of
history, it joins the merit of reality, to the records
of those heroes ; who were the shining ornaments
of their country, knights who were the glory of the
chivalry of their age, patriots who are the pride of
their people for all time. In their rude laud, in
those days of ignorance, they effected achievements
that have not always been equalled, by the
wealthiest nations in the most enlightened periods.
It may surely be questioned if the nineteenth cen-
tury in its progress, has made advance or retrograde
movements, in the wisdom of its warriors. After
comparing the relative advantages and actions of
the present and the past, the reader of this book
may look back with regret to the days of romance,
and wish that some one of their mighty men of
valour had existed in these times, to vindicate his
country's cause, and lead her sons to victory, a
wish that was expressed by the poet in his lament
over disasters and want of judgment, when he ex-
claimed.—

" Oh! DJuglal, hr thy leading !rand,
Fierce Randolph for thy.
Oh ! ttn hour of Wallace, might,
Or weli-skilled Brune to rahi the tight."

A I,er Dark. By Wilki©Cjllins. 2 vols. Smith and

Elder...
The reader will be probably surprised on opening
these volumes to meet old friends with a new face.
They do not contain, as might naturally be sup-
posed, a new work of fiction, but consist with one
exception of stories that have previously appeared
in the pages of " Household Words," linked toge-
ther by au introductory chapter and a series
of prologues. This introduction is entitled
" Leaves from Leah's Diary," and tells us the
story of a poor portrait painter, who, being
threatened with blindness, is compelled to abandon
his profession for a time. As his family are de-
pendent on his labours, he is despondent and
miserable at the prospect of forded inaction, when
the happy idea occurs to his wife, the Leah of the
diary, to collect and publish the many. stories he
has heard from his sitttrs. By this thread the
stories are joined together. During the day the
wife is too much occupied with her household
duties to afford her husband the necessary assist-
ance in transcribing, but " After Dark" she
writes from his dictation. From this the book de-
rives its title, which is certainly a most appropriate
one, for the stories are most of them of that descrip-
tion which is most properly read, like Sir Walter
Scott's EH King, by the light of an unsnuffed
candle. For the satisfaction of the lovers of tlatt
marvellous we may add, that the two most hor-
rible are founded on fact namely, "Thu Terribly
Strange Bed," and "Tire Yellow Mask." The
former of these will be readily appreciated by the
visitors to the Drery-lane pantomime, where a
wave of harlequin's magic wand brings down the
rop of a four•post bed upon the unhappy clown.
In the story, however, the intention was a little
more serious. Au Englishman, who had won
largely, was persuaded to stay the night in the
gambling-house. Unable to sleep, however, he lay
watching a picture hanging oppo,ite, of a man in
a high Spanish hat crowned with a plume of fea-
thers. Suddenly, while his mind was wandering
on the events of the night, a strange thrill shot
through him. The Spanish hat had disappeared !
What was the dusky object that shut it out from
view? The bed-top rapidly and silently descending'
The intended victim, it need not be said; speedily
made his escape through the window to the nearest
police-office. An examination proved the exiet-
ence of this mysterious agent of murder, by which
imprudent winners were quietly and effectually
disposed of. The clever " Lawyer's Story" of the
Christmas before last, will hardly be recognised
under the title of "The Stolen Letter." It is
nevertheless the same, and will readily are remeuv•
bered ou perusal. The only original story in
the collection is called " The Lady of
.Glenwith.
Grange," and is iu no way superior to its compa-
nions. The writer thinks it necessary to inform
us that the tales are entirely of bis own imagining
and constructing. The fact that some of them are
laid in foreign countries seems to have given rise
to the idea that the stories are of. foreign origin.
He combats this suggeetiou most emphatically, as-
suring his readers that they may depend on the
genuineness of all his literary prod uctious, and bin t-
t inc.- that such is the fertility of his imagination,
that the idea of his being reduced to the necessity
ble. The stories,
of borrowing inagre isc
epretrafieucit7im strikingpos
and s
uncommon,
most of them possessing some marvellous incident
g tragedy to preserve them from the
common-place at any rate. The
essing
estalents for description, which lie.
charge
writer
thrilling i
possesses
of
fissol7e
has employed to good purpose in some of them.
As we have before remarked, they will be specially
attractive to all lovers of the mysterious and ter
b e-
and, if a shade of improbability may appear
to i
persons to deprive the stories of
r Reber-minded;
reality, it will only deepen the interest of others by.
removing the events described from the'range of
ordinary experience.