The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-22 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Three Chances. By the Authoress of "The
Fair Carew." 3 vols. Smith and Elder.
Whatever may be the imperfections of this novel,
almay certaiely lay claim to the merit of origi-
i'Y. The great point, lhe chief feature in the
such
an
afli
is the deafness of its hero. At first sight
iction appears peculiarly unromantic ;
but, through the skilful management of the au-
thoress, it becomes the cause of numerous and im-
portant events, including- three love affairs and a
suicide. The hero, Manley Frere, is introduced to
us possessing ell the favours of fortune," and within
a shoat period of his marriage with the object of his
devoted attachment, a lady possessing the inhar-
monious name of Barbara Girdlestone. When
suddenly seised with deafness he writes to liar in
despair, offering to relinquish the engagement, and
she, influenced by her friends, does not refuse to do
so. Deeply grieved at this conduct he prepares to
leave England, but first pays a visit to the
family of his father's steward. This is a vulgar
and unprincipled family of the name of Diva,
who take advantage of his deafness, and, for
the sake of his wealth, flatter and attend
to him, and . by a series of successful ma-
noeuvres bring about an engagement between
him and the youngest daughter of the family,
Pbehe Divet. In the meantime we have been in-
troduced to Colonel Hussey and his intended bride,
the former, a kind-hearted, honourable, but some-
what tedious, individual, and the latter a very
singular and unattractive person. She has ac-
cepted Colonel Hussey as a matter of prudence, and
prides herself on her strength of mind and general
indifference to things and people. Having no
house of her own, she passes some time with the
Divets, on whom she looks down with ineffable
scorn and disgust, being in acts, if net in senti-
ments, very little be ter herself. She becomes
strongly attached to the deaf hero, and after many
agitations and disappointments, her ill-regulated
mind and undisciplined feelings, drive her to com-
mit suicide. Maria Palliser, for such is her name,
occupies a large portion of the book, her struggles and
suflerings are laid bare to the reader with care and
minuteness, yet fail to excite much sympathy for
one so self-confident, yet so reckless, possessing
more skill in outward self-conimand than inward
delicacy of feeling. Barbara Girdlestone has long
repented of her conduct, and made various at tempts
to meet her former lover, all of which are foiled
by the expert Divots. The results of the hero's
sudden recovery we leave to the reader to learn
for himself; but the fact might have been turned
to greater Advantage, for effect, by the authoress
Thus tile affliction of the hero, which appeared at
first to shut him out from all prospect of matri-
monial happiness, midi in his having, as he remarks,
"Three chances." The relative value of the three
is easily decided. The family of the Divets is a
very large one, and is irredeemably odious. Their
extreme vulgarity makes them appear overdrawn.
There are many other characters in the rory in
addition to those men, ioned—Richard Cranston,
afr end of Frere's, being prominent. But there are
very few in whom the reader can feel an interest ;
and the presence of so many vulgar and low-minded
schemers, renders parts of the book somewhat
tedious. A few more incidents would have relieved
it. However, the main idea is nuvel and striking
and not unnatural. The authoress, though she sets
herself, in conclusion, to plead the cause of deafness
and its numerous mitigations and compensations,
has proved the opposite side of the question. It
was entirely owing to his infirmity that Frere was
involved in the meshes of the Divots ' • that he was
deceived by his friends, and imposed upon by his
enemies ; that he became unconsciously the cause
of Maria Palliser's self-destruction ; and that he
narrowly escaped life-long misery. The style is
somewhat verbose and weighty, but the book dis-
plays considerable talent, and the plot is so novel
and striking that it will most probably become a
favourite with the public.

Buchan. By the Rev. J. B. Pratt, M.A. Black-

wood and Sons.

A pleasant and well written volume on the dis-
trict of Buchan in Aberdeenshire. The antiquities
and archaeological curiosities of the neighbourhood,
the natural wonders, the towns, their population,
monuments, manufactures, Arc. The historical and
geographical information belonging to it, and last,
n, t least, the of I ballads and traditions that it lays
claim to, are mingled in very w.tractive variety.
It hut lately bec.,me the fashion to devote a volume
to a thorough examination of the history and natu-
ral peculiaritts of some particular district, and it
seems to be a sensible and successful method.
While the residents or natives of the locality must,
' of course, regard such a work with especial interest,
there are many readers who are not connected with
it, who may be glad to gain some information about
it which is not likely to be found in guide books or
histories. This is more especially the cue if any
remarkable event has occurred there, or any nota-
bility ,Lairric. ;. n 9 Nciul3Llthz.o,34i,
_wt. yr,,,,,
in
n,4.
omit to mention the
....peflOr character.
Some of the
-01;g—ravings represent very pretty views. Many
will find something to interest and entertain them
in this little volume.

The Banker's Wife. By Mrs. Gore. New
Knight and Son.
This is one of Mrs. Gore's well-known and popu-
lar novels, and forms one of Knight and Co.'s cheap
series of novels. Its chief feature is the alteration
of its dedication. It will be remembered that it
was inscribed to Sir John Dean Paul On its first
appearance, "when," says the authoress, "I wan
fsr from foreseeing that my own fortune would be-
come partially involved in a catastrophe similar to
the one described in its pages," and though eh•
gracefully remarks that to advert to the conduct of
her former banker and trustee would now be un-
generous, she very naturally withdraws the eulo-
gistic dedication that would now appear a mockery.
The book, like its predecessors, is pr►nted in excel-
lent type, and haudsomily bound.

THE DEFENCE OF LUCKNOTV.

- --

(From the homeward Mail from India and China.)
The following short, but interesting narrative
is extracted from a letter received from Captain It.
P. Anderson, Assistant Commissioner at Lucknow,
who commanded the outpost during the whole siege,
and of whom Colonel Inglis writes :
"At Captain Anderson's post, they also came
boldly forward with scaling-ladders, which they
planted against the wall ; but here, as elsewhere,
they were met with the most indomitable reso-
lution ; and, the leaders being slain, the rest
fled, leaving the ladders, and retreated to
their batteries and loop-holed defences, from
whence they kept up for the rest of the day an
unusually heavy cannonade and musketry fire."
Gawicroitz, Nov. 30, 1857.—We were very
glad, 1 assure you, to see the first relieving force
under Havelock and Outran'. They saved us, as
we were getting very weak in numbers ; but their
force was small ; and atter fighting its way into
Lucknow, it could not get out with us, as we had
so many ladies, children, and treasure in cash.
The chief, however, male ample arrangements,
and we left Lucknow on the 22d Novetubt-r, at
midnight, in solemn silence. I lost all I had of
value ; lamps were burning as I left my house.
I commanded an outp,,st during the whole siege. I
had 10 men of the 32d Foot cud 10 volunteers, in-
cluding lsubaltern officer. My house (which was an
outpost, facing the road leading in from Cawnpore,
and to the front of the residency, commanding a
road, a branch of which would lead to the latter
building, and which, I oonclude, was blockaded),
was completely battered to bits. We had no less
than nine 9-pounders playing on it for five months,
day and night ; they also tried to mine it and blow
not
us up. I went into their mine gallery when Out-
ram'sc
aa
rmd e s in,y house. I could
and found they had cut seine
get in any
further up the gallery,as the rain had
25yao
yards towards
win; but it was cut much further. so th
i
caused it to fall
d
very littlefrom they succeeded,
my house ; and had starcewas
we
could have all been blown into eternity
at any
moment. I had to wash
in fact, my own clothes, cook, &c. •
to do every work like a coolie, and
ray house proof from shot. On one occasion& shell
came through the wall where I was fi • ring from and
knocked all the bricks
the fuse, and ran to get into the next room ;
but it exploded as I was just opposite it, and
threw me on my face ; but, strange to say, I was
not in the least hurt. Another shell burst, and
a bit struck me on the boot ; but I was not
hurt for more than a day or so ; it did
not cut the skin even. I went out to charge a bat-
tery in a garden ; and after getting right under a
gun, which was mounted upon a high ridge, I was
firing away as fast as I could at the enemy,
when a shower of bricks and stones were hulled
at us down below ; and one hit me on the fore-
head, and brought me on the flat of my face to
the ground. My nose was a little cut, and I felt
faint, and fancied I had been hit by a round shot,
but I got some water, and was able to hold out all
day with the troops. It was a dangerous affair.
Outram sent 500 men to take the garden and guns.
and said he would give 10,000 rupees if this was
done. I got up first, and Napier said we could not
get further ; so we held the place, but did not ge
nearly shot,
the guns till next day. I was here very
5, dean
too, by an arrow. A man next to me was °°'
o out at
through the chest, and the arrow-point'
leg,
and two
his back ; another hit a man in thei
God, I escaped-
more fell at our feet ; but, thank and the guns
The musketry fire was very heavy,
fired grape."