The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-11 00:00:00

Was in his av-,rks. He know himself surrounr3ed by
eotni-es and ib:otepasst.d y difficibties, but. he
trusted in the wo-to of his cans-, bet ofhim-
rlf,
he expected ut, nemerteete :•eturu to his
exer.ioo,, and !,e looked forward to no respite to
his paieful toils, till the gi ea! summons should be
oiveli that to the weary labourer proclaims the
dawning of the rest of heaven. Ho was mainly in-
strumental in rescuing Janet Dempster from the
dreary despondency into which she had fallen, and
his last hours were cheered by the prospect of his
works living after him, inasmuch as she would be
leading a useful and honourable existence through
the long years which stretched before her in the
vista of the future. In " Mr. Gilfil's Love
Story" we find displayed the mod genius
in composition and the most vividness in
narration. It is a striking episode of man's exist-
ence, one which stands out from the canvas of time
as the beholder gazes on life's picture.gaezdWme
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and then looking back we are shown that this
sombre and sedate old man in his quiet took part
scenes of no common interest and excitement. It
is truly said that enough consideration is not given
to what may have been in the youth of that age, all
consider so unprofitable to itself and all others.
" Alas ! alas ! we poor mortals are often little better;
than wood-ashes—there is small sign of the sap,
and the leafy buds that were once there ; but
wherever we see wood-ashes we know that all that
early fulness of life must have been. I at least
hardly ever look at a bent old man, or a wizened old.
woman, but I see also with my mind's eye, that Past
of which they are the shrunken remains, and the
unfinished romance of rosy cheeks and bright eyes
seems sometimes of feeble interest and insignificance
compared with that drama of hope and love which
Las long ago reached its catastrophe, and left the
poor soul like a dim dusty stage, with all its sweet
garden scenes and fair perspectives, overturned and.
thrust out of sight." CaptainWybrow, Gilfil, and
especially Caterina stand out prominently before us,
they are the chief characters, each admirably sketched
in its peculiar and distinctive style. Caterina was
a child of the South, which is a circumstance most
felicitously contrived to account for her wild energy
and fiery nature. Captain Wybrow is a type of the
soltish man, which might be adapted to any time.
He was conceited, and so long as his own ideas of
self-indulgence were gratified, he thought little and
cared less for what gave pain or pleasure to others.
Gilfil was of a generous disposition, but as often
occurs, he seemed slighted and passed by, while all
that was bright and lovely was flung in the path of
the unworthy. However, real kindness and genuine
worth must effect some good and influence in some
degree, and he who had been nobody in the sum-
mer time of their glee, was the all-important re-
feree in the dark days that came all too quickly on
Cheverel Manor. Some of the scenes are remark-
ably well traced which took place on the arrival of
Miss Assher, the favoured rival of Caterina. It ap-
pears only in accordance with probability when we
read of the early death of the young girl who had
exhausted the energies of an existence on the occur-
rences of a few fleeting months. Her spirit had
burned itself out, as it were, in its fiery struggles
against time and fate, and no after calm or kind
attention could renew the wasted strength or fan
the expiring flame. So ended the romance of
Maynard Gilfil's life ; the bright dream of his
youth was over, the hopes of his manhood decayed.
He went forth from the whirl of those eventful days
to a long, cheerless, solitary existence ; but while
those around deemed him cold and uninteresting,
the heart within was mourning over the ashes of
its early quenched fires. It needed not to tell one
of his vocation, to where the stricken should.
turn for solacA, or how the lonely may find a
friend, but the human mind, overshadowed by such
clouds cannot resume its original lustre or regain
its won-tell source, and hence it is that the hero of
this sad story is left as a ruin on life's highway. It
is impossible to peruse these histories without agree-
ing in the skill and superiority of their author. He
has displayed an insight into character, a knowledge
of the ruling passion of men, and a brilliancy
and vigour of expression that stamp
.his pro-
ductions as those of no ordinary writer. What-
ever is attempted is successful, what he proposes to
do is always carried out, and whether the person
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which will bear testimony to the recognition of
heir merits.