The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-21 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The, Oxonian in Thelemarken. By the Rev. T
Metcalfe, M.A., author of " The Oxonian i
Norway." 2 vols. Hurst and Blackett._
IMost readers of the intelligent records of Mr
Metcalfe's former travels will be gratified to see •
new work from his pen, although the subject ii tin
same. Encouraged by the favourable reception of
"The Oxouian in Norway," the author has detor•
mined to give the public the experience of his late/
trip, But though Norway is again the object of
his journey, the reader need not anticipate being
taken over the same track. Thelemarken 'and
Saetersdal are new to the traveller as well itA the
reader. It is the most primitive part of Norway,
and the author, mixing freely among the country
folks, has imbibed the spirit of their old legendary
lore and simple rustic existence. His first intro-
duction to the coast is thus described :
"As far as I can judge at this distance, instead of
the coast forming one sober businesslike line of denier-
cation, with no nonsense about it, showing exactly the
limits of lacd and ocean, as in other countries, here it is
quite impossible to say where water ends and land be.
gins. It is neither fish nor foe.l. Those lore, bar.
gneiss-rocke, for instaece, tumbled, as it were, into a
lot of billows. One would almost think they had got a
footirg among the waves by putting on the shape and
aspect of water. Well, if you scan them accurately you
find they are unmistakeably bi's of islands. But as we
aptroach nearer, look further inland to those low hills
covered with p;ne trees, which eornehow or other have
managed to wax and pick np a livelihood in the clefts
and crannies of the rocks, or sometimes even on the
bare scarp,. While ever and anon a bald-topped rock
protruding from the dark green masses stande like a
solitary Friar of Orders Grey, with his welt-shaven
tonsure, amid a creed of black•cowled Dominican,.
"'Surely that,' you'll say, `is the coast line proper I'
" ' Wrong ;gain, sir. It is a case of wheels within
wheels; or, to be plain, islands within islands. Behind
those wooded heights there are all until of labyrinths of
salt water, some ending in a cul-de-sac, others coming
out, when you least expect it, into the open sea again,
and forming an inland passage for many miles. It that
myth about King Caeute bidding the waves not come
any further, had been told of this country, there would
have been some ter;Bo in it, and he might have appeared
to play the wave-compeller to some purpose. For really,
in some places, it is only by a nice examination one can
say how far the sea's rule does extend.'
The whole of the c)ast is like this, except between
the Naze and Stavarger, rising at times, as up the West
Coat, into magnificent orecipices, but still beaded with
islands from the size cf a pipe of port to that of an
English county. Hence there arc to ways of sailing
along the coast, ' indenehfixes,' i.e, within the 'sherries,'
and ' udenalijmrs,' or outside of the ' ekerriee, i e., in
the open see. The inner route has born followed by
coasters from the days of the Vikings."

The freshness and originality of the style and
matter give something of the same refreshment to
the reader wearied with ascents of Mont Blare,
excursions up the Rhine, and oven satiated with
the descriptions of transatlantic forests and eastern
deserts, that he himself felt iu mixing with the
wild and uncultivated Norwegians, and hearing
the old Scandinavian songs. In treating of the
national language the mittr traces a striking re-
semblance between our own tongue and the old
Norsk :

"Arne has read Snorro's Chronicle, which he borrowed
(rum the parson. Ivar Aasen, the author cf several
works on the old Norslz language, has been more than
cue) up here examining into the dialect. Those it.
terested in the sources of the English language, and in
ascertaining how much of it is dui to the old Norsk, have
ample room for amusement and instruction here. Many
English words unknown in the mr.dern Norwegian, aro
to b,,. found in use in these secluded parts, though driven
Iron the rest of the cr,untry, ju-t in the same Ray as the
Norsk language was talked at Bayesux- a toig limn
after it had beconv., obsolete at, R',uen arid other parts
of Normandy. Our " noau" reappears in " fiord ;"
"game," in "gams," a word not known away from this.
" prate„' is " Frata ; "to die," is "dor ;" " two," is
" t, i," not '• to," as eh-ewl ere ; ine'eed, all ~he numerals
Jiff r f•oin V.n.se used elsewhere. '1 be people pronounce
" way,' nt, ()ugh," and "nr just like an En:;l;..brnan.
To "neigh, "n,-j.," not " viii ska." Ast eking is
" rock," not " ripe ;eg edge ; ,kale safe or
cupboard ; " kvik" coreeT .no's in all Ira meanings. to
our wsrd "quick." The old lerlandic "gilds" is seed
as an E u 'cgi:lic epithet, exothnt. To, it word for
" wheel" sounds like our English, and is not "stile," as
elsewhere ; " stuhlis" is our "stub," or little bit ; " I"
lri " oi," not " leg ;" " fir" is pronounced fir ;"
" spon" Las bet n alre: dy mentioned : " suer ," " mile,"
"cross," it-occur here, wherea:, elsewhere they differ
from the English."

The old. Scandinavian h-gendary lore occupies a
considerable portion of the work, which few read-
ers, we should imagine, would be inclined to regret,
the character of the people, and the mode of
country life, ht ing the chief o' jests of the work.
Tie pea-ante' steti cud conv:Tsation., and little
country sketch. s, are more prominent in the work
than the descriptions of country or any mere com-
mon travele,s' ta'es. The b2ar hunts, the doings
of the go d to.lks, and similar records, otter as much
name ion to the reader who seeks lisiht and plea-
sant reading as to tl.e mere curious seeker ftr
inf)rmation. Tutsc wid be interested in the
Account of the sifter mines at Kouigsberg, and
of which an int.frenting description is given. We
heartily commend these volumes to all who seek
acquaintance with the wild and fresh variety of
Scandinavian life and literature, with the solemn
Dine forests, the rocky coasts and mountain soli-
tudes, the earth lips, the wwerfalls, the old Norsk
entelle song, the sitnple country folks, the stout
bordeters, and the sl epy quiet descendants of the
stormy Vikings. Those who Lave perused his
former work will probably be ready to extend their
acquaintance with the Northmen, and they need
not fear monotony or tediousness in so doing. The
anecdotes, quotation., and incidents would be suf-
ficient to enliven a dull volume, and whore the
whole style and el.:tractor of the work is so fresh
and animated tie result canm,t be otherwise than
satisfcctory to the reader and creditable to the
writer.

The heirs of Cheveleigh. By Gervase Abbott.
3 vole. Longman.
This story presents powerful a' traction s for those
who delight in the mysterious and romantic. Tire
plot is exceedingly complicated, the adventures' of
the heroine are replete with peril and perplexity of
no ordinary kind, and the latter part of the narrA-
tive is especially 'painful from the peculiar style of
the dangers that euviron the unfortunate Lucy.
Butler, who is the most prominent person in the
tale, is described with consummate ski:l, as a crafty
man, devoid of principle and destitute'of feeling,
alive to no object but his own interest, and cap-
' able of no thought that did not centre in self. Mrs.
Alsehurst, the mother of Lucy, was a weak
woman, although anxious to play a distinguished
part in the world ; in an evil Lour *for
herself, and all connected with her, she chose
Butler for a confederate, or risistaut to carry out
her schemes, which had for their aim and object
to establish herself permanently at Cheveleigh.
Owing to some misunderstanding about the will
who
first
without
reserve,
that
buthe r
ahusband'sndsettlenapernotpse,rty shewhaad
hersse
it subsequently transpired that such was not the
case, she was only to be •in authority during her
children's minority. She was greatly disappointed
at this turn of affairs, and consulted Mr. Butler as
to what she could do to retain the power. Unfor-
tunately for her independence, she had plunged
deeply into debt while under the impres-
sion that the estates were her own. This
gave Butler an ascendancy over her, of which he
was not slow to take advantage. The desperate
plans which were subsequently arranged between
them, create a powerful and exciting interest in
the story, although they are of a painful nature.
However, those who do not appreciate this class
will acknowledge the considerable talent that is
manifested throughout. The doubts and fears
that continually beget the mind of Butler are vividly
depicted, and it is shown bow, in the midst of his
cherished plans, a tracking fear prevailed, lest by
some chance a change, a discovery of his villany
should be wade, and he be overwhelmed with con-
fusion end disgrace. From such a fate he was
saved by an awful doom. He had hoped and
trusted to keep his deeds of darkness concealed
from man, and he succeeded, but where no human
eye beheld, and where no human footstep pene-
trated, he pas,ed away from this life in a fearful
manner. It is pleasing to find the gentle and long-
suffering Lucy restored at last to friends and hap-
aud, with this bright vista of futurity be-
fore her, the reader takes leave of a narrative which
is immersed in gloom, and whose attendant spirits
seem crime and misery.

The Rev. A. Poole, curate of St. Barnabne, whose
licenss bas been revoked by the Bishop of London in
consequence of proceedings alluded to elsewhere, ii a sort
of Mr. Poole, who formerly carried ou leltsiness a.
an
ironmonger at St. James's Barton, Bristol. —BrOel
Mercury.
PATENT TYPE-FOUNDING COMPANT.—The two inven-
tions ; the one a nevi !Alen and tlie other a simple
moulding type, under the patents of Mr. Johnson, are
now in active and profitable operation on the north side
of Red Lion -2quarc. It is romevvhat curious that the
French were the first to recognise the merits of these
discoveries, and that it was not until prizes had been
awarded under special commissions of foreign govern
tnects, and the resutt extensively adopted on thoenom
con-
tinent, that the singular advantages and
of these patents began to be appreciateidag'orneiraGt reat Briy-
_...g journal;
Bri-
tain. Now, however, that 10E00 of tirs
tt
pe
more par.
are either wholly or in part using.ttuh
e_
for
ticulsrly f( ,r its barclacss and exact'
it is steadily on the leen ass. Tla
attracted -the; attention of
its production hAs recentlye jrnod3irs.th!oeiTrasiniadi
scientifictn r who are, if
e ,
several of our most eminent
mato,
d to witte:s that
nut invited, at teat freely a.
0 'Arii fiiture in the
which bicls hair to bic.:Ea9 an inki? ~
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