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

LITERATURE.

The Three Chalices. By the Authoress of "The
Fair Carew." 3 vols. Smitliand Elder.
Whatever may be the imperfections of this novel,
it may certainly lay cleuseto the merit of origi- •
nali y. The great point, the chief feature in the
story, is the deafness of its hero. At first sight
such an affliction appears peculiarly unromantic ;
but, through the skilful management of the au-
thoress,
it becomes the cause of numerous and im-
portantsuicide.
events,The
hero,including
threerer lovee
is
introducedaffai s and
tos
Manley
Fpossessing the
ec t o
inhar-
monious hi s
us possessing all the favours of for'tune, and within..
a shot period of his marriag e h e
s h i
ne
devoted attachment, a lady g
name of Barbara Girdlestone. When
suddenly seized with deafness he writes to her in
despair, offering to relinquish the engagement, and
she, influenced by her friends, does not refuse to do
so. Deeply grieved at this conduct be 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 Divot,
who take advantage of his deafness, and, for
the sake of his wealth, flatter and attend
to bim, and by a series of successful ma-
nceuvres bring about an engagement between
him and the youngest daughter of the family,
Pbebe Divot. In the meantime we base 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 wbom she looks down with ineffable
scorn and disgust, being in acts, if net in senti-
ments, very little better 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
sufferings are laid bare to the reader with care and
minuteness, yet jail to excite much sympathy for
one so self-confident, yet so reckless, possessing
more skill in outward self-command than inward
delicacy of feeling. Barbara Girdlestone has long
repented of her conduct, and made various'attempts
to meet her former lover, all of whiell .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 I..ct might have been turned
to greater a ivautage, for effect, by the autborets.
Thus tee affliction of the hero, which appeared at
first to shut him out from all prospect of matri-
monial happiness, ends in his having, ashu 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.
Thera are many other characters in the story iu
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 Io e-minded
scheme's, renders parts of the book somewhat
tedious. A few more incidents would have relieved
it. Howeve the main idea is novel and striking
and not unnatural. The authoress, though she sets
herself, iu conclusion, to plead the cause of deafness
and its numerous mitigations and compensations,
has proved the opposite side of the quetion. It
was eetirely owing to his infirmity that, Fr,-re was
involved in the meshes of the Divets ; that be was
deceived by his friends, and imposed upon by his
enemies ; that he became unconsciously the cause
of Maria Pallisei'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 Re;-: 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 archrcological curiosities of the neighbourhood,
the natural wonders, the towns, their population,
monuments manufactures, k,c. The historical and
geographical information belonging to it, and last,
nit least, the of l ballads and traditions that it lays
claim to, are mingled in very attractive variety.
It has lately becJrne the fashion to devote a volume
to a thorough examination of the history and natu-
ral peculiarities 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,
thei e ate many readers who are ni,t connected with
it, who may be glad to gain some information about
it which is not likely to be found in guide bo,)ks or
1 histories. This is more esptci illy the case if any

craarkshle event has occurred diere, or any nota-
bility clsims it as his birthplace. We mu,t not
omit to mention the illustrations, which are nume-
rous and of a superior character. Some of the
engravings represent very pretty views. Many
will find something to intsrest and entertain them
in this little volume.

The Banker's Wife. By Mrs. Gore. New Edition.
Knight and Sun.
This is one of Mrs. Gore's well-known and Popu-
larnoveli, and forms one of Knight and Co.'m cheap
serves of novels. Its chief feature is the alteration
of its dedication. It will be remembered that it
was inscriLed to Sir Jobn Dean Paul on i a first
appearance, "when," says the authoress, "I was
far from foreseeing that my own fortune would be-
come partially involved in a catastrophe similar to
the one described in its pages," and though she
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 printed in excel-
lent type, and hsudsom ly bound.