The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-31 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

♦
Raised to the Peerage. By Mrs. relit
sF-
Owen, author of " The Heroines of
Sze. 3 vols. Hurst and Blackett. , •n to
This work possesses one great recommendation
the novel reader who is wearied with tame tit„
Octaviu
.spiritless romances, and sighing for a little visit:aaj:d
in plot and style. It is in some degree original'. In
certainly possesses a considerable amount of 1.11,_,,t
rest. On the other hand it must be allowed at
probability has not always been consulted, and of
the incidents are often more suited to the Pagesits
fiction than to the arena of real life. It takes
vie
title from the secret ambition of Mrs. Sheffield, o.''ne
of the most prominent characters, if not the her°l.,o
of the work. She is the younger daughter ulhol.,
impoverished noble, who has married an , of
ourable and intelligent merchant,
great wealth. Mr. Sheffield is " a Ina" °f ed
people," and is deservedly proud of having carver,
out his own way to fame and fortune. A si_ilt,re.
attachment exists between his beautiful high
wife and himself, and it is with much pain that _
learns that she meets with slights and affronts frnef.
her former associates, on account of her loss of rat_el'i.
possessea
the
Each secretly resolves to attain if possible a higasnd
position. Mr. Sheffield, who scorns contrivance wf
intrigue, mixes in the political world, and fin of
receives the coveted prize as an unasked rewaruiaas
his honourable exertions. His wife meanwhile
two
been cultivating powerful friends, and as one weft.°
of aggrandisement she has resolved that her into
children, Darnley and Rosamond, shall marry .1.
titled families. Unfortunately they both form uta,!r
plans. Rosamond is attached to Mr. Cameron, nu'.
brother's tutor, a young clergyman of the neigh"
bourhood, whom, after many delays and lunch ;:s.
position on her mother's part, she finally raarrn^ii.
Her brother's story is more troubled and co? rim
cated. His mother has fixed on a bride for his i9an earl's daughter, Lady Fanny Denham, wh°-:
quite willing to perform her part. But Darul 91:
while travelling abroad, has fallen in love itjlno.
beautiful French girl whose uncle was educatliii
her for the stage, and has married her. His. faraand
wondered that he lingered so long in Paris;
when at length he returned he could neton
courage to tell them that he had left a wife an shis
behind him. Returning to Paris he finds, te ho
horror and surprise, that the uncle of his wife' than
is the villain of the book, has taken the idea, 'lvo
Darnley was not what he professed to be, all" or
disappeared with his niece without leaving.slglited.
clue. He has in reality taken the broken-near o
Estelle to America, telling her that hey raarriarso..
was false, and he insists on her follol7-iing heir, Pro'
fession and going on the stage. The elti'mnts
been taken to the hospital of the -psi:, 0,
Trouves, where it is fortunately adopted,,;iher
young girl who is just left desolate. The 1—
adventures of both mother and child are extreme.
complicated. The story of Estelle, the cruelty;
her uncle, his final revelations, and her acquanitie
ance with Lord Altonby, are the most r0tna,......
parts of the book, and occasionally incline to eifree_
vagance. Marcelline, the young nurse, is a gfr the
fulAb band v
awuocri
na lsyeh painfulara c,t earn,
db
answersutthe
no mood e
to
Meanwhile the unfortunate Darnley rebturns_
England, and has a serious illness. Partly. V;
his revelations, partly from letters which she 14,11ber
cepts, his mother learns all, but resolves that all
pisode od,
plans shall not be frustrated. She diseourage,s_ito,
his hopes, destroys the letters which arrive fur 'but
assures her upright husband that his illness jades.
trifling, and at length succeeds in her pious enhieh
yours. After the lapse of five years, during fiat
lie can obtain no trace of Estelle or her child'
Darnley Sheffield resigns himself to his friotviro,
wishes, and marries Lady Fanny Denham. cif,
Sheffield, meanwhile, is held in terror by the 11,1.10,/
of Estelle, who detects her dread lest her husulea,96
should become acquainted with the fact of Dar° her
first marriage, and extorts large sums frau •Ted
At length Mr. Sheffield finds that she has de The
him, though in what way he does not know,::„h he
shock brings on a paralytic stroke, from wil"..ned
never recovers. Meanwhile Estelle, who has es d,
from her uncle's surveillance, returns to Engrher
and after some time discovers her husband an after
child. Lady Fanny, opportunely, dies ; and
,d
mutual reproaches and forgiveness the long-se%nk
pair are reunited, but the health of Darnley has
beneath so many shocks, and he soon dies, lea s°
his wife to find consolation in the attachinell„t,h oo
one who had befriended her in adversity.
characters are so numerous, and the plot so corm el
cated, that the main points of the story are scarce',
brought so prominently forward as they migh,t bbel.
e.
The discovery of Mrs. Sheffield's deceit, an Ta..
punishment and repentance are lost in the entang';
men tof the various threads of the story. DarnlQ,'
who is throughout the victim rather than the OP;
prit, saving for his rashness and want of courage 11"
the commencement, seems to be the chief sufferer'
and to have the largest share of blame. The st°l.l
opens effectively, and the interest is well sustaine:
throughout. There is certainly no paucity of it:l';
dent or monotony of style, for there is sufficisn:
plot for two or three stories. It will, no douh"
be readily welcomed in this season of leasure!. a
notwithstanding occasional drawbacks, it manifest-
ability and skill.