The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-24 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Every Day. By Mrs. Fcster Langton. 3 vols.

Hurst and Blackett.

This is a simple story, comprising in its limits
many interesting incidents, and many of those
humble details which are yet of no mean importance
in the annals of domestic life. The lady who tells
the story is a widow, who has met with many hard
trials herself, but who has roused herself to enter
again the arena of the world in which she has
suffered so bitterly, to employ herself in ministering
consolation to the troubles of others. She takes a
genial interest in the whole of her extended ac-
quaintance, but of course some have the preference,
and the varying lights and shadows which attend,
their onward way are finely described to us. Lady
Bury and her daughters are important persons in
the story, and Lord Darlington's family is also very
attractive. Mrs. Arden is a welcome guest every-
where to all who can appreciate her ; some few
narrow minds seek to detract from her merits to
suit their own paltry purposes. Of this class was
Miss Preston, the governess of Lord Darlington,
whose conduct is very aptly described, and who is
truly represented as occasioning great injury to alt
the unfortunate young persons who came under her
care. Some of the events are strikingly introduced,
as, for instance, the scene that took place when
Lady Bury was summoned to her daughter abroad.
The glitter and gaiety of courtly attire was thrown
aside, and instead of the gay saloon and the
liant ball, they passed their night in hurried travel
to attend the sick if not the dying. All the scenes
of sorrow and suffering are very feelingly touched
upon ; bolt it is to be questioned if they are not of
too frequent recurrence for the pages of a novel.
The work throughout bears traces of an unfinished
style and unpractised hand, but there are also'
apparent so much right feeling and pure principle
that it claims attention, and cannot fail to prove
acceptable to those who like a record of home life
in its joy and sorrow. It is very probable that, this
authoress, on a future occasion, may again appear
before the public, and with more experience in corn-'
position, and greater concentration of expression,
there is no doubt will obtain a greater success than
at present. One merit is certainly to be acknow-
ledged, that of having chosen an admirable title
for her story, and of having strictly adhered to
the text, for this book is entirely what it repre-
sents itself at the commencement, a record of the
events of "every day."

A Lady's Escape from Gwalior. By Mrs. R. M.
Coopland, widow of the Rev. G. W. Coopland,
M.A. Smith, Elder, and Co.

This is another of those melancholy records of
what our countrywomen have had to endure, which
have been so plentiful during the last twelve
months. There is nothing particularly new in
this one; but, as the writer observes, there has
been no narrative of many of the scenes which she
witnessed, and those whose friends or relatives were
resident in Agra or Gwalior will feel an especial
interest in her descriptions. She had only arrived
in India a short time before the mutinies broke out.
Her husband was one of the East India Company's
chaplains, and she had gone out to share his Indian
life, anticipating many years of peace and useful-
ness. The first anniversary of her wedding day
found her a widow in the fort of Agra. When the
mutiny in Gwalior, which they had been antici-
pating for some days' broke out, Mr. and Mrs.
Coopland and several ladies of the neighbourhood
were concealed by a faithful native in his hut.
Unfortunately, a baby of one of the ladies cried
and fretted, which betrayed them. Her husband
was shot, but the natives spared the women, which,
considering their murderous ferocity, was almost
surprising. Their painful and toilsome escape—
now walking, now riding, under a fearful sun, and
all the while surrounded by jeering and savage-
leoking natives, is simply told by Mrs. Coopland
but, though her account is so plain and quietly
written, it is evident they must have suffered a
martyrdom from anxiety and physical want. Many
of them, too, had the added distress of having seen
their husbands or children shot, or of being in cruel
uncertainty as to the fate of their relations and
friends. When they at length reached the fort of
Agra they were comparatively safe but great must
have been the satisfaction and relief of the poor
afflicted traveller when she left that land where
she hoped to find a home, but which had proved to
her so cruelly inhospitable. The writer's opinion
of the natives is naturally very unfavourable. She
says that her judgment of them may be harsh, but
she had no time to know them favourably, and
whatever extenuation we may find for them in
European misgovernment and the violence of tro-
pical passions, We cannot deny that their conduct
in the mutinies was that of fiends. The volume is
a mournful one, though not more so than the nature
of the subject necessitates, and it will probably be
read with interest by those who are unacquainted
with the details of the mutiny in that particular
locality.

New Zealand. aud its Colonisation. By William
Swainson, Esq. Smith and Elder.
This work gives us an interesting picture of New
Zealand. It traces the origin and progress of the
colony—past and present—the collision of the
colonists with the natives, and their position and
prospects. New Zealand as a field of emigration
is also considered, its constitution and government,
and the situation of the church. The scenery rand
climate form the subjects of separate chapters.
The position of the aborigines in relation to the,
settlers, and the mournful decay of the native race`
whenever they are brought into contact with.
whites, are especially considered. The principles
of the English Government are also fully discussed
and entered into. The work merits the attention
of all who are interested in the welfare of our
colonies, and in tracing the fortunes of the Maori
race, who are now slowly but surely passing away
from their ancient territories and settlements.