The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-21 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Right or Wrong. By Geraldine Jcwsbury, author
of " Constance Herbert," &c., &c. Two vols.
Hurst and Blackett. •
This story exhibits great ingenuity, and some of
the passages are replete with exciting interest ;
but it is to be regretted that the authoress did not
employ her considerable powers to a better purpose
than the construction of a tale which is so objec-
tionable in many points. Paul is a most dangerous
character, far more likely to occasion mischief than
one who does not profess to be restrained by any
strict rule, or enjoined principle. It may be, unfor-
tunately true, that many monks have broken their
vows, and, while supposed to be leading a life
superior in holiness to the rest of the world, have,
in reality, sunk far below its level of propriety ;
but it does not appear what object is to be gained
by the introduction of such a subject into the pages
of fiction. To add to the confusion of unpleasant
incidents, Marguerite is entrapped into a false
marriage at the beginning of the story by a young
viscount. This might well have been omitted, as
it does not affect the story in any particular, and
only renders the notion of her rushing unadvisedly
into another secret union more improbable. Apart
from the faults alluded to in the spirit of the nar-
rative, the details are skilfully worked out, and
the talent of the authoress is unmistakeably re-
vealed in the description of Paul's discovery. It
is a scene almost dramatic in its startling effect
when M. Perrin beheld in the prior of the
Church of Antoine that Paul Crequi, whom
he was lamenting as dead—and indeed it was
to offer up a prayer for the repose of his soul
that he had entered the sacred edifice. In vain
did Paul affect indifference, and Marguerite simu-
late indignation at the declarations of Perrin—the
secret that had lain hidden during twenty:years
was to be concealed no longer. Nothing remained
for the man who had set himself up in judgment
against his fellow-men, and exercised a rigorous
and merciless rule over the errors of others, but to
fly from the offended justice of the sacerdotal court,
whose deadliest wrath he had incurred. It is
some satisfaction to find that the wretched man
at last awoke in some degree to the knowledge of
his crimes, for a more extraordinary and fatal self-
deception can hardly be imagined than that which
he practised so long. One of the most pleasing
persons in the story is old Madame Bobbinet, whose
kind nature and genuine simplicity show to great
advantage beside the cruel cunning, and wicked
deceit and double dealing practised by the principal
characters in the work. Those who like stories
which display melodramatic effect will be pleased
with this one, and those who admire the produc-
tions which reveal great originality in idea and
construction, will appreciate the elaborate novel
before us ; but to the thinking reader it will appear
that talent might have been better engaged than
in its creation—and it is to be hoped that from the
same pen we may, on a future occasion, be fur-
nished with a more desirable work.

Memoirs of William Beckford, of Fonthill, author
of " Vathek." Two Vols. Skeet.
These volumes give us the biography of an in-
dividual whose wealth rendered him conspicuous,
and whose gorgeous romance still preserves his
name from oblivion. Whether the events of his
life, or his private and personal character, autho-
rised such an extended biography, the reader will
probably question. Very little of the work is occu-
pied by the actual memoirs, the greatest portion
consisting of descriptions of travels and impressions
of foreign lands, and of copious extracts from his
conversations with Mr. Cyrus Redding. An account
of the pedigree of the family occupies the first part
of the work, and the author hassiven a full descrip-
tion of some of Mr. Beckford's trifling writings at
unnecessary length. Had the work been com-
pressed into one volume it would have been far
more creditable to the writer, and more agreeable
to the reader. The biographer writes con amore,
and would have us believe that every employment
which his hero did not condescend to partake of is
totally unworthy the notice of rational and refined
mortals. The world of politics receives repeated
attacks, owing:: to Mr. Beckford's never having taken
part in it, which is a pity, considering that we a::e
gravely informed that " he was capable of flights or
fancy fully equal and more correct than many for
which Burke obtained praise," while at the same
time "the pilot who weathered the storm" would
have suffered a hopeless eclipse had Mr. Beckford
deigned to enter the Parliamentary arena :
Young William Pitt at that time did not possess half the
genius and imaginative power of young Beckford, but was
well instructed, more correct in what he acquired, and more
discerning. He was observant, pleasing, and polished in
his manners; neat of expression, and somewhat vivacious,
but not equal to Beckford in spirit, and much i-ll'erior in
energy of character.
Perhaps, for the welfare of Europe, it is as well
that Mr. Beckford had not the chance of forming
a Cabinet, as if his energy of character had been
much superior to that. of Pitt, our national debt
might have been doubled. His father, more am-
bitious than his son, had entered Parliament, hilt he
did not greatly distinguish himself in oratory,
" the best orators being cool men, of limited fancy
and few ideas." To say the least of it, this is a
somewhat novel doctrine, and shows great origi-
nality on the part of the author, the general im-
pression being that Chatham, Fox, Burke, and
Sheridan, were somewhat excitable by nature, and
that the range of their ideas and imaginations was
not more circumscribed than usual. The style of
the work is quite as original as the opinion; the
writer showing a superb indifference to the ordinary
rules of grammatical composition. Here is a
sample :
His fancy got continually into play, set going by some
trivial object that came before him. Thus, on seeing an
oriental coffer of elaborate workmanship in one of the
Hague museums, containing flasks of oriental essenc.,s for
perfuming a zenana, and while he scented them, he could'
have persuaded himself that as such essences dissolve en-
chantments, they may raise them.
Here is a milder specimen, where the style is only
involved :
" But there is more than this ; for, while such scenes are
disclosing, they bespeak a mind of a re-.:e cast of character
in the recorder of tnem. They exhibit continually, in an
all-pervadinr, tone, by the light of true philosophy, the
small value of file pageantries and regalities so much re-
garded in the olden time. They show that their worthless-
ness has been ever the same, and that those extinguished,
and those whom the self-conceit of the multitude regir:d at
the present•hour with awe-struck but diminished admira-
tion, are precisely the same, that they palled upon the
higher order of mind then as they do now."
It is only fair to the author to state that such pas-
sages as these are rare, but they are met with often
enough to make the reader marvel at such unpar-
donable carelessness. Some portions of the work
will amuse and interest many readers, and it is
certainly not devoid of entertainment ; but the
weakness, extravagance of style, and the diffuseness
of the work, mar its effect considerably. We sub-
join-one or two of the entertaining portions, as
more favourable specimens than those previously
quoted :

A VISIT TO VOLTAIRE.
rn passing through the village to the Chateau, the chapel
erected and dedicated " Deo Opthno Maximo," over the
entrance, led the travellers to ask who preached there.
They were told that sometimes Voltaire himself officiated
to the people, over whom he was lord of life and death, of
which a gallows standing on the estate was proof, it being
a Seignorie which conferred that power. The constant
official at the' chifel was a Jesuit named Pere Adam, of
whom Voltaire humorously observed—" Quoique it fut le
Pere Adam, it n'etoit pas le premier des hommes."
At the Chateau the visitors were received by Madame
Denis, Voltaire's niece, and she announced their arrival to
Voltaire. He was then averydark-complexioned, shrivelled,
thin old man, stooping much from age,, being eighty-four,
though not naturally a very tall man. Tho chief, and
indeed most etriking impression made by any of his features
was by his eyes, which were remarkably large and pene-
trating.
Upon his entrance he bowed, for his address was that of
a finished gentleman of the time, taking each of the party
in turn, and he then said :
" You see, gentlemen 'un pauvre Octagenaire,' about to
quit.,thid world ;" then making a- few observations about
himself he turned to young Beckford, and spoke some
cords highly complimentary of his father. He next asked
some general questions about England; what his visitors
thought of Switzerland; and for ten minutes addressed the
party, all. standing, upon topics of the day. He concluded
his audience with addressing the Englishmen, with some
little humour, in the parliamentary mode, "My lords and
gentlemen, many thanks for your visit. Pray take some
refreshment, and then, if it will amuse you, look into my
garden and my situation, and give me leave to retire ;