The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-18 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Anne Sherwood,-or the Social Institutions of Eng-
" land. 3 vols. Bentley.
This novel cannot fail to interest all who ale
high-minded enough to resent injustice, and true
hearted enough to feel for the oppressed. The ob
jeot of the work is to depict faithfully the various
trials and troubles of the "governess life;" to do
this the author has carefully studied the subject in
all i s beariugs, always " keeping probability in
view.' We do not meet with unreal perfection,
or uzilikely faults in the individuals introduced to
ns; ih-y a re reeresented as human in their frailties,
but al-o human in their virtues. The heroines are
two sisiera Mane and Ellen Sherwood, the dau-gh-
ters.of a 'clergyniati, who lett them at his death
totally unprovided for. As may be surmised there
was but one course opera to them, one vocation to
which .they seem called, and thus they left their
happy home, the pleasant places of their childhood,
to weeder among strangers. Ellen, the younger
sister, was a sweet g• ntle creature, one of thcee who
appesr telly "fate 1 for earth's happiest hours, one
b rn to 1; ve amid sunshine and flowers • yet she was
possesSed of an advantage that • her billiant sister
st and in nerd of, a trusting spirit. She could
rely on the mercies of Heaven, and see
something g• oil in the hardest lot. Aube, c n the
contrary, was of a harder cast, her nature was r_ot
a gerral or grateful one ; under the most favour-
ab'e auspices it would hare wanted softening, but
in the arid•atmosphere she breathed, on the sterile
ground she trod, it is painful to contemplate her
state of rniud. It is truly observed at the com-
mencement, that in works of this class, governesses
are often repiesented as almost perfect, after the
numberless hardships they have endured ; and that
this is not a likely state of things, all who reflect
must agree in the truth of this assertion. It is a
hardening,_ and not a purifying ordeal, through
which such pass, and ercept in cases, few and far
between, human nature is not calculated to endure
such insults with the spirit that " beareth all
things," and " hopeth all things." The character
of Anne Sherwood is described in a masterly man-
ner, and is imbued with a vigour that only appears
in sketches which have life for a model, and truth
fir a guide. The sorrows that the two unfriended
sisters suffered in London are touchingly described.
The weary journey, the fruitless search, the coarse
jest of the vulgar, the cold frowns of the great,
tee ill-repitel toil they were forced to un-
dertake, and even the privations .they
often underwent, all these aro vividly and
forcibly related to us. At last their efforts were
crowned with success, each obtained an appoint-
ment, and were separated. Then the real trial
came to both, and each came out of it in her pecu-
liar way. 'Ellen passed some very miserable months,
but never 1 st her guardian angel, Trust ; she was
never repining, .although various sufferings wore
away her he it h. It was the sight of this result of
all their endeavours, that made Anne Sherwood still
more morose. It is a satisfaction to the reader
when Ellen, who had yatiently borne with much
misrepresentation and annoyance, is sheltered in a
quiet haven, far from the strife she had shrunk
from, and for which she was unfitted. During the
sad time in London, they had met in their wander-
ings with a curate who was as poor as themselves,
and by a fortunate chance he was afterwards ap-
pointed to the village where Ellen's first family
resided. Although from various circumstances this
occasioned at first new difficulties to the young
governess, through the jealousy of one of the
daughters of the house, a happier time came, and
Anne Sherwood had the happiness of seeing her
beloved sister—at least, free from the harrassing
cares that still beset her path. After her sister's
marriage she entered the family of Mr. Curzon.
The pas Sages which relate her adventures there are
most artistically gives, and it is easy to,understand
how a proud sensitive being like the heroine
would be wrought up, by the mingled patronage
and insolence she met with. The climax
was when she was deceived by one who promised
better things—one who seemed to her excited
vision as the day-spring from on high dawning on
her benighted path, she " whose morning had
known no sunshine, whose spring had seen nothing
green," revelled in the thought of a new hie,
nnder another influence, than that which had
hitherto impelled her; she thought'of putting off the
chains of the bondage of fear, to put on the flowery
Setters of love. But this was not to be ; her idol
was clay, her dream was delusive. The succeeding
portion of the story is painful, nor can the reader
fail fo deSire that it had been otherwise arranged ;
the passionate nature of Annie Sherwood might
have been shown, ;with the omission of one or two
incidents that jar (In the taste. However the con-
clusion is satisfactorily arranged, and the two, who
were worthy of ~better -things, lived to repent of
their errors. This novel does not depend on the
skilful construction of the plot, or the happy • deli-
neation of the characters to carry out its purpose,
or fulfil its intentions. It has a deeper meaning
and a more lofty aim ; it seeks to tell to the world
the wrongs of those who cannot tell them them-
selves, and tvlso are generally deprived of their
natural protectors. It may, therefore, aspire to
admiration without the figures of speech, or the
flowers of rle.orie, for its fame is drawn from the
purest source, that of talents employed fur the
beuefit of others.

" His blessing is sure
Who fights the good fight of the feeble and poor,"
His laborious task ended, the author may rest
from the wArfaxa, assured that his efforts deserve to
be crowned with success, while the spirit that has
animated them can impart even to failure a dig-
.
nity and renown.

The Norse Folk; or, 21 Visit to the Homes of Nor-
way and ,Sweden. By C. L. Brace, author of
" Hungary iu 1851," &c. Bentley.

This is a description of Scandinavian home-life,
from the pen of an American traveller. Norway and
Sweden are ' not now the unknown and unexplored
regions to Europeans that they were at one time.
Must of us have become acquainted with their ways
of thought and habits of living through the a-
sant pages pf their authors. The strong and sturdy
people of the North, the descendants of the old
Vikings, before whose names civilisation trembled,
htve always found a kindred spirit in the people of
this country. To take a peep into their domestic
life, from an American point of view, is not without
attractions ; and the more so as our author does
not content himself with the usual traveller's route,
but explores the far north, traverses the lonely
fiords, the majestic mountain passes, makes ac-
quaintance with the Lapps and Finns, visits the
most northern town in Europe, mixes freely with
all classes, and becomes thoroughly acquainted
with their social peculiari ies. His first excursion
was over the mountains of Norway; but as lie be-
lieves this country to have been oftener visited and
described than its neighbour, he has devoted to it
a much shorter space. He gives us au
interesting description of his view of the
midnight sun, and of the extraordinary
effect produced by perpetual daylight. He gives
us a much longer narrative of his journey in
Sweden, while to Denmark he has only allotted
two chapters. Durinir his tour in Dalecarlia he
descended the famous copper mine at Fahluu,
which dates back to the eleventh century, and the
produce of which, we are told, wass, in 1853, 4,277
skeppund, or about 1,710,000 pounds. The pro-
duce has decreased of late years. The impression
left on him by the peasants of this spot was very
favourable. He calls it the New England of
Sweden—doubts if so independent, honest, and
virtuous a peasantry can be found elsewhere in
Europe. His opinions of the inhabitants of Norway
and Sweden are not always so favourable, though
he writes of them in a fair and cordial spirit. He
paid much attention to the subject of popular edu-
cation during his visit, and has collected some use-
ful statistics. The curious system of circulating
schools very is prevalent. In some districts the po-
pulation is not large enough to support a school
entirely, so the schoolmaster travels through seve-
ral in the year, assembling the children of the
neighbourhool in some large building in each.
Many districts only have a schoolmaster eight
weeks in the year. Education is in a mannerfcooimtit:
pulsory, as no one is admitted to the rights
zenship or allowed to hold any officewth ti of
being
confirmed, and none may be confirmedio who do
nut know how to read and write. The
traveller made acquaintance with several of
of the country pastorswhohave tae as
of examin-
ing and instructing them, and gained much infor-
mation from them. He was highly impressed with
the majesty of the mountain scenery, tout its effect
of its lonely inhabitants is not be-
unPetVialth.eTmbiends
author, on visiting the insare asylum
at Christiania was, surprised to learn that the pre-
poll • derant cause of lunacy was solitude. When he
bad passed some time among the wild mountanous
deserts, where some of the dwellings are almost in-
accessible, he was able-to comprehend in some de-
gree the effect of the vast lonely solitudes on those
who pass years in them. The book cannot cer-
tainly be called a lively or entertaining volume of
travels, neither is it attractive from its narratives
of hairbreadth perils and startling adventures. It
is more suited to the thoughtful and studious
reader who desires to form a thorough acquaint-
ance with the constitution and character of the
Scandinavians, to estimate their moral worth, their
commerce, their intelligence, to trace their pro-
gress from the Runic rhymes of their old Viking
days, and weighing their advance in civilisation
and refinement against those of other nations, to
measure their position in the future. To such
readers Mr, Brace's book offers great attractiona,

from the care and correctness with which he has
collected his facts, and the moderation and fauna.*
with which he has narrated them.

The Lives of Philip Hoivard, Earl of Arundoy'
and of Anne Daeres, his wife. Edited from the
original MSS: by, the -Duke of Norfolk, C. 111-.
Hurst and Blackett.
This is a curious and attractive _yolume, especi-
ally deserving the attention of all interested in
antiquarian researches. It is compi'ed from some
old manuscripts in the possession of his Grace the
Duke of Norfolk, and he informs us in the preface
that he has copied them with the grea'eA cue and
precision, without making any alteration with the
exception of a few trifling omissions. It narrates
the livei, adventures, infferingS, and deaths of -
Philip, Earl of Arillidel, and of Anne Dacres, his
wife. The Earl died in the Tower, after more than
ten years' imprisonment, in consequence of his at-
tachment to the Catholic religion during the reign -:
of Queen Rizabeth. His wife, though undergo n;
many hardships, was not imprisoned, but died in a
small house in London in 16J3. She is represeeted
in these old manuscripts as a most estimable awl
charitable person, Who, with a liberality rare ind eel
in those days, did not refuse, in her many c'laritalde
actions, to assist those of another faith. Her hie--
band is also pourtrayed as a high-minded and otii- ;
valrous nobleman, who d.d not hesitate t sacrific
all his worldly pr spects to his convictions. Of
course the memoirs will I e most interesting to those
of similar opinion!, but such disinterested and n.obla
characters set, in the grand principles of their lives,
a worthy example to all who follow. The br,ok
printed and bound in the antique form, and forms
a valuable addition to the library.as well as an in-
teresting memorial to the occasional reader.