The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-21 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

.Barchester Towers. By Anthony Trollope, author
of " The Warden." 3 vols. Longman.
The readers of Mr. Trollope's clever story of
" The Warden" will remember that it ended in an
unsatisfactory manner. Hiram's Hospital, the
subject of all the discussions and disturbances, was
left in a state of anarchy and desolation. The mild
and conscientious warden, Mr. Harding, abandoned
his post when his right to it was questioned, and
lived on the income of some small clerical appoint-
ment which he held. His daughter Eleanor was
married to the meddlesome reformer, John Bold ;
and the fiery archrleacen, Dr. Grantly, Mr. Hard-
ing's son-in-law, after vainly endeavouring to per-
suade Mr. Harding to retain the office of warden,
gave up the attempt in disgust and indignation.
" Barchester Towers" takes up the story after the
lapse of a few years. It opens with the death of
the Bishop of Barchester, Mr. Harding's old friend,
and the father of the archdeacon. The archdeacon
is ambitious of succeeding to his father's dig-
nities, hut his hopes are frustrated by a chanee of
Ministry. Dr. Prondie is the new bishop ; and, as
he has a Xantippe for a wife, and a vulgar, un-
principled adventurer for a chaplain, the appoint-
ment is not the most satisfactory. Mrs. Proudie
aspires to be the chief person in the diocese ; and
as Mr. Slope, the chaplain, has the same amid:ion,
the poor bishop is nearly distracted between
them. The appointment of a new warden
gives ries to a grand struggle. The af-
faits, of- the hospital having been looked
into by the authorities, extensive alterations have
been made, and the salary of the Warden consider-
ably reduced. It still remains a very comfortable
position, and the general opinion, loudly set forth
by the archdeacon, is that Mr. Harding should have
the place. Mr. Slope being of a different opinion,
offers it to Mr. Harding in such a manner that
even the gentle and courteous ex-warden is roused
into indignation, -and rejects it on those terms.
Mr. Slope from the first is the violent opponent of
the archdeacon, and a regular warfare is established
between them. The archdeacon regards Mr. Slope
with positive hatred, and the gentle :M r. Harding
thoroughly dislikes him., Great is therefore the
mortification ofsboth on finding that Eleanor, Mr.
Harding's youngest daughter, makes a point of de-
fending the enemy from their attacks. 'Eleanor,
now Mrs. Bold, is the heroine also of this tale.
She has been left a widow by the early death of
John Bold, and is beginning to recover from her
great sorrow. Mr, Slope having shown himself to
her, civil, and willing to oblige hrr father, she de-
fends him from a feeling of justice, though d'sliking
his vulgarity. Dr. Grantly's anger increases until,
at a hint from his wife, he firmly believes Eleanor
is going to marry Mr. Slope. Eleanor, furious at
the suspicion, quarrels with Dr. Grantly, and
leaves his house in indignation. In the midst of
the general perplexity the Dean of Barchester dies,
and another good appointment is vacant. It is
offered to Mr. Harding, but he declines it from
conscientious scruples. Mr. Slope moves heaven
and earth to obtain it ; but failing, and being
triumphantly extinguished by Mrs. Proudie, he
leaves Barchester in disgrace. Mr. Arabia, an
Oxford friend of Dr. Grantly, has been summoned
by him to quit his fellowship, and aid him
to fight against Mr. Slope. He accepts the
offer, and becomes vicar of St. Ewold's, a
smell living in the gift of the archdeacon.
He becomes attached to Eleanor Bold, who
returns his affection, but the unfortunate mis-
understanding about Mr. Slope estranges them.
However, at the conclusion alt is happily settled.
Mr. Arabin becomes the new Dean, and marries
Eleanor Bold, to the triumph and satisfaction of
the archdeacon and Mr. Harding. A poor c'ergy-
man, with a large family, is made Warden, and all
is arranged to the content of everyone except Mr.
Slope. There are many more characters in the
story those mentioned, conspicuous among them is
the family of the Stanbopes, who are cleverly
drawn, though rather extravagant. Madeline
Nercni, the second daughter, is a lady of a very
witch-like nature, but though her character and
fascinations are somewhat alarming, she does little
eventual harm. The style is sparkling, the satire
pointed, and many of the persons and incidents
very naturally described. It may be questioned
whether it is desirable to make the actors and com-
batants so entirely ecclesiastical, whether it is not
encouraging that spirit of presumptuous sarcasm
which is so common, and which thinks that to
ridicule anything which ought to be respected, is
the sign of a superior intelligence. It must be ad•
mined that the author himself is totally free from
this error, and on'y reserves his weapons for the
faults and failings of the churchmen, and not for
th© church they represent. Without any vivid
excitement the story is interesting, and the reader
will find entertainment for many a leisure hour in
this history of the strifes and struggles of a cathe-
dral city.

Below the Suaface :

A Story of English Country

Life.

3 vols.

Smith and Elder.

This work displays considerable knowledge of
society in its various phases, it is intended to do
more, however, than merely " catch the living
manners as they rise," it represents the evils that
exist in many social institutions. These various
de'ails are not dwelt on in an exaggerated manner,
nor presented to notice in an unlikely furin, but
simply and naturally brought before the reader.
The narrative which forms the connecting links to
these subjects is of great interest, it is true that
many of the leading circumstances are not new to
readers of fiction, such as the jealous husband
being deceived by suspicious occurrences, but the
general construction of the plot is skilfully devised,
and the attendant minor incidents admirably ar-
ranged. o:iver Nugnit's character is well described,
and while no one can help admiring his strong
sense of rectitude and high spirit, at the same time
it is apparent that his unyelding temper, and un-
sympathising disposition are not calculated to ob-
tain the influence that his virtues merit. As a
striking contrast to this rigid being, is Sir Reginald
Clinton, who is as enthusiastic and sensitive as the
other is calm and constrained. One who looked on
social existence in such an uncompromising spirit
as Nugent was not likely to be of any service to
those who required encouragement as well as warn-
ing. Of the latter class was Clinton ; unfortunately,
however, he found in the wife what he missed in
the husband, a ready sympathy, and in-
tuitive perception of the necessities of the
disposition she encountered. It was also unpro-
pitious that at the time when Gertrude was enter-
ing into the troubles of her husband's cousin, that
Nugent was already seriously displeased by the
continued interference of Lady Maud, his mother-
in-law, between himself and her daughter. Such
conduct, always to be deprecated, was hazardous
in the extreme with a man like Nugent, and was,
indeed, one of the proximate causes of the un-
happy events that afterwards occurred. Lady
I Maud Usherwood is one of the chief characters, and
her petty ambition, her scheming mind, and her
interfering nature, are ably sketched. Mr. Lovell
is an instance of what forbearance, spirit, and kind-
ness can effect. His conduct at the attack ou
Beaumont House was a proof of his worth. The
whole description of the latter event is excitingly
narrated. There is a complicated account of the
discovery of Sir Reginald's son, a youth frequently
met with in the story, who has had to fight his way
on from the lowest places in life. He was subse-
quently adopted by Nugent, with whom he was
living when found by his father. A number of
people are introduced, among whom Weston and
Harrill figure prominently as the agents in the
nefarious transaction, which consigned the unfor-
tunate Mrs. Clinton to a madhouse, and sent her
son into the world as a beggar. On the whole, there
are many things to merit the attention in the peru-
sal of "Below the Surface," which seeks to give a
fair exposition of country life.

First Series. The Laughable Looking-Glass, for
Little Folks. Dean and Son, Ludgate-hill.

We candidly confess that we have read this little
.book from beginning to end, and that we wished
it were longer. The dash of matter-of-fact, old-
fashioned morality running through it, the really
clever rhyming, illustrated by pictures of an un-
usually comic and forcible character, are well
adapted to induce that culmination of wisdom and
dignity—"a grown up person" to read it aloud to
the chubby-faced scions at their knee. Any foolish
papa or doting mamma wishing to delight their little
" blessings in disguise," must carry this book home
in their pocket.

New Cavatina. "A Whisper, the Freemason's
Secret." By J. A. Anschuez. Novello, Dean-
street, Soho.
We have no doubt this is very effective in full
singing, and that it will have a large circulation
among the " craft,, i
it is chiefly intended for. The
words are very deficient in measure, to say nothing
more or rather less of them.

LIINDHILL COLLIERY EXPLOSION.—Since Saturday
last only six more bodies have been recovered. Of these
two were brought out on Monday, and one of them was
identified as that of George Thompson, one of the leaders
of the Oaks strike. One was found on Tuesday, and
the other three yesterday (Wednesday), on the north
side, where the men are still busily engaged in clearing
away the rcof. An inspection of the pit was made on
Tuesday by the engineers, for the purpose of laying be-
fore the jury, which meets this day (Thursday), the state
of the pit up to that time, and if possible to give some
idea of the cause of the terrible accident. The number
of bodies recovered has now reached 101.