The Sun.
London, England, 1861-09-19 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

BENTLEY'S STAND &RD NOVELS.

The Semi-ilttacit,d Couple. By the Author of the
" Setui-Detached House,"

This is the last addition to this series, and it is a
very attractive volume for perusal. It does not
certainly possess the charm that renders the' Semi-
Detached House" so irresistible, and has gained for
it such an extensive popularity ; but it is a very
pleasing story. In its smart sketches we see society
admirably delineated ; in its animated dialogues we
meet with amusing illustrations of character; and
in its descriptive scenes we feel that interest which
always belongs to the natural and lite-like. The
author of this work has a very clear insight into
many of the most important phases of human
dispositions ; and here and there, as the reader
peruses these pages, he will find some individual
stand out prominently who is a most apt repre-
sentation of a certain class. Thus, in Lady Port-
more we meet with a finished sketch of a flue lady,
who is also most selfish and heartless. The manner
in which she conducted herself -when on a visit at
the house of the bride was most offensive. It is very
satisfactory to find that this calculating woman at
last overreached herself, and made a grand mis-
take in supposing Lord Teviot's case hopeless.
Helen is a delightful heroine who gains upon the
attention as we study her, and no one who watches
her in her fitful path but will rejoice when the
clouds are dispersed and the prospect of her career
is as bright as it promised to be the day she left
her father's house as a fair young bride, the envy
and admiration of all her friends. Lord Teviot
may convey a warning to the large class of well-
meaning persons who render those connected with
them wretched in consequence of their jealousy
and violent temper. Most fortunately for this mis-
guided couple they had real trouble to make them
cast aside their imaginary griefs, and in the silent
hours of reflection that are the inevitable portion
of a long illness both to sufferers and watchers,
they had time to think on their foolish conduct.
Mrs. Douglas is a very amusing character, her
shrewd remarks and sharp retorts foam one of
the most entertaining features of the dialogue,
and sne is a positive relief when she throws her
forces of repartee against Lady Portmore. This
artful woman met her match in the straightfor-
ward statements of her opponent, and the com-
pany in general coincided with the honest
bluntness of Mrs. Douglas, rather than the
inconsistent attestations of Lady Portmore.
Altogther the reader will find some very
entertaining sketches in these pages, and thus
the appearance of this book among the series
of standard novels connot but be attractive and
prove popular. It forms the ninth volume in the
list which comprises " The Semi-detached House,"
by the same author ; " The Ladies of Bever Hol-
low," and" Village Belles," by the author of " Mary
Powell ;" " Rita," an autobiography, which is a
very clever tale ; " Easton," by the Hon. Lena
Eden, that attracted attention at its appearance ;
The Season Ticket," that is of well-known merit
in its peculiar style; Anthony Trollope's " Three
Clerks" and " Quits," both of which have been
extensively circulated reading communities,

The Cook's Guide, and Housekeeper's and But-
ler's Assistant. By Charles Elme Francatelli,
Author of the " Mcdern Cook." Bentley.

This is a very useful work that affords a con-
siderable amount of information, and is written by
a competent authority, the author having been a
pupil of the celebrated Careme, seven years chef de
cuisine to the Reform Club, and late Maitre
d' Hotel and chief cook to her Majesty. This volume
contains upwards of forty illustrations of the
various dishes, Sze., mentioned in the course of
the instructions. The work furnishs accounts of
English and foreign cookery, instructions for
pickling and preserving The art of confectionary
ice-making, and the arrangements of deserts. Also
a very desirable item is met with in directions for
the preparation of proper diets for invalids. A
variety of wine cups and epicurean salads, Ameri-
can drinks and summer beverages. It will thus be
seen that there is ample store of knowledge im-
parted to those desirous of learning, and in the
range of domestic study no branch is more useful
than that of cookery. The most ignorant and
inexperienced may thus inform themselves in these
pages of the things they are deficient in, and by
practice possess themselves of the desirable skill.
There have been many works on cookery pub-
lished of late years, but this seems to be a supe-
rior sort, and to impart information on a more
extended scale than is often met with in volumes
of this description. This elegant book is there-
fore likely to be a favourite with many readers,
as they are not likely to be disappointed at the
intelligence they glean from its elaborate pages,
which present a storehouse and treasury of all the
good things that the imagination of the most in-
veterate epicure can devise, or tho most dainty of
mortals can dream of.

THE TR AG FD Y A7' FULTVO 0 D

BARRACKS.

PRESTON, WEDNESDAY.
The jury at the adjourned inquest last night re-
turned a verdict of wilful murder against Patrick
M'Cafferay, the soldier who shot Col. Crofton and
Adjutant Hanham, The body of Col. Crofton was
conveyed yesterday afternoon to the railway station
en route to Leamington, where Sir Morgan Crofton,
father of the deceased, resides, and where the in-
terment will take place. The mournful cavalcade
left Fulwood barracks shortly before 5 o'clock, but
long before that time thousands of persons lined
the way from the barracks to the railway station.
The whole of the shops in Church-street and Fisher-
gate, through which the procession had to pass,
were closed out of respect to the deceased and sym-
' pathy with his friends on their sad bereavement.
Every upper window was, however, crowded with
spectators, and the demeangur of the vast crowd
was remarkably orderly.
The funeral procession left the barracks in the
following order :—Detachments of the 55th, 41st,
10th, 29th, and 32d Regiments, with arms reversed.
Then came the band of the 3d Royal Lancashire Mi-
litia, with drums muffled, playing " The Dead March
in Saul." Immediately following was the corpse,
enclosed in three coffins, borne on a gun carriage
drawn by two black horses tandem, the horses
being attended on each side by three dragoons
cloaked. The coffin was shrouded in the regimental
colours, and upon it were placed the sword, belt,
sash, and shako of the deceased. The pall bearers
were Col. W. Patten, M.P., aide-de-camp; Captain
Clarke, 29th Regiment; Capt. Barlow, 10th Regi-
ment ; Capt. Bluett, Major Creagh, Capt. Kneebone,
29th Regiment; Capt. Smythe, and Mr. T. B. Ad-
dison. Immediately after the corpse came the
colonel's charger, fully caparisoned, led by his
groom. Across the saddle bow were slung the boots,
spurs, and pistc.ls of deceased, the boots being re-
versed. Then followed the other officers of the de-
pot battalion and of the 13th Light Dragoons, in
the order of seniority, juniors first, each wearing a
crape band on the arm and a crape sash over the
breast ; also Dr. Hammond. Dr. Clarke, Dr. Donald,
Capt. Wilkins, barrackmaster ; Adj t. Lake, 3d Royal
Lancashire Militia ; Rev. R. C. Stanley, chaplain to
the barracks ' • Major Goodair and the officers of the
11th Lancashire Rifle Volunteers ; Major Birchall
and the officers of the 21st Lancashire Artillery Vo-
lunteers ; the staff of the 3d Royal Lancashire Mili-
tia, a fatigue party of soldiers of the depot and the
11th Light Dragoons on foot. The following in-
scription was on the outer coffin, which was of oak :
" Colonel Hugh Denis Crofton, eldest son of Sir
Morgan George Crofton, Bart. Died Sept. 16, 1861,
aged 47.''
The crowded streets and the respectful demeanour
of the spectators, the closed shops, the slow and
measured tread of the soldiers, the mournful strains
of the band, the simplicity of the well-worn flag
around the soldier's coffin, the riderless horse, and
the remembrance of the cause of these sad trappings
of woe, rendered the scene most affecting, and many
of the spectators displayed considerable emotion.
Just as the head of the cavalcade reached the House
of Correction, above which floated a Jack half mast
high, the jury returned into lue inquest-room, and
the foreman was in the act ofdelivering their verdict
when the strains of the band playing " the Dead
March in Saul" were borne in by the wind through
the open windows of the court. Most of the spec-
tators present were greatly affected, but the pri-
soner displayed no emotion, simply turning with a
half smile upon the warder who had him in cus-
tody. Further to show the cailous nature of the
man, we may state that near the close of the in-
quest yesterday, when the prisoner had been stand-
ing three hours, he was asked by the warder if he
would sit down. He sullenly answered" I'll stand,"
and declined to accept any accommodation.
Nearly two hours were occupied in the march
from the barracks to the station, a little more than
a mile. On reaching the station the procession
passed through the west entrance, and the corpse
was placed in the guard's van. At the station seve-
ral of the officers expressed their gratification at the
marks of respect which had been paid,by the inha-
bitants of Preston to the memory of the deceased.
Capt. Bluett, on behalf of the officers of the Depot,
thanked Majors Goodair and Birchall for the at-
tendance of the Rifle and Artillery Volunteers. The
procession returned to the barracks after deposit-
ing the corpse in the van, marching in quick time.
The corpse left Presion by the 10 45 p.m. train
last night, and will be interred at Leamington_ t
szc.
day. Until the departure of the train a gear
honour remained in charge of the van. The reon this
of Capt. Hauham will be escorted to the Atati