The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-21 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The
:Squire- of 'Beechwood. A True Tale.- By
"Scrutator." 3 vols. Hurst and Blackett,
This is an amusing story, and although no very
wonderful events occur, the interest is kept up to
the last by the ingenious cons'rue ion of the plot,
and the pleasing style in which it is related. The
chief point of the tad is the long engagement that
xisted between Henry Howard- and Mary Mait-
land. The adventures and misadventures that be-
fell them, the officiousness of meddling strangers,
the injudiciousness of friends, the slanders of
enemiee and the fAtal interference of family con-
nections, all conspired to resider the aequaitstance
of these two estimable individuals anything but a
happy one. It is sometimes ludicroiy, and sometimes
irritating to observe how continually both paitie3
persisted in believing all that was detrimental to the
other's character, by whomsoever uttered, even
after repeated proofs of the falsity of such asser-
tions had been met with. In this particuhir the
author has well displayed the blindness of jealousy
and the inconsistency of pride. Mrs. Selwyn,. the
mother of Mara, shows to us a perfect model of a
meddling mother, a woman who really loved- her
child, and yet was mainly instrumental in causing
that child's misery, perhaps, by her very folly
wrecking her peace for life, at the moment whoa
she would willingly have sacrificed her own exis-
tence to procure some signal blessings for her dar-
ling. She was ever on the alert waitinieand watching.
It is no wonder that an excitable nature 1 ke Mary's
should have hem driven almost to d'strac ion by
such demeanour, and it forms so ne part; of her ex-
cuse for wavering, when it is considered that she
was really attached to her mother, and placed re-
liance on her judgment. This is another part of the
harm c,nnmitted by such persons—the very respect
in which they are held increases their respensitii-
litya.s it adds to their influence. - Robert Howard,
the cousin of Henry, is:a remarkable contrast ti him
in every respect. It would be a satisfaction to the
a .)der, when his various plans fail, if in his ruin he
did not contrive to involve his cousin. Iu this in-
, stance' Henry Howard showed great want of s-nse
and indeed of principle ; for a man like him, wish
a family dependent on his fortunes, bad no right
to risk the welfare of theinnocent to sers.en the
guilty from the effects oh their crimes. This mis-
calls I charity never profits the giver nor the recipi-
ent, and Henry bitterly rued the hour when be
consented to lend his aid to Roberts ruinous affairs.
[t is welcome news to hear at last that the path of
the upright and generous hero, whose wanderings
we had followed from early youth to an advanced
,period of maturity, becomes less thorny and rugged
and to know that his latter life will be passed un-
der the shades of Beechwood, froth
.101611605 e-had
been driven by the machination's of crafty. rogues.
Sir William Beaumont is a sketch of a u&ile-
minded man, one of whom there are few, but who
is yet natural in his description. For oae rightly to
peurtray human natty e, it is but fair to intro-
duce one like Beaumont into a s:ierie that
hiss witnessed the entrance of Robert Howard
—to say nothing of his myrmidon Smirk.), who
eventually proved too sharp-witted for his employer.
Many of the earlier passages of the story are bril-
lant and gay, from tie frequent recurrence of ball,
banquet, and diversified entertainments; amid whose
sparkling scenes the hero and heroine played their
pasts in the exciting drama before referred to. Fur-
ther on thesunshineof life is exchanged for its shade,
and even for its storms. Through the fitful course
on which our eyes have rested, the attention is
fixed by the spirit of the narrator. In a decided
manner, and with a genial feeling, he has worked
out his purpose, and attained to his object, to pre-
sent to our notice the record of the wee, and weal,
the light and shade, the good t nd evil, that mingled
in the momentuous career of the Squire of Beech-
wood.

The Story of my Girlhood.

By Mrs. Lyileb.

Longman.
This is a pleasing domestic story, written with
taste and feeling. The inciden's are scarcely pro-
bable, and decidedly romantic, and the characters
are certainly not such as are commonly met with
in everyday life ; but the plot is novel, the actors
in it interesting, and the principles and sentiments
inculcated are pure and elevated. The story, in
its chief incident bears some resemblance to "Lelia
Rookh." The heroine, Annie Falconer, when
very young, is persuaded by her mother, who is in
declining health, to enter into a secret mar-
riage with a youth of her acquaintance, in
order to be secure from the possibility of a step-
mother's dominion. This very rash and injudicious
proceeding does not produce the anticipated result,
fur, owing to a misunderntanding with his youthful
bride, Lynn Forester departs, and is not heard of
for years. The mother dies, and her place is filled,
as she expected, by another, but that other is ono
of her daughter's friends, who is of such a good and
gentle disposition that the mother's fears are proved
groundless. In the mean time the secret, which
is known only to herself, becomes a heavy
burden to poor Annie, rind is not made
made the Tore agreeable by the appearance of a
Mr. Warren, who pays her much attention, and
heriiliarets" Ifil—Ydrfitlfifir#l4lPih,
arranged, by the discovery that Mr. Warren. is at
the assumed name of Lynn Forester, who
had resolved to win her affections in dis-
guise. There are several other characters with
interest of their own. The chief of these
is Ada, the stepmother, whose patience and gentle-
ness at length meet their reward. Edith Fatconer,
the sister of Annie, is also the heroine of some
romantic episodes ; and some amusing sketches
of neighbours and friends fill up the corners
of the,,story very pleasantly. It is apparently an
early work, and gives evidence of considerable
ability in the department of light and graceful fic-
tion, deepened by touches of sentiment and pathos.
There is also considerable variety in the delinea-
tion of the characters. It is a welcome contribu-
tion to the literature of the day, and the authoreas
is apparenly one who, with care and experience,
will be likely to enrich the field of domestic
fiction.

history of a Flirt. T. Hodgion, Paternoster

Row.

The cheap reprint ofanovel of this description,
which many of our readers may remember as being
very popular a few years since, must doubles
salt
well. Mete is a considerable amount of wit and
smart dialogue in its pages ; and the heroine, a
most incorrigible and distinguished disJiple• of the
school she is intended to represent, -goes through a
long course of unprincipledfolly, to be rather too
well rewarded at last ; however, the hook is a fair
specimen of the modern novel.

Waterton:3 Essays on, Natural History.
_Longman

and Co.

The name of Waterton is well known in this
department of literature, and the present volume
fully sustains the preceding reputation of its au:hor.
Mr. Waterton is fu 1 of anecdote, and gives a va-
riety of wonderful stories conne7.te I with animals
and their habit. We will not undertake to say
that our belief is al great as his own relative to
some incidents which 119 relates, but making due
allowance for the strong colouring of enthusiastic
zeal, we have perused the book'wii.la great pleasure.

A. STRANGE CLAIM. —Mention—has been made at dif-
ferent times of a Spanish gentleman named Palet having
made a claim on the King of Spain and On his father,
Don Francisco de Paula, for a large sum in payment of
services which be alleged he had renderecLin bringing
about the marriage of the King, formerly the infants
Don Francisco de Aisle; with the Qeeen Isabella. Hav-
ing, in spite of repeated demands, tailed-..t0 Otain any-
thing from the King and Prince, M. Palet sometime
ago demanded of the captain-generalpf Netv Castillo to
receive formal proofs of the justice of his 'demands,
which proofs consisted in the production of letters
written by the King and his father, or by their order,
authorising Palet to exert himself to bring about the Mar-
riage, and promising to reward him in the event of its
being accomplished. But the Auditor at War acting for
the captain-general, refused to call on the King or the
Prince, as M. Pal' z. required, to depose on oath whether
or not the letters in question came from them, but con-
tented himself by sending a copy of them to the King's
priva.e secretary. M. Palet a few days ago appealed to
the Superior Military and Naval Tribunal of 4adrid
against these acts of the auditor, as cent
z d
whatan c e
oentrary to the
Spanish code of proceedings. .
He bad summoned the
hoenh
atthi etior sba
ye la, adlefc;i
decided
ddt
that
hate
it.
tr lowtranuallj
King and the Prince to appear by advocate, but nobody
afterwal n
hearingatte
take time to consider its ju,dgelent.
TEE CIVIL SEUVICE.—Tae ForeignDapartment.—The
office o. Chars d'Affaires and the Consul-General at
Lima, Peru, has become vacant by the death of Mr. S.
H. Sullivan. Salary as Consul-General, 1,7001. ;as
Charge d'Affaires, 365/. • Customs.—Mr. W. D. Chester
has been promoted from Clerk First Class to be a Chief
Clerk in the Secretary's office, London. Mr. J. Smith
has been promoted from Second to First Class Clerk in
the Secretary's-office, London. Mr. R. C. Hallowes has
been promoted from Third to 'Second Class Clerk in the
Secretary's-office, L mdon. Mr. E. Ta for has been pro-
moted from Second to First Class Tide waiter in London.
Mr. Jaoob Curling has been promoted from Third to
Second Class Tidewaiter in London. Mr. B. Sans has
been promoted from Tidewaiter First Class to be Tide
Surveyor Fourth Class in Loadon. Mr. J. Purdy baS
been promoted from Second to First Class Inspector of
Patrol at Liverpool. Mr. T. Dysart has been promoted
from Second to First Class Searcher in Dublin.-o-Inland
Revenue Department.—Stamps and Taxes Branol3.
Mr. W. H. Roberts, of the Excise Surveying Branch,
has been appointed Supernumerary Surveyor of Taxes-
East Indies.—Mr. H. W. Reeves, Provisional Member'
of Council, Bombay Presidency, has been appointed a
Member of Council, in the room of the Hon. J. .G. Luas.
den, resigned. Trinidad.—The office of Reer-Genee
ral of Trinidad has become vacant by the ceiv
death of the
Hon. J. A, Allen.—Civil &nice Gazette.