The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-15 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

--
The Three Clerks ; A Novel, By Anthony Trol-
lope, author of "Barcheeter Towers," &c. vols.
Bentley.
This work will greatly raise the author's reputa-
tion. The reader sof his former works will remem- ' ,
ber that they displayed no inconsiderable ability,
and skill in delineation of character. They did not,
however,. touch the deeper feelings or more serious
principles of life, but contented themselves with
sharp and pleasant satire on some of the dignitaries
of a cathedral town. The present work quits the
cloisters of Barchester for the wilderness of the
modern Babylon, and takes for its victims the mem-
bers of the Civil Service, a less questionable sub-
ject, some may think, than Bishops and Archdea-
cons. But though full of the satiric portraits and
attacks upon conventional absurdities that abound
in "The Warden" and in "Barchester Towers,"
this work occupies a higher position, and claims a
wider range. It shows the dangers of expediency
as oppoad to principle ; it paints in vivid colours
the perils of a mis-directed ambition ; it points
the precipice over which talents, energy, affection,
high position, and extended influence will fall at
last if they choose the broad path instead of the
narrow—if they persist in thinking the end justifies
the means. The career and character of Alaric
Tudor are drawn with a force and vitality that
proves the author to possess talents of no common
order. The three clerks are all employed in the
Civil Service. Their names are Henry Norman,
Alaric Tudor, and Charles, his cousin. They are
contrasted with great skill. Henry Norman, the
first introduced to the realer, is the most high
principled. He escapes .serious evils, such as
befal his companions, by his steadiness and
honesty, but ho is not without his faults, being
somewhat unforgiving and obstinate. Though
clever and industrious he is always second to his
friend Alaric, who soon distances him in the race
for success and distinction. His more brilliant
talents and versatility, and, alas, his ready adop-
tion of the means at hand, whatever their charac-
ter, enable him to rise with surprising quickness in
the social scale. A rivalry in love produces a quar-
rel between him and his friend Norman, but he
takes it very little to heart. He prospers in his
love suit, but that can hardly stay him in his course.
He devotes all his time, his talents, his energies to
getting on in life. Excelsior is his motto, 131,1; "he
failed to.cliscover that onwards and upwards were
not the same ; that to advance was no:, necessarily
to ascend." Misled by dishonest speculators with
whom he associated, who laughed him out of his
scruples, and turned him to their own purposes, he
hurried on the road to ruin. His fortune was in-
creasing, his position was high, influence and au-
thority were his, 'Parliament was opening its doors,
when a sudden turn of fortune saw him a felon at
the dock. He had committed one of those breaches
of trust which have been, unfortunately, not tin
common, and which are always standing umpting
in the way of him who takes expediency for his
motto instead of honesty. The third clerk, Charley
Tudor, is a very natural character, drawn with
considerable skill. He is a young man of good dis-
position and gay and easy temper, who has come
up from Wales to fill a place in a branch of the civil
service, where disc pline is unknown. Without
society or friends, of course ho falls headlong into
all sorts of mischief. His career is sketched with
great skill, and it is unfortunately very natural.
These are the three heroes of the story, and of
eeurse there must be three heroines. These are
found in the family of Mrs. Woodward, a widow
lady residing at Hampton. The author's power in
delineating character is shown in his heroines, as
well as in his heroes. They are all charming por-
traits, but strikingly different from each other.
The jute is ct-and dec;sion of the one, the gentleness
and submission of the second, and the high spirit
and straightforward temper of the third, are well
contrasted. Mrs. We award, tho mother, is a
pleasing picture, though not very prudent in her
care of her daughters. But the author has given
us some very oliginal specimens of ladies' conv, r-
cation. They are not in the habit of talking about
" fools," " spaoneys," and such elegant phrases.
We are sorry Mr. Trollops has marred the effect of
his graceful, feminine pictures by such careless
touches. These are only the chief figures ; the
canvas is crowded with minor ones. The chiefs of
the rival offices, Sir Gregory Haidlines, Mr. Fidus
Neverbend, Mr. Oldeschole, &c., are alt clever por-
traits. The rigid ityand exactitude of the "Weights
and Measur es" is amusingly contrasted withthenegi-
gence and dissipation of the " Internal Naviga-
tion." Then Alarie's speculating as ociates and
all their questionable circle are introduced. Old
Captain Cutwater is a specimen of the ill-used naval
officer, constantly lamenting the injustice of the
Admiralty. The vigour and variety of the style
may be shown by the following extracts. Charley
Tudor is describing a romance he is writing, and
he author takes the opportunity t) ridicule some
prevailing follies :
" In the first paragraph, Sir Anthony Allan-a-dale
is lying dead, and the Baron of Ballyporeen is stand-
ing over him with a bloody sword. You must always
begin with an incident now, and then hark back tar
your explanation and description ; that's what the
editor says is the great secret of toe present day, and
where we beat all the old fellows that wrote twenty
years ago."
"Oh I—yes—l see. They used to begin at the be-
ginning ; that was very humdrum."
A devilish bore, you know, for a fellow who takes
up a novel because he's dull. Of course he wants his
fun at once. If you begin with a long history of
who's who and all that, why he won't read three
pages; but if you touch him up with a startling
incident or two at the first go off, then give him a
chapter of horrors, then another of fun, then a little
lova, or a little slang, or something of that sort, why
yon know, about the end of the first volume, yon may
describe as much as you like, ant tell everything about
everybody's father and mother for just as many pages
as you want to fill. At least that's what the editor
says."
'" Meleager ab ovo' may be introduced with safety
when you get as far as that," suggested Norman.
Ye., you may bring him in too, if you like," said
Charley, who wes somewhat oblivious of his classicati-
tie,,. " Well, Sir Anthony is lying dead and the Baron
is standing over him, when out comes Sir Anthony's

retainers—
" Out—out of what r
" Out of the castle : that's all explained afterwards.
Oct come the retainers and pitch into the Baron till
they make mincemeat of him."
" They don't kill him, too 7"
" Don't they though I I rather think they do, and
no mistake."
" And so both your heroes are dead in the first
chapter."

a First chapter! why that's only the second para-
graph. rin only to be allowed ten paragraphs for each
number, and I mu expected to have an incident for
evLr:. other paragraph, hq. the first four days."
" Tr is twenty incidents."
Ye,,,—it's a great bother finding so many—l'm
obliged to make the retainers come by all 'Twiner of
accidents ; and I should never ',aye finished the job if I
hadn't thought of setting the castle on fire. Aod now
forked tongues of liquid fire and greedy lambent fiameA
burst forth from every window of the devoted edifice.
Toe devouring element—'.
That's the best passage in
the whole affair."

" Well, the retainers had no sooner made mincemeat
of him, than they perceived that Sir Anthony was lying
with an open bottle in his hand, and that ho had taken
poison.
"
" Having committed suicide ?" asked Norman.
" No, not at all. The editor says that we must always
have a slap at some of the iniquities of the times. He
gave me three cr four to choose from ; there was the
adulteration of food, and the want of education for the
poor, and street music, and the miscetaneous sale of
poisons."
" And so you chose poisons and killed the Knight
" Exactly ; at least I didn't kill him, for he comes
all right again after a bit. He had goue out to get
something to do him good after a hard night, a seidlitz-
powder, or something of that bolt, and an apothe-
cary'st apprentice had given him prussic acid in mis-

ake."
" And how is it passible he should have come to life
after taking prussic acid ?"
" Why, there I have a double rap at the trade. The
prussic acid is so bad of its kied, that it only puts him
into a kind of torpor for a week. Then we have the
trial of the apothecary's boy; that is an excellent episode
and gives me a grand hit at the absurdity of our crimi•
nat code."
" Why, Charley, it seems to me that you are hitting
at everything."
" Oh ! ah I right and left, that's the game for us
authors. The press is the only censor morum going now
—and who so fit ? Sot a thief to catch a thief, you
know. Well, I have my hit at the criminal code, and
then Sir Anthony comes out of his torpor."
" nut how did it come to pass that the Baron's sword
was all bloody 1"
" Ah, there was the difficulty ; I saw that at once. It
cas necessary to bring in something to be killed, you
know. I thought of a stray tiger out of Wombwell's
menagerie ; but the editor saps that we must nottrespass
again-t the probabilities, so I have introduced a big dog.
The Baron had come across a big dog, and seeing that
the brute had a wooden leg tied to his throat, thought
he must be mad, and so he killed him."
Here is a specimen of the author's power in more
.ori.ou3 Footles. Alaric is summoned to his trial at
the Old Bailey:—
" He had hardly finished his enforced breakfast when
the cab and the lawyer came to the door. The learned
gentleman
had
theeood taste not to come in, and so the
servantthat Mr. Ciltenithruet was there.
meter will he with him in a
Say that your n
minute,' saiti
id them
Gertru
door was again ei. ;sed, a
dt*, q.ii:tdatzolhlyti,;baanndl tahnedu
wtli
fee r ohoatud
now to say a, ieu.
ir~m his chair and made
he,id a f a‘i Fitt
taats
tf.,nipt to smile.
" Alaric roe
come at last.'
arlSahreourun his breast.
Gertrude,' se,
rushed into tobulriiits,d ernhebrracfea,ceatilidponthrowing ber

Alaric, my husband ; my love, my beat, my
ov,T, my culy love.'
4g 4 I cannot Fay much now, Gertrude, but I know
how good you are ; you will come and see me, if they
wilt 10; you, won't you I'
" See you 1' :aid she, btarting back, but still hold-
ing him and looking up earnestly into his face. r See
y,12 ' and then she poured out her love with all the
asBron of a Ruth : " Whither thou goest, I will go ;
and whet-ft thou lodgest, I will lodge ; * * * Where
thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried : the
Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death
part thee and me See you, Alaric 1 oh, it cannot
be that they will hinder the wife from being with her
husband.'

" But, Alaric,' she went on,
love—will you ? '
" I cannot brazen it out,' said he.
well what it is that I have done.'
" 'No, not that, Alaric ; I would not have that.
But, remember, all is not over, whatever they may
do. All, how little will really be over, what-
ever they can do. You have repeated, have you
not, Alaric ?
" I think so, I hope so,' said Alaric, with his
eyes upon the ground.
" ' You have repented, and are right before Gad ; do
not fear then what man can do to you. I would not
have you brazen, Alario ; bat be manly, be collected, be
your own self, the man that I have loved, the man that
I do now love so well, better, better than ever ; ' and
she threw herself on him and kissed him and clung to
him, and stroked his hair and put her hand upon his
face, and then holding him from her, looked up to him
as though he were a hero whom she all but wor-
shipped.
" Gertrn le, Gertrude, that I should have braught
you to this
" 'Never mind,' said she ; we will win through it
yet—we will yet be happy together far, far away from
here—remember that—let that support you through all.
And now, Alaric, Sou will come up for one moment and
kiss him before you go.'
" The man will be impatient.'
" Never mind ; let him be impatient—you shall not
go away without blessing your boy ' • come up, Alaric'
And she took him by the hand and led him like a child
into the nurs(ry.
" Where is he, nurse ? bring him here—Papa is
going away —Alley, boy, give papa a big kiss.'
" Atari; for the first time for the fortnight, took the
little fellow into his arms and kissed him. God bless
yon, my bairn,' a _id he, and grant that sit this may
never be visited against you, here or hereafter.'
" ' And now go,' said Gertrude, as they descended
the stairs together, and may God in his mercy watch
over and protect you and give you back to ma. And,
Alaric, wherever you are I will be close to you, remem
ber that—l will be quite, quite close to you. Now, one
kiss—oh, dearest, dearest Alaric— there—there—and
now go.' And se he went, and Gertrude, shutting
hereof into her room, threw herself on to the bed, and
wept aloud.

'do not droop now,

' I know too

‘' She threw herself on to her bed and there her
mother found her. Oh, mama—dear mama, this is
so good of you, so very gcod—l am better that I was,
mama ; better that I hoped to be—hut oh, mama, for
his sake, would that this day wa3 done.'

Mr. Chaffeubrass, the popular barrisfer, great in
browbeating witnesses, is another of the author's
clever tiuches, and even were the ability much less
than it is, the work would very likely be popular
from all these satirical sketches. But he has set
before him in this work a higher object than mere
amusement or the display of his powers of sarcasm.
He hasshown how a noble nature may be perverted,
and great talents misapplied under specious pre-
texts. None can say the lesson is not needed in
our own time, when the high-born, the indepen-
dent, the gifted, those whom men have revered for
their piety, or trusted for their integrity, have
worn the dross of the felon, or escaped the punish-
ment of the criminal, though they share his name.
The end of over-speculation and fraudulent expe-
dients we have al! seen only too often ; it is well

that one shouftl step forward to show again the
neglected beginning. None can quarrel with the
author for too great precision and formality, for
over scrupulousness or morose preaching. He
draws a life we cannot say is improbable, he shows
the dangers that attend those who make haste to
to rich by unlawful means, he brings it to an end
which nalny have reached during the last few years,
and teacl.es a powerful lesson. The career of
Charley is also well-drawn, showing how kind and
friendly aid will often save those not wilfully Lad,
but led by untoward circumstances into temptation.
The work is one which will be likely to ha-Ve a large
circulation, and gives promise that the author
will one day attain a high rank among writers of
fiction.

The Choice of a Profession. By H. Byerley
Thomson, B.A. Chapman and Hall.
Th's is a work ou a subject whose importance
will be readily acknowledged. It gives a brief and
comparative review of the English professions,
giving a concise account of each profession and its
bonen s, the special education required, the cost of
entering, and the mode of doing so; the general
income and advantages, and the necessary capacities
and qualifications. It will, therefore, at once be
seen how valuable sunh a work must be to those
who are as yet undecided in their choice, and who,
not being gifted with any peculiar taste or talents,
are uncertain which to chooi,e. It is justly observed
by the author, that there can hardly be a greater
social misf_rtune than the erroneous choice of a
profesion. Those whose choice is already made
mly find the information given very useful. It
must not be supposed that the church, the law,
and medicine are the only professions treated of.
We meet chapt•rs on the army, the nAvy, the mer-
cantile marine, the civil service, and all artistic
and scientific pursuitß. The author believes this
to be the only general work on the Eoglishprofes-
sions, and as it fills so remarkable a void, it is likely
to meet with im:sediate attention

The Duccancers. By Walter Thorubury, author
of " Art and Nature," oki. Routledge.
The reprint of Mr. Thornbnry's clever work on
the history of the Buccaneers will no doubt be re-
ceived with interest. It is now published in one
volume, with illustrations by "Phiz," and contains
a full account of the exploits of those extra-irdinary
men. Mr. Thornbury's literary talents have
enabled him to compile such an interesting narra-
tive, that tie feats of these cruel " sea rovers' are
tkely to he more widely known than the (hods of
batter man.

Industrial and Social Position of Women.
Chapman and Hall.
This is a valuable and carefully written work on
a most important topic. The author has evidewly
thought deeply on the subject, and he gives us the
results of no Quixotic dreams, but of an earnest and
practical consideration of the question. The just-
ness of his views, and the moderation and good
sense displayed in thorn, entitle the work to a
careful and attentive perusal.

ENGLISH TR.4 YELLERS AND BO MAN
BRIGANDS.

ROME, Dec. s.—The brigauds in the neighbour-
hood of the Eternal City have just resumed their
periodical practice of spoliating such incautious
travellers as take more money with them than is
necessary for their own wants, or less than will
suffice to pacify the auri sacra fames of highway
assailants. On Monday evening at coven o'clock a
vetturino carriage was plodding its weary way from
Civita Vecchia towards Rome, and had reached a
spot four miles on this side of Pak, when its
farther progress was opposed by seven bandits
armed with bludgeons; piAols, and daggers,
who stopped the vehicle, and proceeded to rifle
the passengers, consisting of Dr. Conolley, Robsian
Catholic bishop of Halifax, on his way to Rome to
pay homage to the supreme head of the Church,
Mr. Blake, and Mr. and Mrs. Harper. The Bishop
was eased of 1401., besides his episcopal chain and
cross, and the pastoral ring, a fine emerald, which
he wore according to custom. Mr. Blake, feeling
greatly averse to submitting to spoliaticn, in his
turn manfully resisted the outlaws' invitation to
stand and deliver, but he was finally overpowered
by nutnbeis, after being severely beaten and having
had a pistol presented at his head, which fortunately
missed fire. Mr. and Harper were robbed of their
watches, chains, and purses ; and altogether the
plunder realised by the marauders may be valued
at about a thousand scudi, or over 2001.