The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-03 00:00:00

LITEILATURE.

Henry Clarendon. A Novel. By Alice Comyn•
2 vols. Hurst and Blackett.
This story is of the romantic cast, although there
is nothing very extraordinary in its events. The
hero is one of those so often met with in the pages
of fiction, and so rarely encountered in real life,
who in a few years work their way in the world to
fame and fortune. He does not, however, engross
so large a share of attention as usually falls to the
lot of the chief characters, and indeed his cousin
Edward is almost as prominently brought forward.
They form a striking contrast—one an outcast,
coming, as it were, to a strange country ; the other,
surrounded by every luxury, pining for change,
and setting out on a Journey as a relief from ennui
and vexations of a trifling nature compared to those
sorrows which burdened his cousin. The relation-
ship was not found out for a considerable time;
hence, strangely enough, the traveller was an in-
mate of his uncle's house without being aware of
it. Helen Grey is well described, her faults and
her merits shown in their relative bearing to each
other. Her ambition and pride caused the ruin of
_ .

her happiness, and yet she persevered in her un
reasonable determination. She could not always
control her passions, which were as vehement as
her will was headstrong. It is a warning and a
lesson to the presumptuous and vain to behold the
Duchess in her saloons trembling under the malice
of those she provoked as Helen Grey. Had she
only been able to turn and confront them with the
fearless gaze of truth, but•she knew she had im-
plicated herself, and could not conceal her former
predilection. Frank Fitzgerald is depicted as en-
vious and mean—as such, differing greatly from his
elder brother, Edward, of whom he was so jealous.
The reader is struck by the deserved mortification-
that fell upon him when the rumoured death of
his brother gave him for a brief season the dearly-
coveted position of eldest, and his consternation
when the news, dearly welcome to the others,
arrived of the safety of the heir. The charac-
ters of Sophia and Lucille are natural ones ;
the former haughty and selfish, the latter, -with all
her engaging qualities, sometimes incited into
aggravating her sister, whose temper was indeed
provoking, from its jealousy and self-love. The
cousins, whom the Elfinghams at last discovered,
were reared in a very different home to theirs. it
would have been well for the sisters if their brother
could have taken them away with him, for no
struggles with the world had been so painful as
their life at home. Amy possessed spirits that,
however crushed, rose again; but Clara, the eldest,
was gentle and meek. Her story is melancholy,
and her early death cannot be considered untimely,
for she was one of those whose walk on earth seems
under a continual cloud. She was of service to
others, with her kind heart and pure nature, and
her mission might be none the less unprofitable,
thoughworked out in the shade of suffering. It is
interesting to watch the progress of the hero in his
arduous undertakings, and second only to his zeal
and energy was his devotion to the claims of
honour. He understood his friend had set his
affections on the one who had appeared as a bright
dream to his harassed life, and he accordingly
sacrificed his own hopes. e did not allow his
friend to know the struggle in his mind, and it was
not till long after that, by the failure of the
former's projects, the truth was revealed to him.
Various amusing passages appear in the course of
the story, as well as the more exciting and impor-
tant ones. With the combined advantages of
design and execution, of superior characters that
are well worked out, this novel has a fair promise
of success, and will be a pleasing addition to the
stores of the library of fiction.

Elizabeth de Valois, Queen of Spain. By Miss
Freer, Author of " The Life of Marguerite
d'Augouleme," &e. 2 Vols. Hurst and

Blackett.

The success and distinction which Miss Strick-
land has obtained from her researches in regal
biography have encouraged many others to follow
her example, and to bring to light the lives and
actions of some of those queens and princesses of
whom the general reader only knows the name.
Some of the subjects of recent memoirs, it is true,
have been connected with the great events or politi-
cal changes of their own day, and consequently have
attained a little wider reputation, and it is, then,
more interesting to compare the authenticated
facts with the generally received opinion. The
heroine of the present volumes, Elizabeth de
Valois, is one of whom much has been written, but,
as it now appears, little really known. The cir-
cumstances of her life, her marriage with the stern
and gloomy Philip the Second, after her previong
betrothment to his son, the catastrophe that in-
terrupted the bridal festivities, the miserable
career eaot fh Donw
while
n,ovi
dsleod,geffrraeatbnd h
offerd
such
dramatist,
arrest,tuit
csis i
strictly
raai
tcanrttndelltempting
true admiration
hpafhetad rcnrhotgesmoroeaoowf
dupfnohp
tti
oeshso:
o
e
Miss Ft eer, after considerable research and study,
rctuaa
thatspneii dt
iylstyhti to the
should
deoet wpns iouonetri
"
lays before us a different story, for which she pro-
duces unquestionable authority' in the state papers
of Spain and France, and other important docu-
ments. Philip the Second, despite his harsh and
morose disposition, she asserts to have been sln'
cerely attached to his young wife, always lavishing
on her every mark of honour, and mourning her
_untimely death to the end of his life. Every year,
on that day, he was accustomed to repair to E 1
Escorial, to join in the service held in her memory.
Elizabeth or Isabel, as her subjects called her, Wag
the eldest daughter of Henry 11. and Catherine de
Medici. When only sixteen she became the third
wife of the King of Spain, then one of the
mightiest European powers ; at first she is said to,
have regarded her consort with fear and
misgiving, for the rumours current of Philip'sa
character were not very encouraging, but,
as he only showed her his gentler qualities, she
soon returned his affections, and their domestic;
happiness is proved by many contemporary papers.
How much it was owing to Elizabeth's constant
submission to the will of her imperious lord, and
her careful observance of all the absurd etiquette
of the Spanish court may be imagined. Elizabeth
always treated her unhappy stepson with gentle-
ness and consideration, and she was one of the for
persons for whom he showed any regard, but the
absence of all jealousy on Philip's part is ,sufficientl9
proved by his frequently leaving them together
during his absence, and his finally committing then'
to the same grave. The fact of a previous attach"
meat between them being rendered impossible as
they had never seen each other, and the proposed
engagement was merely, as was Elizabeth's Mar",
riage, one of state policy. She was called by the
Spaniards, "Isabel de la Paz," as the alliance con-
firmed the peace between the two crowns. She is
represented as a gentle and prudent character, pOS'
sessing firmness and spirit enough to have adorned
her high position, and a mingled dignity and dis-
cretion that rendered her equal to it, notwith-
standing her youth. The early death of Elizabeth,
though deeply regretted by her subjects, could
scarcely.be a matter of surprise from the delicacy
o f her health, which was greatly injured
,by the
ignorance of her physicians. She had during her
residence in Spain several dangerous illnesses,
and in all of them their only resource appears .
to have been bleeding. Her mother fre;
quently besought her to have the advice 01
some French physicians, who were more ad-
vanced in their art, but from a mistaken desire to
conform to the customs and prejudices of her
adopted country the Queen always refused. Ber
death took place before the storms and struggles
that darkened the close of her husband's reign.
The defeat of the Armada and the revolt of the
Low Countries were yet in the future when Eliza"
beth closed her brief existence. Miss Freer, Who
has before given us the memoirs of the brilliant
sister of Francis the First and her earnest ana
high-minded daughter, ,the mother of Henri
Quatre, has found a worthy subject in showing n°
the true character of Elizabeth de Valois, and dis-
proving one, at least, of the accusations against
Philip the Second. Rumours were circulated by
Antonio Perez that the King had murdered both
his son and his wife ; but when his own undoubte 6
ill-treatment by Philip, and his own character, tr,,,
considered, the most prejudiced would hardy
accept his testimony. Among the curious docll,
meuts interpolated in these volumes are some Latin
themes of Mary, Queen of Scots, the aister-in-la to,
and playfellow of Elizabeth, though there does It
seem to have been much affection between theo;,
Miss Freer evidently possesses one important
quisite for an historian in a careful and painstakalj
spirit. She favours her readers, however, with tio
unnecessary length of description of Court fet,,,,e
processions, &c. The book will reward the in'to
indifferent reader, and will scarcely fail to add
the reputation of its able and industrious authoress,

TEA DUTIES DECLINE SUSPENSION ACT. tit
which was passed in 1855 to suspend the tea dutiess%
account of the war, will reduce the tea duties to ls' „a
per lb. from sth April next for twelve months,
defini'
thenceforth
to is. per ib. The act speaks of a '0
tive treaty of peace," and the twelve months exPire,;oo
April, whereas.the income•taz of the same year men it
the "ratification " of the treaty, which would earl t
twelve months further. There can be no doubt tba•oa
was the intention of the Legislature that the alteratbio.
in both cases should be in twelve months from the ce'-
-This act,

tion of the war.
IMPRISONMEI;T FOR DEBT. Alterations are beifl
trade iu 4nitecross,tteet prison, with the VlEWonn-
classific;Ation of persons confided for debt. Idtis in c"-nd
teinpl9.tion to classify debtors throughout Eogial2
Wales