The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-27 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Fortunes of Glencore. By Charles Lover.
3 vols. Chapman and Hall.

Those who have occasionally met with this story
as it periodically appeared will, no doubt, be pleased
to find it here presented to them iu a concise form,
while those unacquainted with it previously will
meet with a worthy subject for perusal. A consi-
derable amount of skill and ingenuity are displayed
in its construction. The scene varies from country
to coustry—from the wilds of Glencore to the
C 'seine of Florence. The personages brought for-
ward are also strangely contrasted, from the eccen-
tric Lord of Glencore himself to the peculiar,
though widely different, Billy Traynor. It is a
question whether this latter individual is not the
best character in the work. After the meanness,
the craft, the subtibty, and circumvention which
meet the eye at every turn, and arrest the step at
every tread, in the mazes of diplomatic labyrinths,
and the mysteries of political intrigues, it is refresh-
ing to encounter one impervious to their influence,
to recognise amid the quintessence of art one:to?
" Rough Nature's children humorous fts she."
Glencore's two friends, Sir Horace Upton an.l
Colonel Harcourt, are again two specimens of the
opposing points from which two men will view the
same thing. The narrative is complicated, and the
chief event is a painful one, indeed the story is of
the powerful more than the pleasing kind. The
thirst for revenge which excited so strongly biota
the unhappy recluse and his unfortunate wife suffi-
ciently accounts for any degree of misery that arose.
When she was carried away by passion to such
degree that she preferred her husband to believe
her guilty, rather than by proclaiming her innocence
remove the sting from his path, while he, goaded
to -madness by his tortures, resolved on the extreme
act of disowning his marriage, and ruining his son's
prospects ; it is a necessary consequence that their
careers must be recorded as the night side of na-
ture. The numerous minor details of the intricacies
of foreign courts, and home management, impart
an agreeable variety to the plot, and there is great
interest awakened by the sorrowful position of the
young heir of Glencore,who is sent out in the world
worse than an orphan. His adventures engage at-
tention, he possessed too much of his father's proud
reserve and sullen discontent, to have been happy
under any circumstances ; but in the cruel isola-
tion in which he found himself, his *suseeptibility
made him morbid, and his pensive tendency wss
reduced to despair. The Countess is an imperson-
ation of an Italian climate, with the bonds of a
glittering slavery she replaced the dissevered ties
of home. Tile inward satisfaction that others would
have felt, from a consciousness of innocence, she
d-rived from the supposition of guilt beng attached
to her name. As for feeling pity for either Lord or
Lady Glencore it is out of the question, the senti-
ment is reserved for the unoffending, on whom were
visited the sins of his parents. Is is amusing to
note the self-sufficiency of Upton as he moves along
the tortuous path in which he delights. The plea-
sure of gaining his end would be marred, if the de-
sire was obtained in a straight or simple way. After
such disclosures of human pride and passions, as
are here pourtrayed, to be at all in unison with
one's ideas of consistency, the end must be sad.
The last heir of the fallen house is left a wanderer
beyond the seas, and the faithful adherent to Ids
evil fortunes has waited for his return till his life
has been extended beyond the limits of mortality.
He has waited in vain, however, for time, that has
brought round the changing seasons in unchanging
order, has not reconstructed " the pitcher broken
at the font," or reinstated the fallen "Fortunes of
Glencore."

The principal parts in the performance of the
"Elijah," with which the season of the Royal Surrey
Gardens open. on the 11th of next month, will he taken
by Miss Lou'aa Vining, Madame Weiss, Miss Dolby,
Mr. Weiss, and nr. Sims Reeves, assisted by a band
and chores of 1.000 pdtfornaers.
SHIPBUILDING AT PRESTON.—There were launched on
Saturday, from the yard of Messrs. A. Ogle and Co.,
iron shipbuilders, a sailing ship and a screw pleasure
yacht. The former belongs to Messsrs. Blythe and
Troughton, Liverpool merchants, is 400 tons register,
and is capable of carrying between 600 and 700 tons.
These are the first iron vessels that have been launched
at Preston.
Mr. Gye announces the return of Mdme. Ristori to
the Lyceum in June. The renowned Italian tragedienne,
whose success in Paris shows no symptoms of decree se,
will appear this season in the new drama written ex-
pressly for her by the distinguished poet and patr ot,
Montanelli, and in an Italian version of " Macbeth:.
LADY FRANKLIN'S AROTIO EXPEDITION. Lady
Franklin has effected the purchase of a steam yacht ad-
mirably adapted for the requisite Arctic service, and she
eminent and experienced Arctic voyager ard explorer,
Captain M'Clintock, has accepted the command of :die
expedition. These facts abundantly show that L..uly
Franklin is as earnest ie her intention of carrying gut
the great duty whioh has devolved on her.
ST. MA.RIC'S HosrrrAL.—On Saturday evening the
anniversary festival of this excellent and pinch-needed
institution was celebrated at the London Tavern, under
the presidency of Mr.. Alderman Copeland, M.P. Ab ant
150 gentlemen sat down to a capital dinner. The ul nal
formal and complimentary toasts having been given
and duly responded to, the chairman briefly gave the
taast of the evening, advocating the claims of the hospi.
tal with much force and eloquence. It was received
with enthusiasm by the company, who endorsed their
• opinion of the merits of the hospital by a most liberal
subscription, amounting in all to upwards of 2,200/.