The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-23 00:00:00

MI?. TRAIN IN PRISON.

The Dublin correspondent of the Times writes The
release of Mr. G. F. Train is almost a greater surprise
than his arrest. He was discharged from custody yester-
day on an order from the Lord-Lieutenant, communicated
by Mr. Hamilton, R.M., who attended at the county gac'
for the purpose of communicating the intention of thi
Government. It is stated that, as a condition precedent to
his liberation, he gave an assurance that he had no intern
tion of promoting Fenianism in this country. His object
in returning to British soil is, it seems, less ambitious and
possibly more practical than it has been thought—the
furtherance, in fact, of his one dominant idea—tramways.
During his confinement he conducted himself with
exemplary obedience to the rules of the gaol. He was
a model prisoner, whose example might be followed
with advantage by others. He manifested in hi;
adherence to discipline a stern, self-denying virtue, even
refusing to accept any other than the ordinary
dietary of the prison. It was not because he resigned
himself to grief and would net be comforted— he is one of
the last who would be likely to do so—but, if rumour be
correct, he adopted this course with the intention of
demanding full reparation from the Government for an
insult and injury which with this object in view it was not,
for his interest to have mitigated. The police on arresting
Mr. Train took possession of some newspapers which were
found in his carpet-bag. Among them was the Fenian
Volunteer, which contained an article extolling him for his
advocacy of the Irish race. There were numerous pam-
phlets, including his address to 500 Fenian Centres, before
6,000 Fenians, at the great Fenian Congress hi Philp-
delphia, in 1865. On being asked for his autograph in the
police-station, he wrote, in the presence of the police :
" ' Whether on the gallows high
Or in the battle's
The fittest place for man to die
Is when he dies for man.'
Another applicant was favoured with the following :--•
Hitay the Alabama claims, or fight. Release American
citizens in English gaols, or war is certain.' It is stated
however, that ho was never a member of the Fenian con
federacy."
The Cork correspondent of the Daily News says
Immediately after his release, Mr. Train drove to the
Imperial Hotel, sent for the American consul, Mr. East
man, and, before ordering breakfast, prepared and for-
warded to Downing-street a claim for £lOO,OOO compensa-
don for the outrage he had suffered. The specific grounds
far this claim are that Mr. Train has been damaged in his
general commercial reputation, and especially in his
capacity as chairman of the Credit Foncier of America--
a company of which he states he is the creator anti
guiding mind. Mr. Train has also addressed the
American Minister, Mr. Adams, whom he expects
to endorse and insist upon his demand. He says
that ho will make the British Government pay and
apologise also for the insult offered through him te.
American citizenship. At a later hour in the day Mr.
Train gave interviews to the reporters of the leading
local journals, to whom he was most communicative,
furnishing them with full details of his speculations and
political prospects in the United States, his business in
Europe, and his intentions as regards his future proceed
ings. Mr. Train denies—and is in this borne out by other
testimony—that any papers of a compromising character
were found in his possession on his arrest. He had
nothing about him to excite suspicion but a bundle of
American papers—the Boston Pilot, New York Freeman':
Journal, the World, and other journals, containing re-
ports of his speeches on various topics. In some of these
speeches England is soundly rated, and Fenianism
lauded to the skies, but he asserts that, as an Ame-
rican citizen, he had a perfect right, in America,
to express his opinions of England in whatever
language he chose. In his interview with the
reporters he complained of his arrest as a most
ungenerous as well as unconstitutional act upon the
part of the British Government. `I have abused
England, and the moment I put my foot on British terri-
tory the Government arrests me. Is this generous ?" One
of the documents amongst Mr. Train's papers was a
printed slip, headed The Revolution: clear the way ; the
Train is coming,' a title which probably aroused the sus-
picions of the detectives. It is, however, a very harmless
matter, merely containing select extracts from his letters
and speeches, and a few of his epigrams. Mr. Train's
arrest has made him a sort of popular hero here, and with
true Yankee 'cuteness he intends to turn his popu-

larity to account, and to make money by it. He pro-
poses to stump' the country—that is, to give a series
of lectures in various places, beginning with Cork. The
discipline of the gaol excited the strongest feelings of dis-
gust in the mind of the captive. He was greatly
astonished to find himself deprived of books and papers ;
forbidden to send out letters without the permission of the
governor ; deprived of light after a certain hour ; com-
pelled to live on gaol diet, and, in short, to conform to the
rigid and irksome rules to which political prisoners are
subjected. His leisure was occupied chiefly in writing a
series of protests against his detention, and letters to a
friend of his—Mr. George Bernie, of New York—com-
plaining of the hardships which he was made to endure.
In one of these he waxes pathetic : ' Make no effort for
my release,' he says ; let me die here. What matters
one life ?' "

Mr. Alfred Tennyson regrets that it is no longer
possible for him to answer the innumerable letters, or to
acknowledge the MS. verses, which ho is in the habit of
receiving from strangers.

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HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, Jan. 22.

The Queen drove out yesterday afternoon, at-
tended by the Duchess of Roxburghe and the Hon.
Mary Lascelles, Colonel Ponsonby being in attend-
ance upon horseback ; and her Majesty drove
in the grounds this morning, accompanied by
Princess Beatrice.

Their Royal Highnesses Princess Louise, Prince
Arthur, and Prince Leopold also went out.

LITEBATURE.

NEW N OVELS.

Jeanie's Quiet Life.
Olave's." 3 Vols.

By tho Author of " St.
Hurst and Blackett.

Avoiding the stonily regions dear to the senss.-

tionalist, the author of " St. Olive's" pursues " the
noiseless tenour of her way" along the quiet bye-
paths. We cannot but think, however, that in
a laudable endeavour to avoid all un-
natural excitement the recorder of " Jeanie's
Quiet Life" has fallen into the opposite
extreme. In a former work by the same hand,
published some two or three seasons back, " Janita's
Cross," the happy medium was very successfully at-
tained. The simple history of Janita's sorrows and
struggles was full of interest, while it preserved
throughout the quiet manner and natural style in
which the author of " St. Olave's" especially ex-
cels. Her later works, however, are deterio•
rating from simplicity into monotony. In
avoiding over-excitement the authoress runs the
risk of ceasing to arouse the interest of her reader.
"Alec's Bride" had a certain resemblance to the fa-
mous story or no-story of Canning's Knife Grinder.
"Jeanie's Quiet Life," the new work now before
us, is somewhat more eventful than " Alec's
Bride," but is far inferior in interest to " Janita's
Cross." We are more anxious to notice these
deficiencies in the matter, because in the
manner .of her stories this writer is worthy of all
commendation. The style is simple and graceful,
and many beautiful thoughts are scattered over
her pages. Let us take one at hazard as an anti-
dote to our doubtful commendation of " Jeanie's
Quiet Life :" " No past need be counted altogether
unhappy which has turned dreaming into doing
thought into action—into every life work which
God has given there may be brought an earnest
purpose, and a noble consecration which shall make
it great ; that for those who love it worthily, even
disappointment may be a rich inheritance--a pre-
cious gift, though one which asks no thanks." Per-
vaded by such sentiments, " Jeanie's Quiet Life"
cannot fail with all its shortcomings to gratify
many readers.

Time Will Tell. A Story of Society. By. S. W.
Fullotn. 3 vols. Richard Bentley.
Very different from the quiet life above referred
to is the rattling, dashing, adventurous existence
which Mr. Fulimn exhibits to us as a picture of
society. The Great Highway, according to his
ideas, appears to be indeed the scene of perpetual
motion. We have hardly time to take breath after
escaping from one misadventure, when lo and be-
hold we are in the midst of a new bewilderment
from which, with a wonderful good fortune, we
again escape, to be again overwhelmed with fresh
misadventures. While condemning the utter ex-
travagance of these events, the reader is perforce
amused by contemplating them for the moment.
Such a record holds a place among novels somewhat
akin to that of the laughable after-piece at the
theatre. We should be inclined to think that the
author of this book would be likely to excel in
dramatic pieces of that description. There is so
much vivacity in his style, and so much audacity
(there is no better word for it) in the combina-
tion of surprising events, in which the various.
personages of the story appear to be enacting 'a
perpetual game of " catch as catch can," to the
bewilderment of all beholders. The character of
Mr. Mullet, among others, is capitally described.
This unhappy gentleman is the victim of a con-
tinual succession otimistakes, such as voting for the
Tory candidate when he should vote for the Whig,
going by one train when he is due in an opposite
direction. These mistakes, by his owa showing,
being always the result of some good- natured friend's
mismanagement, and never by any chance of his
own .

illynchin. A Novel. 3 vols. Saunders, Utley,

and Co.

The opening chapter of this story will favourably
impress the reader. There is a freshness and ori-
ginality both in the description and the characters.
The author has been unfortunate in the s3lection
of his hero. Gascon Knollys is a character rarely,
if ever, met with in actual life. Very fortunately
say we, after perusing the record of his strange his-
tory. "He possessed," we are told, " a strong,
irresponsible will, an impulsively selfish nature, and
immense moral audacity—a combination of qualities
which is fortunately extremely rare; but whether
met with in social or political life will always be a
disturbing force." G tscon Knollys recognised no
authority but his own will, and exercised in his
own behalf " a kind of special pleading which led
him far away from the common track of morality."
At the very commencement of the tale we find Mr.
Knollys returning from abroad to his country
seat, and on his arrival a monumental tablet is
erected in the family pew, recording the death of
Margaret Knollys, the Squire's wife, at
Rome, a year previously. We learn soon after-
wards that Gascon Knollys had indeed left
his wife at Rome, but not in her grave. Having, as
he deemed, discovered cause for putting her away,
he had provided for her in a convent, and given out
that she was dead. This, of course, in the case of
such an irresponsible being does not prevent Mr.
Knollys from contracting a second marriage. The
popular agitation which preceded the passing of the
Reform Bill occupies a prominent place in this story,
and the effects of the excitement on some characters
and temperaments are powerfully described. John
Homfrey, the father of the heroine, is a type of a
thorough political enthusiast, of one " who
loves not wisely, but too well." Grace, the
heroine, is a very charming creation ; and James
Barry, the practical and prudent man of business,
but withal tender-hearted and devoted as any
knight of chivalry, is very admirably portrayed, and
contrasts happily with the peculiar and repulsive
character of Gascon Knollys.

Piebald. A Novel. By R. F. Boyle. Two Vole.

Chapman and Hall.

We cannot say we admire the title of this romance,
Taut the story itself is singularly interesting, and 10
narrated in a very attractive manner. The name
refers to the colour of a horse, and an
old legend, in which a ghostly horseman
mounted upon a steed of that colour appears
as a forerunner of disaster. The incidents of the
tale are written in a very lively and pleasant man-
ner, and we are hardly prepared for the melancholy
catastrophe at the close, in which Mince Pie, the
t'iebald steed of the dashing and adventurous
Kttiae, has " her last fall over timber." We must not
reveal the terrible result. A story with a sad end
)as always a peculiar attraction, from " The Babel
in the Wood" to " The Bride of Lammermoor•
We shall look with interest to the next work from
the author of" Piebald."

ANTI-FENIAN PRECAUTIONS IN LONDON.—A very
snsible precaution is just being taken in the metropolis
gainst any demonstrative action on the part of the
Fenians. Wherever colonies of Irish exist—and there are
,any such iu Loudon—the police are at present engaged
n making inquiries as to the amount of accommodation
.vhich licensed victuallers can give to the military, '9l.
-other they are at this moment giving warning to publicaee
,iat very probably it may be found necessary to billet
',diners upon them. It need scarcely be added that tbiei
itimation on the part of the authorities has caused soul°
.ittle agi' ation amongst the fraternity of licensed victual;
,re, and no slight curiosity on the part of the public
-arge.