The Sun.
London, England, 1868-11-12 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Brothers-in-Law. Thee Vols. Hurst and

Blackett.

Of late years it has become the fashion with
novelists to depart somewhat from the beaten track
confining their sketches to the records of fashion-
able life, and, accordingly, we often meet with
phases of existence which show the retired mer-
chant figuring in splendour, or the eager man of
business plodding on his way, hoping to amass a
colossal fortune, and to connect himself with those
whose lineage is their claim to the world's regard.
This novel before us partakes of that class, and a
variety of character is sketched during its eventful
narrative. One thing is noticeable, which is, that the
author comes straight to the point, and little or no
time is taken up in the discovery that the proposi-
tion of Mr. Curtis to take a second partner finds no
favour in the sight of Walter Harewood, the hero of
the tale. This scheming individual, whose grasp-
ing and selash nature is gradually unfulded to the
reader, has many advantages on his side to
play out Lis desperate game and gain his crooked
purposes. lie is the son-in-law as well as the
partner of Mr. Curtis, a well-meaning man, of little
grasp of mind or energy of character. Ilad circum-
stances not thrown Horace Vane in the way, the
end would have come sooner, Lut the introduction
of that clear-sighted and independent young man
complicates matters very much. Once admitted
behind the scenes, the new partner finds the
accounts to be in a very unsatisfactory state, and
with the zeal of new comers he sets to work to un-
ravel the mystery. Unfortunately for all con-
nected in the affair, his zeal surpasses his judg-
ment, and he allows himself to give a promise
which nothing justifies him in consenting to. In the
first horror which an upright minds feels at the
defalcation of another and especially at the dis-
grace of one connected by the ties of family rela-
tionship, his judgment becomes perverted. Ho-
race Vane no sooner discovers that the delin-
quent he has so long sought for is Walter
Harewood than he makes a promise to the offender
not to reveal his guilt. The confusion which
ensues may be imagined, and certainly to all
intents and purposes the discovery had better not
have been made at this time, for the result of
Horace's quitting the business is to throw the game
still more completely into the hands of the con-
summate villain. As an illustration of what errors
Quixotic virtue may occasion and mistaken self-
sscrifice entail, this episode of Horace Vane's con-
duct may be regarded as a success. '[he conse-
quences are so serious and so ruinous that no un-
wise man could be made to see the error of his
ways more completely than does this most infatuated
youth. Besides these outlines of the tale there are
manypassages which form the filling up, and are full
of pleasing incident or powerful delineation. Walter
Harewood has married the eldest daughter of Mr.
Curtis, and Horace Vane the youngest. The contrast
between the characters of these sisters is not more
striking than is the difference of their lives. It is a
tribute to rectitude of purpose, though the course
pursued is a mistaken one, that Horace Vane's
wife in the humble lodgings to which she is
driven is far happier than are Walter Here-
wood and his unfortunate wife in their mag-
nificent mansion. Mildred has to bear hard-
ships for which her gentle nature is unfitted,
and to face the thousand ills to which po-
verty is heir, but she is ashamed of nothing,
while Katherine has to endure anguish which can
hardly be surpassed in her distrust of her husband's
conduct, and her fear of the consequences to all.
It seems almost too good to be true wheu, at last,
she persuades him to confess his crimes in writing,
although even then it is doubtful if he would have
forwarded the document to its destination had not
an awful warning come upon him. His unfortunate
wife passes away, during the night that follows
upon his confession, from the world where her lot
hes been so hard, to that better state where the
mourner shall be comforted, and the weary find
eternal rest. In this world, however, sin and sor-
row most abound, and the errors of the past will
always leave their traces upon the future, no matter
hoW hardly we strive to counteract them. Ho-
race Vane has sufficient mementoes of his folly
before him. His father-in-law, whose interests he
has sacrifice I in screening the often lee, fails in
business, and is materially injare I in health by
the shocks he receives, while the awkward feeling
that has sprung up between the families in
consequence of Horace's withdrawal from the busi-
ness without giving any explanation, can never be
got over. To shelter himself Walter Harewood has
brought charges against Horace, and has ceunter
feited his handwriting, and the injurious reports af-
fecting his character spread far and wide, until they
reach his mother. Mrs. Vane is not of a trustful na-
ture, and the probabilities being so strong against her
son, she gives too ready credence to the tale. The
communications that pass between them are of a
character not likely to be speedily forgotten or for-
given, and the vexation and disappointment alto-
gether affect her health, and hurry on a prema-
ture old age. The lesson to ba learned is plain, and
cannot be put aside. Justice must be done to all
alike, and if the guilty be screened at the expense
of the innocent we are neither fulfilling Divine be-
hests nor following the laws of human wisdom.
Had Horace immediately informed his father-
in-law, the head partner, of the facts he had
discovered, he might have left it to him to de-
cide what course to pursue, but he started
on a venture as unwise as it was unprofitable. While
the plot of the story is open to criticism on the
score of improbability, many passages are powerful
and effective. The, thorny road of poverty is
well described, and whether we look at Horace
battling through the world in the dreary struggle
for life, or turn to Mildred in her vain attempts to
reconcile the supply with the demand, we may
recognise a true picture of the hardships and suf-
ferings of the shabby genteel, which often form
the worst (part of the trials of those badly
provided with this world's goods. The two other
daughters of Mr. Curtis, Janet and Lucy, are well
described ; the one attempts too much, and the
other too little, but the over-sensitiveness of there -
flective Janet is finally toned down, while Lucy
developes into a most undesirable character, and
her marriage for money leaves her open to temptation
and a prey to discontent. " Brothers in Law"
puts before us many varied scenes and
distinctive characters, and the reader cannot
have cause to complain of monotony.
Et is truly said in the concluding passage that
" death is a light evil when compared to
some other afflictions ;" and so the chief actor
in this tale finis it. Better the quiet grave
of the eider sister than the flaunting career
of the mistaken Lucy, whose whole life is but
vanity and vexation of spirit. -Walter Herewood's
false ambition disappoints his hopes and blights
his prospects. Other instances are not wanting to
dhow the failure of those schemes which rest
oh shallow foundations. Of the style of the
work it may be said that it is most
successful where it is most natural, and
where the writer is more carried away by the
anportance of the subject, or wrapt in its interest,
than seeking for effect. On the whole, the chief
nerit consists in the delineation of character, and
that of Walter Harewood is more natural than that of
tioraceVane, although, admitting the circumstances,
,he latter is well drawn. These volumes may be
taken up to pass an idle hour profitably, for they
lo not fall short of the requirements of modern fiction,
inasmuch as they have a meaning, and show that
beneath the surface of the gravest sorrows, and
the records of the brightest joys, there is an un-
lercurrent flowing which will tend to good or evil.
These who would truly depict life must not be un-
mindful of this, for no action is so sin all that it may
lot have great results, and whether the sin be hid-
len with skill, or merely glossed over, the conse-
quences will be visible ie the years to come if not
in the present hour. It is the representation of this
act that imparts the chief character to the work
)efore us, for the guilty conscience of Harewood
s an accuser that will not be gainsaid, but for ever
ises up in judgment against him. If the present
as a first work, as from its freshness we are led to
surmise, it gives good augury indeed of its author's
future success as a Novelist.