The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-11-12

ENHE fourth volume of the Weekly Mirror, in its
Il present form, commenced on the 18th April,
1916 The reduction of the subscription price
from Three Dollars to Two marks an era in the
history of this popular and widely circulated Jour
nal-a journal which, though it hath seen many
changes during the twenty years of it's existence,
has obtained a high and permanent place in the
annals of merican Literature. 1t is peculiarly
gratifying to the publisher to be able to state that
scarcely a day now passes that does not add to its
subscription list, nor a mai! arrive that does not
bring some favorable mention of it by contempo-
rary journals.
The new and attractive feature of the present
volume is the publication of an original Novel of
great interest, written expressly for the Mirror,
"MARY EcKAR: A SCHOOL FoR YOUNG
WIDOWS"
This beautiful story increases in interest as il pro-
crosses, and no one. whose taste has not been per
verified by high .spiced fictions of the French school
can read a single chapter without a desire for the
whole of 1t. Calculating on the intrinsic excel
lencc of the work to make its own popularity
without the aid of putting, we have laid aside a
few hundred complete sets of the present volume,
containing all tn chapters as far as published,
and for which there it now a daily demand.
If we could only make up our minds and our
mouths to blow our own trumpet, we might easily
make noise enough about The School for Young
Widows to create an excitement in the public
mind, and arouse the curious in literary matters,
to a loud call for the anonymous author. But we
much prefer to leave our readers TO find out them
selves, what is good, without prompting. To pre-
face every thing which appears in our columns
with a puff, would be quite as distasteful to our
selves, as insulting to the judgment of the reader.
No man would thank his cook to stand behind his
chair while eating, and comment upon each dish
upon the table. As good wine needs no BUSH and
good deeds no praise, so good books and good din
ners viii be sure TO go down without the aid of
putting.
The story of Mary Eckar' ia written by a lady
altogether unknown as an authoress, who has
thrown of this spontaneous production as the
1owcrs yield their perfume, and the birds sing
their songs, not for money or for fame, but, as the
poet says, from Loves exccss'--the natural info
rcsccnce OF a true woman's heart
BY gentle feelings long subducd,
Subdued and cherished long,
The interest OF the story mainly centres in the
character oil the heroine, Clara Annesley. the
dau9 htcr of a poor English Clergyman, who dies,
leaving the lovely orphan alone in the world. with
no inheritance but the fatal dover of beauty.
Like all beroines she is fair and sweet and e,ood,-
like Woodsworth's
Lovely apparitiou sent
TO be a moments rnament
She marrIes Can angel in romance would be stu
dying father, and trouble commences. But we
must disclose her history no farther except bv
weekly instelmeuts.
In addition to this, the Weekly Mirror il mostly
made up Of original contributions of the highest
order of merit. Several able writer's are regularly
employed in the various departments OF the paper
and, without boastiug, we may safely challenge
for the Mirror, in its Essays, Criticisms, Original
Poetry, Domestic and Foreign Correspondence
&C, &c, comparison with any similar journal in
inc United States. In Morals, as we'll as Litera-
turc, the character and tone Of the paper arc unex-
ceptlonable In politics il is entirely free and
fearless. and IN literature and religion untrammel-
led by clique or sect.