New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-09-30

THE JOURNEYMAN JOINER Or The Companion Of
he Tour Of France: By GfORcf sAND; Translated
1v Fe.Ncis GEO. SHAW. up 59j, l2mo) VIM. II.
Graham, Newton.
hi. given up at last that George Sands books
will be read therefore the blank denunciation
which has hitherto been opposed 10 them will 10
Iopeer serve its turn. To say that she for the
,s.ding world knows that the masculine cogno-
men il assumed, and that the person behind the
r,.,k /. one Mad Dudevant has violated the &C
cspted laws OF Morality in her own life, is how
ever true. no sufficient answer TO her searching
criticism on those very laws and on most OF the In
.,,ates and observances in which we live and
,oove and have our being. Here steps forth
woman aud throws down her gauntlet in the very
face of Custom. Law, Public Opinion-blocking
the path whereon the gig of Responsibility ad-
:vances-and says to the great mass Of mankind,
Your Religion is Formally and Cant; your Mar
rage IL Iegalized Adultery your Love is Lust
your Social Order is based on injustice and the
degradation Of the many for the perncious indUl-
eenco Of the few If she were obviously made
ouate TO the discussion of such high themes, con-
temptuous silence or a whitening phrase might
answer her but she writes with great power and
beauty and apparently from the depths OF a pro
found conviction. These characteristics, in con
junction with the spirit of Universal Inquiry now
80 prevalent and fearless, have given her works
very wide audience, in the face Of every maledic-
tion-sn audience which is daily increasing -
They are thus exertng silent but powerful in
Huence over the opinions Of large class in every
civilized countrywide powerful, in our Judgment
since the momentous truths they develop come to
US dangerously mingled with bewidering and Sc
ductiye errors Her fearless exposures OF the vile
ness and sacrilege of the marriages OF convenience
40 common in the Old World and VIGOROUSLY not
uncommon hereof any marriage, in short, which
does not imply and consecrate union OF hearts
but is dictated by considerations OF Fortune, Am
b,ion. Rank, Sc-seem directly calculated TO
teach not, indeed that there is no true Marriage
but the more specious and dangerous error that
where the essential elements OF Marriage never
existed or have wholly ceased to be, there the
LEGAL ordinance has ceased TO bind and may be
treated as n nullity. From this to the widest
Liber,inism there is no step that one Of base prin
ciples and vehement passions may not and will
not take on every temptation, and the results
would be too horrible for contemplation. Mar
mage, now too often o mere cloak for what de.
serves no such sacred name, would become the
ready resort of the lcontious to bend the pure
the scrupulous TO their wishes, knowing full well
that divorce could follow whenever deemed de
sirable In short, our criticism on this writer's
works. Judging by the two three we have read,
imports that she has keen perception Of wrongs
but A very inadequate faculty of deyising or Sc
ecting remedies-that her powers are wholly de
structivc not cOnstructlve-and that the formal
adoption of her views, 80 far as the world as u is
could be induced to adopt them, would effect
change decidedly and deplorably for the worse.
In short she views the question of Marriage from
tho individual not the universal side--exhibits
powerfully the hardships endured by the numerous
victims Of msmarages, but does not consider the
effect on the general wellbeing of an abrogation or
relaxation Of the laws which operate so harshly IN
their cases-Ihis is the substance Of the criticism
which we would wish to make on the general DRIFT
Of George Sand s novels did time and space per
nit We trust some one OF the great Reviews
viii ere long take up the subject and give 1t that
ssa.rhins analysis which Its vital Importance and
tie power and influence Of these works absolutely
demand
The volume before us, however is not obnox'
hVs to these criticisms Its argument IS Social
lneouaty and the hollowness OF most OF the osten'
rble efforts of the wealthy and powerful to hasten
the establishment Of a true and brothery relation
among the now widely separated classes or castles
into which Civilized Society is divided The hero
ofthe work is Journoyman Joiner-in the man
noble and true man, though tho author cannot re-
hsin from her inveterate habit of making her mod
els Of excellence dissemble lie and eavesdrop on
very slight temptation. The love which springsup
between this man Of the people aud the pet'eo
daughter Of one Of the old nobesse IA sham Liberia
atthat is eminently pure and ennobling, resisting
oil temptations to s,oop from its high estate Con-
tased with this is the merely sensual love OF an
other Countess, cousin of the former for light and
vain companion and friend of the Man of the PEG.
Plea love which is traced from its unworthy be-
ginning to it's fitting termination with freedom and
onreserve which only this one among all women
who apparently desire the worlds good opinion
would have dared. We do not know whether this
deserves reprobation OF otherwise. There are
probably some readers who would not be improved
by ''s perusa though the language is (aultless and
'oe distinction between Vice and Virtue strongly
and clearly marked. We spprehena tho, ,hero
are many however to whom the sinlul pleasures
Of Amsury and Josephine will wholly Ou,re,sh no
terrors Of their punishment VIZ
The author, however, does not share On, ao.,,.
She cannot even understand them. She deem. ~.
entire works in the highes, degree moral. She
says
"in England my works are translated with o,nis-
sors and alterations d;savow such inerpreta;ions-
ths al tnat DO; but should never NOV bow
plain to the Eush.h why dsayow them. Il wounds
conscience-I can say AL that have written
have thought, and think sisll"
We do not doubt her. We trus, however, tina;
the grave questions raised by her, and which she
Justly complains have not thus far been met excep,
by railing and abuse, will ere long be taken up
nom the opposite poin, Of view, and discussed with
an ability approaching hers and discernment
which shall separate the incrustaiions OF Error
nom the eternal Truth which underhes H. showing
US what changes are truly needed to yindica'e and
establish the purity the sanctity and the beauty OF
TIE relation expressed by the term Marriage.
20 ISAAC CHASE. in. OF Parma, is the Whis
~.