The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-10-16

THE WIDE, WIDE WORLD BY Elizabeth wethereH
Now York: George p. Putnam, 155 Broadway.
1851.
Although this work has been already some
months before the public, we do not remember
having met with any notice of it; and although
remarks made for the tenth time upon so inter-
esting work would hardly fail to attract at
tention, its first second, on even third, criti-
cism we suppose may possess considerable in
terest
The work is fictitious in its character, but
yet so that it brings no purely imaginary per-
sonages before the mind, nor presents MS with
smlitudes of things that have never been. We
close it after perusal, half convinced that we
have been reading genuine biography so
lfelike and wholly natural are its characters,
80 unaHectedly and accurately does it touch the
chords Of common life
! =" Diicile est proprie communal deere"
said an ancient critic of no mean reputation
and the authors chief merit seems to US that
leaving the fashionable and courtly crowd at
such a distance nearly the entire work is de
voted 10 the exhibition and development of the
scenes of everyday life, in manner so truthful,
so discriminating, and so rare.
To its fictitious character is superadded
religious cast, of far different nature, how
ever, from that of many of the religious
novels" that have lately appeared, 1t is not
with this as with Margaret Percival," &c,
where the heroine is represented as wavering
between doctrines, and specializing upon va
rious dogmas, which somehow vanish before a
right perception of orthodoxy as the book holds
it. In such fctions, there is an inevitable idea
of unreality, and suspicion of controversial
purposes. But this work, introducing a child Of
generous impulses, disposed rather to believe
than reason, conducts her through conflicts of
divine grace and good determination with
the various and trying temptations incident to
her lot, until, in the language of the Scriptures
the trial of faith worketh patience and pa
tence experience, and experience hope" which
dffuses throughout her life sweet sanctty and
tranquil joy that rarely, if ever adorns one SO
young Nothing can be more interesting than
to witness the regular and beautiful develop
ment of such a character, nor can we withhold
our admiration of the facility yet theoreac
nicely, with which the results are 80 contriVeo
Especially are we pleased with the two who
are instrumental in moulding this young char
acter. We are at loss to conceive how they
could have been better qualified for the task, OF
how the duty could have been more scrupu-
lousy performed As we have seen at tunes
upon mall two trees Of mature growth, sym
metrically graceful, bending over newly trai'-
planted one between, as If with tender soiei-
tude lest any worm should climb TO its more ac-
cessible foliage or lest it should bend perverSe-
ly, or grow out of due proportions 40 do these
rare individuals exercise at the same time
most pleasing afectionate, and constant care
over their little sister"
We have thus given a mere skeleton OF 'no
work. 1t is most aptly and beautifully c'o'nea
and adorned with agreeable Description o,@ VI
pleasantly, and much deep and simple Pa'hos'
Indeed we never remember having met with
any passages in writers most distinguished 'Or
their tear-exoting powers, 50 deeply afecenga
the simple description by the old servant o,
E,,,. Ellen st the death-bed Of her adopted
sister.
Our last comment is, that the book ends eh-
actlv whsrs il should We are heartily dis
o,,sd "a the prurient taste for love stories that
prevails at present. We can hardly remember
more than one or two narratives Of late when
did not regard the marriage Of the parties as
necessary to happy denouemsut But although
NO such thing S spoken Of in this story, ye'
matters are left in such position that u re-
quires no great effort Of the imagination 70 aP-
pend two or three chapters, 80 ~ TO satisfy inc
most ardent expectant Of connubiai terminus,
tons Thus il skilfally avoids the insipld'fy .,
most fictitious conclusions positively PieasAn'