The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-04-01
LITERARY NOTICES.

r,r HEAD OF THE FAMILY. Novel. By the au-
,hor of "olive and the ogilvies" New York
U,ruer Brothers. For sale by Franck Taylor,
pennsylvania avenue, Washington d. c.
We gave up yesterday to the reading of this
dochtiul novel, and we can only speak Of it
IN terms of grateful commentator. The story,
the telling and the characters which figure in
:, are alike admirable The style is pure, ele-
can't glowing; the moral tone not only unex-
c,ptionabe, but noble; the interest constant
and intense, without being painfully absorbing
Without rackng one like that of the Jane Eyre
novels it all along constrains the attention, not
BY the strong grasp of passion, but by tender
hold on the heart
In the whole range of our novel reading we
never met with character so grandiy gooo,
9, sublimely because so simply unselhsh ana
devoted. as that of Ninian Greene, "The Head
Of the Family :" but in real life we have seen'
we know such an one.
The character of Rachel Armstrong is pecu-
liar powerful, and sharply defined. With
fearful depth of passion and strength OF VIII,
she is noble, even lovable, from the utter truth
ord nroud devotion of her nature. Her hate
and revenge are only next to her love ana iaith
IN their intensity and fearful beauty There is
something rarely touching in the character oi
:, Our Sister, and indescribably attractive III
that of Hope Ansted Simple, modest ana
tender-pure as a white rose sleeping IN moon
light sending forth the sweet influences oil
holy life as uncouscously as the rose breathes
out perfume, we do not always feel her pres
ence-we hardly see her-but the whole book
is fragrant with her.
There are many splendid passages in this
novel. a few of which we must beg leave to
transcribe
aNinian's heart was full He looked up at
the clear sky. beneath which, when the service
was over. they too walked, she leaning on his
arm But she did not know that he was pray
inc that his heart heavy with its deep love,
had laid itself down at the feet of God, be-
seeehing for her She did not know that all
~ way bone while she went SINKING t&hy5agh
sunny nelds her young soul lightened of its
care his was lifting up its passionate voice,
CRYING on Heaven to keep safe for him his life s
sole ioy. Very solemn too was his prayer not
alone for the girl he loved, now tripping along
in her sweet maidenhood but for his wife, per-
haps the mother of his children, his helpmeet
in LIES coming work. wherein all things should
be done by them both for the glory Of God,
until, that work being over, they might lie side
by side in some quiet place like this, with chill
dren's reyerent tears dropping over them, wait
ing for the resurrection, unto that kingdom
when all earthly marriage shall be done away,
and that marriage only remain, which, being Il
union spiritual and complete, is as indissoluble
as the union of the soul with God
Young men and maidens--idle dreamers of
baseless dreams which you call love, and toy
with for a year, a month, week-yOu know
no more of the one true love, the one sacred
marriage than does child who looking at his
own image in two or three wayside ponds, fam
ces he has seen and perhaps drained dry the
great ocean which rounds the world"
Here is statement, the truth of which we
recognise at once, yet which we do not remem-
Der TO have met elsewhere:
4" 1t is sign contrary to Gods ordinance,
and in itself betokening sad mysteries when
mOther-lOve is evidently the strongest devotion
and the keenest happiness of young wife's
heart"
Got ouer 1t! Strangely do people talk of
getting over great sorrOw-Overleaping it,
passing it by, thrustng it into oblivion. Not
so! No one ever does that; at least no nature
which can be touched by the feeling of grief
at all The only way is to pass through the
ocean of affection solemnly slowly, with hui
mility and faith, as the Israeltes passed through
the sea. Then its very waves of misery will
divide and become to us q wall on the right
side and on the left until the gulf narrows and
narrows before our eyes, and we land safe on
the opposite shore.o
When we laid down this charming novel, it
was with thoroughly satisfied feeling a
pleasure we have not known since reading
David Copperfeld mot that this story can
well be compared with that browning work Of
Dickens; it has no wit or quaint drollery, little
pr'liiance OF any kind, yet nevertheless it is
quite as admirable in its way In cheerful do
nestle scenes, in pictures of family union, OF
brotherly and sisterly devotion and affection
and in revelations of that deeper and diviner
sentiment, love, we know of no writer who sur.
passes the author of Olive and the later
work before us. G.G