New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-03-26

the company-not an ideal vision to dazzle the
imagination in sight-nethiDg but every DAY
bard.vorking. matter-offact sort OF people,
whom we might all see in our ususl walks, IL
our es we're only sharp enough. Besides all
Ibis, the story lacks artistic comPleteness-the
motives for special situations are not SUM-
GENTLY unfolded-scenes and characters are
introduced without any visible destiny-mucn
is obscurely limited st-too much is leit 10 'he
dark.
What then, is the secret Of its strange
fascination BY what spell does 1t hold the
reader in bfeathless enchantment! lne Key
20 its power is the frightful Daturalness OF It's
cbarscterdrawing. The oddness OF the incl
dents, it would almost seem, is used, with
malice sforethought, TO highten the reality oil
its psssional revelations The personages Of
the story. az we have said, are in the common
line Of life. There is no illusion about them
70 bewilder the fancy. But they are pictured
forth with such prodigious force-made to
stand out from the canvass with such marvel
Ious truth of perspective-presented with such
breathing vitality of feature and expression
that they actually take possession or the
reader. aud will forever haunt bis memory as
beings of real life.
In point of style, the best portions OF VII
Iette are not inferior to Jane Eyre. Its sharp
terseness of expression cuts through every OBJ
stacIe. Half g dozen words often do the duty
of hundred with ordinary writer's. A single
phrase opens fathomless mysteries OF charac-
ter. Everything ia so simple 30 quiet, 80 free
from gsring colors, that you seem to be listen
ing TO a recital from living lips. rather than
threading the pages of studied narrative.
One or two passages Of fine bombastic writing,
are of course exceptions TO this remark; but
they are no doubt introduced, like the strange
incidents, to set of the prevailing simplicity of
tone, by their unnatural contrasts.
But let us look little more closely into the
construction of Villette" The heroine, Luz
~ Snowe who tells her own story, like Jane
Eyre, is first presented to US at the residence
of her godmother, in q pleasant old country
house in England. During an autumnal visit
ct this place, the scene is suddenly changed by
the advent of half fairy, half elish child,
whose debut in the quiet family circle is made
the theme of two or three chapters. We have
nothing better in the book than the talks of
this little thing of six years, who, after her
childish fancy has been touched with John Ora
ham Breton, saucy boy several years older
than herself, disappears from the scene, and we
lose sight of her altogether until after the
story has made great Roadway toward crisis.
Meantime, mysterious change comes over the
fortunes of Lucy SnOwe. Eight years pass
away. She is separated from her godmother,
Mrs. Breton, who has also suffered reverses.
Lucy is cast upon herself. She must depend
on her own efforts, for there is no one else to
leok TO- Her first step is to accept an offer
from Miss Marchmont, a maiden lady, who had
made proposals to Lucy to become her compan-
ion. As this little episode is complete in itself,
we give il as it stands.
Mics Marchmont was a woman of fortune and lived in
handsome residence; but she was rheumatic cripple
impotent foot and hand and had been so for twenty
gears She always sat up stairs her drawing room adj
Joined her bedroom. had often heard Of Miss March
mont and Of her pecuarite (he had the character of
being very eccentrc) but till now had sever seen her
found her furrowed gray haired woman, grave with
solitude stern with long silictoH irritable Also and
perhaps exacting IL seemed that maid, or rather
companion who had waited her for some years, was
about TO be married. and she, hearing of my bereaved
lot had sent for with the idea that might supply this
Shc 40 IN ma
AZ che and sat alone by her freside
1T will not be easy life, said she candldy, "for
require good deal OF attention, and you will be much
confined yet perhaps, contrased with the existence
you have lately led, II may appear tolerable.'
reflected. OF course Il ought to appear toerabe,
argued inwarily but somehow by strange fatal
~ would not To live here, in this close room, the
watcher of suffering sometimes, perhaps, the butt OF
temper, through all thai was to come of my youth ;
while all that gone had passed 10 say the least not
bhssiully my heart sunk moment then il revived
for though forced myself TO realtss evils think |
was too prosaic to ideas aud consequently to exsgge
rate them.
my doubt is whether should have strength for the
undertaking" observed.
THAT 10 my own scrxre said shei "fOr you look a
Sol did saw lysef in the glass, in my mourning.
dress faded. holloweyed vision fe, thought liitle
of the wan spectacle The blight believed, was chief
Nv external; still felt life NJ hics'sources.
What else have You ~ view any thing y
Nothing clear yet; but may find something"
$50 you imsGine perhaps YOU right Try your
own meibod, Them and If II does not succeed, test niue
The chance have offered shall De lett open 10 you for
three month";
This kind. toldh her so, and expressed my graf
hude While | was speaking, paroNysm Of pain came
ON. mnistered 10 her; made the necessary sppica
according TO herdrectoDs and by the tmesse was
relieved sort OF intimacy already formed between
for my part had learned lsom the manner in which
che bore this attack that she firm patient woman
(stient under ply steal pain though sometimes per
hsps, excisble under long mental caaker) and she,
from the good viii with which succored her. dIscov
cred that she could influence my sympathos such as
they were) She sent for the next day for hve
six successive days she claimed my company Closer
acquaintance while developed both faults aud eccen
toites opened y, the same time view OF character
sod reepect -, and morose - she sometimes
was, could wait her and sill beside her with that
calm which always besses when We are sensible that
presence, contact please and soothe the
rersons We serye Even when she scolded me-whlcA