Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-05-20
n.ALONI.'

This is the title OF a novel TO which referred
few days ago. tie fair au,horess OF which is native Viz
gniau and resident OF the city of Richmond. We are
sincerely grasd the favorable and highly compimen
tary reception with which it has the hands, both of
competent critics ard the public, in Virginia alone,
but throughout the country, North and South. 1t is des
tined believe, from the many fatering notices il has
already received have considerable We earnest
" hope that 1t may. 1, amply deserves it. Its merits
of very high order if dnteesed professional
les to be accounted competent judges Certain it is
few Southern productions elected fatterng
encomums from the Northern press They seem to be
surprised that such work should have made its appear
ance South of Mason and Dixons line. We trust how
ever they may have frequent occasions for expressing
their ss,onishmen in the future and for the same
CON.
This book is the production of Virginia lady, pub
shed by Richmond house. and both in its literary and
typographical execution, is highly credabe to Southern
talent and Southern enterprise We have saugune hopes
therefore, that will with the liberal appreciation
deserves To show the opinions OF en- our Northern
neighbors in regard to it, suhoin the criticism of the
literary reviewer Of the New York Commercial in which
it rank. admitted that the author OF "Aone" "may
hencetorth take rank among the successful female
uovelists Of the United States =
"Here is Eove published in Virginia. in s,yle that
challenges comparison with the issues OF the New York
and New England presses and its literary character as
praise its typographical although the tar
like the publisher is citizen Of State fruitful TO lite
nature The plot Of the story simply this young girl
named Ida Ross lett aonc in the world by the death
OF her widowed mother In her bereavement she looks
to her guardian and his daughter for sympathy but looks
in vain These persons both worldly and disagree.
able and their cold heaess cause her 10 believe that
all mankind equally selfish. She goes to a seminary of
learcing where her talent renders her model pupil but
as companion she is too naughty to become popular
One of the teachers, who is justly dsiked by the whole
school, insults her by the application OF infamous cpl
tibet in their presence Caroline Carlton q sweet Young
girl sitting the next desk, speaks in her behalf ana
the result IL that the teacher is dismissed while Ida and
Caroline receive the thanks Of the school for relieving
them of tyrant. The girls become fond Of friends
and at the termination of their sch oil e Ida paws
visit to Carones fathers residence in the country Here
she attends camp meeting, of which she gives very
amusing descriptions and forms number Of agreeable
acquaintances-among the rest with young artist who
IS secretly engaged to schoolmae named Ellen Ross
This young lady Is somewhat of frt, and her artist
lover, while doubtful OF her sincerity is suddenly taken
i'll and dies in his dying moments he sends for his friend
Ida and begs her TO convey his last farewell Ellen who
happens at this juncture TO be absent.
"Ths blimeless incident unfortunately causes much
misery to Ida Tor her lover "a young LAWYER VINO is de-
voedy attached to her. and whose affections she recipro
Gates although words the subject have been inter
changed iners from the grief she maests on the oc
cason that she loved the deceased aud ceasng to nav
attention TO her, he becomes engaged a beautiful girl
and dear fri nd Of his invalid sister, This fact he com
shocked
the announcement that dangerous illness ensues Dur
ing It's continuance she remains her plantation where
she ID tendery nursed by faithful slaves and the
saon o: pous negro il the of leading her to EN-
brace religion. This changes her character that on re-
turn to Richmond, her friends scarcely recognize
in the mild quiet woman the naughty aud ntractabe Ida
OF old In the mean time, her guardian naEries Young
girl, but shortly afterwards falls i'll and dies During his
sickness his wife does her duty better than most y0un
wives Of elderly gent supposed TO- and Ida "a
also moved him with great kindness but he re-
turns this attention with souness On the of his
DEATH his assorted wife s about elope with former
lover whose age and temper cousenia but she
is prevented by the Ida just in time to see her old hus
band expire Ida then returns to her plantation estab
fishes school for poor Children and becomes tho bene
factor OF the neighborhooi Her lover finds that the
other LADY, to whom he engaged himself in t Of Spleen
is false, and the differences between him and Ida being
all explained away on her twenty first birth day she sur
renders her freedom for life, aud VOWS to love- honor
and obey.
There are many other incidents interacod with this
plot, aud the whole story is very prey written Miss
Harand may henceforth take rank among the most sue
cessiul female novess of the United States