The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-01-22
NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.
ny Courtship and its Consequences, by Henry
Wlkon-Derby d Co.
We're the elder d'IsrseM still living, he
vsuld have found In the work before rs ma
tsrials for piquaat addition to his "Curiosities
Of Literature" No publication that We know
Of presents irer field for the exercise of the ana.
Ntical skill and caustic humor OF the professional
critic. A mere photographed episode that,
TOO, not of the most creditable knd-in the career
Of one of those fashionable iders whose eccentric
ties but too freq uently obtain for them eluivoca
sotoriety it has surprised the world by the exhibit
lion Of talents which, If they had been seriously d.
Iected, might have placed within the reach of their
Dossessor almost any of the prizes OF an honorable
and useful ambition. With the abuse Of mems gifts
nd opportunities il is not however, our business to
deal, more especially in the case Of man who pre-
rents himself before the public, smarting under .
sense of real or fsncied oppression, ana whose
wrongs, ss he asserts, having been prejudged on
.rpayte and. fa'si6ed testimony, demand an honest
and unbiased consideration at our hands.
And yet, had the intsres. Of this curious publics
ticn been confined to the issues which the author
confidently submits to our Judgment, we question
whether its circulate IN weuld have extended much
beyond the circles in which the personsges who
figure in it move The grievances of which it Ia made
the vehicle too strictly personal to excite for them
Independently any very general attention or sym
DAhy The sge Of sentiment past when the sorrows
Of disappointed lovers found responsive echo 10 the
breasts Of romantic generation. The world has, in
fact, become so hardened in materiaism that II Is
more disposed to ridicule than commiserate the tor
ments which the kle god delights to infi,t upon
his votAries. The History Of q Couetship and its
Conse luences," therefore, required some more novel
and highly seasoned elements of attraction TO ensure
for II any large share Of popularity.
p2Tbe extraor usry sensation that has been created
by this book evidenced at once by the unprecs-
dentedl large sale that it has had and thu az
teDton that has been devoted to 1t by the prsshas
natur sly led to good deal Of controversy go .he
grounds Of the favor il has met with. 1t would be
absurd 70 pretend that there existed in the public
mind any very general feeling Of sympathy OK regret
for the misfortunes Of its author brought upon him.
NJ they unquestionably were, by his own levty and
folly Still less did the conduct Of bis fair opponent
presented Us, 1t was, under all the advanta
ges Of powerful protection, and all the prestige of
successful prosecution, appear in such favorable
night a. to excite in US any very parti uar desire 30
make her further acquaintance. Whatever interest
had been originally created by the mslodra
matte character Of the whole affair, had, ia
fact died out, and therefore it cannot be said
that it IL to either the freshness Of is incl
DENTS or to any great faith in the version of the
care, which tnesoook might put forth, that the run
winch il has had ia to be attributed. The truth 10
that the interest OF the work lies entirely in i.s lite
nary merits /. is at once one Of che most original
and eccentric productions that has ever emanstsd
from the pen Of comparatively Impractical writer.
u exhibits strange combination Of natural talent,
social tact, hu nor, aud gsnslemanly breeding, win
m egotism and aud acity without example, and we
need scarcely add, as consequence, deplorabe
absence Of judgment AMI discretion These latter de
fects ave, however in some degree atoned tor bI
TIE inperturbable good humor and philosophy wiz
which It's sutbor regards misfortunes that Won't
have sou,ed the tempers as well blasted the pros
poets, Of m set other men. There ia also this exoe
Int feature ia the book-that it manife.s bur it'll
vhdictiveness towards the persons whom tn
writer coz ceives to have been instrumental to hi
safarings; that one disposed to look nd1lgeni
" on much that is reprehensble, in considera
ton Of 'base better qualities of his nsture
He has hea the good sense, too, - discard all al
would b only laughed at; and in giving fall play &
the b0cysncy and iveliness OF his tempe -ament b.
his attained literary SUCCESS which q more elabo
rate effort could not have achieved. By making
clean breast Of IL with the world be felt that he ha
nothing to lose for the tongue Of scandal had araa
d. done it's worst with his reputation and on thi
point he certainly deserves credit for discrimina
ton. Few men would have had moral oourag
enough again TO run the gauntlet of criticism ate
time had consigned to partial oblivion such odioa
charges az thoee with which the writer was as
sailed; and his doing go argues CONSEQUENCES
that the more serious Of them are undeserved. As
the foles 10 which he pleads guilty, they Of to
common occurrence to call for heavier censure in hi
ease than in that of thousands of others, who hav
maintained in spite of them, their position in society
Besides, the world, in consideration Of the sever
lesson that he has received, viii be disposed to Civ
him the benefit of the charitable doctrine nculcst
cd by the poet
He that hath all his sins confessed,
Stands next to him that never has transgressed.
From this cursory description, q toerably sorrec
ides may be formed Of the general merits and pc
eulasiies Of the book. In point Of mere style, IT
superior to ninety nine out Of huL drod Of the
psetentious works that issue from our press.
bears on the face Of It the stamp Of . highly cult
vsaed and observant mind, which has seen and rea
much, although it has failed to proht by it. II CON
banss something of the colloquial ease and vivact
q Horace walpoles writings with the precision an
elegance which characterize Lord Chesterdelds let
ten. Taken o. q whole, however, It offers, both il
tts subject and mode Of treatment, more genera
points of resemblance to Hamilton's lively Memolr
ofDe Grammont" than to any other work Of SINH
n al &hox- f-Ao -sxh ~
analogy between the careers Of the two chevaiers-
NoAh AHA al ~ ha TIA. So ALL.