The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-03-15
NO. 1923.
Gbe Ssbielu.
f.,rlxs ALONG; Book Of Illustrations Two volumes
New York James c. Derby.

Gated by its first title, but it richly deserves it
second for it is book of Graphics-a sort @
moving panorama, with narrative sequence an,
Conference enough for the canvass and portrait
ure. scenery and perspective, sufficient for
caoital exhibition. 1t has not the heady fov
Of the ordinary novel the reader is not car
riel upon a current of story, ever swelling
with fresh tributaries, driven by ftful winds
tossed by turbulent waves, and then dash
d over the denouement into Lake Hymen
70 rest after the riot. The journey of these
Volumes is made without much feeling of 10
c,motion. and with as little suffering from
srnnathetic commotion. The dramatis per
s,nn pass before the reader as on a stage
they have their entrances and exits, their dia
I,yues and soliloquies, and, as the figure sug
gasts there is chorus in the cast which the
author enacts.
II will be remembered that, in the old Greek
tragedy the chorus was charged with the ex
position of the fable it praised the gods, and
justified them against the complaints OF the
suffering and the unhappy; it sought to sootht
the excited passions, and to impart lessons o.
wisdom and experience, and, in general, to sug
5rst useful practical reflections. Moreover, the
chorus never left the stage, and so the allusion
is the more apt as an illustration"
The writer does not play essayist in form,
but employs certain of the actors in this capa
city very constantly. Leighton and Miss Wat
son have no other Office whatever, and the Nun
and Mr. Falcon are almost as little in the har
ness Of the plot. They are mainly occupied
with the philosophy and policy, the morals and
manners, of the life that is analysed and dis
PLAYED BY the story. Even Stella, though she
is the chief agonist in the drama, is very
elaborate as well as very passionate philoso
rhizrr. In word, the author is ever more
Earnest in protection than anxious for the
amusement, or attentive to the awakened inter
e'i, Of the gosspping reader.
We suppose the work-for it is a ,oork-wil
MT rush ferny and furious into the fervent ia
yyr Of all the fools in the Union, and that i
may not reach its q thirtieth thousand " in the
first thirty days after its announcement; but
We cannot doubt that it will attain its ends in
good time, and serve its purposes worthly. Il
has not the charm of the libellous literature
now aaoat, nor will it shock or surprise, or any
WAY Seluce, the idleness of the day into the
"ra,usymusy,' solicitudes and indolent intoxi
cations which it delights in but it will b,
studied by every one who reads it, and be ap
preciated by all that are capable of a gooC
book, and are good and brave enough to grow
better for whatever of truth they meet with.
The first presented and the most frequently
recurring character illustrated" is q fisher
mans daughter, Susy, growing up from twelve
% eighteen years of age, during the progress o
the tale. A beautiful, healthy, human natura
character, without feature that a blockheaC
could discover or dauber could paint, with
out any special attractiveness of person, anC
with very little artificial culture She is al
admirable child, however, and in some sens,
the heroine Of the story. 1t is the best evidence
oi genius in authorship to make her so conspic
nous and charming, without making her aston
ching, or indeed remarkably distinct from tn,
mass OF ruslics whose existence is as conceiv
able and beievabe as the flowers of the forest
that may be supposed to bloom unnoticed. He,
chef Office is to reclaim, or restore, or recreate
an idiot boy kindling his intellect by the flame
OF ms affections, and electrifying his imbecil
ny by the touch of her magnetic vitality. b.
the policy OF the plot she is doomed to the re
pasnant and distressful task of standing dunn
my for the exercise and excitation Of his idiot
le affections, while her heart is wholly hi
brothers, until her task is well fulfilled, anC
the life thus dry-nursed into maturity is at las
eHtlnguished by the despair of absorbing hers
All tins is managed with rarely excellent art
Neither taste, truth, nor sentiment, is violated
IN the issue, and the coarse grained conspira
tors against the freedom OF the innocent child
HE are indulged without the sacrifice they de
@sned. and disappointed without the rebuk,
that they could not have understood.
The Development of the little girl by the edu
cation OF circumstances, is finely and worthilN
accomplished. There is not an improperly il
lie whole process. That rustic child is reared
INTO fine woman, with the skill and feeling o
a master mind, and a delicate hand. The
reader should turn from page to page of hel
S'ofy' to learn the substance and the agencie.
o' a thorough education. There is nothing 81
good or so thorough in any treatise extant.
Mr.. Leighton is the Corypheus of the dramat
he chorus and Mr.. Falcon is the working phi
lanthroPlst Of the little world put upon tn
s'ase The latter is old enough to have beer
he lover Of Stella's mother, and he is bus
enough, IN his mission Of world-mender, to b
TIE husband, father, brother, and servant, o
the whole mendicant mob of the city. Ye
''''a 'oupserver, street-preacher, idiot-teacher
anu encouragement, is, upon the graves
grounds of public good and private duty, dul,
anu duhiully married to the bright particula
s'aF oi the troupe-the passionate, high-spirit
va pmiosophlc desperate, Stella! 1t serve
her right. \ month before, she was deter
mined to be nun; in the second quarter O
nef iunacy she is maniacally bent upon saving
Ter soul at all risks in the third, she turn
Protestant, and gibbous with egotism; and il
NE last, her ful-mooned insanity of aspira
uOn' impulse. and selfemancipation, rises il
Tue heaven of her hopes, with man in it, an,
she sets out gloriously in her orbit of duty
uOlhs as If the earth depends upon her for tn
light of life.
ms Mr. Falcon figures through the stor
WIN strong marks of the ideal man of worl
And service, conscience and cleverness, of tn
1-'Aof own fancy, but we must not be to
'1'e OF this for, whatever may be intended
TUE perfect Characterization of this most IN
V'u'or'able sort Of parsonage serves, as yo'
'AAS INN, about as well for honest satire as 70
tAIMesf 1 ell c