New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-30
NEW PUBLICATIONS


tellectual Significance and their genuine pow
and originality 1t hardly, indeed, suggests the
design Of the work, VIII tber as novel, trea-
tise on political economy, or collection OF
ethical di,quisitions. But we find on turning
over few pager, that under the guise Of pop
MAR romance. it 10 devoted to illustrations Of
character, the story serving merely as a frame
work to exhibit a variety Of portraitures, on
which the strength Of the anony nous writer has
evidently been hid out rather than on the artistic
construction of the plot. Still the narrative
gains cons :antly in interest az it advances though
ts easy flow 10 impeded by numerous intricacies,
and certain air of improbability in some of its
leading incidents compels us to temper the ad
n iraiion which is called for.h BY its prevailing
boldress of conce ption and it's frequent fneness
of delneation. The effect of the story is dindn.
isbed by the attempt to introduce too many COO
,picuous persouages crowding the fore ground
of the picture, and impairiug the proportions es
sential to the harmony of the whole. IL should
be read as a series of independent sketches,
without demanding perfect unity of aim, and
In that point of view, it must be regarded as a
highly successful performance, betraying Pc
cDliaIly subtle perception Of character, pro
found, if not wide, experience Of life, and a
remarkable power Of vigorous, suggestive de-
scIiptiop. TIE strength of the writer consists
in the clearness, precision, and tru.hfulness Of
the imaginative faculty-tbe sharp outlines of
reality circDmscribe all its creations every char
acter is presented in the lucdty Of actual
yisiOn-resppearipg in singular diversity of re-
lat'ons, their identity is always sacredly pre-
served-aDd no dim, vague clouds of fancy are ever
permitted to obscure the light, in which their
salient, individual proportions are go trans par
emily revealed. Combined with this steel-like
purity Of imagination, is q rare activity of the
reflective pOwers, showing mind intent on the
attainment of first principles, accustomed to
grspple with the most perplexing problems, and
set king the hidden law Of being under every vail
of appearance. This trait gives a substantial,
masculine character TO the work, which no Tever
at war with the taste of protested novel readers,
merely in search of facle amusement, will in
sure it both an elevated rank and prOtracted
date, beyond the reach of the epbemeral nov
elites, which fash and fade in a single season.
The heroine of the story is introduced to us as
child on the borders of the sea. Weare at once
made to perceive the contrast between the rich
Defs Of her nature and the loneliness of her en-
vironment. We are made to think Of fair youog
being In the early bloom of immortal aspirations,
but shut up in the dark room of the universe. She
gszes, In the earnestness of faith on the mighty
waiers-listens TO their solemn roar, and is
touched with sense of life's mysteries, while
from the white barTenness OF ses shore ssnds, her
imagination falls back on the quiet of the m oun-
tain and valley land, listening to the robin and
blue.bird, and rejoicing in the green grass, and
gardens, the hills, and plains, and streams, and
torrents Of the country.
1t was in point Of fact but lowy place where che
was borr-tbis life with the vision of God. A little
brown frame house, storm beaten but always in good
repair-uDOrnamentedw without or within. The blinds
screening the two windows of the front room we're
heavy boarded o1es, made for defense az sins the
blast of storms. The entrance to the house by
single wooden step, sJOund which a small grass
plat for, after infinite deal Of cOaxiDg the sod
b ought from the back country had consented TO live
in tbis upgenial neighbOrhoOd. There no flow
ers Desr. There had been once, but now none. Two
children during the last autumn removed the vine At
had oversb allowed The door, to holier spot. Tney
left email portion Of the root in its old place, but it
was lspeuisbiDg in loneliness and gave only slight
tokens Of recognition TO the gay greeting of the sum.
mer sun.
The front door of the cabin, studded with great iron
nais and hung on heavy hinges, looked stroog enough
oguard the treasure of mine but opened, instead
into the nar'owest Of passages which again was inter-
sected with great Difference to architectural rules
by other doors one leading into sitting room, as they
called it, the other into the kitchen. Back of these
clt sets were the lodging rooms, Old Walter Dilons
aud Susans; there was. beside these, yet another,
but since Susan able TO be about the house again
tb OF room was closed.
The walls of the house were white Washed the floors
uncsrp. ted as in all cabins along the seaboard. But
the furniture, the marriage portion OF Dulons w,te.
was of better order than Is usually to be found In
the cabins Of fishermen.
Here. in this unpretending home, had the fisherman
Dillon and his vile borne all the JOY aud sorrow OF
their welded lot. Here mortal and immortal life had
been brought iorth-htre heirs OF heaven aud heirs
of earth had entered on their several heritage Aud
new Susan al her father were alone.
Soon the solitude Of the acene lie interrupted by
the advent Of a certain Mr.. Leighton, a weird,
mysterious character, who takes up bis abode in
an old mill on Walter billions premises, begins to
discourse in strange Socratic dialogue with the
dreamy Susan, and leaves US in doubt for some
time whether he 10 pedant or philosopher, or
perhaps little of both. Susan, meantime, gro rs
space both in mind and body, AMI afser cositating
on the instructive aphorisms Of this Leighton
through long siege, is taken possession OF by
family of wealthy parvenus in neighboring town,
and made to ploy leading part in certain phi
lanthropc conspiracy, in which the incipient
dementia of youngster belonging to these people
is to find its remedy in the healing balm OF ker
affection. This feature of the plot has little to