The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-12-18

general reader, as connected with the man OF
letters and fashion, persisted; so that, but for
the former, events in his life, and their bearing
on his character in his social relations, would
not have here found their calculation. His
executor and clerk, while he tore up and de-
stroyed hundreds of such relics of correspond
ence relating to Beaumarchais' opinions and
actions with the men and women of the day,
carefully labelled and put away everything that
claims or his business transactions, and, drawn
forth from the repose of fifty years or more,
his biographer has now found in them much
new material, out of which to construct, in
a fuller manner than ever before, his per-
sonal history. The book will add thus to the
information relative to that portion of the an
nails of France. We find in it mention of
many persons who then figured largely, but
who are scarcely now ever spoken of. Thus
the Chevalier d'Eon, who played so mysteri
ton with Beaumarchais, who, shrewd as he
was, is said to have been outwitted by him,
finds place in these records. The part Beau
marchais bore, as related, in the French alliance
with our struggling country, is dwet upon at
considerable length. The author Of this vol
ume, justify ing, as he believes, his claim, which
was so often denied, on the ground that he was
merely the agent of the King, and his advances
of funds and for supplies were not OF the nature
of private transaction.
The work is we'll put together; fair record
of its authors views respecting his subject, but
has not the liveliness we find in some memoirs,
which we presume is owing to the fact that the
most sprightly and interesting memoranda
from Beaumarchais' own pen, suffered the fate
to which we have already alluded. Still it will
be gladly received, as one of the many which
help US to throw ourselves into the scenes and
events of the past, and mingle with the celebri-
ties of the day to which it alludes.
VIOLET: or the Cross and the Crown. BY NJ J. McIn-
tosh author of "Two Lives; or, Seem and to BE, .
"Charms and Counter Charms" &c, &c Boston: John
p. Jewett Co. 1864.
Those who have made themselves acquainted
with Miss McIatosh's former works will be glad
to meet her again upon the field which she en-
tered on with so much success. The present
volume, however, differs very considerably
from those productions of her pen; and while
to some, perhaps, it may have more attraction
from the scenes and the incidents of the story
it will not find equal appreciation from others
In general, the high moral runs through it, ant
the end develops the importance and necessity
of trust in God. Perhaps there is not quite 81
much of the directly religious bearing in these
pages.
The story is of child, found babe on 1
wreck, with its mother dead, and adopted by 1
brutal wrecker and his wife, who is not so de
void of humane feelings, and yet willing enough
to conceal the fraud, and hide the few relics o
clothing and ornaments, by which the lost ont
could be restored to its friends. The little cir
grows up, wins the love of a kind physician
and widowed man, who has an only son, Il
whom he would gladly see her united. Variou
reasons, however, prevent it. The wrecker be
comes bitterly malignant, and seeks to plac
his adopted daughter in the hands of worth
less fellow, whom she spurns. She escapes
but is entrapped by her supposed father, and
borne on the ocean, is, like her mother and her
self before, again found on a wreck near he
rude home and her mothers grave, and is res
cued, to be restored at last to her true father
and to be blessed anew with the love of tn
heart that so yearned over her, and of tina
brother from whose alliance she has been with
held The wrecker died in his attempt to reac
the shore, after he had confessed his crime, an
told her who she was, and thus prepared tn
way for the development to which we have jus
alluded.
Some Of the characters are we'll drawn, en
the contrasts presented are very strong. Their
is, however, a mingling of good deal that
revolving to the feelings, as must necessaril
be the case with the acts of so desperate a vi
lain, thus interviewer with the story. The res
lover, an Englishman, who as a child ha
known and loved the mother, and hence is syn
pathetcally drawn to the daughter, is reward
ed with her hand, as he before possessed Viz
let's heart; and the winding up is to show tbs
villany shall be defeated, and virtue triumph
ant. There are side plots skillfully connecte
with the main one, and general consistenc
is on the whole kept up, though there might
some objection to the means of carrying alon
the various issues, and bringing them to blen
at last in the ultimate object.
There is not enough Of concealment in th
plan. The reader sees OF the outset who Viol'
is. and, as one and another character is intr
duced, what relations they bear. This migl
have been better managed, and the veil hay
been left undrawn till at the last, and thus th
interest deepened, while there would have bee
no injury to the various parts of the tale.
"BAD ORA chap applied at police st
ton in Boston for lodgings, on Saturday nigh
calculating the question of parentage in tn
way. "You see, Capn, first my father died, an
my mother married again, and then my MOTH
died, and my father married again, an som
what or other / don't seem to have 10 paren
at ALL nor no home, nor no nothing"
CERTAINLY A GOoB REASON FOR DISCOUNT
UING THE PAPER.-The Warsaw Mo- Dem
crdt has the following:
ave strike the name of two of our subscI
!, bers from our books this week, who have r
Gently been hung in Texas. We do this becau
we are not advised, as yet, of their present
cslity."
A New VERsIox-At distribution of priz
/ in a German village, a little girl, seven yea
, old, whose parents had just been turned out
their lodgings because they had failed to p,
49,. ~ont xroo q oLoJ hu tho rector Hava ",