The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-07-01
NO. 600.
abe 8shith.

The Confession of a Pretty Woman. A Novel By the
Reprinted by T B. Peterson & Brothers, Philadelphia
For sale by Franklin Philip, Pennsylvania avenue,
Washington, d C.
In the two novels before us, the Jealous
Wife," separated from her husband, re,ires to
her fathers house, and lives out the remainder
of her days in SORROW, her husband in the mean
time rushing IF to parts unknown ana inc
"Pretty Woman" as widow, retires TO privacy
with broken reputation, striving to atone for
her sins by her benevolence. OF the two novels,
the Jealous Wife !" is the better: its design Is
less Objectionable than that of the other. One
feels slight degree of pleasure at seeing the
sufferings entaled upon a woman by her own
unfounded and unworthy suspicious, and con-
ceives quite friendship for the unfortunate hus-
band. But the plot in both is rather strained
and unnatural. We must confess to liking
for novels which finish with reconciled lovers,
happy marriage, and other delightful circum-
stances, and which, although they may not be
extraordinary, do not leave one, like the Billy
Traynor, Of the " Fortunes Of Glencore," in q
state of expectancy.
But, whatever fault there may be in the de-
sign, the execution is certainly admirable. Miss
Pardoe's style is lively and spirited, although
little verbose, and many scenes in both novels
are finely carried through. One recommended
ton of these books is, that, by the talent of
the author, they are elevated above the
commonplace. After having read few pages of
most novels, one can sey, with confidence, what
the incidents and catastrophe will be; but, in
these the mind is kept alive until the close, and
the unexpected incidents thrown in relieve them
Of all monotony.
The " Jealous Wife" forms volume of l34
pages close print, double columns the Soon
LESSONS of the Pretty Woman, 200 pages; both
constituting portion of the Library of Sterling
Novels.
Harper's Magazine, for July, ISIS. From Taylor &
Maury.
The illustrated articles of this number are
"Francis Marion, by Benson ]. Losing -" A
Journey through the Land of the Aztecs;"
Caracas )" Four Chapters more of Thacke-
rays Virginians; and the Comic Sketches of
Grabs great Gift Enterprise" besides the
which will probably secure most favor, are
"Nelly's Slipper" Modern Samaritans,"
(keenly sarca stic y Archibald Blossom, Bach
elor," both saractic and humorous "My Wis
itation," (rather mystical, but we'll told y and
good summary of the Explorations of the
Amoor River, by Percy Med. Collins" The
task of preparing eight or ten pages of wit and
anecdote, under the title of Editors Drawer,
every month, is not always wholly successful
since many things not very new, and some real
ly tame will find place in those columns.
These form but q small proportion of the
whole Number, however, which, though it can
hardly compare with some of the previous
ones yet will prove acceptable, as light, easy
reading during the hot days of July.
The Rival Beauties Novel BY Miss Pardoe, Author
OF The Confessions of Pretty Woman" The Ro-
of the Harem" &c, &c. Philadelphia: t. b.
Peterson 81 Brothers, Publishers For sale by F. Philip
Washington. ID. c.
This is one volume of a " Library of Sterling
Novels" in pamphlet form, and almost an ex.
act counterpart in appearance of the Harper
seriea, issued by the Messrs. Petersons, of Phil.
adelphia. Indeed, it might easily be mistaken
for one of that series. I
The tale relates to two young ladies of very
diverse characters as well as tates. One is q
lovely girl, whose first affections are crushed,
but who rises above all, and, after varieties of
painful discipline through poverty and its at
tendant evils, attains to independence and q
happy union with second lover-rewarding
the desertion of the first by mothers kindness
TO the worse than orphan state of his only child.
The other, proud and selfish beauty, whose
married life is in shame.
The incidents and scenes are skilfully de-
scribed, the characters sustained, and the pro.
gress of the destinies of the heroines carried
onward TO the moral end proposed; but the
mutual relations they sustain in the earlier part
almost entirely cease in less than a third of the
whole number of pages. Rivalship after this,
there is none, and the tale is rather q shifting
back and forth of two separated stories, with
hardly any common link between them. This,
of course, is Injurious as to its artistic effect
aud the diffusveness of details in some parts
renders the reading OF it less agreeable. We
presume that in the original English edition il
mast be at least four volume novel, as il
makes nearly two hundred pages of close
printed, double columued pamphlet in this re-
print. With fewer digressions and prolixity, il
would have had NOR g readers
The American Journal of Educ alton Published Quar-
ierly. Edited by Henry Barnard, LII. d. Vol. v
June, ISIS. No. 10. Hartford F. C. Brownell
How extensively this Quarterly is patronizet
we know not. We fear not so much so as il
deserves. 1t is conducted with great ability
and embodies a variety of useful knowledge OF
the subject of Education, such as ia not to b,
found in any other periodical in this country
The articles are all of high character. Mos
of them are biographical, but, interviewer will
Individual traits of character described, are de
velopments relative to teaching, and historical
information on the general subject.
Thus we have picture of German School
life in the 10th century; Education in Neither
lands and Southern Germany, as well as His
tory of the Common Schools of Connecticut
an account of John Kingsbury, and of tn,
Young Ladies High School in Providence, o
William C. Woodbridge; John s. Hart, in ou
own Country and also Memoirs of Valentine
Friedland Trotzendorf, Karl Christian Wilhelm
Won Twik, Hermann Kraus, John Georg
Tobler, Wolfgang Ratich and famous old Johl
Amos Comnenius, the author of Orbis Hctus
over which SO many young eyes have sparkled