Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-02-22

We l.a arm that the following untice, in :he February
No. Of the Southern Literary Me seDgeT Il tton ;:'-
pen Of the distinguished author, G.. r. IL. Jam g.
Our desire to recognise compliment from 20 h'gh
.ourcc, il our excuse for :s republication IN 'he
Enquirer -
TWIN ROSES: A NARRATIVE. By Aaaa C"r6
Richie. goston 1Tchnor g. Feds: looo'
Whats in a psme?" asks Juliet but the poor cir
had soon sad cause 10 find that names have slt" :
and sometimes terrible significance Nor dn they ~
| feet mankind only. They affect book k'"a iIH! y
much, and with more reason. man is IN ~ w.
| "'Twss mine; 'tis his and has been slave 10 mo"
sands" But book is part OF the au'bo. ,h'ta
scrap of his individuality; aud the name j. o "a:
| ahich tells US what scrap It IS. Il may OS -" y"
The head-it may be bit OF the heart-au e'e
ear. -. asa; thouo;
"rwiS RosEs" is evidently OF the heart ana tnoueu
other ti;es. perhaps more attractive 10 tne .
| might have been found, none more approPIit'e tnn.
this could DO selected. So lar, 30 well; but 'he,
the book lie called "a Narrative" and Juser deseI
ton could hardly be given; for II Is nethes
nor roman nee, play poem, or history lhele ID
enough of reality apparent, TO take It on 'ue laI!
ground OF fiction enough of dreamIyeto oriE io' III
from the hard dry real of history Its EarseuVe-
narrative which leads us through scenes anu OFT.
cumstapce, new probably. to most OF Us, Dut when
yet bear about them the gernenture OF tru'h-a nas
rative sweetly and POLITICALLY told, whca Carries
along with il the heart of the reader Us wen as INC
mind, and from the perusal OF which both come re-
| fre.hed and puri6ed-a Harraticc 1rith .'orm'
We know that this is giving great praise; oul we
write the last words deliberately, alter having reau
tho whole book. Perhaps the devourer OF nove!s
and romances may not think the commentator go
markable, although none probably Will deny tnst IL
IS deserved bu: when We esy that II Is narrative
With moral, we meau that il all he's inorsi-that
every word which il contains tends 10 WHAT IL pure
| hos az
| works of which we affirm the came 10 lone
aud solitary places, far apart. We ilttie ihink-~e
seldom very strictly examine, what are the suDler
| tendencies Of the books we read ou'seVes-nay hoi
even of those which are more lmpera!lvely oound
| 10 scru,inze the books which we give to OUT
children and yet upos these are formed or modified
| habits OF thought, by which the whole stream OF
conduct is affected through life We generally take
il 70. granted that if an author nave gooo name,
.he work cannot be detrimental. Ii there be no
glazing vice in il, eccepta great DEAL without re-
pugnance which eullies the purity OF the young mind
rs the slightest touch OF a hot hand brushes the
bloom from the ripe fruit or begins Inc whitening OF
fresh flower. II the conclusion be all virtuous and
right, we care not much through what muddy paths
youth wanders 20 reach II. Nay MORE !unny story
or an exciting carries our perceptions OF the
moral effect away, aud induces us too often 10 reao
and recommend that which losves upon TIC rest O.
life the worst impression which any writing can pro-
1uca a cerelessneas OF wrong. Even the very fairy
tales which we give to the me.es: Children, i9oul
Jack the Giant Killer to Puss in Boots, are NICE
times out of ten, calculated 10 pervert the mofa'
sense, and TO show that success ~, mere oeo"'"''
tanned by fraud and wrong.
Wesre no pursEs 10 literature. we are no' Oh IVA;
bitter school which has affirmed that even tne hoVe
Telemachus written ey an Arohoishop LOT 'ne
ton of Prince, 10 an impure WORK ntt we 40 "isn
that we could say of ALL OF many OF the books
which the press daily furnishes to ths World as we
can say of this that purity bresbes from every page
But in the eye of the general world THE comm4nda'
tion did il stand alone, would do little TO recommend
It would be poor praise 10 thoss who think that g0oo
books ars always dull and there are many who think
go. But that this is great mistake Mira Rnchis haa
sufficiently proved in tho pages under our view.
"TwIs ROSES" has its defects, and we shall pre-
ssntly point them out but nobody can call it dull
light dancing, brilliant style poetieal susons
playing through the pages, like little ripping waves
| in the sunshine with, every new and then, Keen
and witty bat good.humored stroke at some passing
folly; and some beautiful pau:ngs OF scensry, amuse
and interest us VIC go, without Withdrawing the
mind from the tale or the characters.
With the tale We shall not deal closely. Every au'
thor has right to demand that 10 critic should Tore
stal the effect Of his plot upon the readers mnd, oy
giving even sketch OF books contents. Never
theeas ia perhaps with the eo that in one respect
ut least: we ara the most inclined to quarrel Let us
say i. in word. The coEclnsion is too saddeu-toc
rapid. The mind Of the reader is not sufficiently
prepared for it. Not that there is anything unnatural
1T, except IN its quckness. Wss the author weary
twenty pages more1 We can assure her, we should
have read them with greet pleasure.
With the characters we may us5 our functions more
!eg;,imatey. Nothing earth can be more sweet
than the picture Of the twin sstersthe roses, though
one has more the character violet and confess
that We love the violet best. The shade OF nile
fortune that hangs her path from the very fst
cheered by Only one earthly light, tioo soon 10 De e1
,ingushed,l engages the sympathy more strongly than
the happier daylight-though no, unclouded day
!ight-of her sister Jessie Ga-nett. Then again. the
sslfdenying, unmurmuring placid spirit, which trl'
| jumps misfortunes and disappontments by the
strength of love and faith, sbeds al almost angelic
lustre round the character.
We cannot admire the hero, however. We never
did admire handsome fools. 1t ia true there was a
NECESSITY for his being handsome and for his being
fool; otherwise the story would no; have been wrls.
ton, and neither Jenny jessie could have been
placed 10 those circumstances which give the deepest
interest to the narrative The character Of Mr.. Ian
don his father, however, is chsrmngly deplctej and
Mira. Richie has ehowu great skill and Judgment IN
avoiding all those commonplace which generally BE-
daub opposing tshe.s IN love stories. lie may be
little too credulous perhaps; but he good old man,
God bless him! The son, also, amends in the end; and
obtaius, under the rough handling of the world eut-
foient portion Of sense to make perhsps, toiersoe
husband; but not worthy OF the sweet being with
whose fate. his fate Is linked. At I'll events he has
ths superiority most romance heroes, he is not
one Of tue isultess monstera that me world ne er
ssw;" but such fra piece Of flesh ard blood as We
Yea too often in nature.
The two sisters, with Herman and hs father, are
tho characters mos. largely dwelt upon; but the
picture OF stage li!a-ot dramatic society, hss
In deeper ehades also under MrS. Richie 8
hand; and the character OF LAKEWOOD, the
saeering malicious ril!ein is very powerfully sketch.
sd. There may be persons who will think that there
is not sufficient shown for the perseverng evil
that he does; but those who live Long in the world
will learn that the melignity Of black heart .s al
ways cause sufficient for csIumny, aud will recog
niae many trait Of Hardwood amongst all orders
Of society. The other characters, and there are
many, are drawn gracefully aud 'ruthfully, though
lightly, so az to amuse as We 90, but not to with.
draw attention from the principal group in the fore.
ground.
We do not altogether approve of tie very common
pratoe of writing reviews with paste and scissors
rather than pen; but after having spoken OF the me-
ny beauties Of this work, We must usti!y ourselves
by few extracts. The following short passage af.
f0rds eir specimen Of the authors power Of blend
ing In harmony, poe.ica thought aud moral refsc.
ton:
"Could ii he tina. being suddenly smi,ten down in
The plenitude of health and beau'y-isolated-co
demned to labor in secus:ou nnd poysrtyso sorely,
hnpelessy afflicted IA JEANNE Garne, could be con-
tent7 That tranquil, furrowiess c0uu.enance, over
which soft smiles ripping she ifs her eyes to
the flowers the pictures the simple statues. the Gagged
songsers, give an unmistekeabe answer. The truths
che has learned from her mother treasured IN the
calm depths of her spirit end enrich her life with that
wealth which alone purchases happiness She be
leves- she feels knors shat every being has his
SLOTTED part to fulfil in tbs grand scheme divine
however huuble yet impcrian; 10 the great who's,
She sbors in remote corner of her Lords vine
yard-the ground ;s rough-,he soil unfruitful-the
corner darE-bur the Lori o: rhs vineyard bids her
toll there! hat spot needs ost the labor che can De-
stow. She 10 content to perform the task assigned
her, and humb'y deems that il must bs the one for
which she is best fitted"
Again, what could be moro soemnly true, or more
beautifully expressed than This
In the burrows ploughed through the heart by scch
eorrow angels the seeds that spring up trees Of
paradise and bear fruits Of eternal bliss The bright
eet rainbow Of promise In earthly sky ID formed
of tears"
Or whet would afford more sweet teaching from
womau's heart. TO woinan's heart, than tha
mo truly manly nature ever yet lnpervlous
woman'a forhesrinc srilrs patience 1. lie the In