The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-16
LITER AZURE.

ulSUulSlUOn, we VIII ~ Dulltl . AldlOBI VI
Barnes Notes." But when VIC go to a work of
fiction, and find it mixture of theology and
romance neither fish, flesh, nor fowl, but very
strange union of the three, We are naturally
disappointed. Such is the character OF "IIidden
Depths" The plot is unique A young lady,
with the plebean name OF Ernestine Courtenay,
has two brothers, one Of whom she considers
paragon of virtue; to the other all yield to
his CAIN Of a Christian disposition. She is also
engaged to Hugh Lngard. In the early stages
of the work the heroine seems desirous of hav-
ing a mission. When, like "Japhet in Search of
Father" she is wandering through London to
find "higher sphere for woman" she suddenly
has one opened to her. Her paragon brother
sails for India, when, just as he is leaving,
a woman rushes distractedly in, calls him
her dear, dear George" and reveals herself in
the character of discarded mistress He casts
her off whereupon she goes and 'tncontnensy
browns" herself. She leaves a note, however,
which tells Miss Courtenay that she(the betraYed)
has a sister, in like business with herself.
Ernestine thereupon gives her life up to discov-
ering this sister Annie. She visits her Christian
brother, and finds him dying from eXcesses in
the shape of dissolute dissipation. Finally she
nos Annie and also discovers that her lover
and b. trotbed, Hugh Lingard, was the de-
,troyer. She Immediately breaks the engage
ment, beftows all her wealth in founding a
refuge for these nympbs du pare, and devotes
her remaining days to restoring and correcting
them.
II such work as "Hidden Depths" has any
moral, it Is that our daughters should visit the
houses Of low crime and infamy, and seek by
contact to reform their denizens. 1t inculcates
the idea that these creatures should not be
shuuned, but should be received into our homes
if they repent and treated as though they were
fit companions of the refined daughters and
wives of our citizens. These doctrines are hor-
Iible; they are repugnant to the teachings of
discretion, and will only lead to harm. What if
the wall were to be broken down, and the de-
graded have no restraint to prevent their gratif-
Cations-what, we say, would restrain these
classes from dssolute indulgence and gross i'm.
morality? Let them lie in the bed they have
made. They have selected their occupation,
and let not the innocent be defled by contact
The subject is one on which, as moral journal
lists, we cannot speak freely. We deplore that
the author of Hidden Depths" saw fit to write.
such a work, and, still more that Messrs. Lip
pincott have republished it. We would not ad-
wise its introduction into the household. It's
effect cannot be good. To the immoral it tells
nothing new; to the innocent it reveals crimes
of Which they were ignorant. 1t is, indeed. full
of religious dissertations which are generally
skipped by the general reader. In fact, the
whole work is not such as we would recommend.
1t has an object. 1t is written, evidently, by
lady, who is deeply impressed by the subject on
which she writes. But still, it is not suitable
book for general readers. AS far as the name Is
concerned, we fail to see its applicability. We
would suggest to the geologist that Hidden
Depths" are probably the "bone caves" of the
early ages of creation.
The GALAXY gives us the following spicy ac-
count OF the banquet given in New York on
Shakespeare's birthday at the Century Club
Although at the rooms of the club, the
dinner was not given by the club, and many of
those who united in it are not enrolled among
the 'Centurions.' Mr.. Bancroft presided: Judge
Daily was First, and Mr.. Grant White Second
Vice-President. On Mr.. Bancroft's right was
Mr.. Bryant; opposite him Mr.. George William
Curtis. Mr.. Huntington, President of the Ma
tional Academy OF Design, Dr. Francis Lieber
and Rev. DR.. Francis Vinton were of the com.
pany, which included some of our most eminent
lawyers, merchants, and bankers.
''Ihe affair was as informal, sociable. and pri.
vate as one, OF its dimensions could well be
u +,
Bancroft speaking to Shakes oeare, judge Daly
to The Commentators Mr.. Bryant to The Cen
tury,' DR.. Lieber to The Drama and Mr. Curtis
TO Woman All these subjects were illustrated
upon the list of toasts by passages from Shake
speares works.
''The bill OF fare was also illustrated by quo
tatlons. 1t opened with Fear no more tavern
bills from Cymbeilne. 1t was easy to intro
troduce the first course with Now good diges
ton wait on Appetite from Macbeth, and Peri
Ctes furnished an apt half life lying with simple
Shells for oysters. The salmon was pronounced
like CdLibda, "a most delicate monster;' but the
shad had evidently puzzled the maker OF the bill,
who surmounted his difficulty by this whimsical
and outrageous perverson OF two halt lines from
The 11CO Gentlemen of Verona and Richard III
4 am but shad-ow'-'a shad, oh like an
angel No other quotation was particularly
noticed, except that applied to canvas-backs-
70 dainty duck D dear from a Midsummer
Nights DTednl-the first part OF which was taken
TO refer to the creature, and the second TO his
price,"
The Nation concludes an extended review OF
Mr.. William Swnton's Campaigns ofthe Army
of the Potomac" with the following summary of
its merits:-
"Ihe Campaigns of the Army of the Poto-
mac, are TOO purely military history to inte-
rest the general public. The language is, to a
considerable degree, technical, and much space
is devoted TO details which only military man
can fully appreciate. Nor is the style by any
means model, being, at times, careless, and
even obscure; while here and there odd words
crop out, FOR which the author is indebted to
his own invention. 'Supersession' is, we be-
lieVe, allowable; but 'disillusioniZed,' post
toned, 'Oncommg, 'ongoing, 'unshaked,
etc., simply detestable. Believing, also, that
a Rebel is Rebel, some may not relish the
euphulsm which seeks to hide the character
under the unrecognized term Confederate .
uniformly employed by Mr.. .Swnton. These,