The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-01-12

1000 bales; Middl1g at s15 The sales Of the weeI
are $3.50 bales. Eeceipts $500, against 6s0O last
tai receipts to date 1865, against s27e35 last Isl
year. - ,'''-- NM
M0anE, January 11.-C Cleared-the ship Jno R.
and the bark Trojan for Providence with 900 bales
NEW BOOKS.
cAaEaoN Hall ~ a Story Of the Civil War. ByM.A G..
author of The Little Episcopslian, Bessie Melville
etc. Philadelphia J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1857.
NJ. A. c., we learn is Miss MARY Ann CRUISE, oi
Huntsville, Ala, and Cameron Hall" is the first
Of her books we have seen; and although the title
of the work-FA Story of the Civil War"-usually
prevents any further reading Of book on our
part We in this instance, by an effort, overcame
the repugnance, and faithfully and conscientiously
read the whole 549 pages Of Cameron Hall" Our
objection to novels founded on the facts connected
with the civil war, al the same we should have to
romances on any other cotemporary historical
event. The scenes, events, and characters OF the
story arc all too fresh in our memories. Every
statement is instinctively measured by the truth OF
history; and not only this, but by our individual
Wow Of such truth. There is an intuitive running
criticism in tho mind Of the reader fatal to Ill en-
enjoyment Of the story. No is hero to his
uaiet de chombre. Familiarity must ever remain
childs fancy delights in picturing world of prin-
cos, palaces, fairies e1,i genii. We that
the daring and sacrilogious utiitarianism OF the
day has invaded this domain also; and JACOB
ABBOTT has written, and the HAnRERs have pub
ished, some six or seven dozen Of Rollo Books,
Beechnut stories etc.,-the most dreary and unat-
tractive children's books ever known; full Of
preachments, short stories and long morals. We
think, however, we can safely predict q short
lived immortality for the whole tribe OF them.
In reading novels big folks children, and pre-
fer the great the lofty the unattainabe the vague
and mysterious even if exaggerated, to nero
common place narration OF the incidents of every
day life around them. Sir WALTER SCOTT well un-
derstood this idiosyncracy and profted by it.
est Romans WE'LL" perhaps the best Of his CO.
temporary novels, can only bear comparison with
his historical romances, because the hand of the
same trnnscendent genius traced the picture.
DICKENS succeeds in treating such subjects be-
cause Of his humour, his knowledge of huma 4
characters and unparalleled descriptive powers.
THAcKERAY delighted select audience, SIT though
few" by his trenchant satire and ininitable
sketches Of society. But neither OF these great
masters, we tn1uh, would have ventured, so soon
after the event, on description in narrative fc-
ton Of the scenes and incidents Of civil war; all
the occurrences connected with which perfectly
familiar to every one Of his readers. It is too
soon to treat the subject from an ideal point of
view, and realism, for the reasons above given is
fatal to it as work of art.
There great masters Of painting in both
schools; but to entitle picture to admiration,
trs:e and lasting, it must show something more
than the bare realism Of the Pre-RaphaeGtes,
which finds nothing bizarre in the cobbler's judg-
ment whose acumen exhausted itself in the crit
ical examination of the Papal shoe. A tree, q
mountain, figures Of animals and the human face
divine, Ill susceptible of variety OF treatment
in both styles. Rosa BoNHEUR will paint you q
horse, or dog, OF the highland heather, true to
nature and to life, while Sir EDWIN IANDsEEns in
terpretation Of the same themes, equally true to
fe are yet highly idealzed. But what is in itself
commonplace, cannot be rendered poetic or beau
tiful. mathematically correct drawing Of a
house, wall, q locomotive or sewing machine, are
not without their merit, and may be isometricaly
beautiful, but they are by common consent ban
ished from the domain of the fine arts.
| So is it-certainly should be-in the field Of
| literature. The characters Of q novel may be very
true TO nature, and yet be intolerable. Is it not
enough that we must endure stupidity in our daily
| intercourse with men and women? Are we prepar-
| ed to have all this ineptitude Photographed, and
then be compelled to read it? The more faithfully
| such characters are drawn-the more he-ike the
conversation the worse the book. No amount Of
| unexceptionable morality, virtuous example, and
poetic justice, can compensate for this, even
though it be all written in excellent English But
| it to these drawbacks is superadded, as is not
| unhequently the case, a total want Of invention
and the book is unredeemed by aught that could
relieve the dull monotony Of proverbial platitudes
then we have the perfection Of the modern moral
| and religious novel-ssThe Wide. Wide Worlds, ,
@Queechys," &c.
To show how difficult task it is at this time tc
write either fair history Of the civil war, or
novel bearing upon it, we will mention the case o.
MARION HAR1AND, who recently made the essay II
her ''sherbrooke." Herself Yirginian born, but
q resident Of New Jersey, she was condemned BY
the Southern press for viewing everything from
Yankee stand point, and by the Northern papers
because Of her partiality for ''rebels."
We do not wish to be understood as applying
any Of the foregoing remarks specially to stCame
ron Hail." We have spoken Of the characteristic
Of the genus, and as belonging to that genus, tn
| book before US must be considered open to th'
| same objections. The onls probandi is with it
and we are happy to say deal Of very good proc
has been submitted showing cause why this pres
ent book should be acquitted from the sever
charges under which it has been brought int
court. The language Is good, style simple AM
pleasing, and there is an abundance OF mystery
We have two or three secrets running all througl
the story The idea Of the blind girl Agnes an
her sayings and doings is not altogether original
rather .favcrite theme Of late years with lad
novelists Uncle John is sort Of Squire All
worthy, only found in romances. There is, how
ever, too much talk. The conversations are many
very long, and often pointless. A deep religicu
tone pervades the whole work; and although ther
is total absence Of anything like wit or humo,
Cameron Hall" is, nevertheless, q very interest
ing story, and will be read with pleasure as well a
benefit by the average clsss Of novel readers.
s@ & .
ANDREW JoHasoN Is READY FOB TR1AL.-Th
Washington Republican, the special organ Of Pres
dent JoHNsox, in its issue Of Tuesday, says:
! A member Of the United States House OF Repre-
sentatives, who, q few years since, was charge
: Committee on Territories, arose in his place yes
terday and presented ttarticles Of impeachment
against Andrew Johnson President Of the Unite
States, for corruptly using his Office. It appear
by our report that the Committee on the Judiciar
is t'authorized" to investigate the subject VIII
did not this Territorial Surveyor General Ashley
: who offered this bill Of Indictment against NJ
: johnson, provide that the Committee should b
) instructed, term usually employed by homes
men engaged in work Of Christian patriotism
! and not use the weak, unmeaning word stautho1
lust what they may choose to interpret it2 Letu
b.va ~ M octrorvi II Cnnprasa Ineanu tn anfn