Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-09-16
sibyl Huntington.
A NOVEL.
BIZ Mrs. Julia @. X. DO,r, Author of
"Fu,mingddtle," "LanDaOre."

for several weeks, and hundreds Of de-
lighted readers in our community have
perused it. From the pressure of other
duties we have been compelled to post
pone review. The labor on our part is
one of delicacy, because it is the produc-
ton of Vermont author, written by
LADY, 40 well known and esteemed in our
community, as we'll as from our personal
appreciation of the merits of the volume
and the gifts of the author. Vermont has
produced but few who have taken rank
with the distinguished authors of our
times, yet few have 80 far succeeded in
their intellectual efforts az to mark them
in the literary world as stars that will
shine after they shall have passed away,
and be held in remembrance by the gen.
GRAFTON that shall follow. To this class be-
longs the author of "Sibyl Huntington, -
"Farmingdale," and "Lanmore,' for her
efforts in the field of fiction; also her
poetic numbers, some of which are the
sweetest and most thoughtful of any
among our American poets, has given her
this rank.
The perusal of Sibyl Huntington, has
given us perhaps more than any other in
dtvidual who may be called upon to ex-
press an opinion as to its merits, greater
pleasure and pride, from the fact, that its
scenes and characters in some respects
catch our remembrances of the past and
Of its author, more Familiarity than one
who hss no knowledge of either. Passing
from page to page, and incident to Incl
dent, our interest has ipereased, even to
the closing paragraph of the volume, for
In it we detected many scenes that are
known to have been a reality in tho life
of its gifted author, expressing sentiments
that have been inspired not by the inagi-
nation, bu. came from the heart Of her
who penned them. The pictures present
cd Of school days at lakewood, with per-
haps the outward surroundings, are not
mere fiction in all their phases, but reali-
ties that the recollections Of quarter Of
n century have not effaced from the mem
Dry Of some Of its readers. These memo
rice, refreshed by the tender pathos with
which this story paints them, sends a
food Of holy memories over the soul that
cannot fail 10 make nn impression too
deep for oxprersion on those who remeIn-
Dor tn" days and scenes Of earlier years.
II not intended to recall the sweet recol-
lHciions Of the past, they cannot fail to
bring TO memory soHe ri the haleyon
days Of yore through which tho giitod
nuthoress passed, and dimly foreshadowcd
should, by experience and culture,
achieve for it, possessor, fame aud char
acter that should make its impress upon
the circle in which, she mingled, and
the times in which she lived
The individuality that marks tho vol
ume, surrounds it with the interest of
real life, and convincea the reader that all
its characters AFRO not mere fiction, but
possessed reality ia the mind of the
writer, and are but delineations Of the
truthful, in the history Of some individ-
nal lives, and its perusal cannot fail toI
impress she reader that its characters and
n-".. " Falleythorpe." have had an actnal
existence, -,.",a Il Gi.,h can be detected
10 TIRE the re der. familiar witn ,,..!,.
cl'-e- ,hc Ho'uur.
Ft.c story in H. IN in FEATURES i, one II
every dag lte, descriptive OF those whose
craving for knowl"dgc, are beyond their
facilities or means of satisfying, and who
only achieve success through struggles
aud obstacles OF no ordinary character.
The lessons inculcated are of stamp to
have good and lasting impression, IS an
encouragement to those who are ran'ing
after the water brooks" of education and
hihger intellectual wants.
One OF it, distinguishing traits il the
purity Of its 81, L., and sentiment far above
the popular fctions of the day. The cha
racters aud thread of the story are calcu-
lated and intended t. bring the reader
into sympathy with human suffering and
ennobie the affections ot the heart, and
are Tree from all those traits which SO
often mar the productions Of modern
writers in their efforts to plnder to the
morbid tastes OF the age. 1t is a volume
that can be s4fely put in the hands of all the
members of "A family and none can peruse
it without having their taste chastcned,
their y mpathics enlarged, and the tone !
of their moral affections elevated. This
characteristic cannot fail to be apprcciat-
~ and commended, and bespeaks for the
authors publications cordial welcome to
every household and family circle. Thus
warm approval Of all who desire to zee
the tone elevated, and "A chastencd and
pure style prevail in American literature.
This trait of Mrs DORIS writings especi-
ally recommend than to tho public, and
secures large elias. of readers, whose
taste lead them to abhor tho prevalent
literature Of the hour.
The locl interest attached To the book
is one of it's pleasing features, which have
been aptly described by another review of
the volume by an eminent gentlemen of
our state, who says:
"The scene of 'SibH Huntington is
laid in a village, as the author says, ''co9i
ly nestled" amid the swelling hills with
in sight of the broad expanse of Lake
Champlain, and among the meadows
through which the flashing Otter Creek
winds like a thread of silver through
emerald velvet and many Of the readers
of the story will be able, no doubt, to To-
cate the village which IRIS. DoRR calls
'valleythorpe.' 'Sibyl Huntington
tells her own story, and her fortunes and
those of her older sister Ruth make the
burden of the novel. The story opens
sweet, humble, patient, unselfish, loving