, 1874-03-21

But thero Was no rush, no thrift, no growth, ir
Thorpo Regis, like that wl,fci, 1noycd tho towns
illustration OF English lfo as 1t prevailed oen-
tufy ngo outside Of the grent citeB, and hs Il
Btil oxlsts III casnal md rotnoto rural distrntH.
Tho story which tho clcvar writer OF "una'
wares Inns aoleotol for recital from tho history
Of Thorpe RoBls is al quiet as thu village itsclf
It embraces ncarly nlf tho aoo!cty OF tho town,
which is not 80 extensive or 40 complicated AZ to
DO difficult 10 hhntllo. Tloro is tho SQUIRE md
hls Two noIhorless daughters. gontlo and vol;
their son and daughtor,-tho faru1or with tin
glc Of the oeutury's life in llta voine, stinging
him to an activity that longs for Il w,dor fold
than Thorpe, NegIs for liz Expenditure; q pair
who. by Some rotnote rosemb!apcos, cali to mind
tho famous Cheeryble Brothers; vehement,
dissenting lay-preaeher; and a number Of other
minor characters, adding essential. but not prom.
mont. links to tho Chain Of incident.
Thero IL not among all these single cxalted
character. Every individual is faulty, 1nauy-
hidel. md not much aboyo the commonplace.
Wo cond flnd their equals, oyor and oYcr again,
among our own acquasntanoes. This realism Is
ons Of tho chief charms IT the book. ,Wo soc In
1t our neiRhbors and ouraelyeB, md discover
auew tho truth, that, il tho proBiest and mort
uneyontfnl ltvos-whicl. az they Elidc on abnut
uH, aro regarded With simple tnditfcronco-wNra
to bo accurately written out, thoy would aatou-
iHh us with tho wealth OF matorial in thom for
interest and instruction. Tho author OF Thorpe
Regis iB miBtress of this truth, aud relies upun
1t exclusively for tho effect Of ler story.
Il is not wortl, while eketohing III outline that
minute anti accurate detail. Separate the few
leading events from tho casefllly-claborate
acccssories and Embellishments, and thoy Heem
WILDLY k1engro and barren. Thorpe Regis is a
pro-Raphaetto study. In which tho MORT lies
less in tho thomo than in the treatmont. Tho
loader will and, Us he goes over 1t, q hundred
dolicato strokes which suggest moro than they
doclare, aud which depend on his own subtle
Henso tor their full Interpretation.
The novel, "Jnpltor'a Daughtars," Is OF an
utterly dliferont caat and color. It also gives q
facsimile Of common human-naturo but its
locale il Iii France, and nothing could DO moro
opposed IN spirit and feoling thuh tho two
nations divided by tho English Chanuol. Tho
connection with its subject. In tho closing
sentence wo aro told that tho ancionts said.
Prayers arc tho Daughters Of Jupiter" and
then discover that, the heroine is thrown upon
prayer ~ tue ouly consolation for a uofraudod
life, there IL a relevancy between the old Pagan
Deity.
Tho tale itgolf il m illustration Of the Frouch
system of marriage, into which there entura no
question OF affection, but meloIy Of matters of
the young girl il expected to have . suitable
dowry and q hoart blank ~ an unwritton sheet
Of pAper; while tho gentleman, with correspond
ing pocunary advantages, has, generally, an ex-
perieuce OF worldly pleasures which renders him
tlQse long before 80, and loayes him nc rosul,rco
for future endowment, save on trinl Of matri-
mouy. Tho novel is nut particularly ski!lful, but
IL true to its nationality, mud affords = good
commentary upon tho domestic life of the
people. Strange as it may soom to Anorlcail
idoas, this IL as often happy aa otherwise and,
if tho relation botweeu husbands and wivos ia
not the most ontearing. that which oxlsta boz
lasting. The sort Of reasoning by which tho
Fleucn satisfy themselves that tho marriage de
CONVENIENCE IL beyond all others tho most nd
vNntagconu, IL intlcat ed in tho following speech
from the mouth OF q Hhrowd and honest grdisd'-
mere:
II married my husband attor aeelug him
twice, mud [ did very we'll. My BonR married
the girls chose for them, aud thoir households
arc happy ones. Now, 1isten to me, my friend:
when folka marry for love, they beSn with
whole BATCH Of Illusions, which day by tlay vtsn-
ish, and often the onco-loying pair como cor
daily to hato ono nnother: llave soon it. But
when parents make the choice, .tl,oy do so with
all their reaaon; they look ont for good health
good conduct rurs in tue blood, no does bad. II
a woman behaves well, and makos house COM
Portable, the man comes to value her, mud, ns
Hoan III lie does that, hho loves him. Womeu
arc made 10; they give groat deal for very lit
tle."
There is tincturo Of truth In the argument,
it's unpatatnbleneas. but tho
nan who is educated to personal, religious, and
political froodom, would prefer to run all tho
risks Of nnhnppness in o marriage founded upon
love, instead Of upon interest.