, 1874-04-11
LITERATURE.


| Novels.
IVAN DE BIRoN: On, THE RUSSIAN CorEr TIT r. InE II
a9R1E or - 71z ro hasT st pp Is
THE c1RcUIrRlDEn: TAlE Or tn1 The ! HsrG,o = Tho
| E1oosicr schoonaster," e:c l. mo-, pp' 5a@. ~"
YORK: J. 3. Ford / Co.
Since Arthur Helps published his first oooK,
ssThoughn on the CloisteE and tho crown, In
| 1835,-tho year in which he took his degree a1
| Trinity Church, Cambridge,-he has prodncea
| some fifteen or sixteen different "orks. anciuo-
ing essays, dialogues, dramas, historles' ana
novels. These have been characterized by Acute
thought, pure judgment, deep moral feeling, and
raro command CT what Ruskln has termed
"beautiful and quiet English They have all
secured wide popularity, most OF them passing
through many editions, and hayo gained for their
author rcnown and regard second to none Of
the living writer's of England.
Possessed Of ample means, 1lr. Helps has
passed his life in tho culture OF lettars, in the
enjoyment Of literary companionahips, and in
tho study OF the great questions affecting the
social relations and responsibilities Of men. This
last, indeed is subject to which ha has devoted
his most earnest attention; and there arc few OF
his books which do not deal conspicuously with
somo OF it's complex problems. Tho two series
OF " Friends in Council " havo met with uni
versal acceptance. especially from select readers,
who place them on the shelf reserved for their
primo faYorites. The histories OF Mr. Helps,-
which trent OF tho conquest OF the New World
are greatly valued for their minute and careful
detail and unusual breadth Of Judgment His
novels, " Realmah and :" Caslmir Marcmma,"
have been written with the purpose Of lustrat-
ing favorto eocl theories and for this reason,
&1toS~ %E-~
they have melted an interest which owed little
to any peculiar attractions they possessed as
works OF fiction.
This last novel By Mr.. Helps, - its title i'm
plies is historical, exhibiting picture o. the
Russian Court in the middle OF the last century.
It opens with the death Of the Empress Anne,
in ITO, and extends few years into tho reign
OF the Empress Elizabeth.-thus covering tho
brief Regency. Of less than month, OF Annes
fayorito tho proud, dcspotic, but VlGorous and
able John de Biron, Duke Of Courland; the con-
spiracy OF F'ield-Marshal Muennich, BY which
Biron ras toppled from his seat of power aud
banished to Pen, Siberia; tho second equally
successful conspiracy, which, IN the followlnS
to inhabit tho very house which had beeh tho
prison OF Biron, who was now recalled; and the
establishment Of Elizabeth, the illegltinato
daughter Of Peter the Great aud CatAarane l.,
upon the throne Of the Czars.
Ivan do Biron, tho nephew and secretary OF
the Duke Of Courland, although tho hero Of tho
noyel, is less notable than several Of the Illus
trious perBonaGes clustered around h1n, by
whom his inferior rank and less striking quail
ties, are inevitably overshadowed. It IL the
loye-story OF Ivan. full OF romance and yiclssi-
tudo, which Mr.. Helps means to mako OF para-
mount Importance; but it falls to divert tue
reader from a moro curious interest IN the
stronger characters and more exciting features
OF the royal and titled figures involved In tho
drama.
Tie author adheres strictly to the facts OF his
tory in the main incidents OF his narrative. and
truthfullv depicts the mingled splendor and bar
baris1r of tho Court OF Russia ut the period Of
which he writes. Ho indulgea in less reflection
than is customary in his works; yet an OCCASION
al fine remark betrays his discriminating taste
and fAr-reachlng yHlon. In one OF tWo CASUAL
eentences he also shows that nice appreciation OF
woman's nature for which he is proverbial. The
book will occupy far position among the pre-
Yious works OF Mr.. Helps, resting its chof claim
upon its historic value. As an auxiliary TO the
g-aver chronicles of the Russian nation, 1t Will
prove both useful and entertaining.
sharper contrast to the Ivan do Blron or
Mr. Helps could not oo afforded than by The
Circuit Rider OF Mr. Eggleston. The one por-
trays the nagnfcence of royalty in nation
where the savagery, and show. and glitter OF the
orient meet tic refinement and civilization Of
tho Occident; tho other deneates the rude,
coarse, aud humble life OF the frontier, in
country remote from Russia in situation, oppos-
cd to it in character, and yet with resemblance
ten in q calm, pure, and polished style, :hat
plcasant!y eratifes the cultivated taste; tho
other with = nervous force. and heat, and i'm
petuousity. in harmony with the rough VIA
passions md events Of the time and scene it de-
acribes The principal elements are the eame IN
both books: uutu.ored, unnamed, unchrastiaa-
ICED human nature; but no" different arc the
surroundings. and how diverse the treatment!
Mr.. Eggleston has written one or two novels
before which have received high praise but
which canno havo deserved more than this. It
il 30 graphic, stirring SO real, 30 artistic, 1t
moves us to the va1n1eBt words OF com1nenda-
ton Bret Harto has been awarded tho palm
for skill in stor1cs which arc dstnctTely An1er1-
can; which preserve in perfection the color and
flavor OF Western border lfo IN past genera-
ton; but ho must share tho distinction With nh
other, who nvals him in tho fidelity, PIC
turosquoness, and strength OF his represonta-
tons Of pioneer life. Tho developments Of in
diyiduaI character, and tho train Of violent ad-
venture, which everywhere, mark the extreme
limo OF civilization, were scarcely moro strange,
striking anl incredible, in the early experience
OF California, than in that OF Ohio and Indiana.
There is a horoic side to many OF the forms OF
life which existed in the latter States in their
beginning, which Offers rich subject for the pow
cli5t snd historian; and ''The Circuit -Ridor,"
who bravod every hazard, and endured every
hardship, to carry the Gospel OF Salvation to his
fellow-men, was every whit a daring, as ln-
trepid, and As unflinching as the miner, tho
placers OF tho Pacific Slope.
In the beginning OF his story. Dlr. Eggleston
sketches settlement on the edge of primsval
forest, far beyond the reach OF refined and re-
ligious influences. Poverty and ignorance, and
accompanying vulgarity and vice, prevail in aud
around it. There arc noble germs Of character,
latent or half-developed, III hearts here aud
there but the lack OF education and OF moral
training are painfully apparent in rude speech,
lawless habits, and uubridted passions- Drink-
ing, racing and gambling arc open and respect
able pasti1nes while tho customs Of civilized
life, IT they ara understood, have very little
recognition. -...
But the circuitriders, the illiterase, uncul-
turcd, but dcyout apostles OF Me.hodism, peno-
trate the locaity,-pcrsisten:l fighting their way
against the obstinate prejudices and hate OF the
inhabitants. By tho power and foryor Of the
Gospel they rrcach the community are converts
ed. Their ierco wild nature Is subduod in spito
Of themselves. Thoy discover their grossness,
coarseness, and wickedness; and the better
spirit within them rerolts against their un-
hallowed mode of living. They who hare in
them tho rudinents OF nobility and integrity arc
transformed into earnest, actlro, and self-deny-
ing Christians The change in rapid and pro-
digious. but not unnatural and no watch with
wonder and admiration the sudden growth OF