New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-26
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE JoJrRNALs OF CAROLINE FOX.

SIS j. b. Lipplncott Il Co.
tsecond Notice.
The house Of Robert Fox, Caroline's father. was
the resort Of scholars and of letters and among
his friends he numbered of the most celebrated
personagcs of his time. The journals from when
extracts are now printed were begun when their
writer was seventeen years of age. and continued
until short time before her death at fity-two.
The earliest passages show serious appreciation
nf the high discourse amid which SO much of her
life was passed. aud felicity in reporting the
conversations of Swans and philosophers; the
latest are lightcned by the same vivacity and de-
scriptive power which marked her youthful records
A strong religious feeling is conspicuous almost
from the first page, Strengthening scnsibiy as time
goes on aud a very geutle and lovely character is
indicated alike in the Journals and In the WIN
ming porl raft by Samuel Laurence, which has been
etched by Mr.. Herkomer as frontispiece for The
English edition. But indeed the record OF MISS
Fox's friendships is the most striking tribute to
her character. 1t is evident that she had the
fsculty of quickly attracting the regard and re-
spect of strong minds. Carlyle, having met her,
runs after her uncle and aunt to say, Give my love
70 YOUR dear interesting nephew and nleces.' 3"
walked ieie eraee the rest of the day conscquentl-
ally" writes the darst. "On consulting Sterling
on the singular fact of Carlyle remembering our
existence he said Oh! he's interested about you;
he likes your healthy mode of Quakcrlsm us the
sort of thing with which he can sympathize more
than anv other" With Carlyle she aiterward
became intimate. Carlyle and Coerldges friend
John Sterling was presented to the Fox family
when Caroline tweny-one, and charming
intercourse was almost Immediately established
which lasted until Sterling's death. This was APP
parenty the closest of Miss FoX's friendships ana
The portrait of Sterling drawn little by little ~ her
80 &c lima lN at
iractiye. delicate and lady-like. She saw much of
John Stuart Mill at one time but this intimacy seems
10 have died out. Wordsworth treated her with
Iatteriog consideration. She had much friendly
Intercourse with Hartley and Derwent Colcridge,
md among the others who appear more or less ire
nuenty and Familiarity III these pages are lennySoh'
Froude t. d. Maurice Professor Owen, hingsley'
the Bunsen family, GuizOt, W. i. Forster, Professor
AIRY. Sir John Ross and Sir John Bowrlng-good
company surely to be found in young lady
journal: and il is plain that she not only valued
her distinguished friends but understood them
Her fathers interest in scientific questions, aud Ills
renutation as a successful eXperimenter IN magnet
ism and electricity. brought her into pleasant inter
rourse with members of various learned bodies, ana
she seems TO have been quite capable OF converSlng
intelhcently with them upon their special pursuits.
AT tbe age of eighteen she writes: " Papa took us
I'm he meeting OF the British Scientific Association.
Wheatstone came up 10 rs in the gallery and was
most agreeable and cordial he told US OF his cleo
tric conversations when are conducted by suhter
ranean wires between here and London IN second
mr. two Sharon Turner came to US and insisted
on escorting Us to the gardens. Before we got
there he introduced us to Captain Ross ana Lord
Sandon aud on our way we picked up sir ililam
Hamilton and Colonel Sykes. Sir w. Hamilton Is
delightful person. very different to what we i'm
flofio apaho
was presented to Lord Burlington. DR.. Lardner and
others. and we walked about and ate ices and met
Sedpwiek who was very delightful, and all the
Dons were there. Went to breakfast with =
Turner and his neces. Sir William Hamilton, LOrd
Northampton, Lord Compton and Lady Marion
were there. Lord Northampton sat by me ana we
had thorough set-to on phreDology; Lord Comp
ton was on the other side, and rather disposed to
take nv part Miss Fox often daGhes of brief
personal sketch or illustrative and characters
tic anecdote. with a piquancy all the more remark
able because it Is free from impertinence ana
ncidity Her keen wit is restrained by her amiable
and charitable disposition. Often, of course, she is
preiudiced sometimes she is hasty and UNJUST Dut
there is not an unk nd story in the whole book.
Sir John and Lady Franklin were travelling in
Ireland with Sir Edward Sabine and Professor
LLOYD. They had to traverse a difficult pass, and
Lloyd was vastly amused at Lady Franklin again
and again saving John, you had better 90 back
Won are certainly giddy. AT last, poor woman she
had to change her feint, and could proceed no
further Sir John found it advisable to carry her
back. and asked Colonel Sabine to assist him. The
Colonel thought it nervous work, and hesltated,
until encouraged in grave, matter-oi-tact way by
the excellent husband. Don't be a'rad, Sabine /;
she never kicks when she's faintp" Sterling de-
scrlbed Count DOrsay coming TO sketch Carlyle a
greater contrast could not possibly be i'm
agined; the Scotch girl who opened the door was
80 astOnished at the apparitiOn of this magnificent
creature that she away in a fright and he had
to insnuate himself the best way he could through
the narrow passage. He is the most fascinating
person that ever was can make anything OF any
body that he takes in hand and the grand mistake
of SIR Robert Peel when the Lady-question was
aeitated was not putting in his hands the business
of negotiating ii with the Queen" in 1912 Miss
Fox mentions large party of Buffers, Ire
maynes, Dykes. and j. \. Froude to lunch. There
were too many to enjoy any thoroughly. Anthony
Froude very thoughtful young man, with won
derful talent for reading lives in written charac-
ters" A few months later she speaks of Mr. Frorde
again as being thoughtful, speculative and agree
able He was interesting in Analysing character.
From Sterlings handwriting he calls him enthusl-
astic but not sanguine rather responding; an
amazing flow of ideas and great choice OF language
Defined Aficctation as an attempt TO Seem. Thus
the high are as affected in initiating the low as the
low in apng the high. On the study of history he
is as delighted with Arnold as am; on his remark
ing to Mr. Pussy on the beauty of Arnold's compar-
ing the Church and State to the soul and body,
Pussy quietly but most solemnly SAID: Il consider
the Church belongs to much higher Body "
Upper is a happy little bluc-eyed man, who evil
IDENTIFY enjoys talking. but does not approach the
dignity of his didactic poem" Holman Hunt (lSG0
dis a very genial, young-looking creature, with a
large. square, yellow beard, clear blue laughing
ewes. a nose with merry little upward turn in it,
aimples in the cheek. and the whole expression
bon liz