The Sun. — 1865-01-19 (London, England)

BAZAARS AT BAGDAD.  It was curious to observe how the different characters of the various nationalities around betrayed themselves at once. The Persian and Christian shopkeeper, the instant any one stopped for moment in front of his goods, became excited at the prospect of a customer, and manifested his eagerness to sell by a ready obsequiousness and profuse civility ; while, on the contrary, the stately and turbaned Turk seemed to consider that it was he who conferred a favour on his customers by allowing them to purchase his wares. As usual in the East, each trade has its separate bazaar. Some of the silk manufactures that were shown to us were especially fine, and the colours most vivid and brilliant. Some abbas, of thick blue silk, in which arabesque patterns of gold were woven, were remarkably beautiful, and were intended as presents from the Sultan and governors of provinces to such Arab chiefs as they wished to honour. The passages through the bazaars are of clay, which, from the constant traffic, is as hard as stone, and being kept moist, cool in summer. Many of the bazaars are in a half ruinous condition, and some are altogether shut up. Though the trade of Bagdad is still so brisk, it has very much declined from its former importance, and probably the amount of commerce which enlivens its busy marts is not now the fourth of what it was when, in the palmy days of the Khalifs, the residence of the successors of the Prophet, frequented by merchants from all parts of Persia and Arabia, boasted a proud pre-eminence over the other cities of the East. We must linger no longer, however, over these pleasant pages, which we may safely commend to the lovers of traveller's tales. Among the illustrations there is a brilliantly-coloured sketch of a " Circassian dance," together with others of " Georgian costumes," and of " Circassian marauders," as well as admirable views of the gate of the Yezeedi temple, of the tomb of Cyrus, and of other scenes equally well worthy of being thus pourtrayed in a series of gorgeous embellishments.  The Three Watches. By W. G. Wills, author of "'The Wife's Evidence," &c. Three Vols. Hursi  and Blackett. We cannot but think that Mr. Wills has been unfortunate in the theme he has selected for his new work. He tells us in his preface that " in the persuasion that the veneer of manners in the upper classes tends to conceal true nature," be has taken  his types " from somewhat lower strata, as pre-sent- I ing more robustness, freshness, and originality." With this object in view, he has fallen into the error common to some of the pre-Raphaelites who, in their aversion of the ideal, descend to the common-place, and provided they actually represent nature, prefer her in her least attractive or even in a repulsive guise. So the author of " The Three Watches," believing the rank to be but " the guinea stamp," and wishing to portray to us " a man for a' that," has chosen for his hero a one-eyed, rough, and reckless sailor, whom he styles " an humble Mark Antony," who is, to all intents and purposes, a bigamist and a murderer, being only accidentally rescued from the consequences of these crimes. We should be as loth to regard the " fashionable novel," with its elaborate descriptions of " rose-coloured boudoirs' and flowing draperies, as a correct picture of " nature" in high life, as we are to believe that Tom Frompton and Mary Gowan are correct types of their class, however powerfully their individual characters are worked out. There is a marked individuality in Mr. Wills' impersonations, and there is great vigour in many of his descriptions. The same excellencies which gave a charm to the thrilling story of " the Wife's Evidence" are to be found in his new novel, we could wish they had been exerted to more interesting effect. As a specimen of the vigour of some of these rough sketches, let us take his portrait of " The Stoker," a wealthy engineer, a self-made man, who still labours at the anvil, like another Vulcan. This " Stoker," as he is surnamed, is, Mr. Wills tells us, a study from life. Here is the Stoker on the hero's first introduction to him :