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January 13, 1855.] THE I/EADEB. 45
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ADVENTURES IN THE SUN. Helionde; or Adve...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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A Batch Of Books. The History Of British...
history of the place of his sojourn , he looked about for books that might inform him , ana found only a Dutch description of the colony sixty years ago , a Sketch by Bolingbroke and Montgomery Martin , and two short accounts by the Chevalier Schomburgk and his brother . No connected history of British Guiana had ever been published . Surprised and disappointed , as well he might be , at the discovery of this deficiency , Doctor Dalton devoted all the time he could spare from his professional labours to the object of remedying it ; and the result isnow before us in the form ; of two bulky volumes . Of the information , which they contain , collected in a great measure by his own researches , the author speaks very modestly . He informs us in the Preface , that it was not his ambition to write a complete history of the colony , " but simply to give a and
general sketch of the history of British Guiana from the earliest discovery exploration to the present time , including the eventful periods of slavery , apprenticeship , and emancipation , together with a description of the surface , and some notices of the natural history of the country . " This purpose , so far as we are able to judge , Doctor Dalton has creditably and fully achieved . His book contains a vast amount of information , excellently collected , as to arrangement , carefully and unaffectedly presented as to style . Reliable accounts of English colonies must always rank among the most important historical contributions to English literature . In qualifying himself to become the ^ historian of British Guiana , Doctor Dalton has both honourably and usefully employed his time ; and we are glad to congratulate him on the result of his labours .
Although Mr . Hepworth Dixon ' s Iiife of Robert Blake is not a new work , there is assuredly , just at present , no impropriety in our presenting it here to the attention of readers who may not yet be acquainted with its pages . In such times as these , a good life of one of the greatest of England ' s naval heroes cannot fail to be a book of immediate and peculiar interest . The subject is a noble one ; and Mr . Dixon has treated it with rare vigour , spirit , and conscientiousness . The glorious victories won by Robert Blake are universally known ; but to find out how they were won , and what sort of a man it was who achieved them , we must apply to the famous Republican Admiral ' s latest , best , and completest biographer . Mr . Dixon tells the story of the " Puritan Sea-King's" life and exploits fully , clearly , and most interestingly . In the case of an inferior writer , we should dwell at some length on the importance of the entjrely new materials collected for the book ; in Mr . Dixon's case , it is the excellent and workmanlike use made of the materials , after they have all been got together
by the author , which particularly attracts us . His narrative is not only historically valuable ( plenty of other narratives may claim that merit ) , but it is popularly useful , because it is terse , vivid , and dramatic in no ordinary degree . We especially like the manner in which the extraordinary political events of Blake's period are interwoven with Blake ' s life , and the vigorous and masterly clearness of the descriptions of the sea-fights . This latter merit gives the book an extraordinary interest—interest so great that we will not spoil its legitimate effect on the reader ' s mind by tracing it to its springs in a critical way . We are not sure that Mr . Dixon will take it as a compliment , if we tell him that his biography absorbed us like a good" novel ; but we must confess the fact for all that / and must defy the " dignity of history" by treating the Life of Robert Blake , in one respect at least , as we like to treat a good novel . —Let our ieaders _ get the-book ; and they will-thank _ us-for being so uncritical in reference to it , as not to tell them one word of _ its glorious and true story
beforehand . v , We are in luck with our Batch this week . With one exception , all the books composing it are genuine and good . The name of Whately is the best recommendation of the Detached Thoughts , which are carefully and intelligently selected from the Archbishop's writings , and which fill the pages of the third work on our list . We leave it to win its certain way to success ; and get on to our fourth book—the one unlucky exception to which we have just alluded . Later Years is a species of " Sketch Book , " American in every sentence , filled with fragmentary narratives , adventures , arid thoughts on all sorts of subjects . There are some passages of good and fresh description scattered about the work , but it is hard , and ( to us ) singularly unattractive reading , as a whole . The author indulges in that sort of familiar fine-writing which is our favourite aversion ; . and hejdll present himself personally in such a mysteriously-magnificent light , that we cannot possibly sympathise with or believe in him . -There in his Introduction
are voices coming up now to my ears "—he writes , solemnly , « as i sit before the fire , out of the graves of those years , whose holy tones are full of thrilling melody . There were hours which , as they passed , condensed in their few minutes more joys of almost heavenly purity than you would believe earth could contain in all its centuries . There were scenes that my pen dare not attempt to describe , and emotions that may be felt , but not told . What are we plain work-a-day critics to say to a gentleman who talks of himself in this , way at the very outset , and who startles us , among other things , by an assurance that " the beautiful is not nlone in the external world , in forests , or oceans , or stars , or maidenly loveliness of eyes , or lips of winsome wine . " (?)—what are we to say to this ? When good Mr . Burchell sat by the fire and heard the fine talk of Lady Blarney and Miss Carolina Wilhelmina Amelia Skeggs , he is reported as having said to himself , " Fudge ! " We feel strongly inclined , on this particular occasionto echo good Mr . Burchell . ¦> w ¦¦¦ -- ¦ - -
, „ . __ .., „ .,.. KUAO LSC 4 A VAVM' *** *^»» wmfc # *» WMj ——— q — — — . B _ - Studies from Nature is a really delightful book , illustrated by some singularly vigorous and truthful engravings . The Studies of Doctor Masius are chiefly among Trees , in the first place , and among Birds , in the second . On either subject he is equally pleasant and instructive . He writes with a rare power of presenting to the reader the results of much close observation and out-of-theway learning in the most winning and kindly way . The delicate genuine humour in some passages of these Studies is something almost unique , bince the days of The Natural History of Selborne , we remember no work of its class so genial and so attractive to the general reader as , the volume now under notice . It is only fair to add , that the translation by Mr . Boner seems well executed , arid that the book is very beautifully got up . Cla
That curious " agricultural fragment , " Talpa ; or , the Chonicles of a y Farm , has reached its third edition . As to its technical merits , this seems conclusive . As to its literary execution ( a point on which wo are much bettor qualified to speak than on its agricultural value ) , we can honestly notice this little book with all duo praise . It is evidently not written by a practised hand ; but almost every page shows such signs of hearty good spirits and humorous candour , that wo read Talpa—ignorant as wo are of agricultural matters—with curiosity and pleasure from beginning to end . Wo have , by way of conclusion , to thank Mr . Bohn for some now specimens of his activity and enterprise as a publisher of cheap and famous books , which ought to bo in all libraries . The seventh and eighth volumes of CoWper ' s works ; Xenophon ' a Cyropadid and Hellenics , literally translated ; the second volume ofPhiloJudaus ; and that extraordinary romance of Dufoo ' s , Moll Flanders—arc among the publications from Mr . Bolm's houso . which have recently reached us .
January 13, 1855.] The I/Eadeb. 45
January 13 , 1855 . ] THE I / EADEB . 45
Adventures In The Sun. Helionde; Or Adve...
ADVENTURES IN THE SUN . Helionde ; or Adventures in ike Sun . Chapman and Hall . So bold a flight as a visit to the Sun would appear , to ordinary readers , to be the result of very active imaginative powers . Ordinary readers are seldom in the habit of attending to the footnotes accompanying a work of science or history , and still less are they inclined to delay their pleasure by reading the notes of authorities in a work like the present , which is confessedly , from the title , a firework . Every paragraph in this octavo book of more than four hundred pages , contains something ingenious , elegant , and fanciful , but almost every paragraph is referred to more than one classic original , in proof that the fancy is a fact , or is not at all more extraordinary than fifty similar wonders vouched for by high authority .
The machinery of a journey to the Sun , as opportunity for criticism on the present aspect of our lower and colder world , is traceable to Swift , but the working out is very different . In the first place , very gentle sarcasm is employed , and , in the second , the author returns to ^ iis native sphere of his own free will and choice . All , however , occurs in that fine institution for bewildered story-tellers—a dream . The visitor to the Sun has been in love ; he has been disappointed in love ; he falls ill ; he is induced , in the heat of summer , to try the cold water cure at Malvern ; he is deluged ; he is dried up ; he is permeated with the Sun ' s rays ; he ceases to be opaque ;—and now the reader begins to see through him . Indulging in a reverie , the adventurer finds himself on a mysterious road , light and airy , and by no means like Fleet-street .
He has a dim notion that he is travelling to some warm region , but feels reassured on finding that his physical nature is changing and adapting itself to new conditions . Speed and adaptation increase , and , before long , he is approaching the gates of Heliopolis , the principal city in what is sometimes ealled by fine writers the " greatluminary . " He is received affectionately by an officer appointed for that purpose , who proceeds to show to the stranger every wonder that the city presents . It is in the descriptions of these wonders that the substance of the work consists . When the Paris season is over , there is no place to which we would rather go for the winter than Heliopolis , if these accounts may be trusted , or if they had not been consigned to a dream . Everything is superbly large , and the traveller becomes insensibly large in proportion ; not , however , that it is clear to Our mind that Daniel Lambert , or Freeman the American giant , are , from their size , better capable of appreciating the pyramids , or more capable of
digesting the acres of type in an American newspaper . But we are not at liberty to complain of the author on that count , for he assures us in a note that " astronomers believe that the gravitation of the sun would make a being there weigh about two tons . " These big " beings" are gifted with more than Frenchmen's elasticity . They dress in robes woven in an impalpable loom from the fleeciest clouds that can be caught after a rainbow has broken up a storm . They live on- scents and essences so ethereal that the slender lilies , bluebells , and foxgloves , in which the Fortnum and Masons of the district confine them , seem almost too gross for their high office . They speak music , their language being similar to one of our operas without words . They bathe in dew , and their commercial transactions are effected by the purveyor distributing his ware to the customer who can enunciate the most refined sentiment . Their carriages move at the wish of the occupant , and there is nothing to pay . Sir Thomas More ' s Utopia is , in fact , a material Heliopolis ; and the author lavishly admits his obligations
to that work , as ; indeed , he does to every other work - ( excepting novels ) -in the English and every other language . . . . Writing of so ethereal and immaterial a nation it is painful to have to admit that their buildings are distinctly palpable . They are made ot " minica" or solidified air . This appears really too much , but a note ( quoting a recent work ) informs us that " It ( the air ) is composed of minute globular particles , which are-in ceaseless motion , revolving round their axes and though these evolutions are not usually discernible , under certain conditions of temperature the particles solidify , and their movementsi are then apparent . " In the same note the author of the piece quoted above proceeds to quote his authority , who declares he witnessed , near Olexyko , m Prussia , the atmosphere like a hard compact mass , tremorously shaken , and which resounded audibl
even y . ,. „ ,. .. Adventures in an orb of fire of course have love passages . In iieiiopoiis , we observe with mingled feelings , the mere fact of true love makes the lover intensely beautiful and fabulously virtuous , so that unrequited affection is unknown . After various adventures the author becomes spiritually allied to a princess , the mere acknowledgment of mutual love constituting the ceremony . Marriage is comprised in community of mind and sympathy of intellect ; unfortunately , however , recollections of the old system intrude on the repose of the bridegroom , and he asks for just one embrace , and , aa Keats says , " the sweet minor zest of lovo , thy kiss . " He is warned that the le to earthly condi
sweet concession will at onco reduce the happy coup an - tion , and that the Earth must then b o their resting p lace . . However , tnc brido is so beautiful that ho can ' t resist , and a return homo is JnevituDie . He sets out on the eapphire road , with his bride , but she , strange to any , gradually grows exceedingly like the young lady who was the originaJ ^ occasion of tno > urnoy , and by tho time ho arrfves on earth she has dW " , ?^ and the author-simply awakes . All this has but one defect ; : it .. tool . ko thQ libretto of a ballet . The last chapter is devoted to th ° re ' ™ " ^ j « the cruel parent and a very hearty laugh in tho sleev e of the author , in which , doubtless , a good-humoured reader will reudilv join . TOVR | __ l
We have thus , wo bolicvo , given a fair report ° V T ^ nfa fcelinc and drawing-room savant .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 13, 1855, page 21, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_13011855/page/21/
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