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Dec. 21, 1850.] ©fle %t£&tt* 92?
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Do you know anything of, or care a jot a...
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MARY BARTON'S CHRISTMAS BOOK. T/io Moorl...
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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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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The Pedantic And Lively Lerminier (Only ...
So sings Browning in a noble poem ; and when we think of the captains in our army we cannot wonder if generous intellects , even when bred up in the opposing camp , should midway in their inarch discover they are fighting under the wrong standards and pass over to ours . But courage , O Lerminier ! If Lamartine has deserted you , if Lammenais has renounced you , if Victor Hugo has become a Tribune , the Vicomte D'Ablincourt remains faithful ! If
Hernani is a renegade the Solitaire is incorruptible . Read his Italie Rouge—it is worthy of that m oderate , sensible " party of Order , ' which is espoused by all true-hearted men and all ' * " souls of a certain elevation . " The excellent and ridiculous Vicomte was in England a few years ago , and will long be remembered in our clubs for the merciless hoaxing which the wags practised on him , and which he so gravely accepted . He seems to have given his imbecility an airing in Italy , and boasts of the " masses of materials" he has assembledtf
the milliers de rScits he has listened to . I listened , I saw , I wrote , " exclaims this Caesar of the salon ; but the statement is questionable in one respect . " I listened "—very likely ! No one will doubt the capacity or the size of his ears ; but " I saw" is another matter . It is not so easy to see , good Vicomte ! To see requires brains as well as eyes . Stick to listening , c ' est votre fait , Monseigneur . It appears the King of Naples ( with whom the Vicomte was charmed at the first glance ) listened to his rhodomontade . " Le roi m ' e ' coutait
avec la meditation dusage et le sourire du penseur " —why not the smile of contempt ? But , in truth , L'ltalie Rouge is a delightful book for those who hate Republicans and the Republic , and the '" Party of Order " should make much of it . Talking of this wise and moderate party let us not forget to mention the eagerness with which the Neapolitan Police is adding to the Index Librorum Prohibitory m , which will soon contain all the greatest achievements of the human mind , and may be decidedly useful as a catalogue . The
papers recently copied from the Araldo a list of books prohibited in Naples . We are able to be more specific . Among the works forbidden are Humboldt ' s Cosmos , Shakspeare , Goldsmith , Heeren ' s Historical Treatises , Ovid , Lucian , Lucretius , Sophocles , Suetonius , Paul de Koch , Victor Hugo , B . Girardin . G . Sand , Lamartine , Valery ' sL'ltalie , Goethe , Schiller , Thiers , A . Dumas , Moliere , all the German philosophers , and what do you think
next ? hold your sides—prepare for belief with the faith of a St . Augustine—explain it if you can , but never doubt the fact that our list winds up with the dangerous , anarchical , poisonous Stephani Thesaurus ! To prohibit a dictionary may fairly be said to have reached the " lowest deep" of unreasoning absurdity . Goethe tells a story of some meditative Prince , who assured him that had hethe Prince—been the Deity , and could have forseen that Schiller ' s Robbers would have been written
he would have left the world uncreated ! " C ' est doramage Garot , quo tu n ' es point entre " Aux conseils de celui quepreche ton cure !" In that case Schiller ' s Robbers and Henry Stkpiiens ' s Dictionary would certainly not have been suffered to " disorganize society . "
Dec. 21, 1850.] ©Fle %T£&Tt* 92?
Dec . 21 , 1850 . ] © fle % t £ & tt * 92 ?
Do You Know Anything Of, Or Care A Jot A...
Do you know anything of , or care a jot about Ida von Dueringsfeld ? Because if so you may be gla'l to hear that she has published a new novel , Antonio Foscarini , which is said to he entertaining , and to contain a good picture of Venetian life in the fifteenth century . That and Prutz ' s Taachenbuch d < r neuesten Geschichte are the only new publications in Germany we have to mention .
Mary Barton's Christmas Book. T/Io Moorl...
MARY BARTON'S CHRISTMAS BOOK . T / io Moorland Cottage . By the Author of Mary Barton . " With Illustrations by Birkett Foster . Chapman and Hall . Close observation , delicate perception of character , steady reliance on truth , never faltering into conventionalism , a style clear , straightforward , and felicitous , will win for this Christinas Book a charmed and numerous public . It is not like « ' Mary Barton , " a tale of social wrong ; it has not the harrowing interest of that book , but it is a great advance in art , and by its gentle teachings harmonizes fitly with the kindly and serious spirit which lives among the loud mirth of Christmns .
The inmates of Moorland Cottage are a parson s uicbw in her weeds and grief—Mrs . Urowne—a type ( f the- ! mo-t iiuint'iuu * class of women , felicitously in-( Hrated by a t ' uw quiet touches —lie : two ehiitii . 11 , und lui old faithful servant : —
" They were as secluded in their green hollow as the households in the German forest-tales . Once a week they emerged and crossed the common , catching on its summit the first sounds of the sweet-toned bells , calling them to church . Mrs . Browne walked first , holding Edward ' s hand . Old Nanny followed with Maggie ; but they were all one party , and all talked together in a subdued and quiet tone , as beseemed tbe day . They had not much to say , their lives were so unbroken ; for , excepting
on Sundays , the widow and her children never went to Combehurst . Most people would have thought the little town a quiet , dreamy place ; but to those two children it seemed the world ; and after they had crossed the bridge , they each clasped more tightly the hands which they held , and looked slyly up from beneath their drooped eyelids when spoken to by any of their mother ' s friends . Mrs . Browne was regularly asked by some one to stay to dinner after morning church , and as regularly declined , rather to the timid children ' s relief ; although in the week-days they sometimes spoke together in . a low voice of the pleasure it would be to them if mama would go and dine at Mr . Buxton ' s , where the little girl in white and that great tall boy lived . Instead of staying there , or anywhere else on Sundays , Mrs . Browne thought it her duty to go and cry over her husband's grave . The custom had arisen out of true sorrow for his loss , for a kinder husband and more worthy man had never lived ; but the simplicity of her sorrow had been destroyed by the observation of others on the mode of its manifestation . They made way for her to cross the grass towards his grave ; and she , fancying that it was expected of her , fell into the habit I have mentioned . Her children , holding each a hand , felt awed and uncomfortable , and were sensitively conscious how often they were pointed out , as a mourning group , to observation . «• ' I wish it would always rain on Sundays , ' said Edward , one day to Maggie , in a garden conference . " « Why ? ' asked she . " « Because then we bustle out of church , and get home as fast as we can , to save mama ' s crape ; and we have not to go and cry over papa . ' " « I don ' t cry , ' said Maggie . Do you ? ' " Edward looked round before he answered , to see if they were quite alone , and then said : " ' No ; I was sorry a long time about papa , but one can't go on being sorry for ever . Perhaps grown-up people can . '
" ' Mama can , ' said little Maggie . Sometimes I am very sorry too ; when I am by myself , or playing with you , or when I am wakened up by the moonlight in our room . Do you ever waken and fancy you heard papa calling you ? I do sometimes ; and then I am very sorry to think we shall never hear him calling us again . ' " « Ah , it ' s different with me , you know . He used to call me to lessons . ' " ' Sometimes he called me when he was displeased with me . But I always dream that he was calling us in his own kind voice , as he used to do when he wanted us to walk with him , or to show us something pretty . '
" Edward was silent , playing with something on the ground . At last , he looked round again , and , having convinced himself that they could not be overheard , he whispered' • Maggie , —sometimes I don ' t think I ' m sorry that papa is dead—when I ' m naughty , you know ; he would have been so angry with me if he had been here ; and I think , —only sometimes , you know , —I ' m rather glad he is not . ' " How admirable that is about the continuance of the respectability of grief ! and what an acute yet comprehensive observation lies in the carrying out of the
respectability on the part of Mrs . Browne , so about her crape ! She weeps for " appearances "; but good crape is also an " appearance , " and must take precedence even of grief ! Mrs . Browne is a thoroughly commonplace woman . She adores her imperious selfish boy , and snubs her quiet unselfish unattractive daughter . Master Edward is the tyrant of the household ; little Maggie the slave ; and when the rich Mr . Buxton comes to invite them all to his house , Mrs . Browne , secretly delighted at a decent excuse for accepting the invitation , consents , " for the children ' s sake , "
sighed as if she were making a sacrifice . Edward's clothes are carefully looked after , a new suit is ordered for him ; as for little Maggie , an old gown of her mother ' s is cut up , washed , and made by the faithful Nancy into something so decent that she has a lecture given her about not spoiling it . Poor Maggie ! the old frock was nothing ; she was not old enough to be very sensitive on that point ; but imagine how delightful her prospect was when her mother thus severely discoursed to her respecting
manners and etiquette . " Maggie ! you must sit as upright as ever you can ; make your back flat , child , and don ' t poke . If I cough , you must draw up . 1 shall cough whenever I see you do anything wrong , and I shall be looking at you all day ; so remember . You hold yourself very well , Edward . If Mr . Buxton asks you , you may have a glass or wine , because you ' re a boy . But mind and say , Your good health , sir , ' before you drink it . ' 111 I'd rather not have the wine if I m to say that , said Edward , bluntly . ..,..,. » ' Oh , nonsense ! my dear . You'd wish to be like a gentleman , I ' m sure . ' . ' Kdward muttrrofl snmelhinu ; whir-. h was inaudible . His mother went on" « Of course you'll never think of being helped more
than twice . Twice of meat , twice of pudding , is the genteel thing . You may take less , but never more . ' " * Oh , mama ! how beautiful Combehurst spire is , with that dark cloud behind it ! ' exclaimed Maggie , as they came in sight of the town . " You ' ve no business with Combehurst spire when I ' m speaking to you . I ' m talking myself out of breath to teach you how to behave , and there you go looking after clouds , and such like rubbish . I ' m ashamed of you . ' "
Nevertheless , the day is very pleasant . Mr . Buxton is a happy , careless , confiding , •* good sort of man , " with an angelic wife , a bold , frank , gentlemanly boy , and a pretty little niece Erminia . Edward contrives to produce an unfavourable impression . Maggielittle brown mouse , as Frank calls her—wins golden opinions . You see at once something of the course the story is to take . Frank falls in love with Maggie , who has won the heart of his mother , and of his father also . Mrs . Buxton has her frequently at the house , and teaches her , not merely the wisdom of books but the wisdom of noble living ; so that although she is snubbed and " put upon " by mother and brother , Maggie is not without the gentler influences -which nurture fine dispositions . How true is this : —
" Mrs . Browne had no great wish to keep Maggie at home , though she liked to grumble at her going . Still she felt that it was best , in every way , to keep on good terms with such valuable friends ; and she appreciated , in some small degree , the advantage which her intimacy at the house was to Maggie . But yet she could not restrain a few complaints , nor withhold from her , on her return , a recapitulation of all the things which might have been done if she had only been at home , and the number of times that she had been wanted ; but when she found that Maggie quietly gave up her next Wednesday ' s visit as soon as she was made aware of any necessity for her presence at home , her mother left off grumbling , and took little or no notice of her absence . "
Edward goes to school and leaves it what is called a " smart fellow . " All his admiration is for cleverness , by which he means cunning ; and although his mother wishes him to go into the Church as his father had before him , this knowing young man resolves on being an attorney , and hopes to become Mr . Buxton ' s agent . Mr . Buxton encourages the idea , and gives him some property to sell by way of a beginning : —
" One summer ' s day , as hot as day could be , Maggie had been busy all morning ; for the weather was so sultry that she would not allow either Nancy or her mother to exert themsslves much . She had gone down with the old brown pitcher , coeval with herself , to the spring for water ; and while it was trickling , and making a tinkling music , she sat down on the ground . The air was so still that she heard the distant wood-pigeons cooing ; and round about her the bees were murmuring busily among the clustering heath . From some little touch of sympathy with these low sounds of pleasant harmony , she began to try and hum some of Enninia ' s
airs . She never sang outloud , or put words to her songs ; but her voice was very sweet , and it was a great pleasure to herself to let it go into music . Just as her jug was filled , she was startled by Frank ' s sudden appearance . She had thought he was at Cambridge , and , from some cause or other , her face , usually so faint in colour , became the most vivid scarlet . They were both too conscious to speak . Maggie stooped ( murmuring some words of surprise ) to take up her pitcher . 44 « Don't go yet , Maggie , ' said he , putting his hand on hers to stop her ; but , somehow , when that purpose was effected , he forgot to take it off again . « I have come all the wav to Cambridge to see you . I could not bear
suspense any longer . I grew bo impatient for certatnty ot some kind , that I went up to town last night , in order to feel myself on my way to you , even though I knew I could not be hero a bit earlier to-day for doing so . Maggie , —dear Maggie ! how you are trembling ! Have I frightened you ? Nancy told me you were here ; but it was very thoughtless to come so suddenly upon you . ' 11 It was not the suddenness of his coming ; it was the suddenness of her own heart , which leaped up with the feelings called out by his words . She wont very white , and sat down on the ground as before . But she rose again immediately , and stood , with drooping , avertc «| head . He had dropped her hand , but now sought to
take it again . • Maggie , darling , may I speak ? ' Her lips moved , he saw , but he could not hear . A pang of affright ran through him that , perhaps , she did riot wish to listen . ' May I speak to you ? ' he anked again , quite timidly . She tried to make her voice sound , but it would not ; r » she looked round . Her soft Rrey eyes were eloquent in that one glance . And , happier than hU words , pa «» u > nare and tender as they were , could tell , he wpokc till her trembling was changed into bright flashing blusheB , and even a Bhy smile hovered about her lips , and dimpled hit checks .
•' The water bubbled over the pitcher unheeded . At last she remembered all the work-a-day world . She lifted up the jug , and would have hurried home , but Frank decidedly took it from her . " ' Henceforward , ' said he , * I have a Tight to carry your burdens . ' So with one arm round her waist , ami with the other carrying the water , they climbed thesuop turfy slopo . Nrnr tlif top rIi p wnrttcri to fsikn it »« ain . ••' 4 M imu will i > ot like ii . Mama will think U so stjanii *' . '
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 21, 1850, page 15, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_21121850/page/15/
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