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tLe new organic law of the I ' anzimat , ivitli certain modifications , was introduced into Egypt . The writer now returns from his digression to the period 1833—1840 , which inaugurated the present policy of England in the East , and from which arose all the present complications . Mehemet Ali , aware of the designs of England , hud devoted all his sympathies to France . England never pardoned his attempts to consolidate the material and moral development of Egypt , and pursued the Faslm Avith that concentrated , and implucable political hatred , whieh is the distinctive trait of the nation . It was thus that England changed her policy in the East , and inflamed the dominant passion of the Sultan Mahmoud—the hatred of Mehemet Ali .
On the death of the Sultan Mahmoud , circumstances favoured the designs of England , to punish the French predilections of Mehemet Ali , to humiliate Franco in expiation of her political ascendancy in Egypt and in Syria , to supplant Bussia in her predominant influence at Constantinople , and to lay down the law on the Nile and on the Bosphorus . After the famous note in six lines , of July 27 , 1840 , that first act of collective intervention , which was a decree of deposition for Turkey , the English Ministry rushed into negotiations at Vienna , Paris , Berlin , and St . Petersburg , resulting in the treaty of July 15 , 1840 , and in the expulsion of France from the European concert . Thus , after having been the ally of the monarchy of July tor ten years , after dragging France into her policy in Spain , Belgium , Greece , and the East , England abandoned her to isolation , and betrayed rlie King to the passions of a jealous people . The crisis of 1840 cost France useless millions , while with eight half-manned ships-of-the-line and
3500 marines , England expelled the Egyptians from Syria , and flaunted her flag at the head of the European alliance . Kussia bad only one motive in all these proceedings—the pacification of the East . She had even dissuaded the Sultan from attempting to coerce Mehemet Ali , at the risk of being accused of seeking to divide Turkey : it was England alone that excited the furious obstinacy of the Forte . If Hussia had subordinated the rights of Turkey to her own interests , would she not lave espoused the quarrel of Mehemet Ali ? But she trusted to the good faith of England and to the gratitude of . -Turkey , which had owed to her again and again the preservation of the empire and the dynasty . It was by this abnegation , in the hope of restoring the repose of the East , that Kussia threw open to her rival that career of political activity , the first-fruits of which have so little justified the generosity of the Emperor of Russia . ( To be concluded in our riext . y
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FASHION AND FAMINE . Fashion and Famine ; or , Contrast ' s in Society . A Novel . By Mrs . Ann S . Stephens . * We do not know whether we are committing a moral offence in recommending our public to purchase this novel—a book by an American authoress , who , under the new version of the copyright law , is perhaps being hereby deprived by energetic Mr . Bentley of profit out of British readers . But we do venture to express a very high opinion of the novel ; and it is not our fault , if Mr . Bentley ' s happens to be the only attainable edition of it . It has great defects . In the iirst place , an American novel should be something out of the old beaten track of the commonplace contrasts of conventional society ; and though the scene of this romance is laid in or about
the " Upper Ten Thousand" and tlie " Fifth Avenue" of the Empire-city , still the , characters are nil French , and the treatment is very English . In the next place , the plot is grotesquely impossible , the leading motives of the action arc grandly incredible ; and the novel , from first to last , is spoiled- by an obtrusion of the flimsy philosophy in which some " females'' indulge when , having got pen in hand , they begin to point out liow much better it is to be good than bad . These are startling faults ; and yet the novel is far above the average , and is read with engrossing interest . This , -we believe , is because Mi's . Stephens has got a decided genius for telling and developing a story . There is power—dramatic power—here ; and as it is , as she states in her preface , her first novel , we are inclined to anticipate a series of successes fur her .
ilie hero is a wholesale villain ; a polished Yankee gentleman , who does ali the men and undoes all the women ; who commits forgeries , connives at embezzlement , occasionally crosses his minil with murder , deserts his wife in order to leave room for a friendly debauchee , who has bought his right in her , leaves his child to starve , commits bigamy , and dresses singularly well . Ho is a mixture of Don Juan and Iago , with Dumas' view of life ; and he looks to us remarkably out of place denned in the Aston House and immersed in dolln ' vs . The heroine is the deserted wife of this bold gentleman , who is incurably attached to him , but who allows the friendly debauchee to
complete the bargain ; wlio goes with the debauchee to Europe , where lie dies , sho obtaining all his wealth , which is " boundless , " and accomplishes Monte- * Christo results ; and who , returning to New York when her husband is arranging liis bigamy , appeals to liim for a rcdlnlegrulio without , disclosing her ailluunce , and , being rejected , punishes him , after his has bigamised , by biasing o « him in all her splendour at a dramatic bull , which she throws opeu to the whole Upper Ten Thousand , ltosult—suicide on his pi » rt , and eternal misery on hers ; but a delightful ending in the secured happy future of her restored child , who is an angel—in n French way—a flower-girl who calls " f l ' -x-ish r-r-oscs" in the streets .
_ This is the plot , which , as wo have said , ia rendered endui'iiblo by the ¦ vivid and vigorous waiy in which tho story ia told and the chnrneters are arranged . And , of course , apart from tho unreality of tho broad sketch , there arc , in details , what wo conceive to bo true and interesting dulincations of actual New York life . The extracts wo mate will suggest that , jMjrhnps , there is nothing unfairly imitative in the novel , if in Now Vork , as n \ iMu-opuam capitals , " fashion and famine'' are so closely connected and so hideously oontnwtotl ; if , likewise , " fusion" id in tho Republic , us vulgar JinU tuit-luinUng an aIIair aa it is aunong ouviselvos . Hero ia a scene , strongly pamtwil , which » represented to occur in tliu city from whose port goes out , linn Oiecornw in Englund , live on ; ami i . ho actor * , observe , arc " not the poor Irish whom a Now Englundcr ciu-acri as tho disiuxuromcul of his prosperity , but "jrale American born . ' * Uiolmnl lk-ntluy , Nuw Burling ! , in-Micuirl ' ricu la . llJT ~
i lV basement ° f a rear buildiag in one of tLose cross streets that grow more and mor squalid as they stretch down to tLe water ' s edge , sat an aged couple , at nightfall on th day when our humble heroine was presented to tlie reader . The room was damp low and dark : a couple of rude chairs , a deal table , and a long wooden chest , were all the furniture it contained . A rough shelf ran over the mantelpiece , on which were arranged a half-dozen unmatched cups and saucers , and a broken plate or two , and a teapot minus half its spout all scrupulously washed , and piled together with some appearance of ostentation . ' " A . brown platter , which stood on the table , contained the only approacli to food that the humble dwelling afforded . A bone of bacon thrice picked , and preserved probably from a wretched desire to possess something in the shape of food , though that something was but a mockery , —this , and a fragment of bread lay upon a platter , covered with a neat crash towel . A , straw bed made up on onu corner of the floor partook of tlie general neatness every , where visible jn the wretched dwelling ; the sheets were of homespun linen , sucli as our down hast housewives loved to manufacture years ago ; and the covering a patch-work quilt ¦ oraied of rich , old-fashioned chintz , was neatly turned under the edges . One might have ' known how more than precious was that fine old quilt , by the great care taken to preserve it . I he whole apartment bespoke extreme poverty in its most respectable form . Perfect destitution and scrupulous neatness were so blended , that it made the heart a * he with compassion .
" Ihe old couple drew their seats closer together on the hearthstone , and looked wistfully in each other s faces as the darkness of coming night gathered around them- The bright morning had been succeeded by a . chill , uncomfortable rain , and this increased tenfold the g loomy and dark atmosphere of the basement . Thus they sat gazing at ea * h other , and listening moodily to the rain as it beat heavier , and heavier upon the sidewalks . "' Come , come ! ' said the old woman with a smile that she intended to be cheerful , but which was ouly a wan reflection of what she wished . ' This is all very wrong ; once to-day the Lord has sent us food , and liere we are desponding again . Julia will be cold and wet , poor thing ; don ' t let her find us looking so hungry when she comes in . ' " 1 was thinking of her , ' muttered the old man , in a sad voice . ' Yes , tbe poor thing will be cold and wet and wretebsd enough , but that is nothing to the disappointment ; she had built up such hopes this morning . ' "' Well , who knows after all ; something may have happened ! ' suid the old woman , with an eSbrt at hopefulness ^ '" 2 So , no , ' replied the man , in a voice of touching despondency , 'if she liad done anything , the child would have been home long ago . She has no heart to come back . '
* ' lue old man passed his hand over his eyes , and then flung a handful of chips and shavings on the lire from a scant pile that lay in a corner . The blaze flamed up ,-revealing the desolate room for a moment , and then died away , flashing across the pale aud haggard faces that bent over if , with a waii brilliancy that made them look absolutely corpse-like . ' Those two wrinkled faces were meagre and wrinkled from lack of sustenance ; still , in the faded lineaments there was nothing to revolt the heart . Patien&e , sweet and troubled affection , were blended with every : grie £ written line . But the wants of the body had stamped themselves sharply there . The tliin lips were pale and fixed ia an expression of habitual endurance . Their eyes were sharp and eager , dark arches lay around them , and these were brolcen by wrinkles that were not all of age . "As the flame blazed up , the old man turned and looked earnestly on his -wife ; a look of keen want , of newly whetted hunger broke fro : n her eyes , naturally so meek and tranquil
, andthe poor old man turned his glance another way with a faint groan . It was a picture of terrible famine . Yet patience and affection flung a thrilling beauty over it . ' ' One more furtive glance that old man cast to his wife , as the flame went down , and then , lie < lasped his withered fingers , wringing them together . " ' You are starving—you are morenungry than ever , ' he said , ' and I have nothing to give you . ' ' ¦ ' ¦ . . .. ' 'i'lie poor woman lifted op her head and tried to smile , but t"he effort was heart-rending . '" It is strange , ' shesaid , 'but the food we had this morning'only seems to make me more hungry . Is it so with you , Benjamin ? I keep thinking of it all the time . Tlie rain as it plnsbes on the pavement seems like that warm coffee boiling over on the hearth ; those shavings as they lie in the corner arc constantly shifting before my eyes , and . seem like rolls and twists of bread , which 1 have only to stoop forward and take . '
" The old man smiled wanly , and a tear started to his eyes , gliding down bis cheek in the dim light . " ' Let us try the bone once more , ' he said , after a brief silence , ' there may be a morsel left yet . ' "' Yes , the bone ! there may be something on the bone yet ! In our good fortune this morning we must have forgotten to scrape it quite clean ! ' cried , the old woman , starting up with eager haste , and bringing the platter from tbe table . * ' The husband took it from her hands , and setting it down before the fire knelt on ona knee , and beg . in to scrape the boae eagerly with a knife . ' See , see ! ' ho said , with a painful eftbrt at cheerfulness , as some strips and fragments fell on the platter , leaving the bone white and glistening lik <) ivory . ' This id better than I expected ! With a crust and a cup of clear cold water , it will go a good way . ' *• * ^ W * # % % ^ XX * Oflit ^ l ? 1 % - ^ 1 IIA 1 VI ll " ! illtfUIA f ^ ltsvv * Avitr-i fe-rtn -1 .. 1 .. . il ~~ - _• ,. - £ _ — . - 1- . _ -t £ * , _ _ - - l _ J . " ¥ _ - !• No saul the turning her resolutel had fo ulia
^ " ' ., no , woman , eyes y away , ' wo rgotten J . She scarcely ate a mouthful this morning !' il ' 1 know , ' said the old man , dropping his knife with a sigli . " ' Put it nside , aud let us try and look as if we had been ea . ting all day . She would not touch it if—if— ' Here the good old woman ' s eyes loll upon the little heap of food—those priieious fragments which her husband hud scraped together with Uis knife . The animal ; r « 3 w strong within lior at tho sight ; she drew a long breath , and reaching forth her bony hand , clutched tllem like a bird of prey ; her thin lips quivered and worked -with a sort of ferocious joy , as she devoured tlie little morsel ; then , us if ashamed of her voiucity , she lifted her glowing eyes to her husbaud , aud cast thu fragment of food still between her fingers back upon tho platter . " ' I could not help it 1 Oh , Benjamin I could not help it ! ' Big tears started in her eyes , nml rolled penitently down her cheek . ' Tako it away ! take it away J' she said , covering her ftico with both bunds . ' You sec how ravenous the taste of food makes mo ! u Take it ! ' said tho old man , thrusting tho platter into her lap . "' No ! no ! You haven't hud a tasto ; you—you—1 am better now , muah bettor !' " For ono instant the old mnn ' a fingers quivered over tho morsel still left upon thoplattor , for he was famished and craving more food , even as his > vifo hud boon ; but his better nature prevailed , and dashing his hand away , lie thrust the pluto mnro decidedly into her lap . " ' Eat V ho Buid . ' lint ! I can wait , and God will take care of the child !' ' But tho poor woman wnyotl this ft > od nwuy , Btill keeping ono hand resolntely over hei eyes . ' No—ho 1 ' she said f ' aintlv , ' no—no !'
" Her husbtmd lifted 11 it * plate sofily from liei lap : she started , looked cogcrly around , and sunk b . vck in her chair with t \ liysturioul inugU . " ' The titinwbanicri 1 tho strawberries , Benjamin ! Only think , if Julin could not . sell tho strnwbunk' 8 , she will eat them , you know , all—till . Only think what u i ' vust tho child will have when sl > o Ian : } all those strawberries ! ISring back tho meat ; what will sho euro for that ?' " The old rnmi brought back the jilato , hut with a sorrowful look , lie romemberod tlinfc tlie slruwberriesoutruato . il to hlct grandchild were tho properly of another : but lie oouMnot find tho lumit to bugRcat this to tlie pour fanilslii'd creature before him , and lie rejoiced i » t Lliu biuifdt . 'iu « ion tlwt would induoo her to eat ( hi ! litfcln that wa . slufl . With nmrlyr-Iike Htoicbm l »« stilled his own craving hunger , and sat by while hia wife devoured tho n-iaiindor of tho vmiciouft 81 ore . 41 'And you hixvo had none , ' hIio a . xid , with n piteous lojk of aelC-rcpvonch , when her ovru ttliurp wiuit was Buiuowluit nj )|) e «» oil .
" 'Oh , 1 cim wait lor Julia and tin- strawlwrrii-. s . ' " ' And if ' lhiiL hIiouKI fail , ' unitwciMl tin poor wife . " T . Hero ia tho contrast : it will bo noticed Hint this American liu \ y does not appear in tho leant anhmn ^ il to narniU " , as a iamiliur eiromu . sLuneo , tlmfc tliu li'iulurs of American lasli ' um < lcbu . se thoiiiselven in worshipping a stray iMig-IihIi boy-Earl , who ia wtiiideriny ncro .-w thu democratic orbit : ~ " It ha . l Urn : v brilliant seusoii in On- i " . i .-, t . iv » u : il > ln » vorl « l jluit . yciiv , tfamtopa and Nowii ¦ n ' t \ M ' io lK'iluut holbod * ul ii . ih . 'ly , i-l ' luiJuiir , ami tnvul iiinbition . A thorough-broa
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August 19 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER . 787
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 19, 1854, page 787, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2052/page/19/
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