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SECULAH IIOMANCES.*
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SERIALS.
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of Mr . lake ' s " War Songs , " thougn devoted , a ^ well ns pai-ily Spflifited to Hie volunteer artillery ami riflemen of Great Britain Tt would ' have been better if the writer had elaborated one good Jon * ' than hurried through a volume of indifferent lynes , in which the ' wiu"spirit is more obvious than the poetic . - ' "
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rpHE author of " Wildllower , " and several other popular stories , J . has again appeared in si new work , entitled *• Grandmother ' s Monev '' We do not think we shall be Jar wrong in staling the present to bo one of the most perfect of this nuihorV productions . There is throughout more than ordinary discernment in the delineation pf human passions and emotions ; every individualin the story stands out from the majority of characters by some peculiarity ov eccentricity of its own ; " and the story itself is conveyed in language at one ; fluent , natural , and irrucelul . roduced in the
Mv Grandmother , Mrs . Tresdai ' e , is int prologue to the book as having attained her "seventy-seventh year , possessing much wealth , an ' , suffering under a disease , the nature of which is not alluded to , but from which no hopes are entertained of her recoverv A bevy <> f relatives , giandsons , granddaughters , jiephews , nieces ' gnmdncphews , and cousins four and five degrees removed , besiege the residence of the supposed dying millionaire with affectionate inquiries and offers of condolence . The old lady , however , who is somewhat soured by experience and contact with the world , and who moreover , is eudowrd with the provoking faculty ot reading the hearts of others . : md has acquired the unpleasant knack of separati"" <; ulwaid expressions of affection and regard from the selfish motives which : utuate their utterance . , remains perfect / y solicitations for her
stoical and uncouevrned amid the numerous eternal welfare , which might easily have overwhelmed a less hardy temperament , and answer * tsseh .-arnesfnud beseeching countenance with a significant grunt and -rowl . Ultimately sue submits to a surgical Operation , " ami -this anxious group of expectant watchers are suddenly startled by the intelligence that " jrraiiamolher ¦ has fallen into a sound sleep , and is " out of danger . ' Here ends the prologue . Six years elapse , and the curtain again rises upon the scene presentin g to ' us in -kill costume one Miss Barbara . H-ioyce , the hired ' companion uf Mrs . Tr «? sdaih \ now grown ' . ery old imd somewhat ii . lirm , but as snni-pi . sli , suspicious , and lll-teinpored as ever . In fact , this rld . hidy . who , through , the greater portion oj , the first two volumes occupies a prominent position , is the most ably-drawn diameter in the book . The author evidently possesses a large fund of humour , the resources of which he lias by no means
their own throats in fits of insane desperation . Neither do we feel much sympathy with discarded .-mistresses , who , anxious to revenge the infidelity of their sometime . . flatterers , deal summary retribution upon themselves and paramours by the aid of charcoal . There may be a certain class of readers fay whom- this melodramatic development -of incidents possesses a peculiar charm . For ourselves , our taste runs in quite a different direction , and we think that a much greater effect would , be produced , and more proselytes won over to the cause of temperance and sobriety , if these stories , which are intended as so many moral lessons , received at the hands of their respective authors " a more refined and judicious treatment . There is , however , much in " Steyne ' s Grief" worthy of commendation ; the language is good , and the characters are drawn with much ingenuity . The trials and sufferings of Philip Steyne , the drunkard ' s , son , " deprived at an early age by a father ' s infirmity of the comforts of home , are well depicted , and entitled in a large
degree to the interest and sympathy of the reader . 1 here is , in fact , sufficient in the present ' production that is thoroughly good to make us sincerely wish that the whole had not been marred by an ill-judged straining after unnecessary effects . A scries of tales , entitled " Revelations of a Catholic Priest , " are , we believe , sufficiently well known to require but little criticism at our hands . These Confessions of a " Catholic Priest " are of . course the concoctions of a disciple of Protestantism , and consequently the author is somewhat prejudiced against his brethren of the L-omish faith . We are , however , cxpresslv informed in the preface that such all
is not the case , especial care having been taken to exclude sentiments calculated to irritate either of the two great branches ^ into which the Christian religion is divided . In one sense tlns _ is literally correct ; but though all controversy upon theological subjects is in the present volume studiously avoided , yet the specimens presented to the public , of the followers of catholic and papal doctrines are by no means complimentary to the individual members of that venerable community , and we have a shrewd suspicion that these stories , clever as they are , will scarcely meet with due appreciation from the stanch adherents of an old and . unreformed system of belief .
spared upon this eccentric specimen of a strong-minded , independent , and ' self-willed old lady , whose peculiar idiocrnsy of speaking her mind upon all occasions , and speaking it , moreover , without any consideration for other people ' s idioernsies and natural shortcomings , would drive from ' her'the whole race of erring mortals , were it not that her wealth presents a formidable and all-sufficient counter-attraction . All the nff . vtions of this singular individual are concentrated upon her grandchild Alice , a somewhat capricious and self-willed little damsel , but possessing withal a true woman's heart ; as is ftTlly ~ pTt 7 Vl ^ l ~ iTr ^ lTc ^ -srcq iiiel ;—On—the—ot-1 »« . * r— hsuuv-all grandmother's hatred and enmiiy aredirocted again > t a luckless individual , one George Koldou , who has the misfortune to be-the only son of that ladv's undutiful daughter , whose runaway marriage
with a ' penniless adventurer has drawn upon herself and ofispring the eternal malediction << f her august parent . Concerning the ultimate fate of this same George Keldoiw Grandmother ^ Tresdaile has been endowed with the spirit of prophecy , iii obedience to uliioh she has every morning for twelve years road patiently , through the list of criminal cases in ihe Tiun .-s newspaper , in expectation of finding her grandson figuring notoriously therein . Grandmother Trcsdailu is ( dso remarkable . -U . r the number of wills executed and destroyed ( luring her lilVtime . amounting in all to fifty-two ; the lust of which is on the c \ v of ^ harii . g the fute of its . predecessors , when death steps in and releases the old woman from 'further intention to the render
trouble and irresolution . It is nut our spoil ' s enjoyment of this- excellent story-by detailing , the " , whole piut . Suffice it that we have given Urn ab . ivo sketch of one of-the most original and amusing characters in the novel . We have merely to add that the subsequent development of the two next important personals in the drama , Alice Trosdnile and Andrew Bloyco , is in the higliest degree nrti > ti ^ and true to nature . Alice , being the heroine , has an especial claiin upon our sympathies ; and her fii ' xt heavy trial of constawy and t-ell-siierilieo is met with ail that nobility of soul and true devotodnoss of heart , of which woman ' s nature in so peculiarly c . ipnble . We can nifely predict for this novel a great and permanentsuccess .
, "Steyne ' w ( iriel" is a story evidently intended by the author to show tho evil eMeets <» f sell ' -indulgence , lit is cleverly written , though ihu accunuihiliun nf Jiuirprs presented to the reader as the readieBt , moims tho author cmild dcvi . se of impressing him with a due sen « e of liis nmrnK . is smiicwli : il beyond our appivciative iacnllie . " . Wo conlVbs to deriving no enjoyment from mere ai-enes of brutal drunkenness , men ' waut . nily wringing thu necks of unfortunate members of tho cumb crcatieii , throttling their wives , and cutting
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IN the Xvrl 7 iAmerican Review for April ' we "find a dozen very ably written articles xipon « a diversity of interesting , and important subjects . Biography , poetry , law , Hierittnre , and science are severally reviewed and criticised in a manner that gives to the opinions of this lleview considerable _ weight iuid authority . We have merely to"instance the first article in this ? number ,-on the ' -Memoirs of William Beckford , Author of Vsithek , " as a specimen of the great ability displayed in all , and of the good taste and acute discrimination by which the higher American criticism is characterized . ' aioney and Credit , " " The Letters and Times of Basil of Ciesarea , " « ' The Law of Divorce , " and " Darwin on Species , ; show trust it
equally the ability and learning of the lleview , and we may find numerous readers in England . liluckioood for the current month opens with an excellent article . . ^^ v : ar , , } -4 i ^^ essJiijaiiiua . " . TllO . next , on , " Mnniejiamdjits School of Christian Art , " is very . interesting . " Captlun Spelie > s Narrative of his Adventures in Somali Land will be read with great interest , as revealing to us the ways of a people and the aspect ,. f a country hitherto unfamiliar to the generality ot readers . "Judicial Puzzles " and the second part of " Wellington ' s Career afford mueh instruction . In this number there is also a rather lengthvand very favourable review of " Tho Mill on the 1 < loss . There ' are , too , an amusing feuilleton , and a capital article on
' Switzerland and French Annexation . " ] . ;„„( .,. '« Miuiitzhte , which stands conspicuously among the roremoht of the monthly productions of the Titans of modern literature , has for May brought forth as goodly a collection oi things new and old as can well be conceived . " Compromise ; the lorms on which K very body Surrenders" is anmslerlv artiele , the moral ot which is that , whatever wo wish for or attain in lite , we are sure to find ourselves at last pleased and benefited by that which was our ll
chief source of pleasure and benefit at first . " ( JryGrange proceeds cleverly and with unflagging interest . There is also a very valuable article on " Ceylon ; " and among other papers we may mention as extremely interesting the following : " Concerning tho Dignity ol J ) ulnes 8 ; " "On certain Aspects of loleratuni ; \\ heat and TnVes , a Tale ; " " Phrenology and Psychology ; and ' lho Life and Writings of Madame Swotchino . " ¦ The article on the wearisome discussion about Mr . Collier ' , fulio Sliakeapeai-o is written \ viLl » more moderation than most of the dissertations on this ^ subjectj and concludes with a kind of overture of peace between tho
contL '> Th " Cw " M /!/// Muqazino for May has tho bloom of ifca own spring fragn . nt enough about it , and gives promise of a very rich harvest . In Its May number , it exhibits , in . no small measure , tho ability ot tho ripo intellects at work upon it . " The iramloy Parsonage , which eoiuinenws tho present nnmber , ovinces so deep , clour , ana true » m . insight in human life and affairs * , that wo wonder how all that worldly experience and observation over got into so quiet a ,, l , u . o : i « the parsonage . Following this ,, is n . c pital article , with , an UuHlra ion " Oi . Cainpaigning in China . " Next is a truly do g t frf paper . upon " Little Scholars . " Then , after » oi » o beautiful hnoa bt'annnng <( ^^ ^^ ^ ^ j Bl { in of BU btlo tracery /' % vo find a clever nnd elaborate fourth chapter concerning tho " Pro-
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Kay 5 , 18 GO . ] The Leader and Saturday Analyst . 429
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* aniuibimt / H f'n Mourn . Uy lltn Antlior" of" WiWIlower / ' " WooJcIkIi , " &o- » &o . Tliroo volr ' i . ilui-Bt « i . a lJluckitt . ' Htc , ifno ' n Grirf ' i or , . T , <» uii < i , Kc < khi < t , «>"' ^ iinlhu / . Hy the Author of " Bow Garroltn ' / 1 " Fnnik ' n i \ Jiid (> iiiiii ) " ko ., kc . William Tweitlio . Revelation * <> C ft Vni / ivlif . / 'Wo / . Ity the llov . BlAVlUCH JroitTOJT . Charles U . Clurko .
Seculah Iiomances.*
SECULAR IlOMANCKS . *
Serials.
SERIALS .
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Leader (1850-1860), May 5, 1860, page 429, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2346/page/17/
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