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    LADY MOKGAJS".*

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    following gloomy night , we must refer the reader to the work itself . ¦ ¦ ¦ , ., . We have no space to pursue the narrative in its connexions . Our readers' must imagine :-that our adventurers have left Cape Alexander whole leagues behind them , and that now there are " troublesome ice-field ' s in sight ; water—a great wide waste of swelling waters—was all around " , them . Shortlived ,. however , was their felicity . Fortitude and indomitable will were yet required . Snow-storms and snow-drifts combined to try the patience and courage of officers and men . Bravely they stood the test . They Jiad great difficulty in shooting the fox—the animal was so shy ; and the same was the case with the seal and the walrus , so that they could not be captured . The materials for fire , also , were with difficulty obtained . And how without fire should they obtain water , for they hud to depend on melting the snow or ice ? Twenty miles above Cape Parry , we . find them visiting a colony of Esquimaux , and rejoicing in their hospitality . The settlement consisted of two stone huts , twenty yards apart ! It seemed more fitted for the dwelling-place of wild animals than for the home of human beings . Around" it was a wilderness of . rocks , and snow , and ice . The description of the place and its inhabitants is most interesting . We now come to the 27 th September , when a fresh anxiety awaited them . The summer gone , winter coming , the hills covered with snow , the valleys filled with drift , the streams » U dried up , the sea shrouded in its gloomy mantle;—night , the long arctic nightwas setting in . ¦ " Already the sun was beneath the horizon during the far greater part of each twenty-four hours , and in a short time he would sink to rise no more until February . " And they were without any preparation for the long winter darkness , with scarcely two weeks' provisions remaining ! They proceeded to build a hut , which they constructed in the crevice of a rock . But the shelter was incomplete ; for the storm raged for days together . But on the 6 th October , the weather mended ; and their spirits became more cheerful as the sun brightened . Nevertheless , their distresses intensified;—but their hut was " providentially-discovered by Esquimaux . Their presence , however , led to a peril in regard to our author , from which he scarcely escaped . He was attacked by their pack of tlurteen hungry ' dogs , and owed his deliverance to an incident which partakes of the marvellous . These dogs are reclaimed wolves—and their nature is altogether wolfish . Two weeks * famine followed this adventure , together with the necessity -of breaking up their boat for fuel : The Esquimaux had them at their mercy , and were inclined to behave treacherously . These people ~ believe in the migration of souls , of which fact a curious j instance is given ; and also in witchcraft . . We inWt hasten to a conclusion . The Esquimaux were propitiated by the gifts which the party could make . Needles , in particular , were welcome to the women , who found them a wonderful improvement over the coarse bone instrument which they had previously used ; but their cupidity was excited , and our party of explorers must have fallen n sacrifice to it , but that the cunning and courage of the savage is unequal to the contest with the prestige that defends the civilized man . Mr . Hayes and his companions were , however , reduced to the direst of extremities , when the repentant Esquimaux again came to their relief . Provisions once more became abundant ; and we have even the description of a feast , which is exciting , and somewhat instructive ; for during it the author possessed himself of some Esquimaux traditions , which assumed"fhe shape of astronomical fables , sonie of which are not without their grace . But this relief was only temporary— -all the old annoyances returned / and preparations were made for'leaving their refuge in Booth Bay . Here new difficulties and dangers supervened , trials too severe for human nature ., and resulting in unconsciousness . Among the phenomena described are the following , of a psychological and subjective character : — " I looked on every side with a yearning for something outward to lighten the heavy weight which oppressed my spirits ; for darker times , and times of greater responsibility , I knew were near at hand ; but desolation and the silence ofdeath were every where around me ; and better than ever before , better probably than ever again , I felt what it was to depend upon oneself and . God . . Then Ciime a reaction which will bo readily understood by the intelligent reader . I arose from the rock upon which I hud been seated , and again fixed my eyes upon the sea . The stern silence which hud been almost maddening , became now a source ol inspiration . In the reflux of thought which followed , I forgot the cold moon , the leaden Rturs , the frowning cliffs , the desolate wasto , the chilly glacier ; forgot my loneliness ; and I was buck again m the world of life and power and act ion . The frozen sen grew into a fertile plain ; tho hnmmooked ridges were resolved into walls and hedges ; ami a southern panorama of sunny fields spread itself before me . A crack which meandered to tho south-west , which had recently opened with the tide , and from which were curling up wreaths of " frost-smoke , " favoured the illusion . Clusters of httlo hummocks suggested herds of cattle and Hocks of shdep . Larger massos were converted into trees ; and a long bank of snow , whose verticnl will threw n dark shadow on the plain , was the . nmipu ol a dense ( brent . Further away , a pinnacled berg became a church with spire and belfry ; another wore the appearance of a nnneit castle ; while still further to tho south-west , where the stream seemed to discharge itself into tho ocean , stood a giant fort , under whoBO briHtliiifr guns lay a fleet of wtately ships ; " Around all that 1 saw were clustered home associations , ana objects which , years before , had siiggeated to my boyish mind the serious purposes of life ; mid I turned away with renewed strougth to fight tho battle through , and with renewed determination to

    behold again those scenes which my imagination had grouped together on the desolate sea . " This may serve as an example of our author ' s style , as well as a most significant instance of philosophical observation . It is , indeed , a fact of the utmost value , and Mr . Hayes has done well to draw attention to it . But we must hasten to the end . Having effected their escape from the Esquimaux , " which was only done by narcotising their visitors , and seizing their dogs and sledges ; the measure resulted in the subjection of the Esquimaux , who afterwards aided in their flight . The whole of the narrative abounds in interest . In safety at last they reached the brig , and were received , in an almost senseless state , by Dr . Kane at the gangway . This book will well reward perusal ; the reader will find it more stimulating than a romance . Mr . Hayes , however , cautions us against these adventures being taken na normal characteristics of Arctic travel . " The case of the boat-journey of 1854 is , " he says , " exceptional ; " and he ' is willing to go forth again , being convinced that "the way has been gradually prepared for an ultimate success , which is certain . "

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    June 9 , I 860 ] TAe Leader and Saturday Analyst . 547

    Lady Mokgajs".*

    LADY MOKGAJS " . *

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    A MONG the changes that time brings , none are more startling than the difference in the estimates of public characters at different dates . The statesman whom one age applauds to the skies , is voted a sorry rogue by advanced enlightenment . The remark holds good also in the . case of literary men . No one in his day and generation was oftener on the lips of his contemporaries than the late Mr . Croker . Tadpole and Taper were always quoting him . " Have you read Mgbys last article ? " was considered a very passable remark in days gone by . Alas ! for the transitory nature of all human institutions . Since our Right Honourable was wont to hold up a " mis-spelling to the indignation of an outraged public , " what changes have taken place ! A generation has arisen ignorant ' of Joseph Croker ' s feuds with Keats , Madame D'Arbiay , and Macauhiy on matters of . history . In like manner , his elaborate and systematic ehaff ' . of poor Lady Morgan would have been forgotten , had iiot Mr . Fitzpatriek arisen , and shown him up in the book before us . We cannot compliment Mr . Fitzpatriek on his labour of love . He must bear with ; us while we speak our mind . If demands some pluck to criticise a * Irishman , but the Leader knows ho fear ; -so we proceed . Mr . Fitzpatriek has ciearly proved-that tliere exists - another "fighting family" in the Emerald Isle . We have all of us heard of _ the " fighting Fitzgeralds ; " this book introduces ns to the fighting Fitzpatricks . It consists of an attack on lories in general , arid " Mr . Croker in particular . Lady Morgams all " my fancypainted '¦ her , ' - ' , and who daresmeddle witlune ? _ Sydney' Owenson was born in 1775 . Her father was one oTflie most eccentric of men . Educated at a hedge-school , —first a C . itholie then a Protestant , he began life as steward to one bir . Joan Browne- but he took but small account of his stewardship , and we shortly find him giving way to his passion of acting , and ^ om ^ on the stage . Some interesting notices of the Irish stage as it existed at the close of the last century follow . An animated discussion as to whether Lady Morgan was ever on the stage follows . Wo learn that when a mere child , she sang admirably , aud evinced consider-- ^ bl ^ talent 84 n ^^ e ^ arious ^ ccomp hshmeiita ^ yJbiMSk , g , o to the , tnukin gof a popular young lady . Tr i Many allowances must be made for Lady Morgan , Her education was imperfect . Her early associates were mostly the actors and actresses performing in the different Irish theatres . Her father was as unlucky as the father of the immortal Becky teharp . Indeed , he was not unlike him . Substitute actor for painter , and Mr Thackeray ' s cunning portraiture would do for them equally well It appears that when Owenson was in funds he was a reckless , jovial fellow—always ready to stand treat to any of his friends : a lending borrowing bein ^—not safe , but wonderfully good-natured and agreeable . He tried all sorts of ways and means , — land-steward , actor , wine and spir it merchant : unsuccessful at all , is the result of tho summing up of Mr . Fitzpatriek . , . With such brlnying up . what could be expected of a wild lrisn -virl ? " Superficial and second-rate , she essays noval-wntmg , and fails , ' She is not , however , discouraged by her first defeat;—sue writes , and writes again . The critics let her alone . Such small trame as " St . Clair" was beneath their notice . She was more tortu late in some of her songs . Undoubtedly she possessed the knack of song-writing . Her stanzas—patriotic and sentimental—were no sooner printed than they became popular—the test of the merits Ot BeSfs ' writing novels , plays , and poems , our authoress found time to " answer" Mr . Oroker , who , by his " Favuhar Amstlea , had caused no small stir among the acting profession in Ireland . Her reply was bitter , but weak ; and her opponent was fur too " cunning at fence" to be baffled by peevish couplets . He continued to strike , and his blows told terribly on her irritable and nervous temperament . : „«;«„ f hroiighou t her career , Ludy Morgan suffered from- the mil ctionofMr , Uigby ' a eloquence . The Qwrterlv iiWic , and the IMeraru Gazette pooh-poohed her in England ; und in bcotluntt sZZood took up P the cudgels in , l « fo , ioe of propriety , amI d « l it . best to write tho daring offender down . Tho Mfomvumjmajnoro /„„ . J ? H « Ll « , ami a Word to horValum . niao , 'H . By WlLUAM JoilX AIT * fatiuok , J . l \ London : O . J . Skoot . 1800 .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), June 9, 1860, page 547, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2351/page/15/