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    Kay 5,I860] The Leader and'Saturday Anal...

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    .SECULAR ROMANCES.* rpHE author of "Wild...

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    * Q randmothor's Mono,,. Uy tho Author o...

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    SERIALS. IN the KorUi American Bevi'eto ...

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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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    New Poems.* "Poetry Is Distinguishable I...

    ofMr . Noake ' s " War Songs , " though devoted , as well as partly dedicated , to the . volunteer artillery and riflemen of Great ^ Britaui . It would have been better if the writer had elaborated one good son " , than hurried through-a volume of indifferent lyrics , in . which . the ° war spirit is more obvious than the poetic .

    Kay 5,I860] The Leader And'saturday Anal...

    Kay 5 , I 860 ] The Leader and ' Saturday Analyst . 429

    .Secular Romances.* Rphe Author Of "Wild...

    . SECULAR ROMANCES . * rpHE author of " Wildflower , " and several other popular stories , L has again appeared in a new work , entitled * ' Grandmother ' s Money " We do not think we shall be far wrong : in stating ; the present to be one of the most perfect of this author ' s productions . There is throughout more than ordinary discernment in the delineation of humtuTpassions aii / l emotions ; every individual in the story stands out from the majority of characters by some peculiarity or eccentricity of its own ; and the story itself is conveyed in language at once fluent , natural , and-graceful . ' in the

    My Grandmother , Mrs . Tresdaile , is introduced prologue to the book as having- attained her seventy-seventh year , possessing much wealth , and suffering under a disease , the nature of which is not alluded to , but from which no hopes are entertained of her recovery . A bevy of relatives , grandsons , granddaughters , nephews , nieces , grnndnephews , and cousins four and five degrees removed , besie g e 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 endowed with the provoking faculty of reading the hearts of others , and has acquired the unpleasant knack of separating outward expressions of affection and regard from their utteranceremains perfectly

    the selfish motives which actuate , stoical and unconcerned amid the numerous solicitations for her eternal welfare , which might easily have overwhelmed a less hardy temperament , and answers each earnest and beseeching countenance with a significant grunt and growl . Ultimately she submits to a surgical operation , and the , anxious group of expectant watchers are suddenly startled by the . intelligence that " grandmother 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 ? presenting to us iu fall costume one Miss Barbara Bioyce , the hk-ed companion of Mrs . Tresdaile , now grown very old . somewhat i » iirm , but as snappish , suspicious , and ill-tempered as ever . - In'fact ,-this old lady , who , through the greater portion of the first-two volumes occupies a prominent position , is the most ablv-drawn character in the book . The author evidently possesses

    a large fund of humour , the resources of which he has by no means spared upon this eccentric specimen of a strong-minded , independent , and self-willed old lady , whose peculiar idiocrasy of speaking her mind upon all occasions , and speaking it , moreover , without any consideration for other people ' s idiocrasies 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 affections 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 fully proved in the sequel . On the other hand , all grana * inother ' s hatied-TnTd-TrrmTTry ^^ individual ,. one George Keldon , who has the misfortune to be the onlv son of that lad y ' s undutifnl daughter , whose runaway marriage

    with a penniless adventurer has drawn upon herself and offspring the eternal malediction of her august parent . Concerning the ultimate fate of this same George Kehlon , Grandmother Iresdaile has been endowed with the spirit of prophecy , in obedience to which she has every morning for twelve years read patiently through the list of criminal cases in the Times newspaper , in expectation ot finding her grandson figuring notoriously therein . Grandmother Tresdaile is also remarkable for the number of wills executed and destroyed during her lifetime , amounting in all to fifty-two ; the last of which is on-the eve of sharing , the -futp of its predecessors , from further

    when death steps in and releases the old woman trouble and irresolution . It is not our intention to spoil the reader s enjoyment of this excellent story by detailing the whole plot . Suffice it that wo have given the abovo sketch ot one of the most original and amusing characters in the novel . We have merely to add that the subsequent development of tho two next important personages in tho druinn , ' Alice Tresdaile and Andrew Bloyeo , is in tho highest degree artistic , and true to nature . Ahco , being the heroine , has an especial claim upon our' sympathies ; and her first heavy trial of constancy and Bclf-sacrificc is met with all that hobil ' ity of soul and true devotcdness of heart , of which woman s nature is so peculiarly capable . We can safely predict for this

    novel a great and permanent success . . " Steyno's Griof" is a story evidently intended by tho author to show tho evil effects of self-indulgence . It id cleverly written , though tho accumulation of horrors presented to the reader as the readiest , means tho author could devise of impressing him with a duo ' sense of his morals , is somewhat beyond our appreciative faculties . . We confess to deming no enjoyitieui from mere scenes of brutal drunkenness , men wantonly wringing the , necks of unfortunate members of tho dumb creation , throttling their wives , and cutting

    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 for . 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 main- 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 . There 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 . * * * m Catholic Priest

    A series of tales , entitled " Revelations of a , " 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 Romish faith . We are , however , expressly informed in the preface that such is not the case , especial care having been taken to exclude all sentiments calculated to irritate either of the two great branches into which the Christian religion is . divided . In one sense this 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 svsteni of belief .

    * Q Randmothor's Mono,,. Uy Tho Author O...

    * Q randmothor ' s Mono ,,. Uy tho Author of" Wildflowcr / ' " WoolcigV & o ., & o . Three vols . Ilurat uinl'BlucktU . Stei / Ho ' a Grief ; or , ' Zoning , ftrrtlujr , «»

    Serials. In The Korui American Bevi'eto ...

    SERIALS . IN the KorUi American Bevi ' eto foi April we find a dozen very ably written articles upon a diversity of interesting and important subjects . Biography , 'poetry ; law , literature , and science are severally reviewed and criticised in a manner that gives to the opinions of this Review considerable weight and authority . We have merely- to instance the first article'in -tills numbjr , onHie ' " . Memoirs of William Beckford , Author of Vathek , " 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 . " Money and Credit , " " The Letters and Times of Basil of Ca } sarea , " " The Law of Divorce , " and " Darwin on Species , ^ showequal ly the ability and learning of the Review , and we trust it may find numerous readers in England . . '' ., ' . ,, « . *¦• t Blaclwood for the current month opens with an excellent article on '" ¦ Warand Progress in China . " The next , on " Munich and its ^ ehool ~ of ~ Ghwstiai >^ Jbd-,: LJs _ JUa ^^ Narrative of his Adventures in Somali Land wiTl be reaa- \ yitff « reat interest , as revealing to us the ways of a people and the aspect of a country hitherto unfamiliar to the generality of readers . " Judicial Puzzles " and- ' -the second part of " Wellington s Career afford much instruction . In this number there is also a rather lengthy and very favourable review of " The Mill on tho Floss . There are , too , an amusing fcuilleton , and a capital article on Switzerland and French Annexation . "

    " _ ,, „ Fraser ' s Maaazhic , which stands conspicuously among the toremost of the monthly productions of tho Titans of modern literature , has for May brought forth as goodly a collection ot things new and old as can well be conceived . " Compromise ; the Terms on which Everybody Surrenders " is a masterly article , the moral ot which is that , whatever wo wish for or attain in life , wo are sure to find ourselves at hist pleased and benefited by that which was our chief source of pleasure and benefit at first . u Gryll Grange proceeds cleverly and with unflagging interest . Thero is also a very valuable article on " Ceylon ; " and among other papers , wo may tho

    mention its extremely interesting tho following > : " Concern ng Dignity of Dulness ; " "On certain Aspects ot Toleration ; Wheat nnd ¦ Tares , a Tale ; " " Phrenology and Psychology ; and ' The Life und Writings of Madamo Swetchine . " The article on the wearisome discussion about Mr . Collier ' s folio Shakespeare is written with more moderation thah most of the dissertations on this subject i and concludes with a kind of overture of peace between the con-61 Tl !! e S ( SrJtTli Magazine for May lias tho bloom of its own spring fragrant enough about it ,. nnd gives promisp of a very rich » j »; veBt ' In its May number , it exhibits , in no small measure , tl » e ability of the ripe intellects at work upon it . " . The . Framley Parsonage ' which commences tho present number , evinces so deep , clear , and true an insight in human life and aflfoirs , thut wo wonder how all that worldly experience and observation ever got into so quiet a place as tho parsonage . Following this is a . crmtal article , with Bg frustration "On Campaigning in China . " Next is a truly del ghtful pap ?/ upon ' Little SclTolark . " Then , after some beautiful linos beginning ( ^^ ^^ ' o mcro fkW of gubtlo trft ' cery /' we find a clever and elaborate fourth chapter concerning tho " Pro-

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), May 5, 1860, page 17, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_05051860/page/17/