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APBJftJfe, 1855.) T;jaiE 3L&Jl.P::Efo. 4...
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A BATCH OF BOOKS. The Exemplary Novels o...
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WANJPEUINGS IN CORSfCA. Wanderitiffs .in...
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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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Xes Idees Napoleoniennes.* Ma Voix Est L...
tion . In 1804 , the hereditary title df tthe Emperor ' s family was recognised by four millions of votes ( 3 , 321 , 675 ; ) , ; and j aince that time the people has not been consulted . . . As the eldest of the nephews of Napoleon , then , I may consider myself the representative dfihe popular choice—I'will not say of ihe Empire , because , in the lapse of twenty years , the ideas and the requirements of France have necessarily-changed . " And to his mother he wrote the following lines , expressive ofihis < own entire disinterestedness : — " Strong in my conviction , which bad long made me look upon the cause of Napoleonism as the cause of the nation in France , and as the only civilising cause in Europe—proud of the nobleness and the purity of my intentions—I had become firmly resolved to elevate again the Imperial Eagle , or fall a victim to my political belief . " _ . _ . ... .. , ' .... et Militaires
Pass we on to " the defeat . " In the" Considerations " Politiques sur la Suisse , the illustrious exile pointedly alludes to the vengeance France ¦ will yet exact for Waterloo , and speaks with equal confidence of renewing Jena and Austerlitz in order to give liberty to Switzerland and to Europe . But the iron pierced most deeply into bis soul when compelled to seek an asylum on the hospitable shores of perfidious Albion . The change even to the dungeon of Ham was delightful and invigorating . " Banished for twenty-five years , twice betrayed by fate , 1 have experienced all the vicissitudes and sorrows of this life ; and having got the better of the illusions of youth , I find in the native air I breathe , in study , in the seclusion of a prison , a charm which I have not experienced when participating in the enjoyments of foreign countries , where , vanquished , I had to drink out of the same cup as the conqueror of Waterloo ; " We cannot say how far this terrible degradation was literally true , but certainly the Emperor appears to have submitted with cheerful resignation to a necessity that was so
distressing to the Adventurer . " f . We have only time and space for 'two more of the Idees Napoleoniennes , though it would be no difficult task to write a volume upon such a prolific subject , and the more easily -in -that they have been so practically illustrated by the inheritor of that great man ' s throne . One favourite object with the Emperor was to recal to France all yrhom fear or disaffection had driven into banishment . And this amiable longing was shared by Louis Napoleon when candidate for the Presidentship . " The Republic , " he wrote , " ought to be generous and have faith in its future who have suffered exile and captivityappeal
prospects ; and for my part I , , with all my warmest aspirations to that day when the country may , without danger , put an end to all proscriptions , and efface the last traces of our civil discords . " But not only did the Emperor propose to restore to their homes and their native land those who had so long endured the sorrows and hardships of expatriation , he also intended to place arms in the hands of every citizen , and to trust to patriotism for the defence of the fatherland . So strongly was he impressed with this " idea , " that his nephew represents him in Elysium angrily demanding of his successors , " Have you organised the National Guard in such a manner as to form an invincible barrier
• against invasion ? " After pausing for a reply , the mighty Shade answers himself , " No ; you have preserved of my reign nothing but what was transitory , nothing but momentary obligations , and you have rejected all the advantages which palliated its defects . "
Apbjftjfe, 1855.) T;Jaie 3l&Jl.P::Efo. 4...
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A Batch Of Books. The Exemplary Novels O...
A BATCH OF BOOKS . The Exemplary Novels of Cervantes . Translated 'from the Spanish by Walter K . "Kelly . Bohn . A Journey through the United States and Part-of Canada . By the -Rev . Robert Everest , M . A . John Chapman . America and the Americans . Vy W . E . Baxter , Esq ., M . P . Routledge . JS : ec 6 llectidns : ofthe-Mv 3 S ^ dble andtJte Stage . By Henry , Ourling . T . iBosworth . Inez : A Tale of the Alamo . New York : Harner . and Brothers . The Lost Heiress . By Mrs . -Southvorth . ^ Ward and JLock . We are not sufficiently well acquainted -with the Spanish language to be able > to offer , an op inion on the merits of the present version of the Exemplary Novels . All that we can do-is to note down our impressions as English ceaders of the new translation from Cervantes . with which Mr . Kelly has provided us . The Exemplary Novels—or , Moral Tales , as we should have been iemntedto call them—have more freshness and > novelty , in the higher
sense of those twords , than nine-tenths . of the professedly " new fictions published'in the present day . Giving us hardly . move than a . glimpse , now ana then , df the exquisite humour of Cervantes , some of these stories exhibit little triumphs df character-painting—of nirture represented in miniaturewhich arc worthy even of the master-hand that drew Don Quixote and his matchless Squire . There is a mixture of ingenuity and simplicity , of carefully-disciplined Art and genially free Nature in , the . Exemplary Novels , which , in -our opinion , renders . them quite original as works of their class . We prefer , for example , the charming story of The Little Gipny Girl ( from TVhich the libretto of Weber ' s Preciosa was taken ) to all that Boccaccio has over written . Let our readers begin with this tale , and we have no doubt that the present collection of the Exemplary Novels ¦ vr ' tli shove with Don Quixote that most honourable of all positions in the Library— 'the popularlysituated shelf which is within everybody ' s reach .
Qur two last now books about America are not very remarkable . Mr . Everest . is an ardent democrat . He is a little shocked at the Institution of Slavery , hut * in every other respect he cites the United States as dffbring a model to the world . In this country—although our traveller writes with vigour and clearness , uind collects fuots with patience and intelligence—we are afraid that the circulation of . hiB book may be rather unfavourably . rtffectod by the uncompromising extremities to whioh his opinions carry him . Though differing from him ourselves in some of'his principles : and in many of his deductions , wo can most willingly give him full oredit for a manly fcankaess-which tourists of all shades of opinion would do well to'emulate ; and . we aan fovm no . batter wish for the success of his book than that readers in general may bo . disposed to follow our example . Our second traveller in America , . Mr ; .. Baxter , being more conservative and conventional than Mr . BvB »« 8 t , i 8 dikely . * o : gQt on bettor . iHo appeals to that . large public which likes ' . reapoctoiblo : platitudos . When Sir A . Alison , Mr . Wurren , and Mr .
. Tupper , axe -actually thought capable of writing -history , fiction , and poetry by some thousands of persons who—excepting the hours they devote ± o reading—exhibit no extraordinary imbecility in the yarious transactions oi their lives , there seems to be no reason why Mr . Baxter should not become very successful , in certain circles , as an amusing American traveller . Mr . Curling ' s book of go 63 i p aboTit soldiers and actors is written in the penny-a-line style , with quotations in almost every other sentence , and some morsels of smart writing thrown in here and there to make the . work attractive to the Gent . public . We have found this " Mess-table Chat" " Green-room Gossip" an extremely dismal little volume to read . The author informs us that his stage-stories are mostly derived from the conversation of ""the celebrated comedian Samuel Russell . " If Mr . Russell was
not more amusing as an actor than he was ( judging only by Mr . Curling ? B report ) as a teller of anecdotes , it strikes us that the public of his day mubt have enjoyed . a remarkably serious entertainment when they went to the theatre to see him . perform . We have sat in the company of a considerable number of country clergymen in our time ; but such singularly pointless and helplessly dreary stories about nothing at all ,- as Mr . Curling ' s stories from the mouth of Mr . ^ Russell * Tvere never before inflicted on us . The militarypart of the work is ; a trifle . better—one article in it , called " My First Detachment , ' * being almost amusing , by contrast with the Kuasell stories But , upon the whole , we shall accurately convey to our readers what our own impression has been of The Mess-table and the Stage , if we venture on substituting a new title for the title chosen by the author , and mention the work in the strictest confidence as—The Bore ' s Own Book .
Inez : a Tale of the Alamo , is " respectfully" dedicated to " the Texan patriots , who triumphantly unfurled and waved aloft the banner of the Lone Star who wrenched asunder the iron bands of despotic Mexico ! andwreathed the brow of the QueenState with the glorious chapletof civil and religious liberty !" In spite of this martial preliminary nourish , the perusal of the JBLrst chapter of Inez was quite enough to convince us that the book was the production of a fair lady—^ a young and artless cr eature , as we -love to think her . Let us report with all due gallantry on her book . The period of the story is the time of the Texan war . Though a novel in one volume , Inez contains three heroines : —No . 1 , " slight and drooping . " No . 2 , tall , haughty , and
intellectual , with a forehead " unusually prominent and white . " No .. 3 , Inez herself—a passionate beauty , with " large Spanish eyes , restless and piereino-, flashing out at times the thoughts of her inmost soul . " While these tliree ladies , in various ways , interest and charm us , there is an entirely original character'i n the shape of a wily and unscrupulous Jesuit priest , who , from time to time , shocks and terrifies us . Further , we have to recommend the book-to'p ious parents and guardians , as written under the influence of the strictest Protestant principles ; and to introduce it to young ladies in general , as containing some very nice " love , " seasoned pleasantly with j ust enough fighting to make the whole story agreeable . to
In the caee of The Lost Heiress , we have to plead guilty following-a highly improper course . We began this novel at the end—or , in other words , tried to get at the story by a Bpecies of nefarious short-cut . The first passage we opened on , under these circumstances , was the following description of a bride and bridegroom on the wedding morning : — She had attired herself with that poetical beauty which—say as you will—onlylove can inspire and teach for the beloved one ' s eyes . Her morning dress was pure and delicate-white cambric , slightly edged with the finest lace . Her luxuriant hair of golden auburn fell in resplendent ringlets down her beautiful and blooming face . Expectation had heightened the vivid flush of her cheeks , and kindled ithe brilliant light of her eyes .
Then there was the quick , light sound of horse's hoofs galloping up to ithe doorthe elastic spriug of the rider from the saddle—hurried footsteps up the , portico —^ a word with the servant in waiting at the door-Aand in another instant Falconer was in the room and Maud was . in .. his . arms , jpressed to his bosom—wa * m heart to heartflushed cheek to cheek—and the golden " ringlets . to Iravenlocks . ; It -was-a-close , silent , impassioned embrace of fervid , pure , young love—a love ineffable and full of joy—a joy too great for speech ! She was the first to recover self-possession—< wi ( h her beautiful face dyed with blushes , she gently strove to release herself . And he , with a love too tender to constrain , freed her , still lightly holding one white hand , and gazing with unutterable affection upon her charming downcast fdco . . And howhandaome he-looked , with his fine , . athletic , yet graceful form , * alid dark resplendent countenance , full of * strength and fire . He spoke . firat—" Maud ! my own Maud ! fairest angel ! lookup . ' let J »« sec , yaur blessed eyes ! "
_ . „ , , Smiling a little . at his enthusiasm , she lifted her white lids and shot one swift , J * l \ y glance into the dark splendour of his eyea ' , and thon dropped them again ,: ina confusion so beautiful and bewitching that hor lover nearly lost his reason , and snatched and strained her to his bosom in a . delirium of passionate delight . At this point , with moistened eyes , blushing choeks , and palpitating heart , wo closed the book . Voluptuous tine writing may be all very well for readers of a certain class . 13 ut the critic is bound by tho nature of his arduous vocation to be an austere man . When he finds a lady with resplendent ringlets snatched to a gentleman ' s bosom in a delirium of passionate delight , ho retires , shaking his head , and leaves all remaining raptures to the luxurious general public !
Wanjpeuings In Corsfca. Wanderitiffs .In...
WANJPEUINGS IN CORSfCA . Wanderitiffs . in Corsica . Translated from the Gorman of Gregoroyiufl by Alexander Muil / Edinburgh : Constable and Co . Corsica , for its . size , is the most interesting country in the world . Its history is full of action , distinct and dramatic j its pooplo and thcrr customs arc to this day marked and peculiar ; it hoasts many men who may bo culled " ¦ heroes" of the heroic Btamp—and the most notorious horo in tho world w « B a Ooraican in . birth , blood , and breeding . A good book , tolling us " all about Coraica , " as a lady-reader would say , was , therefore , something devoutly to bo wished , and it comes in these two volumes . We hare curiosity satisfied on all points . Tho writer travels about Corsica , deaenbea
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), April 28, 1855, page 19, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_28041855/page/19/
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