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Leader (1850-1860), 11th June 1859, Edition 1 of 3, Page 719, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      NEW NOVELS . CONFIDENCES . By the author of "'Rita . "—Smith , Elde : and Co . . MIRIAM COPLEY . By J . Cordy Jeaffreson- ; author o ¦ "Novels and Novelists , " and "Crewc Rise , " 3 vols .-Hurst and Blackctt . WHO IS TO HAVE IT ? A novel , by the author o " The Nethervroods of Otterpool . "—George Itoutledg < and Co . ¦ A MOTHER'S TRIAL . By the author of "The Disciplim of Life , " "Tito-Young Lord , " &C , &c—Hurst anc Blackett . SOME YEARS AFTER . A Talc . —John Henry and James Parker . . ¦ ¦ ' We give thp first place among the new novels to " Confidences . " It is not many montlis since we spoke in very liigli terms of praise of the author ' s previous work , " Rita . " People that read novels for the story will not be so well p leased with " Confidences ; " although we think it by far the best work of the two . But it is perhaps hardly fair to draw a comparison between the two Works ; they are written in very different styles . In " Rita" the author employs the pen of a woman writing her ¦ own life ; in " Confidences" the writer assumes the pen of a philosophical clergyman . The best idea , we can give the reader of" the work before us , is to suppose the celebrated philosopher in Goldsmith ' s Citizen of the World transformed into the Rev . Herbert Esdaile , curate of Ashford . The first part of the work is written in letters by Mr . Esdaile to his sister the Baroness Schonburn , at Dresden . In this correspondence the curate gives a full length portrait of all the notabilities of his parish ; As he is a man of vast sympathies , very enlightened views , and a great love for his kind ; and having withal peculiar facilities from his position for studying chai'acter , it may be imagined that his letters are pregnant with philosophical reflections on modem society . Being the parson of the village , he is admitted every where ; hears every one ' s affairs , from Sir Richard Ashford down to John Hurst , the infidel . He points out their foibles with the pen of a Gold r smith , and never breaks out into wild diatribes on society because it is not exactly as lie wishes it . Generally speaking , we aro not partial to novels when the narrative is told in letters ; we make an exception , however , in favour of " . Confidences , " because the tale is only the second consideration . The writer would have found it rather difficult to have put all his crude remarks and philosophising in the mouth of one character , if told in the narrative form ; and in such a case he could not have conveyed so distinctly the impression he has now done . " Confidences " is written in the most pleasing , manner of any novel we have read for ycai-s past ; and we advise all our readei' 3 to send to Bull ' s , and get it at- once , assuring them that they will be heartily pleased with its perusal . " Miriam Copley" is a peculiar novel . It is very clever , but it is also very faulty . Mr . Jeafn-cson has made the best use of his materials , but he has selected all his characters from one class of persons . They are all selfish , over-reaching people , and would not do a fellow creature a good turn , if to do so would in the least inconvenience themselves . Had there been a nearer balance of good and evil depicted in its pages , tTie impression left after reading it would be far more satisfactory to the reader . As it is , one suspects the author oflooking on society from either a jaundiced eye , or a very narrow point of view . The aim of the work is to show that people rubbing shoulders with , and tripping up their neighbours , and practising all sorts of villames just without the pale of the law are not the most happy , and that wealth , power , and position will not bring peace of mind to a dishonourable person . There are many auoh persons , and to expose their rottenness is a very fertile theme for the pen of the novelist . Mi * . Jeaffi'oson has done this in a manly earnestness , equal in parts to " Vanity Fair , " but he has done himself great injustice by only showing the darkeidq of sooiety , We are not advocates of the perfect male and fomalo characters that we generally find in novels , but they should certainly not bo all of one type , and that typo the least reputable . Hud there been only ono good among the many characters in " Miriam Copley , " the aim of the author would have been better illustrated ; as the contrast thus shown might havo made th , c work equal to the best of the season . Mr . Jcairroson ' s tone and style i » ay bo gathered ironi the following small extract : — f I ahull bo nltloil— -commiseration is so plentiful and xnorcy so fushionablo } thon , too , tho ( . 'lolicaoy , and

      refinement , and the aesthetic sensibility ,, which will feel themselves attached , and will respond in their various delicate and refined and altogether exemplary strains ! How severe will wives , whose husbands are neither mad nor felons , be on me ! and how sternly will murder be judged by gentle creatures who are so good Christians , to love their children better than their own souls ! " Miriam Copley" is the ablest of Mr . Jeaffreson ' s works . When next we meet with him , we hope his ill humour will have worn away , and that he will have a little better opinion of human nature . " Who is to have it ? " Who is to have what ? Why , a nice little estate of some three or four hundred acres , and a charming young wife to boot . The story is not very original , nor the author's moralising very profound , but the narrative is spirited , and the characters all talk , and most of them act , like Ordinary human beings . Christopher Ruxeley has an adopted daughter , and , having no children himself , he wishes to leave his property to her on the condition that she marries Norman Meredith , an illegitimate son , as he thinks , of his elder brother . For this purpose he sends for his old friend , Edward Templeton , to draw xip his will . Templeton is closeted with the sick man one nig ht to draw up this instrument , but -wishing to marry Helen himself he poisons his friend andibrges a will that will , make ' the estate of Fernwold come to him if he can play his cards right and marry Helen . To accomplish this he manages to get her lover Norman married to Lilian Cray thorp , a mutual friend , to whorn the estate goes for a time . He then seeks poor Helen , in the greatest poverty ( he is her guardian ) , assists her in the most delicate manner , and _ finally declares his love . They are only just marc-ied when all his villanies expl ode ; and thus , through one person ' s wiekedness , several are made unhappy . Fortunately he dies , and the estate passes to the proper owner . Most of the characters ai * e well draAvn , but on the whole , we are not inclined to think that " Who is to have it ? " is any improvement on the author ' s previous work , " The NTetherwoods of Otterpool . " It will , however ; pass muster with most of the novels , that are written to amuse the reader for an hour or two . .. "A Mother ' s Trial" is a little work we can recommend . It is the story of a mother ' s love for her son . The tale is very short . A mother wishes her son to be a clergyman . He is hardly fit for the calling ; being niore suited by nature for an active life . Being very fond of his mother however , sacrifices his own wishes to please her ; not because she presses him , but because he sees that to do so will make his mother happy . He enters on his new calling , but his restless impetuous natui-e will not allow him to remain in the quiet liie of a country clergyman . He therefore goes abroad as missionary to find a larger field for his labour . The climate and over-work soon tell on nature , never very strong , and he returns home , to live only just long enough to see his mother , Such is " A Mother's Trial . " The work breathes ¦ purity and refinement in every page , and convinces the reader that the writer is a lady of great accomplishments . " Some Ycnrs After " is the story of woman's life , prettily and unaffectedly told . It possesses , however , a ' fault which may considerably damage its chances of success amon «* that class of persons for whom it is intended , and that fault is the extreme length to which the story is drawn out . We reconmiend our readers , however , to endeavour to read it through ; the purpose is excellent , and they will fm < l in it every pjuaso of woman ' s life depicted by a person who has well studied the subject on which she writes .

      Untitled Article

      BOOKS RECEIVED . A Mothers Trial . Hurat and Blnckott . Tl . . llcr Thi > Jliotorical Mayaxino . No . 3 , Vol . A . JUiUicr A * Sha % hoJ ' tho C ™ p * rathn ItnHtl ** tfMo French ^^^ s « a ^^™ g * . . By Hov . C . H . Spurtfcon . A . Hall , Virtue and Co . iiniirv Nowland , D . D . J . H . «>"' ' ¦ l *«»»* l *« - 'fbSTES other Poams on Infants . Chapman Cummon iiQWO . a Pvom . W . Kent , nnd Co . iTltulmh do k . Marri * Moore , Ajmlon H J /«;;? J /« f Par loon Uatto . l ' arlt * : Alphonwj Tnuldo , Lowlvoa : L ? hX A ^ rt II . W . Jefll ,.

      Untitled Article

      About Jamaica : its Past , its Present , and its Future By Robert Emery . John Evans . A p amphxet written to remind us that the interests of the British . colonists are identical with our own . The emancipated negroes , , it seems , have not proved good labourers . The want of labour operates as a cause of the decay of the island . An increase of population is required ; the author , therefore , argues for an Immigration Bill . We think he is right . The French Correspondent . By L . NotteUe , B . A —Sunpldn , Marshall , and Co . Selections from the letters and specimens of the handwriting of eminent men . They will prove useful to the learner . '

      Lays of Judah ; and other Poems . By ' . Robert Frame . Hamilton , Adams and Co . The author writes in a moral and pious spirit ; but lacks poetic fire . Rustic Rhymes . By Frederick Price , Compositor . —Birmingham : Cornish Brothers . There is considerable vivacity and lyrical talent in these modest effusions . Common Sense , or Deception Detected ; a poem . By Mr . John Bull , Jun . W . Kent and Go . This is put forth as the 2 nd part of the 2 nd edition of a poem , which satirises church , law , physic , army , navy , fine arts , science , and literature . The verses are very unskilfully constructed . An English Education ; What it Means , and How it may be Carried Out . By the Rev . George Hif £ — Bell and Daldy . This is a second edition of a small but meritorious essay . The Historical Magazine ; and Notes and Queries , concerning the Antiquities , History , and Biography of America . May , 1859 . —New York : C . B . Richardson . No . 5 of Volume III . It contains a variety of contents , commencing with ai paper on " The Westminster Massacre , " read by B . H . Hall , before the New York Historical Society . King Stephen of Hungary ; a Drama , in Five Acts . By a Scene Shifter . T . C . Newby . We counsel the author to stick to 1 us scene-shifting , and not again to attempt scene-writing . History and Properties of the Different Varieties of

      tit . t . rf-S _ -ir » T i ~\ XT ^« "Ut * ~ t ? Cl C Qrf * - Natural Guanos . By J . C . Nesbit , F . G . S ., &c .: — Rogerson and Tuxford . The pamphlet professes to contain analyses of all the ' . different varieties of guano which have been imported into this country during the last eight or ten years . Kingston ' s Magazine for Boys , No . 4 , continues the tale of the three midshipmen , and contains eight other articles , which are readable , entertaining , and instructive . Tait contains the usual vai'ic-ty of articles of the average merit—none that claims special notice .

      Ladies' Treasury , No . 26 , is pleasantly illustrated and written . The papers amount to twenty . Studies from the Great Masters . Engraved and printed in colours . By William Dickers . With iirose illustrations . Hamilton , Adams , and Co . Tub subjects arc Dietrich ' s ' Itinerant Musicians , " and Sir Joshua Reynold's " Infiuit Academy . " Both are capitally executed . Hal / y May , and other Poems on Infants , HyW . C , Chapman and Hall

      Bennet . This reprint of several well-known poems will be welcome to the author ' s admirers . A Guide to Typography . By Henry Beadnell , Printer . . , } - Bowenng . No . 8 of an important and useful treatise . Moore ' s National Airs . Edited by Charles William Glover . No 1 . Longman & Co . This is the copyright edition , and contains ten ol tlioso excellent lyrics .

      Christianizing India . By a Christian Minister . — Simpkin , JVIarshall and Co . The writer disapproves pf teaching tho Hindoos the Christian religion by means of tho Athanasian creed and other methods considered orthodox . Nevertheless ho disclaims Unitarjanism , and simply wishes to oppose tho Scripture to tho Roman doctrine . Wo agree with him in opinion , that it is " porfectly useless to send inexperienced missionaries to India—men of shallow minds , intellectually and morally considered , " Parent ' s' Cabinet of Amusement and Instruction . — Smith , Elder , and Co . Tim articles in this number ( fi ) ou " Pot or tho Great , " Making Telegraphs , " and •' Latitude , and Longitude , " aro of obvious utility , and the general contents nro of inorit .

      Weekly Magazine . — Part IV . embraces tho contents of " four numbers . The tale of " Jinny Montford " is continued and illustrated j and several o * tlie miscellaneous papers are interesting .

      Untitled Article

      Notices . ] THE LEADER 719

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), June 11, 1859, page 719, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2298/page/11/