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Leader (1850-1860), 15th October 1859, Edition 1 of 2, Page 1158, Untitled Article

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      it"would" . seem ,- even to * her hair , gave a little toss and sent the bird , like : a silver fluttering cloud , up among the rosy apple-blossoms . " - With the widow and her daughter lives the minister who would ~ a w ; ooing go , or » as ^ e ^ called in the earlier part of the work , Dr . H ., but towards the end his full name is given , and he turns out to be Dx ; Hopkins , D . D ., the friend ^ President Edwards . Both Edwards and Hopkins are remarkable in history for the earnestness with which thev acted up ; to their doctrinal theories .

      Dr . Hopkins is described as a philosopher , a metaphysician , a philanthropist ^ -add to which the rigid religious tenents that he held , he is not the sort of man one could imagine to love or be beloved . But ever since he first came to reside in the house of Widow Scudder , and had the gentle Mary for his catechumen , a richer life seemed to have coloured his thoughts , — " his mind seemed to work with a pleasure never before felt , " yet this feeling does not make him the less earnest in his zeal :

      for we read : — "He never thought , this good old soiil , whether Mary were beautiful or not ; he never even knew that he looked at her ; nor did he know Vhy it was that the truths of his theology ; when uttered by her tongue , had such a wondrous beauty as he never felt before . He did not know why it was , that , when she silently sat by him , copying tangled manuscript for the press , as she sometimes did , his whole study seemed so full of some divine influence , as if , like St . Dorothea , she had worn in her bosom , invisibly ^ the celestial roses of Paradise . He recorded honestly in Ms diary what marvellous freshness of spirit the Lord had given him , and how he seemed to be uplifted in his communings with heaven , without once thinking from the robes of -what angel this sweetness ^ had exhaled . "

      The widow is highly gratified at this feeling on the part of the Doctor to Mary , and before long she has settled the marriage to her own entire satisfaction . But , unfortunately for her p lans , Mary has already felt the gentle , flame rising in her bosom for her sailor-cousin , James Marvyn , who , on the eve of the tear-party , pays her a clandestine visit to say good-bye , as his ship sails on a threeyears' voyage the next day . James is not allowed to . visit his aunt very often , or to walk home with Mary from , church alone , on account of his not being , as the widow expresses it , " one of the * elect . '" In this interview Mary and James have some talk on religion , which brings out the

      character of both very forcibly , and which we are only precluded ' fro ' zn giving by want of space . JMuiry , of course , having all the opinions of Dr . EL , argues from his point of view ; she would as soon have . thought of . turjnjng infidel as doubting the correctness of the minister ' s opinions . James , on iihe other hand , does not believe in predestination ; ¦ laughs at Dr ; H . ; and says he has seen " as good Christians among the Mahometans as any one in "Newport . " But when Mary tells him that she < ' would willingly give up all hope of heaven to save him from banishment , ' he becomes serious , arid says :-- ? " « 3 MCary > I ana a sinner . Nq psalm or sormon ever taught it me , but I see it now . '

      " Well , then , James , you will be good ? "Won't you talk "with Dr . H . ?' "'( Hang Dr . H . I" said ' James . ' { Now , Mary , 1 beg ^ d ur pardon , but I can't make head or tail of a word Dr . H , says . I don't get hold of it , or know what he would be at . You girls and women don't know yjirar ,. power . Why , Mary , you are a living gospel You jiave always had a strange power over us boys Xou . never talked religion much , but I have seen Jfugh fellows come away'from being with ypu as still andl quiet as one feels when one goes into a church . J can't understand all the hang of predestination , and moral ability , and natural ability , and God ' s ( efficiency , and man ' s agency , which , Dr . H . is so engaged about ; but I can understand you , —you can do me , good T "

      Af ter promising-mutually to think of each other James goes to sea . but w > t until ho writes Mary a / long letter , 'in which » he' ( 9 etsfortU the newcourse of fife he intends 'to follow ; 'Soon , however ^ inteif gonce •' jr ' eacheg Newport of the total- wrecfcof anjes ' s ship , and the Jobs of all the orow , except " , ' ^ of frflo ¦ swryiye ' -id tjll ; the' tale , "The sad " news - ssRfi&i ' ^ Ww "&w&- ^ H ^ ntfe # , ite ?? s- , «* y-^ M # ^ e . a , yea ieW . 9 -rWM * Mw > * ° * $ bs \ W : \ dovr ft 4 emftt yoitfor nM , pQ ° n Wh * w& : " nifl ^ grief has worn 'sWw ^^ M ^ he ^ apitoir *! ' iW ^ Q » fha ^ i , ^ e . ye « su 9 peoteqLlanv ftto TOwnfthfji pai ^ pftvMmwfdEor James * speakstoMus ' ^^^ r itfWNpy ^ ta ^ foe WSAwfmho tQ&avuraemiwiill ''PfweKV&MiJto > tu « v '« venta "hove '" taken . The

      Widow tells the tale of love-quietly to Mary , and in -order partly to please her mother ; and partly because of the great love of the good priest , she consents tp the marriage , more especially as she thinks thai it is " ordered ; " and in doing so , will she not be doing the will of a higher power than her own ? . Mary brightens up as time rolls on * until within about a week of the time fixed for her marriage with the Doctor ; and when out walking one day , she is caught in the arms of her lost lover , James Marvynj who is not drowned , but returned rich , and full of pride in his love , to claim Mary for his wife . Here we "will leave them , and the narrative p ortion of the work , and those that feel an interest in the conclusion of the story will do well to get the book , and read for themselves .

      The historical characters are not very truthfully drawn , but we are not disposed to object to this defect , more especially as we are told at the outset that the incidents are " varied and ¦ arranged" to suit the action of the story . The most striking portrait is that of Doctor Hopkins ; yet in his character we fancy we detect many of the traits so admirably shown in Dominie Sampson , in Scott ' s tale of " Guy Manneringi" That dogged , dreary , studious , perseverance , is finely brought out . But when Mrs . Stowie says he made one mistake , " that of supposing the elaboration of theology was preaching the Gospel , " she illustrates the most prominent

      trait in his character . When he once gets a thing into his head that it is right , no ** mortal thing , " as the Yankees say , will make him swerve from it . He feels that he is " called" to preach ; so- he preaches profound theology , and if his followers do not understand him , how can he help that ? It never crosses his mind to adapt his discourse to suit them . The character of Mary is a beautiful creation ; gentle , ; confiding , and self-sacrificing , she is the very embodiment of Puritanism , without the harshness peculiar to the sect , so that we little wonder at the good minister loving her—although

      at the outset we thought he might just as well have loved the widows—she being nearer his own age . Of the other characters we can say little , without marring the reader ' s interest . We might tell how busy Miss Prissy ( one of the best characters in the story ) is constantly telling you what she said to the Misses Wilcox , and the advice on dress she ; gave to Mrs . Marvyn . We might also relate how Madame Frontignac married an old man for money , and a position , and repented , like many others , when it was too late ; and through the gentle influence of Mary she resisted the overtures of Colonel Burr , who tried all he could to lead her from the path of virtue , as he had done many a woman , before her . But to what purpose ? Those

      that read the book will see the moral themselves , and those that do not will scarcely be interested in our version . We have said that this story is different from Mrs . Stowe ' s other works , and with little exception it is ; but she has contrived to bring in the subject of the emancipation , of slaves ; Although there is little about the question , we fancy that it mars her present work , as we do not want—because she has made a name by the subject—to have it forced on us ; nor will her readers . With the " Minister ' s Wooing" we have been greatly pleased ; and viewing it simply as a love story , it is a charming piece of poetical prose writing . The manners of the people are so boldly conceived , and most of the characters so delicately and truthfully portrayed , that the reader fancies he lives in the time of which the author speaks .

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      TJEIJJ QUMjfiJN OF HEARTS , By WUklo Collins , nutUor , fbf V After" J > ftrV' " Tfco Dead Soorot , " &o . 3 vole . — Jfturet nnd BIftokott . MABJBI , OWHN ~« n Autobiography . By M . S . 8 vols . CT . O . Nowby . JffiXflDItBMES . By Emma WillBhor Atkinson , author of ?• Lives of tho . Queons of jpruoBla . " » vole . —Smith , JBUdonanclCo . CKHEB 'COUNT »» PBBRUOK—an Hlstorloal Romance By Henry Oooke . 8 vole . —V . O . Wowfoy . > Mim » HR 1 "'W 7 : i / L vOUT—a' Story of Real X . tfo . Bythe ¦ nttthorof"Tho'Oolonel ; " ( fcoi ^ Routledgo , ' Warne , and 'Rorrtlodffo . « f TW . Qwwbw' w $$ baimc 0 " has jfchp mojeit of ti ' etog a . novel form , of . ^ fiction in > thrce ,, post octavo volumes , ... Thq . plan ia -not * strictly . speaking , . original , 'being constructed . on » the principle'of the lOhristrnftl number , " that '' has ' hitherto ftppoared , of

      Household Words , and of which Mr . Collins ias been one of the principal contributors . Doubtless it was these-numbers that-suggested the idea of " The . Queen of Hearts . " But this is of little consequence ,, for if they are similar in form , they are as good in quality . How should they be oth erwise , when the same person wrote many of those that were so eagerly sought for to beguile aVaya winter's evening ? The scene of " The Queen of Hearts" is laid in Wales , where " three quiet , lonely old men * ' axe the occupants of a dismal , barbarous old house called The Glen Tower . These three lonely old

      men are brothers . The eldest , Owen , is a clergyman whose prime of life has been bestowed on the poor of a populous parish in London , until tvorn out in body he retires to the old tower , lef t him , unexpectedly , by the death of two distant relations . The characters of the three brothers are so beautifiiliy struck off . by Mr . Collins that we had better borrow the descriptions of them from him . Owen ' s is given in a few words : — "No man ever drew breath who better deserved the gifts , of fortune ; for no man , I sincerely believe , more tender of others , more diffident of himself , more gentle , more generous , and more simple hearted than Owen , ever walked the earth . " The second brother , Morgan , started in life as a doctor , realised a moderate fortune , but never became , popular ,

      although very clever :-: — " The ladies never liked him . In the first place he was ugly ( Morgan will excuse me for mentioning this ) ; in the second place he was an inveterate smoker , and he smelt of tobacco when he felt languid pulses in elegant bedrooms ; in the third he was a most formidably outspoken teller of the truth ; as regarded himself , his profession , and his patients , that ever imperilled the social standing of the science of medicine . " The third and younger brother , Griffith , is a lawyer , and the only one that h ' ad been married . lie acts spokesman for the party , and consequently little is said of himself , except that he lived happily with his wife , and that when she died she left him one child , who is the hero of the story . But the reader will glean his character from the narrative : —

      " And now imagine us three lonely old men , tall and lean , and wliite-headed : dressed , more from past habit than from present association , in customary suits of solemn black ; Brother Owen , yielding , gentle , and affectionate in look , voice , and manner j Brother Morgan with a quaint surfacesourness of address , and a tone of dry sarcasm in his talk , which single him out on all occasions as a character in our little circle ; Brother Griffith

      forming the link between his two elder companions ; capable at one time of sympathising with the quiet thoughtful tone of Owen ' s conversation , and ready at another to exchange brisk severities on life and manners with Morgan ; in short , the pliable old lawyer , who stands between the clergyman brother and the physician brother , with an ear ready for each , and with a heart open to both , share and share together . "

      Griffith has been left guardian and executor to a young lady named Jessie Yelverton , whoso father was a dear and valued friend of his ; and in the will there is a clause that she shall spend six weeks of every year in her guardian ' s house . Here is a pretty dilemma : " Jessie Yolverton , "Ihe Queen of Hearts , " the lively , laughing , pretty Jessie ; the admired and courted of London drawing-rooms , spending six weeks at the tower ! Why , the idea is absurd ! But come she must , so thev make preparations for her . The old

      housekeeper consoles herself with the faot that » auo vyui run away . " Morgan carries his furniture and booJcs , and quietly ensconces himself in the seventh story of the tower to get out of the woman a way . Owen suggests that they had better begin by getting her " a plum cake , a little dog , and lots ot new . gowns . " While Griffiths thinks of having two rooms newly furnished for her , and has an upholsterer for the purpose 5 but before this can be accomplished , and to add to their confusion , tup young lady arrrives—just ton days before the time she was expected . , . The three quiet old men are soon brought to love pretty little Jessie ; even Morgana tongue ia gentle when addressing her . Time fhos , ana when within a few days of the time of Jessies departure Griffith roooives a letter from l » w son xawwi

      George , who is in the Crimea , to ask ttw Vta move hea-ven and earth ' to detain her till no comes home , etating the time when he shall arnvo , which ( happens to-be just ton days after the time fixedfor Jeasie ' sroturnto London . George has root

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      NEW NOVELS .

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      fj 5 & ., THE I ^ E-ADEB ; [ Kq . 49 & Q < yr . 1 % 1859

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 15, 1859, page 1158, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2316/page/18/