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    SPORT EST INDIA.*

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    day class . Seldom have we i « et with a story so admirably constructed . Indeed , it is to its almost- perfect construction of plot that thts great effect of the novel is inainly to be attributed . The interest of the reader is ^ irst , as it were , unconsciously excited , then grows gradually stronger and stronger , till at length his attention becomes riveted upon the succession and development of events , and it is with difficulty that he prevails upon himself to-lay aside the book until the conclusion of the narrative . Tue author has thus taken care to supply himself with the first element of a popular writer of fiction ; and wisely judging that , if the thoughts of the' reader are allowed to wander for any . length of tune

    intended to convey in his hero ' s subsequent career—his madness and almost fatal attack of brain fever , resulting from the over-tension of the nervous system , all intimating as -much . We are , then , at a loss to account for - 'this departurefrom his ruling principle , and his maUjng the riiwrbid creation of a contaminated and degraded mind perceptible to the vision of an innocent , pure , and untainted maiden . Ihi-s is one of the strange inconsistencies into- whi' -h genius , by some mysterious perversity of its own , is more liable to fall than less gifted mortals ; or perhaps it is the result of an incapacity in the human intellect to produce anything that is wlio . lt / perfect . Certainly this is the great fault of the present productionalthough it is counterbalanced by so much that is not

    , only g »> od but truly great , that we do not think it will prove any impediment to the pubic and permanent acceptance of the work . The remainder of the story is soon told . An attachment springing up between Miriam and the ghost-ridden Sir Rohan , they are contracted , and on the eve of celebrating the marriage ceremony , when a frightful discovery is made by a third party—Miriam turns out to be the child of her intended bridegroom The history of the buried past is brought to light , and our hero is held up to universal opprobrium as first the seducer , then the murderer , of a weak , unresisting girl , whose cruel and premature death must be accepted as an atonement for her error . The story closes with the de ; ith of Sir Rohan , and entire wreck of the happiness of the light-hearted Miriam .

    Whatever may have been the success of this work m America , we do not think its reception by an English public will be less gratifying to the author . For ourselves , we feel justified m pronouncing it , notwithstanding certain blemishes and incongruities , as a decided work of genius , and as such we have no doubt that it will speedily achieve for itself a great popularity and extensive circulation . , „ Anew novel by Anthony Trollope , after a due number ^ of preparatory advertisements , has at length appeared to claim the verdict of a discriminating public . The reputation of this wellknown author-is "Such as to secure for each bf his new productions a sin ere and enthusiastic welcome . Both public and critic are alike aware that any work bearing this writer ' s name is sure to be oi an ambitious kind ; and , as such , they prepare to bestow upon it the attention itReserves . . _ ^ Mr . Trollope ' s new tale of " Castle RichmoTid " is of no

    everytip a story of breathless and concentrated interest , and as such we have no doubt that it will be sought after , and eagerly perused by the yreafcer portion ot the novel-reading public . "The First-Born ; or a Mother's I ' rials , " by the author of " My Lady , " is decidedly an agreeable story . * There . b a truthfulness and reality in the ordeal through which the heroine is made to pass thafc ^ will speak home to the hearts of many a maternal bosom . The book has evidently been written with a purpose , and the author has , moreover , succeeded in rendering that purpose palpable to the reader . There is no attempt at flowery , metaphorical language ; but the story is told in a simple , vigorous manner , that fully carries out the intentions of the writer . The characters are well drawn , and perfectly consistent with our every-day experience of human nature . The only fault is a slight tediousness in the first volume , for which however we are fully compensated by the stirring events presented in the two succeeding ones .

    The story turns upon the fact of a -mother , through the machinations of a guilty husband unconsciously deserting her child , and then allo ^ ini , '' herself to be pursued by such indescribable longings and bitter remorse as only a mother is capable of fully realizing and appreciating . Even the birth of four or five succeeding in Cants brings no consolation for the memory of her that is lost ; and not till the recovery of her first-born , many years after , is the bereaved mother restored to peace and happiness ., Tiie author will certainly add to his reputation by the present production . " The Madman of St . James ' s ^ a Tale , translated from the Germau , " is , we are afraid , but little calculated to win the plaudits of an _ English public . It is simply devoid of all interest , and destitute of everything that , as a story , could render it palatable to the reader .

    We have seldom met with such a conglomeration of incidents , all brought together for no apparent purpose , except to fill the pages of three thick and closely printed volumes , the very first of which would be sufficient to exhaust the patience of the most redoubtable reader of mindless and uuentertaining stories What could have induced the translator , out of the multitude of German fictions , to have chosen such an one as the present upon which to exercise his evident talents , we are at a loss to conjecture . For ourselves , we can safely say that the" madman , " or rather sane man , of St . James ' s , might have remained for ever in his unjust incarceration , ere we should have attempted to achieve his freedom by such a tedious process as-reading through this dry , soulless narrative from the " Journal of a Plnsician . "J

    from the main thread of the story , the general effect will be lessened , he has devoted as little space as postdblo to dissertations upon the . political arid social aspects of the country in which his story is laid . Ireland , evidently the land ¦^ fM r ^^ "P ^ - iJnktl ? r- ' t' ^ scene in which occur all the incidents recorded in these three volumes . The periodTmTSWS ^ V , when the failure of the potato-crop was succeeded by that great , national calamity so well remembered in the annals of our sister isle . Mr . Trollope is a staunch adherent of the measures at that time undertaken by Government for the relief of our suffering brethren . With his opinions upon this subject as a political economist we as critics have nothing to do , and therefore proceed to introduce our reader to a few of his leading characters .

    Clara Desmond , daughter of the Countess of Desmond , a worhiry , self-seeking woman , whose slender pecuniary resources are by no means adequate to '' the demands of her high position in society , contracts herself in a moment of girlish emotion to Owen Fnzgerald , the nameless and impoverished owner of Hap House . This match is ultimately broken off by her designing mother , and the young lady is reoontracted to Herbert Fitzgerald , Owen ' M cousin , and heir to the wealth and title of his father , S . r Thomas Fitzgerald , the principal landed proprietor in the county of Cork . As soon a- > this fuefc is made public , Oiven comes tor a aid , and energetically " refuses to relinquish his prior claim to the hand of our somewhat fickle heroine . Hereupon ensues much confusion , when it is suddenly discovered that Owen is the true heir

    to the Fitzgerald property , the first husband of Lady Fitzgerald , incontestable proofs ot" whose deuth had been received at the time of her second marrhige , suddenly n -ippiaring and altering the whole aspect of affairs . Herbert ' s illegitimacy having been proved , the Cuuntuss becomes as eager for her daughter ' s marriage with Owen as Bhe was formerly averse to it . Olara , however , clings still closer to her lover in the hour of hi * affliction , and the mother acknowledges tu herself th , t she has lost all influence over the actions of her child . In the inidrtt of much misery and contention on . all sides , the final discovery is made , by which it appears tlmt Lady Fitzgerald ' s hrst mumage is null and void , her pretended hUHUnnd having at thu iiiho of the ceremony another wife in existence . Thus her subsequent alliimce with Sir Thomas is , of course , legal , and her son , altar a short time , is recalled and duly reinstated in hid fathers possessions . It is utterly impossible that the reader should form a ju * t conception ol the geno ' ralinerits of this novel by any mere analysis of the plot . What we have given , however , may servo to show that the uuthor has supplied hiinaeH' with sufficient material * for working

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    IT is seldom that they who engage in active life are qualified to record the incidents of its progress . Captain Henry Sliakespear , accustomed to horse exercise , and fond of the ~ wild sports of India , had nut fitted -himself . ; as he informs , us , for " a seat at a desk . From using the spear , his right hand soon became a great deal too hard and unpliant to use the pen . " He therefore solicits consideration for the necessary defects of his book . He stands in no need of indulgence . It is his expressed desire to awaken in the youth of England " a thirst for adventure and a love of excitement and danger , ' " ' and a trust in the Divine assistance , whatever the amount of difficulty or peril to be encountered or endured .

    Hairbread th-oscapes ^ ud ^ Uci 2 eji * ejLajre ^^ . _ ' Captain Shakespear arrived in lndiaTnT 834 ., and Kis eXp ^ iTfiMrcQ there is that parents cannot do better than make their boys " shikarees , or hunters of the large game of India ' s magnificent forests . " For boys of a certain class this is no doubt the iiict . Tney may be thus kept out V of a thousand temptations and injurious pursuits , which they can scarcely avoid fulling into , if from no other cause than ennui and thoughtlessness . " Field sports have their advantages , particularly to the military man in India . He is by them maintained in a state of fitness for his duty as a soldier , both in body and inclination . . ¦ ¦ ; ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ . • with much truth

    " Depend upon it , " says Captain Shakespear , " that the deep-sut eye , thin nostril , and arched brow , are not to be baulked of excitement . The possessors of these—1 may say gifts love tt ,, d are formed for excitement . If not satiated in one way , and tliut an innocent , manly , a . d useful one , your boys may take to the gaming-table , or to an excess ol Ousting , rioting , or debauchery . Excitement they must have , or die . Lot them , therefore become bold riders , cunning huntsmen , riflemen of the woods . Enure . them to toil while they are young , and a green old age shall reward both them for their choice , and you for your encouragement , oducution , and advice . " . . . . .. . , , l

    To show the sincerity of his advice , the author has expressy written this work for the benefit of his own eons . He has had twenty-five years' experience , and on three separate occasions he has hud bones broken in hunting , twice from horses fulling and rolling over . Also , he has been wounded * v a wild boar , wounded bv a piiuther , and again wounded in action . Yet Captain bhaUespear is now in good health , and capable of riding a hundred uiilNin the day . Such is the example he holds up to the ainbition of hit boyn ; * u oh is the spirit , of daring and trial of courage that he would ^' The ^ ortptain commences his book with descriptions of the prope : rifles for the sport , and some recommendations concerning Jio £ - hunti . g , and the choice of . horsuil . sh . We are then woo in the midst of exciting stories , nud the courage o"the to { - duly « elebratod . The tiger even is no match for him . The tigor and tha

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    Mat 26 , I 860 . ] The Leader and Saturday Analyst . 501

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    " * The Wild Sports of lnMa / toiih tfemarto on ^ Mivtfiuffa ^ MBa ^ w ofllwJI / aJlUo JsLnaUon ot ' U < , Ut Insular Cavalry By Upt « vin Henry OUAKESPWAU . Smith , Elder , and Qo .

    Sport Est India.*

    SPORT IN INDIA . *

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), May 26, 1860, page 501, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2349/page/17/