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Leader (1850-1860), 27th August 1859, Edition 2 of 2, Page 20, 9£2 THE LEADER. [JSTo. 492. Aug. 27, 185...

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      Twenty Years In The Church. An Autobiogr...

      tion for all constitutions and all complaints : and worse than that , it is very often about the very last thing in the world to do poor and plain folk , any good . ' . " * Then you think our topics ill-chosen , and our language not the Queen ' s English ? ' "' Queen ' s English , indeed ! Nothing like it . Why , if I were to talk such English to our horsekeepers and ' pikemen , I should never get along the Queen ' s highway . There isn't one trade or calling that could be carried on with pulpit English . It

      won't work week-days , so why try it Sundays ? Your sentences are twice as long as a sensible man ever forms his mouth to . Don't tell me about a style coarse or vulgar . Read John Bunyan . Isn't his style genteel enough for you ; Yes , that helps me to explain myself ; preach John Bunyan ' s English , and let it , like that wonderful book of his , be about something . Not " moral influences , " not " relative obligations ; " that ' s all for the head : we want something to the heart . A hawker said the other day , " People like a tract with a tale in it . '"

      " There was deep wisdom in all this . Of course Edwards meant , choose those familiar , household words , and that pure Saxon , which speaks so feelingly ; and prefer the concrete or illustrative to the abstract or the philosophical . It was not for years that I fully realised the truth of his homely counsel . He would have reminded me of the words so little understood . ' Without a parable spake He not unto them . ' Our Great Teacher never taught without an illustration ; how rarely do we teach with one ! The parable is only the Oriental form of the concrete style , or the illustrative . The life of William jay late of Bath , contains valuable hints to any young clergyman who would apply Our Saviour ' s method of teaching by parable to the habits of the present day . " ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦; .

      " 'Ah ! sir ; you may despise the Dissenters if you like ; but they are , in one way , your very best friends . Without them , it would have been downright stagnation in the Church a long time ago . They keep you a little to your work : they have already made you march a pretty deal faster than the ' regulation step . ' They are very vexatious , I dare say—an opposition coach always is—emptying your coach into theirs . Now , I ' m not over and above fond

      of these Dissenters , though there are good as well as bad in every party ; but what I dislike is , that they carry such a face with them- —no more their own than if it took on and off , which oftentimes I think it does ; but for all that , my firm belief is—to speak a solemn thing in a plain way : —that you churchmen will none of you travel to your great journey ' s end more slowly because they carry on a lively opposir tion on the same road ! ' "

      This extract will give the reader a pretty good idea of the style of the book . There is very little if any , story running through the work , but what there is bears the stamp of truthful life , and awakens in the reader's mind an interest in a cause always peculiarly interesting . " Twenty Years in the Church " is written on a subject that appeals to the multitude , and treated by Mr . Pycroft in an honest , manly manner , and is quite as good a novel as V Tom Brown ' s School Days , " and we shall be greatly surprised if it does not become as popular . .

      " Female Influence ' is a slight story , but the aim and moral of the book is excellent , and the whole plan is so worked out as to make its purpose evident to the most juvenile Of novel readers , while some pf the elders may read it with advantage . "All gold glitters not" is the motto the book bears 5 and to illustrate the moral of this , the lives of two young Indies , ofgood families , of Mul < - lyon , in Wales , are given . Oriole Montaigne is a fine , dashing , spirited young lady , showy in dress and manners , and one of those persons -who always show their worth at the first meeting ; while Adela Lucyan , a niece of Mrs . Aylmor , is a dulllooking , sleepy dreamer , and thought b y all her acquaintances to be-T—a fool . Mrs . Ayhner is an invalid unable to leave her couch , and Adola's kind

      attenand claim the honour r But much , to the surprise of every person , it Is found out that Adela is the author . No one has paid her the least attention hitherto : now every one flocks to do homage to genius . Many things that were stupid in her before now become originalities . This picture of . life at Hyeres is naturally conceived ; and well carried out , and those persons that are fond of a story of quiet average English life will do well to peruse Lady . Pepys' " Female Influence . " .

      manner . It is not usual , we believe , when two gentlement first meet for One to ask the other , " You are from London ? " Are you married ? " "> Vere you ever married ?" ¦ ¦ or " Were you ever in love ? " & c . ; It is one of those novels that it is difficult to see- what purpose the writer had in view . We know of no class of people that act and speak like the characters in " The Dudleys . " The tale is foolish , and altogether the book is a mistake . We hope when Mr . Dewsland writes again he will think of what he is going to write about , arid bear in mind that life is not a farce , nor to be treated as such . '

      " Hawksvaew " is a very fair story , but hardly so good or truthful as some of Holme Lees previous works . It is ghostly enough for a Christmas story . It also bears the stamp of an earlier piece of writing than " Sylvan Holt ' s Daughter . " However , it has the merit of portraying the two extremes of human nature . Captain Vescey is over done . There could not be so great a villain as he , nor should we think it was in

      human nature to treat a woman , whose only fault was being too fond , in such a brutal manner as he does poor Clara . A man is often a blackguard with men , but with his wife and at home he generally manages to keep a little guard over his manners . It is hardly truthful that he should slowly murder his beautiful loving wife , without some Other cause than her being a little weak and suspicious when he was from home . No man can look with contempt on a woman that loves him .

      The character of the son is more truthful , although his fight with his father is horrible . He has the elements of both his parents in him , and only requires teaching , to make him as good as his mother , or as bad as his father . Again , what cause had this demon to drive his son into a state of madness ? The home at the rectory is one of the most beautiful pictures of a clergyman ' s family we could wish . But does not this go to the other extreme ? To those who are fond of a tale of horrible interest we recommend this new story by Holme Lee . ,

      " Marco Griffi" is a story well calculated to create a feeling of interest , in favour of the cause of Italian freedom . It will cause more interest and discussion in the homes of the English people than one half the political books avoAvcclly written on the question . Those that have read Mrs . Webb ' s previous works will peruse " Marco ( Jriffi , the Italian , " with pleasure . In " Wreck and Ruin " we . have been greatly disappointed . It is a coarse , ill-digested story , and one not likely to improve the doubtful position as writer , the author has attained . It is very difficult to give an idea of the work . It is something

      like going through a convict settlement , with Mr . Cornwalhs at one ' s side to describe the different individuals . The characters are so numerous , and are thrown on the stage humble jumble , so that it is impossible for the reader to remember one from the other . Nor is it very easy to find out what plan or purpose the author had in writing " Wreck and Ruin . " The same ground is travelled over again as that described in nis previous works , and the characters are chiefly of that class that are a disgrace to inankindj and the whole aflair is treated in the most flippant manner . There is too little distinction made between virtue and vice , and the whole moral tone of the work shows that

      the author has not duly reflected on the feeling his work is likely to produce in the minds of his readers . The incident of Mrs , Radley and the pillow , in Vol . I ., is an ofFenpe to good taste th at should preclude its being placed in the hands of any respectable family . A novel writer should bo very particular what feelings his works will awaken in the minds of his i * eaders . In " Wreck and Ruin , " the rogues and vagabonds live on the fat of the land , while honest Mrs . Brown throws herself into the Thames in a state of starvation 1 This may

      be true , but / why should , there be a premium held out for vice r There is enough materials in " Wreck and Ruin" from whioh an able writer might have written an average novel of low life . But any work depicting the social life of rogues should be well digested before given to tho jpublio , and thia is hardly to be done by a person who publishes ho rapidly , and consequently reflects so little , as Mr . Cornwall ' s . " 44 Tho DudloyB " is a very silly book , and not at all to our taste . It may bo said to belong to the fast school of writing . The characters p lay their game of life ; net and speak funny things , and behave to one another in the most rude

      tion to her aunt is laughed at and held to be a proof of this . In time however , it is proved that Or iole ' s " glittering " is not so good , in quality , as Adela ' s " dull gold . " At Hyeres , where they all go for tho winter , the time hangs heavily on the wing . Pic-nice , balls and conversaziones ., all have their day , and then it is proposed that there shall bo a prize given to the writer of the best poem . Several make a " maiden effort , " but are all thrown in the background by one sent in anonymously . The judges are at a loss to whom they shall award the p me . The author ' s name is called ; ho or she does not come forward , much to tho astonishment oi thoflp that have failed . Every one thinks that pwole is the writer 5 yet why not como forward

      9£2 The Leader. [Jsto. 492. Aug. 27, 185...

      9 £ 2 THE LEADER . [ JSTo . 492 . Aug . 27 , 1859 .

      Books Received. Eighty Sermons. By Josep...

      BOOKS RECEIVED . Eighty Sermons . By Joseph Latliprp , D . D . J . Jepps . National Defence . W . Jeffs . France and England Socially and Politically Considered , SfC . W . Jeffs . Twenty Years in the Church , an Autobiography . By the Rev . James Pycroft , M . A . L . Booth . Reminiscences of Scottish Life and Character . By E . B . Rainsay , M . A ., F . R . S . E . Edinburgh : Edmaston & Douglas . Speculations , Literary and Philosophic . By Thomas de Quincey . James Hogg and Sons . A Trip to the Rhine und Paris . Hamilton , Adams and Co . The Governing Classes of England . Political Portraits . By G . M . Whitty . Henry Lee . The New Zealand Handbook . E . Stanford .

      Pacts And Scraps.

      PACTS AND SCRAPS .

      The King Of The Belg Ians And Royal Fami...

      The King of the Belg ians and royal family have returned to Laeken from Ostend . The Earl of Jersey is recovering from his illness and gradually regaining strength . The venerable peer completed his eighty-sixth year on Friday . The Emperor Napoleon , on arriving at St . Sauveur , 500 miles from the French capital , found an electric telegraph ready for immediate service ; so that his Majesty can transmit orders to any part of the empire , and correspond with foreign cabinets as promptly as when at the Tuileries . Lord John Russell is , we believe , the Secretary of State selected to accompany the Queen to Scotlaced

      land . . It is understood that her Mnjcsty hns p Abergeldie Castle ( hertoibre occupied by the Duchess of Kent ) at the service of Lord John as a residence for his family during his sojourn in the Highlands—Birk Hall is to be occupied , as usual , by Sir James Clark . Viscount Hamilton , eldest son of the Marquis and Marchioness of Abercorn , will attain his majority on Wednesday next , when the event will be celebrated with the customary rejoicings on the ancestral estates in the county Tyrone . The Duke of Marlborough has placed 133 * . to the account of the Oxford RadclifFe Infirmary , being the balance of moneys received from visitors to Blenheim Palace and gardens during the season . The Emperor of Austria has just entered on his twenty-ninth year , having been born on August 18 , 1830 . , The Rev . F . Roucb , minor canon of Canterbury , has been presented by the . Dean and Chapter to the vicarage of Littlebourne . Mr . M'Christie , revising barrister , lias fixed Monday , September 19 , for commencing his revision of the lists of voters for members to serve in Parliament for the City of London . Among' other visitors at the Aldei'shott manoeuvres on Monday was the Count do Paris , who was

      attended by two of our Light Dragoons , one ot whom , strange to say , though a sergoant , and many years in the service , is a Frenchman . A correspondent calls our attention to the obnoxious regulation of the Chief Ranger , closing tho park to the public at half-past seven o ' clock during tho present fine weather , thereby precluding tho inhabitants and visitors from , taking any recrontionin tho park after the hours of business , and evincing a total disregard to tho wishea of a majority ot the respectable residents of Greenwich and its vicinity . . _ _ .. , ... her

      A reward of 100 * . hns boon oflbrod by Majesty ' s Government for the approhonslon 01 George Frederick Royal , a shoemaker , who nns absconded , charged with the wilful murder ot / -U > - porah Wright , at Poplar . One of the most popular and reupcctorf clergymen of the city of Canterbury , the Kev . B . H . Woodall , M . A ., of Ejcon College , Oxford , rector of bt-Margarot ' s , and rural dean of tho district , lias juse seceded from the Church of England . r i 10 rev . gentleman was received , into the Woman C-atnouo Church at Paris , on the Feast of tho Aa » umj > tjon , by the Wev . Fathers M . Alphons 6 and Thoodoro Katiubonne .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 27, 1859, page 20, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_27081859/page/20/