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Leader (1850-1860), 31st December 1859, Edition 1 of 2, Page 1423, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      LIBEBTY HALrt , OXON . By . W . . 3 vqls . —C . J . Skeet . jyin » Winwood Reade is . a nephew of Mr . Charles Reade , the author of " It is Never Too Late to Mend ; " and , like him , wields the pen with force , but with less steadiness of purpose . He has , undoubtedly , abilities , but no discretion , or he would have deliberated long before he published this gross attack upon Oxford and her colleges . That reforms are required in our universities we do not deny , but that such advocates as Mr . Reade will assist to bring it about we do

      deny . A three-volume novel , pourtraying the manners and customs of any one class of persons' life , must be , and is , a great infliction on the reader's patience ; but one written from a one-sided point of view can only be regarded , even in these times , when it would appear that no grievances can be broug ht fully before the public but in the form of a fiction , as a step beyond the limits allowed to novelists . " We say these things with regret , because we believe , with Mr . ReadeJ that the life led by Oxford students requires correction ; but such virulent abuse as is contained in his volumes will

      only damage the cause he wishes to serve , The whole work bears on the face of it some imaginary wrongs suffered by the author during his short stay as student that he wishes to " revenge . " Who will believe that a gentleman commoner , when fined for breaking college rules , paid tUe fine in coppers ? Or that at the breakfasts of " good setSj" instead of having the plates removed after each course , they were piled one upon another , the last being the uppermost ^ frpni which they eat " like swine round a trough ? " Mr . Reade seems

      to partake of the feelings of one of the principal characters in his work , who says : — " If there is anything which I can ate the same time hate and despise it is an Oxford don : I despise him as a mean , crawling worm , compared with the rest of mankind—I hate him as a poisoned hissing serpent , in whose power so many destinies are thrown . Go to their common rooms , and hear their talk after dinner , where they eat like swine ; hear their vapid sentiments , their imbecile remarks ; look at their faces , bloated and sensual : or see them in the lecture-room , ignorant ,

      stupid , cowardly , and brutal ; put yourselves in their power , and pray to their cold , bare hearts for pity and forgiveness ! "• ¦ Strong language this , Mr . Reade . Of course , the story is made subservient to the object of delineating college life , therefore it is not of great merit . We are told that one of the heroines has three B ' s . To those of our readers who are not acquainted with this slang term , we may state that the three B ' s mean birth , beauty , and blunt . Another young lady has pimples on her nose , of course from the effects of drink ; while another reads coarse books . A female dancing is described thus : —*

      " There , she stood , her head thrown proudly back , her black hair streaming with dishevelled art over her neck and shoulders , a wreath of yellow flowers half concealed by her tresses $ and as lie put his arm round her waist , she leant down towards him , and pressed his hand in hers . " As they whirled round , her eyes like black stars shone hotly upon him , her red juicy lips were pouted up towards him ; he clasped lior nearer to his breast . " Still they danced on , their bosoms resting on each othor , soft low whispers passing bctweon them , and her lmir caressing his forehead liko a summer breeze . "

      We might quota many more such passages from those volumes , but to what purpose ? Hnvo we not quoted suilicicnt to show that it' Mr . iveiulo has some talent , he at the same timo is utterly wanting in judgment , delicacy and right feohng .

      Untitled Article

      8 EVEN TALK !? 1 JY SISVJCN AUTHORS . lOdltod by Frank M . Smedley , nuthor of Frank FalrJuigh , Ac-Arthur HftU , Virtue , it Co . Thbsjq sovon tales are , " The Mysteries of Redgrave Court , " by Frank JG . Smodley ; " Norfolk and Hereford , " by G . P . R . James ; " The Mill , by Mias Pardoe ; " King Verio , " b y Mortm » . Tupper ; " The Last in the Liaro , " by Mrs . B . U . H « U ; "A Very Woman , " by Miss M . k . Smodloyj and « The Truat , " by Mrs . Buvbury . They wore written especially for the benefit of a lady " who was some yoarp ago introduced as a contributor to " Sharped Magazine , " then conducted by Mr . Swioaioy . TUo precarious income of a magasmo

      writer was the chief resource on which this lady had to rely for the support of herself and young family ; although there was good reason to hope that if the effects of an immediate pressure could be averted a brighter prospect was before her . " The lady having the advantage of Mr . G . P . R . James ' s friendship , he suggested to Mr . Smedley the possibility of raising a sum of money for her by the sale of some such work as the present , the result was the Seven Tales , by the seven authors . In the preface to the present edition we are made

      acquainted with these particulars . The first edition was published without any explanation why such a galaxy of literary talent united together ; had there been , we feel sure that a second edition would have been called for before this ; as it is , we are informed that " the project succeeded beyond the most sanguine expectations of its originators . " Generous sympathy for the fatherless is not unusual in our land , thank God , but such noble actions , and done in such a manner as the present , are far too rare to be passed over by us without notice .

      Untitled Article

      Travellers' Tales He-told . By Theta . ^ -Thompson and Co . A volume this , consisting of contributions reprinted from magazines and journals , . which , is replete -with entertainment . Some of the stories are capital , and all written with an easy flowing pen , that makes whatever it undertakes equally facile and pleasant . There are touches of nature , too , in the volume , many graphic descriptive sketches , and passages which reach the source of sympathetic tears ; and some that provoke laughter . With talent alike for the gay and the grave , the writer must succeed in his vocation . The Christmas Week . A Christmas story . By the Hev . Henry Christmas . —Adam and Charles Black .

      In the portraiture of one of his characters , we are afraid that the author has been influenced by theological prejudice . Of course , the sketches have merit . Who ' s Who in 1860 . Edited by C . H . Oakes , M . A . The twelfth year of a publication , the utility of which has been tested . It consists of an almanack , and lists of titled , professional , and official persons . Why does , not the work contain a list of literary persons ? It does of the members of the Royal Academy . A complete list , including journalists , might easily be compiled .

      Fables and Fain / Tales . By Henry Morley . Illustrated by Charles H . Bennet . —Chapman and Hall . An agreeable book of reprints . Some of these stories are calculated , as we know on trial , to be intensely interesting to children . This is the Highest character that can be bestowed on such productions . A New Sentimental Journey . By Charles A Us ton Collins . —Chapman and Hall . A RErniNT from " All the Year Round , " not exactly in the style of Sterne—lively and humourous .

      Ierne . Part I . —Partridge and Co . Tins is the first part of the first volume of an intended work designed to record anecdotes and incidents during a life chiefly in Ireland , with notices of people and plaoes . It promises well . the Instructive Picture Book- ^ -Quadrupeds . By "M . II . H . J . —Edmonston and Douglas . ^ This is a book richly illustrated wSfflF numerous coloured engravings , and designed as •« Lessons from the G eographical Distribution of Animals ; " and professes to givo the naturaL history oi the quadrupeds which characterise the principal divisions 61 tho Globe . It is admirably arranged , and tho information 8 » ven is full and accurate . Altogether tho plates amount to sixty , and it forms a , handsome volumo in coloured and pictorial boards .

      The Children ' s Harp of Select Poetry for the Young , ¦—Knight and Sou . This is a superior compilation . Rills from the Fountain . By the Rev . Richard Newton , D . D . —Knight and Son : A hook , of religious illustrations , connected with scriptural texts , and neatly writton . The Prophet of Nazareth } or the Ow Story of Me Four Gospels-, with Preface by Rev . John 0 . frlllloi , p . D . —Knight mu \ Son . ^ v t ^ ^ 1 ^ ° oe : ? r . "urrs : ongravings and a plan of Palestine Graceful Riding . By S . 0 . Waito , E ^ -Bpbort Hardwloko . . ,, Tiua ifl ft oanital " pocket manual for equestrians ,

      neatly illustrated , and will be useful to both sexes but particularly to ladies , to whom it gives most available advice . The Old Coalpit . By E . May . —John W . Parkei and Sons . This is a juvenile story , with a religious moral , and composed with much elegance .

      Untitled Article

      The Chemist and JDrugg ' ist . —Firth , 24 , Bow-lane . The Ironmonger . —Firth ., 24 , Bow-lane . JLil wall's Mercantile Circular , 6 , Old Fish-street . The Bookseller ' s Record , Crockford , Strand . The Draper and Clothier , Houlston and Wrig'ht . Paternoster-row . We have watched with considerable curiosity and interest the development of a new phase of journalism . . A want had long been felt , and very generally expressed throughout the commercial world , for the establishment of a series of wellconducted publications , advocating the respective interests of special trades . In America a large number of such periodicals circulate ? " and although for

      we do not possess that extraordinary appetite news-mongering which characterises our Transatlantic brethren , there must still exist a numerous body of readers in this country anxious to support any speculation professing adequately to supply such a deficiency . The Building News , Engineer , and similar class newspapers , are extensively patronised , and there is no reason why the representative organs of other branches of commerce should not meet with a like success . We have a batch of new "¦ monthly trade circulars " before us , and although , in particular instances , sbxne . improvement might be made as regards arrangement , the subject matter is on the whole judiciously selected , and of the requisite practical bearing ; The Bookseller ' s Record— most literary of any , as it ought to be—conveys a mass of intelligence as valuable to the purchaser as

      it is calculated to increase the receipts of the publisher , and is edited with much talent and great industry . The drapers are represented by JL ' dwalVs Mercantile Circular and the Draper and Clothier •; the latter , however , we are bound to estate , is greatly inferior to the former , both as regards style and treatment . The Chemist and Druggist appeals exclusively to the trade , and from the variety of valuable information it contains deserves cordial support . The title of the Ironmonger speaks for itself , and in glancing over the contents we must congratulate the proprietor upon the excellent manner in which it is edited , and at the same time suggest , from the numerous illustrations of articles for domestic use , profusely scattered over the pages , that it might be very profitably addressed more generally to the public at large to the mutual advantage of all parties .

      Untitled Article

      Spanish Officers oh Campaign . —A correspondent writing from the Spa » isb < iftm P Bavs ' - —A restaurant ' has just been opened at luuul-quarters of the productions of which I cannot yet snuak from personal knowledge / but which , I am assured , far surpasses in the prices , although not in tho quality , of its dishes , the Freres Provenoaux or tho lamented Verrey I suspect its habitues will not be numerous , for the Spanisli officer is generally frugal , and sets no great store by the pleasures of the palate . Generally speaking , as far as I have observed , tho officers mess together in small groups , a tont forming but a limited dining-room , and nearly tho largest o thoso wo have here boing pretty well crowded witn half-a-dozon persons . Tables , too , are rather a . ilffltmltv . siiice webrought little furniture with us , and

      have not as yet had opportunities of borrowing any from Moorish palaces . About a fourth part of the furniture that tho British army left bulnnd it m the Crimea ( and muoh of which vvilL doubtless be hicrhly Priizod in Tartar huts for a century to come ) would place this camp in a state of perfect luxury . As it is , wo have a few camp-stools , and we sit on boxes , and trunks , and bods , and manage pretty well . The accommodation is not such as to tempt to late sittings , and Spaniards are not in thu habit of linger ng over their bottle , while toddv or grog is to £ of thorn « thing abhorrent . fcTo after dinner they generally content themselves with a cup of ooX or ton ( the use of tho latter has of late years become widely apread in Spain ) , ana when they have . I ¦ n . ol ^ ar or two , or a dozen vapdttoa , and

      tnIked of their paatcompalgna and coming irinmpM , thov ttonorttlly retire early to bed . I auapeot the Srfty wo urappod in their blankets , r « gs , or Soaks botweon nine and ten , aud to alt up habitually till eleven would almost euttlce to give one tUo reputation of n " fast man . "

      Untitled Article

      TRADE UTEEATURE .

      Untitled Article

      No . 510 , Dec . 31 , 1859 . ] THE LEADER . 1423

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 31, 1859, page 1423, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2327/page/19/