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    MELODRAMATIC ROMANCE.*

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    NEW POEMS.f

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    self folly equal to this occasion , we bestow upon her the highest meed of praise . In fact , she has in this Syrian romance given unmistakeable proofs of an intensity of study , a creative faculty for conjuring up incidents , aud characters in endless variety , a depth of thought and brilliancy ; of imagery , fox * which we had not given her credit . Whether she leads her hero over the rocky defiles of Mount Lebanon—through the gorgeous palaces , magnificent bazaars , and seemingly enchanted gardens of Damascus—into the heart of the great Syrian Desert—or leaves him to bask amid the luxurious vegetation of the little paradisaical valley of El Fureidis , her descriptions are alike graphic , lofty , and calculated to bring home to the reader ' s imagination the different styles of scenic grandeur upon whose miraculous beauties she expatiates . Her characters are , moreover , all artistically developed , each one possessing some peculiarity of temperament , habit , or desire , which gives it individuality to the reader .

    or artistic manner . The book , however , betrays evidences of natural capabilities ; and we have too doubt that had Mr . Payn been more carefol in his delineations and less indiscriminate in his choiee of a subject , the result would have devolved greater credit upon himpelf , aad been decidedly more satisfactory to the reader . '¦'¦¦

    Her hero and heroine are especially deserving of meution ,- ^ -the former , Meredith , an Englishman of intellectual and highly-cultivated tastes , travelling in the East in search of the beautiful , the poetical , and ideal ; and the latter , Havilah , the imaginative , fanciful , and impressionable child of the East , fostered in the bosom of a Christian community ; her pure nature , rendered even purer by the example and precepts of an idolized parent , shrinking from close contact with anything that is not the semblance of its own guileless self , and detecting , with that mysterious intuitive perception which belongs to perfect purity the dangerous flaws which lie hidden beneath the seeming perfections of others j so that even Meredith ,

    with his great and noble qualities , his capacious intellect , and magnanimous conduct , is by this simple maiden weighed in the balance and found wanting , till ultimately , in virtue of her chastening influence , he becomes conscious of the void in his own heart , and sets manfullv to work to supply what has hitherto been missing . It would be utterly impossible to afford the reader any conception of the merits of this novel by a mere analysis of the plot ; we have , therefore , refrained from any such attempt , and have merely to add that not only has Miss Maria Cummins enhanced her reputation by her present production , but that literature has gained a valuable acquisition in this spirited and heart-stirring romance of "El Fureidis . " .... . ..

    ' / Squires and Parsons "is a story possessing considerable interest for the -general reader . It is what it professes to be , truly a " sketch for the times ; " though we think it would have , been more effective had '' the author compressed it into about half-the space of that ' which it at present occupies . Its fault is certainly a tendency to wordiiiess , and a dragging out of details to the utmost possible length ; in other respects it is worthy of considerable " praise . The story is simple , presenting us with numerous specimens of Squires and Parsons , complimentary and otherwise ; the author showing us conscientiously both sides of the picture , and betraying ho particular prejudice for or against the two classes of individuals whose peculiar Virtues and vices he attempts to portray . The principal incident in the book is an attempt made by two rascals to obtain by fraudulent

    means the title and estates of Sir Edward Torrington , an attempt iq-which they ultimately fail , after having put our hero to considerable inconvenience , who " has been previously kidnapped on board a ¦ veWl ~ bWHd ^ oT ^ e . tf ^^ foreign shore , without any apparent prospect of finding his way baclAo his native country . He is , however , providentially rescued , and returns triumphant over nil his enemies . There are also two Squires , both magistrates , whose characters are very cleverly drawn , Squire Hardwick , a cruel and unjust man , against whose numerous abuses of his civil authority complaints are duly instituted , being ultimately obliged to resign his magisterial functions . The character of John Wentworth , a poor curate , is also ably delineated , these , together with the two heroines , Jane Wentworth and Mary Heathcote , make up the principal personages of a well-constructed and

    entertaining story . . ' ¦ ,. * ± 1 ' " The Diary of ft Poor Young Gentleman , translated from the German , by M . Anna Cliilds , " next claims our attention . - This cliarming little story has lost none of its interest in the able hands of its present translator . We say present translate because wo have ' some recollection of having noticed a prior adaptation ot the eame story to the English language . It is now sufficient to stato that Miss Anna Guilds lias performed her self-allotted tusk in tho most elegant and praiseworthy manner , and that she has ronderod the original language of tho author . gracefully and pathetically into _'» _ O — , ¦ . . r * + W 1 1 T IT _) ' 1 .. am 1 j-k 4- rtl « f Vfcrtrti ^ the SamiDetached " has latelboon

    A new edition of " - House y published in « Bentley ' s standard novels . " This work is too well known to requiro much criticism . It is a tale of fashionable lite , and well calculated to initiate the inexperienced readerinto themystories of aristocratic and distinguished circles . This novel is decidedly good of its class , the characters and incidents being arranged with the utmost skill aid delicacy . The present edition is neatly and defiantly bound , as is , indeed , the case with all works produced tinder the auspices of this well-known publisher . ' We are sorry we cannot speak in the same complimentary terms of " The Bateman Household , " a tale reprinted from C / tainboi's s Journal . In this somewhat lengthy narrative of complicated misfortunes , misdeeds , ' and misadventures , there is not a single po'nt . jw interest for tho reader . All the characters are ill-conceived and illdeveloped , without any individuality or purpose . The incidents are i iooiv > --

    generally common-piuuu , w ; » uuuo «« , wv » » ..- ,, „„„ , ; ,.... _ . The author evidently delights in rendering probable the improbable , and even possible Umj impossible ; he also deals too much in the revelation of horrors to allow him to develop his story in a natural

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    TNGENUE , by the far-famed author of " Monte Christo , " forms -I .- the sixth volume of Hodgson ' s new series of novels . This romance , like all the productions of Alexander Dumas , is replete with stirring events and breathless interest . There is , however , infused throughout the story ( a fault generally observable ia French romantic compositions ) , a tone of lax morality that jars harshly against our good old English prejudices . All the genius of the author must necessarily fail in enlisting the sympathies of an English reader in behalf of a married lady , who permits the stolen embraces and passionate protestations of another , even though her husband is one of the most degraded and contemptible of his

    sex . M . Dumas , however , has evidently intended his present heroine as a model of virtue and propriety ; that is , of course , fashioned after the French model of virtue and propriety . Besides , the hero and heroine , who are both creations of the author ' s imagination , we have a goodly assemblage of historical personages , namely , Marat , Dan-ton , Talma , Guillotin , Charlotte Corday , &c , though none of them , except the first , perform any important part in the action of the . drama . All works of foreign authors lose considerably in the process of translation ; in the present instance , however , as much justice has been dona to the original as is possible in reproductions of the kind .

    Fabian ' s Tower , by the author of " The Earl ' s Cedars , " is a hovel of considerable power and interest . The story is novel and well sustained , the language easy and fluent , and the characters ably and truthfully delineated . The heroine is a lady of weak intellect—Silvia Neville , who is confined by order . of her husband in Fabian's Tower , of course under proper surveillance and guardianship . Mr . Rawleigh , a curate , under peculiar circumstances , becomes acquainted with this poor demented creature , and at once proceeds to instruct and regulate her mind according to . the true principles of Christianity . In this work of love-he first partially succeeds , and then

    discovers that her madness arises from an intense fear and hatred of her husband , to whom she had been some time previously forcibly united . Meantime , Neville , Silvia ' s husband , becomes passionately attached to Emily , Rawieigh's sister , to whom he is secretly married according to the Scottish law , pending the negotiations for a legal divorce from his first wife . All 'further proceedings are , however , rendered unnecessary by ths death of Silvia ; and Neville , after a dangerous illness , resulting from an accidental fall from his horse , repents of his perfidy to his former spouse , and becomes henceforth a changed man . . is t with

    The story * as may be perceived from the above sketch , no - out its faults ; for instance , the somewhat hackneyed method by which the authoress clears the path , for her two lovers , by killing off the unlucky obstacle to their happiness . It is , however , upon the Tv 1 rol ^ a ~ cleTeT * prorhrctioTi ^^ perusal of the public . The work forms the seventh volume of Hodgson ' s new series of novels . The less we say of a new novellette , entitled " Amy Fairfax , or Bearing and Forbearing , by S . R . T . Mayer , " the better it will be for the author . It is , in fact , so bad as to defy criticism . The principal incidents are a marriage , a murder , an abduction , a false arrest , a trial , and a condemnation . All readers who delight in such chapters of accidents as those we have above enumerated , will doubtless find ample amusement in the volume . .

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    BOOKS of verse—of respectable verse—continue to crowd upon us . " The cry is still they come . " Among them , however , are more than onp that , in less urgent times , would have brought considerable reputation to their authors . We may distinguish the poems of Professor Blaclcie .

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    Jiine 2 , 1860 J TJie Leader and Saturday \ Analyst . 523

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    * Lu / cnuo ; or , ( ho DmUi of . UartU . By the Author of " iMonte Christo . " Thomas Hodgson . Fabian ' s Towor . By tho Author of "Tho Earl ' s Cedars . " Thomas Hodgson . Amu Fairfax j or , Bearing and Forbearing : the Lesson of Lifo . A Novel-Ictte . By S " . It . T . Mayer . ' Ward and Look . M < Lvrimtl Poem * . By JoriN Stuart Blaokih , Professor of Greek in tho University of Edinburgh . Edinburgh : Sutherland and Knox . London : Siinpkin , Marshall , & Co . Blanche Lido , and other Poems . By Coon , Home . ( Macmillau t * Co . ) Sonqit of Life .. By WrfcMAM FutPORD , M . A . ( Alexander Hcylin . ) The \ loo-hoiini Ship , ThoBlocplnrf Beauty , an-t other -Poems . By M . ...... WlNTHR . ( BosHTorbh & Harriaon . ) A Narrative Poem . . By WlLMAM Thorston . ( Judd & ( Haas . ) Poems . By Quinton Bonb . ( Richard Griffin & Co . ) The ' Miraqa of Life , awl other Poems . By Anthonv O'Neai . HAVE . Seoonnd Edition . ( Wm . . P . Nimmo . ) ' ¦ American National Lyric * ami Sonnets . By . 0 . 1 > RH 300 TT IIlLbBR . Boston , Clapp . London ; W . White . The Poetry of Sprtoj ,- A Poem . By Goodwv * BARMuy . WiUmm ™ bI theSea . P ^ ems . By J 3 i > MUN 0 Sakdars , B . A . Macmlllan&Oo .

    Melodramatic Romance.*

    MELODEAMATIC HO 1 VIANCE . *

    New Poems.F

    NEW POEMS . f

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), June 2, 1860, page 523, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2350/page/15/