LITERATURE.

GEORGE LOVEL L.*

"GEORGE LOVELL," a novel, by James Sheridan Knowles, partakes largely, as might have been anticipated, of the beauties and of the faults of the author's well-known dramatic genius. There is the same heartiness which has never failed to command interest; there is the same intensity; the same earnestness and genial nature; the same exaltation of purity and indignant detestation of vice, which characterise all the author's writings; but there is no refinement of plot or construction; no relief of either humour or wit; and what is peculiarly and pre-eminently characteristic of the individual, is, that the whole story is rather made up of abstractions than realities. Beauty and goodness, villany and chivalry, confiding credulity and good-natured honesty, uneducated educability and parently pliancy, are all in similar excess; and, above all, passionate love overcomes obstacles, and breaks away from circumstances, in a manner which belongs only to the poetic world, and has no existence in actual society. Young sons of rich merchants do not fall in love with maids, as beautiful even as Phoebe, on first stepping out of their father's home, nor do they remain for weeks in hotels without inquiries being instituted after them men of fashion do not force their infamous confessions upon the first travellers they meet; nor do fathers sympathise so wondrously with their sons' fancies in matters of this kind. Indeed, throughout, the prominent feeling is that the story and events are alike improbable, in the ordinary sense; and while it is impossible not to be warmed into enthusiasm, and to have all our more generous nature roused, by the earnestness and intensity of the author, still the stern conviction remains that the medium for the display of such moral heroism was ill-chosen, and that the subject upon whom such fine poetic painting has been lavished, and who can inspire and herself entertain such high-souled passion, is in the sad experience of life, a creation that does not harmonise with existing or contemporary probabilities.

But, apart from these slight deficiencies in the choice of subject, it is long since novel-readers have had a story so poetically conceived, so eloquently told, so rapturously worked up, as "George Lovell." It is the essence of poetry in prose-all feeling, all beauty, all ardour, in utter disregard of conventionalisms; all profligacy, all villany, all infamy, without a halt at the threshold of consistency. Mr. Knowles throws himself so into his story, makes himself so eager an advocate for the purity of his heroine, and so stern a reprobater of the villanies of his "men of fashion," that you feel as if you must stand convicted of poetical treason, if you ventured for a moment to doubt the idealised extreme of either the one or the other.

George Lovell, a home-educated youth, son of a rich jeweller, and ignorant of the world and its ways, is made to fall in love with a beautiful girl, who has been forced to fly from a milliner's shop, in London, by the persecutions of a man of fashion, on the very first journey that he takes away from parental care.

The fair and immaculate object of his love is an orphan, ignorant even

George Lovell. A Novel. By James Sheridan Knowles, Author of "Virginius," "William Tell," "The Hunchback," &c. 3 vols. Edward Moxon. April.—VOL. LXXIX. NO. CCCXVI. 2 N

of the name and condition of her parents. An aged and poverty-stricken nurse cannot afford her an asylum, and she is obliged to act temporarily as a maid at the inn. Here the infamous pander to the man of fashion, traces, or rather accidentally discovers, the fugitive, and George has to rescue her from the hands of pollution. He is in consequence involved in a duel and wounded. Once re-established in health, and his affection deepened in intensity by the refined and delicate conduct of the maid, George places her at school, where her progress astonishes all her companions and her teachers, and will not fail even to astonish the reader. So marvellous a maid even makes the "professor of dancing" forget himself, and a momentary estrangement takes place on George's part, from his arriving at an unfortunate moment, when the said "professor" was in the act of worshipping at this shrine of beauty and accomplishments. George has informed his parents of his passion, and seeing Phoebe, they also become at once attached to so much goodness and virtue, and introduce her into society, where the effect produced is as with all antecedents, surpassing. This happy progress is, however, interrupted by the arrival of a supposed father, who is himself entangled with the profligate agent of the man of fashion. This imaginary father claims Phoebe, and removes her from school, while the profligate claims the fair girl from her assumed parent, under threats of exposure and punishment, till the man of fashion detecting the double-dealing of his agent, a murderous duel is the result. In the meantime, George, assisted by the fine, old, manly citizen-a real jewel of a father-arrives once more to the rescue of his paragon, sought for by so many, but ultimately won by the most deserving, and whose real parent is at the same time discovered in the person of a family friend, a man of honour and respectability.

The excellencies of George Lovell do not, however, as before said, lie so much in the design as in the idealised and dreamy beauty with which Phoebe and George are invested, and in the sentiment and passion that breathes throughout. The book is, indeed, full of noble and charming passages. It is the soul of poetry poured into two idealised characters, etherealising their spirit, subliming their nature, and fitting them to be, what they only can be, the beautiful creations of fiction and fancy.

SIMON LORD LOVAT, AND DUNCAN FORBES, OF CUL

LODEN.*

Ar the same time that the contrast between the two biographies contained in this interesting volume is replete with wisdom, each memoir is so touched with the character of the times, as to possess its own peculiar interest and to convey its own lesson and its own moral. The able biographer has made most excellent use of the contrast afforded between the wily Fraser and the straightforward Forbes; and if he has given precedence to the life of the lord of Castle Dounie, it has not been on account of moral superiority, but because it presented more prominent topics for the biographer's pen. The life of Lord Lovat is one, indeed, of the most remarkable character and varied incidents. At one time a laced courtier moving in the first circles of society, the Highland chieftain was at another flying from castle to island, and from cave to tree. Uniting the loyal Presbyterian

* Lives of Simon Lord Lovat, and Duncan Forbes, of Culloden. From original Sources. By John Hill Burton, Advocate, author of the "Life of David Hume." London: Chapman and Hall.

Whig with the Catholic Jacobite, he was by turns a soldier, a statesman, and chieftain of a clan, and he terminated his varied career on the block. The life of Duncan Forbes, of Culloden, does not present so much varied incident; but it possesses the higher charm of a career of honourable integrity and legal humanity in the most trying times. A few more such choice examples of biography as the "Life of George Canning," the "Life of Mozart," and Mr. Burton's volume, all of which have appeared in Messrs. Chapman and Hall's series, and our national literature will no longer stand behind that of the continent in the cultivation of one of its highest branches.

THE OUTCAST PROPHET.*

IF Mr. Sleigh, in his literary-militant career, has not acquired all the refined art, and combined skill and taste necessary to produce a first-rate work of fiction, he has an advantage on his side which the professed novelist has not always at command, which is abundance of material. The fact is that this remote fort of Ontario, with its gruff commandant and pretty daughters, the scapegrace Reginald, and that character essential to all backwood stories, "Job Wisp," have entertained us infinitely. As to the bishop and the heroine his daughter there is less to say. Whatever may be the errors of religious enthusiasm, they are not fit subjects for irreverent frivolity. But talk of fights with Indians, here they are blown up by barrels of gunpowder, and as to everlasting trails, here they are carried off the snow, from branch to branch across the pathless forest! Then we have the journey to Virginia, and the "Outcast Prophet," an original and peculiar character, full of interest. Other novels of the month may be more ambitious in their themes and more gorgeous in their execution, but Mr. Sleigh's work is the most amusing, and it is very questionable if that is not the most legitimate province of fiction.

THE FORTUNES OF COLONEL TORLOGH O'BRIEN.† A STORY Overflowing with that succession of fun, incident, and pathos, which has almost identified itself with the literature of Ireland, as if that were its native country. When it is intimated that the "Fortunes of Colonel Torlogh O'Brian" is first-rate among a class, which stands itself first among the legitimate products of the realms of fiction; and that it is as profusely, as it is ably, illustrated: as much is said, as it is almost possible to say, in a few words, in its favour.

THE STANDARD NOVELISTS.

MR. HURST, of King William Street, has commenced, under the above title, the publication of a series of works of fiction which, by their cheapness and excellence combined, are well deserving of favour. Two beautiful volumes, handsomely bound and illustrated, have been already issued. One is devoted to Horace Smith's admirable novel, "Arthur Arundel;" the other to Mr. Gleig's story of military adventure, "The Hussar." Both these stories are classical in the domain of fiction, and if the series is generally so well chosen, there can be no doubt of an immense success.

* The Outcast Prophet A Novel. By W. Arthur Sleigh, Esq., 77th Regiment. 3 vols. London: T. C. Newby.

The Fortunes of Colonel Torlogh O'Brien: a Tale of the Wars of King James. With Illustrations, by Hablet K. Browne. James M'Glashan, Dublin.

THE STORY OF LILLY DAWSON.*

THE story of "Susan Hopley" at once raised its authoress, Mrs. Crowe, into the first rank of domestic novelists, and "Lilly Dawson" has sustained the pre-eminence so deservedly gained. It is the story of a child who, saved from a wreck boarded by smugglers, was educated in ignorance and toil, without knowledge of her parentage, by a ruffianly crew, who, to preserve her in their power, wish when she has grown up to woman's estate, to effect a compulsory marriage. Lilly, however, escaped as the companion of a blind beggar, became a nursery-maid, and then a milliner's apprentice in the great metropolis, and finally an attendant upon an invalided officer, who turned out to be her lost parent. It is, however, in the consummate art with which a character itself not very prepossessing is invested with interest, in the power with which the gradual awakening of sense and intellect, from the prostration of servitude and tyranny is portrayed, and in the life and character which is impressed upon each accessory character, rather than in the mere incident and narrative, that lie the chief merits of this truly clever and able performance. It belongs to that class of story which, since the days of Fielding and Richardson, has been the most enduring of all works of fiction.

THE WIDOW OF CHARLES HOOTON.

In the notice given last month of the death of a valued contributor to these pages-the gifted poet and author, Mr. Charles Hooton-it will be seen that his career, cut off in the incipient years of its utility, had been of that desultory, wandering character, which, however it may enrich the mind with new ideas, and help the intellect to cast off those prejudices which, in the majority of cases, clog it for life, was by no means adapted to ensure an early competency. Taken away at the very time when the practical application of wisdom and experience, never obtained without some loss or expense, would have begun to be of avail to him and his; we regret to have to announce that he has left behind him a bereaved widow and a little daughter about five years of age, without any resources whatsoever. An instance in which charity and benevolence could be more humanely exercised, very seldom presents itself, and these are virtues which more than any others characterise and adorn the happy land we live in. Mrs. Hooton, we believe, wishes to earn an honourable livelihood for herself and for the poet's orphan, by setting up a small school. The pittance to enable the bereaved lady to accomplish this act of parental solicitude, will not, we feel well assured, be asked in vain.

We are compelled to postpone our notices of-1. Adventures of the Connaught Rangers, from 1808 to 1814, by W. Grattan, Esq. 2 vols. 2. The Jesuit in the Family: a tale, by A. Steinmetz. 3. Free Thoughts on Protestant Matters, by the Rev. T. D. Gregg. 4. Geological Excursions in the Isle of Wight, by G. A. Mantell, Esq., LL.D., &c. 5. Outlines of Structural and Physiological Botany, by A. Henfrey, F.L.S., &c. 6. The Boy's Autumn Book, by Thomas Miller. 7. The Boy's Winter Book, by Thomas Miller. 8. Observations on Hydropathy, by Dr. Bushan. 9. The Pilgrim of India, an Eastern Tale, and other Poems, by James Hutchinson, Esq. 10. The Vision of Peace, by the Rev. W. J. Edge. 11. The Black Prophet, by W. Carleton, being No. 1 of the Parlour Library. 12. The first volume of Lanzi's History of Painting in Italy, by Thomas Roscoe, in Bohn's Standard_Library. 13. The second volume of the Select Writings of Robert Chambers. 14. Four parts of the Chronicles of the Bastile. 15. Part I. of Dr. Robertson's Treatise on Diet and Regimen. 16. The first number of a Popular Atlas of the World, by James Wyld. 17. A Comprehensive Tune book, by H. I. Cauntlett. 18. Part I. of Diseases of the Million, by Dr. J. Jeffrey.

The Story of Lilly Dawson. By Mrs. Crowe, authoress of the "Adventures of Susan Hopley," &c. 3 vols. Henry Colburn.