of the incidents, fidelity in the delineation of character, and picturesque description, reward the reader with a succession of varying pleasures. It is a tale, too, in which there are passages of rare eloquence, and which displays throughout that knowledge of life and motive which women of genius are often found to divine with far more unerring accuracy than man is able to acquire by long and varied experience.

It may seem strange that a plot so simple as Miss Kavanagh's, shall give interest to a story of such length as hers; but simple as is the outline of her tale, there are complications of incident, perplexities, embarrassments, and distresses, so little to be anticipated, and yet so natural and apparently veritable when they occur, that the reader is never for a moment in a state of lethargic security. And then there is beauty in the descriptions, and the eloquence not of words only, but of sentiment and emotion in the language of the dramatis persona. There is also a characteristic variety in the style of the speakers. Resemblances will be found in the situations, the dialogue, and the characters, to creations which have been successful in other stories; but in all that Miss Kavanagh has done there is an individuality which vindicates her right to call the performances her own, and to ensure to her the cordial admiration of her readers.

We regard it as a great misfortune that we cannot illustrate our observations by passages from Miss Kavanagh's interesting volumes. Our space, unhappily, is narrowly limited, and the creations of our fair magicians, however ideal in conception, have, in their visible development, a material character and consistency which insists on ample space for the exhibition of their excellencies. They will not, like Milton's spirits, accommodate themselves to the local habitation assigned them, so as to be like smallest elve, or to stand

"Like Teneriffe or Atlas unremoved,"

according to the position they are to occupy; nor will they submit to the laws of souls, as prescribed by that mystic doctor, who directed how many of them should dance on the point of a needle. No; our lady-birds must have space to wing their flight, and we have encroached too much on that

which should have been the domain of Nathalie.

In the following scene Nathalie, and her patient and amiable sister, are occupied with a letter-the farewell letter of the heroine's lover:

"Rose ceased. Her sister looked up. "Rose,' she said, there is more, I am sure, turn over the page; there must be something else-a postscript: look.'

"Rose silently handed her the letter. There was nothing else, save the word 'farewell,' which, in pity to her feelings, Rose had not read aloud. Nathalie glanced over the paper, put it by, and sat down near the table, in a listless and dreary attitude. Her sister stood before her, eyeing her with the sadness always inspired by the consciousness of unavailing sympathy.

"What can I do for you, my poor child?' she gently asked.

"Nothing, Rose, save to leave me alone for a while; I will soon go down.'

This

"Rose silently complied. After a while Nathalie took up the letter again, read it, and remained tearless. was no time for the luxury of weeping; she had wept before, happy tears, in which hope and gleams of joy blended with sadness; but this foolish time was over now; the hour for real sorrow had come at last.

"It was a genial morning, of summer's earliest and most lovely days. The sun shone brightly; its warmth was tempered by the fresh and pleasant breeze which came in to her, through the open window. A few children played in the churchyard beyond, the sound of their laughter rose pleasantly on the ear; the rooks cawed and wheeled around the old tower opposite; a servant maid in her high Norman cap and clattering sabots, sang in the court below, as she filled her pitcher of water from the fountain. Nathalie saw and heard all this drearily; a load of misery was at her heart. She wondered how the sky could be so bright and blue, when the sunshine of life was departed. How others could laugh and sing, when the delight of her existence had vanished for ever. She read the letter again; not once, or twice, but over and over. She dwelt on each word, and she was ingenious in giving it the most painful meaning-so that its sting might enter her heart more surely; that she might quaff her cup to its bitterest dregs, and not be cheated out of one drop of her woe. For when she saw how miserable she was, she remembered how happy she might have been."

After long trial and suffering, bap

piness has succeeded. We close our review with the following extract:—

"We will leave them thus. The Canoness is plunged in her deepest and most reflective mood; a mood which, alas! grows deeper and longer every evening; the wood-fire is burning brightly on the hearth; it lights the room with a warm genial glow; twilight has deepened into dusk; the red curtain is still undrawn: through the clear window-panes are seen the dark trees of the avenue; they rise against a sky of night's deepest azure; over all shines the moon-large, full, and radiant-her soft, clear light glides in through the casement, and falls upon the floor; it contrasts, but does not blend, with the red firelight.

"And no other light seems to be needed for the sleep of age, or the dreams of love and youth. But, alas! there is only one there who is dreaming now: Monsieur de Sainville is indeed looking at his wife with true and serious tenderness; he loves her and has faith in her love; but he has not lived in vain; he knows the fallacy of hope, the weakness of humanity; the perishable nature of its deepest feelings; the freshness of Nathalie's hopes, the fervour of her faith cannot exist for him; and yet he is happy, for he can say, 'sufficient to each day is the evil thereof,' and whilst the glad present shines over him, he will not sadden it with thoughts of the morrow's gloom.

"But she who now sits at his feet with brow so serene, smile so hopeful, and look that seems to welcome such glorious visions-has she those doubts, those fears? She has not.

"Hope with eyes so fair"

never wore a brighter aspect, when the poor poet, who died of grief, first beheld her. And hope is with her now; her glance undimmed by weeping, her beacon-light unquenched by the heavy night shadows. Nathalie is young; barely has she seen twenty years; she has suffered, but she forgets her past sorrow, to gaze on the future; it is beautiful and bright; she sees it as clearly as the light reflected in the mirror before her. She has heard that happiness is transient, that love is as delusive as the dream of a night; but the voice in her heart tells her another tale. Where others have found sorrow, she shall have deep joy, for Nathalie believes; her look, her attitude, are the very sublime of faith; there is not the shadow of a doubt on that clear brow, not the most remote mistrust in that upturned gaze. She is happy, and happy indeed does she look, sitting there at his feet, secure in the might and faith of her undying love.

"Long may those bright hopes and warm feelings remain with her; long may they linger near her household hearth, and hallow it with their pure presence!"

THERE are, we confess, many reasons which make us anxious to introduce to the notice of our readers the very able and interesting volumes which have been published under the title we prefix. Independent of their own merit, and it is great, the fact that we can claim as our countryman the writer of this, the best essay that has, of late years, appeared upon the present state of English society and manners, would naturally give us an interest in the publication. Let us say, in sincerity, that in thus proclaiming his nativity, we trust we do no violence to that rather studied Anglicanism which marks

Mr. Johnston's production, and which we would be almost disposed to designate as an affectation of being English, did we not know, that long residence in the sister country has insensibly imbued a disposition most calculated to take the impressions that surround it with purely English sentiments and feelings. We have, however, another and nearer interest in this book. The lapse of fifteen years removes us from the charge of any violation of confidence when we acknowledge, that to the elegant, and, at the same time, powerful pen of the author of "England as it is," were the earlier num

bers of this periodical indebted for many of the papers by which its character was established; and although many years have passed away since these brilliant and well-informed essays graced our pages, we cannot but feel, that in the just views, the wise, although sometimes cynical philosophy, the calm and tempered judgment, and the felicitous and graceful phraseology of the volumes before us, we recognise the hand of an old friend.

Whatever be the merits of the publication, it has one fault, which, just in our present position, we are very well disposed to stigmatise as a serious one. It is a book of which it is impossible to write a formal review. It is not a connected treatise upon any one subject, but a collection of essays upon an immense variety of subjects, brought together, we must say, by very slender affinity under the covers of one book. If it is not a treatise de omnibus rebus, not forgetting even the quibusdam aliis, it can, without any stretch of imagination, be well conceived to be an attempt on the part of the writer to answer that rather puzzling question which had interrogated him as to "his opinion of things in general." Upon almost every conceivable subject something is said. Law and divinity have both their places; The execution of the Mannings, and the character of Sir Robert Peel, each receive their appropriate share of attention. The Oxford Tracts, Spackman's Tables; the Universities, and the poor-houses; railway trains, and the Gorham case; Church extension, and the supply of London with meat; beershops and the press; modern science, and the 10th of April, 1848; these are but a few of the rather heterogeneous labels that denote the multitudinous assortment of this well stored literary warehouse. The variety of its contents were but inadequately described if its motto had been

'Quicquid agunt homines nostri est farrago libelli."

Upon the comprehensiveness of his essays, we must let the author speak for himself:

"The Essays contained in these volumes had their origin in a design of writing letters to a friend on the Continent, in order to make him acquainted with the present state of England. It is hoped that a considerable amount of authentic information on subjects of

public interest will be found collected in these pages. An index is supplied in

order to facilitate reference to the statistical facts, which have been gleaned from a great mass of public documents. These documents are not difficult of access, but they are so unwieldy as to be troublesome to consult, and often repulsive from the painful elaboration of their details. It is hoped that, by selecting some parts, and abridging others, of the ponderous books in which public information is officially registered, some service may have been done in the promoting of useful knowledge. The writer is aware that, as essays upon the important subjects of which he has treated, some of his papers must appear meagre, and all of them incomplete. It was not his object, however, to discuss these subjects fully. If he had done so, he must have written a library instead of two volumes. His object was to supply materials for present reflection and future history. For this purpose he has sought the most authentic information he could obtain; and where he has thought it necessary to state his own views, he has refrained from stating them at length.

"For the political tone of the book the writer does not think it necessary to make any apology. Though he does not take what is called the popular side, he yields to no one in ardent desire to elevate the minds, and to better the condition, of the people. His dislike of liberalism is founded on his earnest conviction-be that conviction right or wrong that the doctrines of liberalism are directly adverse to the happiness of the great bulk of the population. He is very little disposed to flatter the rich and great of any political party, but he would seek a remedy for existing evils, rather by inducing an earnest and generous sense of duty in every rank of life, than by promoting democratic progress, which throws power and advantage into the hands of the wealthy, the busy, the bold, and the unscrupulous; but leaves the humble, the conscientious, and the sincere, without help, without justice, and without hope.

"It may, perhaps, be proper to add, that a part of the papers on Revenue, and on Trade, has already appeared in the Quarterly Review.'"

Now, although it may be very convenient to have those gigantic deposi tories of error, called the blue books, thus pleasantly epitomised; nay, though to deal with all these various subjects with accurate information, and thought, that if not always original, is still generally just; although this does

create a book, that it is one of the most readable, as well as the most instructive, that have, for some time, been placed in our hands; yet, this startling medley constitutes a rather formidable difficulty to the reviewer. Upon what subject is he to write?

"Quid dicam aut quid non ?"

How are we to convey a general idea of the purport of the entire? If one passage be selected for praise, are we, therefore, impliedly to be held to sanction another broaching some opinion which we decline to discuss. If we sympathise, as we entirely do, with the writer's earnest and unaffected compassion for the lot of the poor, must we either discuss the history of the Oxford Tracts, and the principles of the Revolution of 1688, or, by leaving these subjects unnoticed, be held tacitly to sanction his views of the Oxford movement, in which we cannot acquiesce, or his sneer at "the kind and disinterested interference of a Dutch Prince to enable us to conduct our affairs in 1688"-a sneer utterly unworthy of any writer on the English constitution, and ungenerous in any Irish Protestant? If, perchance, we quote some of the statistics as to railways and crime, with an expression of gratitude for the valuable information they contain, must we, therefore, discuss those relating to the population employed in agriculture and commerce, in which we cannot help thinking that these same blue books have led the author into error? Mr. Johnston tells us, that to have made his book a full discussion of its manifold subjects, would have been to have written a library instead of two volumes.

Let us say that, for the very same reason, to review adequately his book would be to write an encylopædia instead of a paper in a magazine. Declining, therefore, all attempt to analyse the contents of these volumes-desiring dis tinctly to be understood as expressing no opinion whatever upon the author's treatment of subjects to which we do not refer, we believe we can best give our readers an idea of the character of

Mr. Johnston's publication by selecting for notice two or three detached portions, and endeavouring to express the general impression produced upon our mind, by the style and manner of the entire,

Let us, however, say in justice, that this very desultory and comprehensive nature of the subjects is more a difficulty in the way of the reviewer, than a fault in the book. If it be the latter, it is one inherent in the subject and the line the author has chosen. The author, who undertakes to present us with a view of England as it is-social, political, and moral-can hardly be blamed for presenting in its portraiture a wide variety, as well as extensive character of subjects. It is the most wonderful merit of Mr. Johnston's book, that while he affects, of course, fully to discuss none, he yet has brought to bear upon each something from stores of information that must be as varied as the matters upon which he writes.

As we have already incidentally adverted to Mr. Johnston's views of the Oxford Tracts, we will, perhaps, not do him complete justice, except by permitting him, upon this point, to speak for himself:

Though it must be confessed that the movement which began in 1833 and produced so much sensation in the Church of England, and such important practical effects, through the Tracts for the Times,' ran eventually into dangerous extravagance, yet I suppose that few who are not Low Church' partisans will deny, that, upon the whole, the effect has been very beneficial. There is a lively interest now taken in Church principles and Church practices, and a diffusion of knowledge upon those subjects among the educated classes, which are equally remarkable and gratifying. It has been maintained by an American ecclesiastic that the benefit of the Church movement could not have been obtained without that excess which, considered by itself, cannot but be lamented. not,' he says, 'the recent Catholicism run into a passion in England, it is very possible that the Oxford Tracts would have produced little of their good effect. Similar opinions, or many nearly such, had been held all along by no small body of English divines, but without having much influence on the clergy generally; and hence the sad condition of that Church in many respects, a century or two ago. Erastianism prevailing widely; High Churchmanship, consisting more of Toryism than of ecclesiastical principles; and low Churchmanship, sympathizing more with non-episcopacy than with episcopacy. From this unhappy state of things the Oxford Tracts have roused the Church of England: and I

Had

see not how, humanly speaking, they could have done so, when the divines mentioned had so long failed, had they not overshot the mark, and not only gone for Catholicism as a principle, but carried it beyond matters of principle, and so fanned the reverence for it into a passion. This done, however, the evil must be taken with the good. The good is, that the Churchmanship of England is regenerated; and even in many quarters in that country, and not a few in ours also, where Church principles were lean as a skeleton ten or twelve years ago, we now find sinews and flesh at least, though not yet the fulness and beauty of their perfection. The evil is,

that some of the weak-minded not only, like many of hardier intellect, run into a wild ardour on the whole subject, and defer to Catholic tradition, and to other traditions not Catholic, as they defer to Scripture, though not always as much; they not only do this, but get beyond all control of their understanding, long for some deeper indulgence of their passion, surrender their own judgment, and so find themselves in Rome, or not a Sabbath-day's journey from it.

"This appears to be, so far as it goes, a fair account of the general effect of that awakened zeal for Church principles which has been viewed so differently by different parties; some regarding it as nothing else than retrogression to Popery, while others find in it a new religious fashion of which they are enamoured, because it is to them a fascinating novelty and a profound excitement. Again, there are the sober-minded, who, while they regret the tendency to extravagance in shows, and forms, and observances, which has grown out of the Tractarian movement, yet, thank God for the real and sincere revival which has

taken place of old reverences, and Prayer-Book ordinances, and more frequent attendances at church, together with many other noble, and yet meek, manifestations of respect, not only for religion, but for that methodical practice of it, which, hundreds of years ago, was ordained and settled by the Church of England.

"Every one, familiar with libraries and the priced catalogues of booksellers,

must be aware how much more extended the study of divinity has become in the last twenty years than it had previously been. The old sterling works that hung heavily on hand have mounted to double

the price, and are of comparatively easy

sale. True, these books may be bought in some instances, as many other kind of books are, rather for the sake of possessing them than of studying them; but in the greater number of instances they are bought to be studied, and this

"And as to preaching, every one will admit that the tone of it is much changed; and certainly much for the better in some respects, though not in all. For the better, as regards more frequent introduction of Church topics, and the greater prominence given to the dis tinctive articles of Christian creeds, as held and interpreted from the first days. Better also, as having escaped from, and even put to flight, the laboured frigi dities of the Blair school, and the whole tribe of lean and flashy' compounds of the pompous and the commonplace. The improvement, however, is not without serious drawbacks in respect of dogmatism and mysticism, and perhaps an over-adoption and assertion of High Church views, going beyond the proper via media of the English Church."

We do not mean to enter upon a discussion of the questions involved in the controversy relating to the Oxford Tracts. We admit that, while we differ from these observations, they are the temperate expression of a calm judgment upon subjects upon which, on both sides, prejudice and passion have spoken more than reason. But in our mind, they take a very imperfect and inadequate view of the evils and dangers of the movement which has led so many men to Rome. It is impossible, as Mr. Johnston seems disposed to do, to view the Papal system on a level with any form of popular Protestantism, no matter how erroneous may be its belief, or how The cold or fanatical its devotion. Papal system is a power which sets itself up over conscience and intellect. It is not by any rite which it practises that it is to be tried; it is not by any doctrine which it teaches that it must ple under an incorporated spiritual be judged; it is by its claim to tramdespotism every feeling and freedom of the conscience and the soul. This has been for 1200 years the struggle between the Papacy and the Christian world. It has been one long attempt