the scenes of most hurtful tendency; and it is these principally which are made widely known to the lower classes.

human beings; and do not feel the force of temptation as it assails our less perfect breasts. It is this that makes them unreal,

One of the most remarkable effects of these "Faultless monsters, that the world ne'er saw." works has been the singular patronage and favor which has marked the reception of those slang This is the true meaning of "the simple heart," forms of expression, of which Mr. Dickens has pre- which Mr. Dickens so perpetually eulogizes. sented us with so copious a variety, that from his Indeed, they often degenerate into simpletons, writings alone we might compile grammar, dic-sometimes into mere idiots. Such characters are tionary, and phrase-book, with a treatise on their uninstructive; for in contemplating them we lose Doric, Ionic, and more purely Attic idioms. Even sight of the great fact of the corruption of human in polite circles, and sometimes in the mouths of nature; from which it follows that virtue, whether the fair sex, Mr. Weller's flowers of rhetoric, and in the Christian or the heathen breast, consists in Dick Swiveller's graces of speech, might be the triumph of good principle over evil propensity, heard frequently quoted with zest; and still these and the victory of moral and religious motives vulgarisms, this "well of English sore-defiled," over the allurements of temptation. Even heathreatens to infect the tone of conversation, and then moralists have delighted to portray the pasto color the language of social life. No one who sions as fierce and impure animals, bridled and reflects on the nature of this sort of dialect can tamed by conscience. The best dramatists and fail to regret that it should be spread abroad and novelists have taken many a subject from this come into vogue, as it thus seems likely to do. conflict; and have represented at one time the Mr. Dickens has himself endeavored to convey to temporary triumph of the baser motive; at anus, as the result of his observations on some classes other, the conquest of good resolution over severe of society in America, that corrupt phraseology assaults; and again, the firm adherence to duty is intimately associated with degeneracy of char- through a long course of suffering and difficult acter. Slang differs widely from the broad Scotch exertion. They are uninstructive, because the which abounds so much in the Waverly Novels. absence of high principle, as the spring of action, That is the language of a whole people, in prevents the reader, especially the young, from which the remnants of a fine old tongue are scanning and analyzing motives, duties, and paspreserved, and linger amidst the more modern sions; and instead of being in that way stimuEnglish, like the grand old pine trees of the lated to earnest thought and self-examination, he country, still towering nobly above the tame culti- is lulled into a pleasing indifference and frivolity vation which has crept in around them. It differs of mind. widely, too, from the provincial dialects of Eng- Another error is the undue prominence given to land, which arose insensibly, are spoken uncon- good temper and kindness, which are constantly sciously, and are often in part due to a pronuncia-made substitutes for all other virtues, and an tion moulded by climate, or conformation of the atonement for the want of them; while a defect in organs of speech. But slang arose in towns, these good qualities is the signal for instant conamid thieves and gamblers, who had need of an demnation, and the charge of hypocrisy. It is obscure phraseology; it was adopted by those unfortunate also, that Mr. Dickens so frequently who wished to be thought initiated into secrets not represents persons with pretensions to virtue and known to every one; it came to be used as a piety as mere rogues and hypocrites, and never cheap substitute for wit; but wherever it goes, it depicts any whose station as clergymen, or repubears the stamp of its nativity, and an impress of tation for piety, is consistently adorned and vericrime, concealment, and baseness. The man of fied. It is not surprising if he has thus created in pure and honorable feeling cannot use it; and its the minds of some an impression that he holds the spread will be an index of the departure of these claims of religion itself in contempt. qualities from society.

But, indeed, the mere omission of religion in his The mention of the Waverly Novels and their good characters and sentimental passages is suffibroad Scottish dialect, leads unavoidably to the ciently striking. We are no admirers of religious remark, that, unlike the author of these matchless novels, nor do we think them a good vehicle for productions, Mr. Dickens makes his low charac- advice on that solemn subject; and we have no ters almost always vulgar. It is not easy to de- fancy for those written expressly to expound or fine vulgarity, but every one can feel it; and we argue a particular set of doctrines for such as know that Edie Ochiltree, Cuddie Headrigg, Bai- the "The Anglo-Catholic Family," or the "Dislie Nicol Jarvie, and Dominie Sampson are not senter's Progress into the Bosom of the Church." vulgar, in spite of their accent, language, and But if the value of religion is felt at all by the station; neither are Jeanie Deans, or Meg Merri-author of a tale, he can hardly help letting us see lees, or the Mucklebackits; and while the author it as the spring of action in his good characters, draws them with perfect truth, he often conveys or, at least, as furnishing his own standard of through their mouths lessons of the greatest moral elevation. Every reader must have felt how much otherwise it is with Mr. Dickens.

right and wrong in his judgments and views of things. But surely, if at no other time, the omission must be culpable when one so capable as Mr. Dickens of moving the feelings, leads us into the most solemn scenes, and takes us to the deathbed of the young, the fair, and the good, and spares no art to "ope the sacred source of sympa

In the next place, the good characters in Mr. Dickens' novels do not seem to have a wholesome moral tendency. The reason is, that many of them all the author's favorites-exhibit an excellence flowing from constitution and tempera-thetic tears." When our hearts are touched, it ment, and not from the influence of moral or religious motive. They act from impulse, not from principle. They present no struggle of contending passions; they are instinctively incapable of evil; they are therefore not constituted like other

is not right, and to a well constituted mind it is painful, to leave us with a few vague sentiments scarcely even of natural religion, and a picturesque sketch perhaps of a Bible in the background, but with no reference to the revelation it

contains, and to those truths which furnish the only true ground of hope to the dying, and of consolation to the bereaved.

We have reserved for the conclusion of our re

lasting influence; while the jokes and idioms, and slang phrases of the successive numbers are repeated and dwelt on in the intervals, until, by We cannot but sometimes contrast the tone of being gradually stored up in the memory, they at Mr. Dickens' purely sentimental passages with length tinge the language of ordinary conversathat of Sir Walter Scott on similar occasions, and tion. It is scarcely necessary to add, how very the stilted pomp with which the former often injurious to the novel, as a work of art, this mode parades a flaunting rag of threadbare morality, of publication must be, and the opportunity it with the quiet and graceful ease with which the gives to the author to know the sentiments of the latter points out and enforces a useful lesson. In-public, and to them to interfere with the conduct deed, it seems unavoidable that the high standard of the tale. Mr. Dickens has told us that while which is afforded by the novels of Scott should be the Old Curiosity Shop was in course of publicaperpetually referred to for trying all his followers tion, he had hundreds of letters, chiefly from in the same path of literature; and, surely, when ladies, beseeching him to spare little Nell, which, it is remembered how eminently his romances are finding he had such a hold on their sympathies, he distinguished by shrewd practical good sense, as very properly refused to do. well as by pure feeling and correct moral tone, by an unaffected and manly simplicity of style, not-view the "Christmas Carol" and the "Chimes," withstanding the rich variety of knowledge, over- because they belong to a different class of compoflowing, not displayed, in every page, he is well sitions, and because we do not wish to part from entitled to be regarded as the guide of the critic an author whose genius has so often delighted us, as well as the model of succeeding novelists. with these somewhat austere remarks. The former Lastly, the form of publication of Mr. Dickens' little story abounds with mannerism, but with the works must be attended with bad consequences. best as well as the less pleasing characteristics of The reading of a novel is not now the under- the author. We have, no doubt, his carelessness taking it once was, a thing to be done occasionally and incorrectness of style-but then all his copion a holiday and almost by stealth. The monthly number comes in so winningly, with methodical punctuality, and with so moderate an amount at a time, that novel-reading becomes a sort of stated occupation, and not to have seen the last part of Martin Chuzzlewit is about as irregular as not to have balanced your books. Useful as a certain amount of novel reading may be, this is not the right way to indulge in it. It is not a mere healthy recreation, like a match at cricket, a lively conversation, or a game at backgammon. It throws us into a state of unreal excitement, a trance, or dream, which we should be allowed to dream out, and then be sent back to the atmosphere of reality again, cured by our brief surfeit of the desire to indulge again soon in the same delirium of feverish interest. But now our dreams are mingled with our daily business; the schoolboy hurries over his lessons to get to the new number of Dickens, or Lever, or Warren, and these cheap and abundant publications absorb the energies which, after the daily task, might be usefully employed in the search after wholesome knowledge. It is plain, also, that the form of publication But what bells are these swinging, now in bright must tend greatly to increase any pernicious influ-sunshine and now in deep shade, greeting the New ence in these or other similar works. For the Year with a half-glad half-melancholy peal? The characters and incidents are kept long before the Chimes ;-telling, however, no "Goblin Story," mind, and we have time to become very familiar but one very real, full of truth, and regarding with them, as we wait and long to know how sober flesh and blood. Their sound is a pleasant Sam Weller gave evidence in a court of justice; one; for in this little tale there is a great deal how Jonas Chuzzlewit accomplished the murder reminding us of the best parts of the Pickwick of Montague Tigg; or how Dick Swiveller played Papers, its clear portraiture, and its effective at cribbage with the Marchioness, or discoursed satire. There is all the author's wonted vivid the affairs of the Glorious Apollo with Mr. Chuck-minuteness of description, which does not overlook ster. The impressions are not allowed to be the speckled spiders in the belfrey, or the brass effaced; they are renewed at short intervals, till toasting-fork in Tugby's parlor, which " spread out the whole story, and actors, and moral, wind its idle fingers as if it wanted to be measured for a themselves into the mind, and produce a full and

ousness and variety;-his tendency to overstrained and extravagant imagery—but then, his unrivalled exuberance of life and animation; his occasional petulant sneers at religious people and the strict observance of Sunday-but then, his own touching mode of awakening sympathy with the joys and sorrows of the poor. We had at one time marked for grave animadversion some instances of bad taste, and the moral process by which Old Scrooge is converted at once from an Arthur Gride into a Brother Cheeryble. But the Christmas dinner of Tom Cratchit and his family rose to recollection, and the spirit of Tiny Tim, "who did not die after all," sealed our lips; a hundred bright, sparkling, fantastic images crowded into the memory; we could see the sweeps pelting each other with snow-balls, laughing heartily when they hit, and laughing still more heartily when they missed, and the shops with their tempting stores, and the game of romps at the nephew's in the evening; and then Old Scrooge himself, after sending the turkey to Bob Cratchit's seemed quietly to take the pen from our unresisting fin

gers.

glove." There are gentle touches of nature that bring tears to the eye, and dismal strains that thrill through the heart. These last are conveyed in a dream, which should not be here, because the idea is a plagiarism from the Christmas Carol, and are communicated by aërial and goblin personIn this dream ages, who are of no particular use.

*The view taken above is confirmed by a remark of Dr. Arnold, (Life, vol. ii., p. 159; and Sermons, vol. iv., 39-41 ;) that the increase of frivolity and childishness, and the decrease of manly thoughtfulness, which he had observed with pain in the great school under his charge, was owing to the periodical form given to works of amusement, (he mentions Pickwick and Nicholas Nickle-18 by as instances,) harmless, perhaps, in themselves.

revealed to Toby Veck, the simple-hearted ticket-porter, a sketch of what might have been the

From Chambers' Journal.

guard. Besides, this was the very man whom I
knew to have been at the head of the party of
Lake.
bushrangers who had been captured at the Great

once-are you one of the late party of bushrangers "What is your purpose, then? Tell me at who have done such mischief in the island."

፡፡ TALES OF THE COLONIES.' EIGHTEEN months ago, we noticed a work under the above title, of which it would be difficult to say whether it abounded more in the spirit-stirring were expressed in my looks, and pointed to his He observed the doubt and hesitation which scenes usually found in fiction, or in sound views gun which was on the other side of me. respecting emigration to, and settlement in, perhaps the finest of the Australian colonies-Van you that I meditate neither violence nor treachery "What more can I do," said he, "to convince Diemen's Land. As to a great extent the adven- against you? Indeed, when you know my purtures of a settler-an English farmer-in that dis-pose, you will see that they would defeat my own tant colony, who, after undergoing many mishaps, object." while the country was still in a crude condition, had lived to reap the reward of his perseverance, such a work could not fail to be very generally acceptable; and we are glad to know that it has been so much so as to pass already into a third edition. Desirous of rendering his work more extensively available, the author has judiciously issued it in a single volume; and as a copy of this cheap edition has been placed under our notice, we take leave to bring it once more before our readers. Having on the former occasion described the contents of the book at considerable length, it is now unnecessary to say more on that subject. Being desirous, however, of conveying an idea of the author's powers of narration, we may offer the following extract, which refers to a state of society in the colony, now, we believe, gone.

THE BUSHRANGER.

was their leader. I planned the escape from "I am: and more than that, I am-or rather Macquarie harbor; and it was I who kept them together, and made them understand their strength, and how to use it. But that's nothing now. I do not want to talk to you about that. But I tell no disguise with you; because I have a great who and what I am, you that you may see I have favor-a very great favor-to ask of you; and if I can obtain it from you on no other terms, I am almost inclined to say, take me to camp as your prisoner, and let the capture of the Gipsy—ah! I see you know that name, and the terror it has given to the merciless wretches who pursue me

you!"

66

-I say, let the capture of the Gispy, and his In crossing the country one day, and at a dis--be the price of the favor that I have to beg of death, if you will-for it must come to that at last tance from any habitation, Mr. Thornley, the settler, to his surprise and fear beheld at a short distance approaching him a noted bushranger, 'Speak on, my man," I said: "you have done known by the name of "the Gipsy," who had lat-you with them. What do you want of me? and some ill deeds, but this is not the time to taunt terly, with a band of associates, become the dread if it is anything that an honest man can do, I of the colony. He was a tall, well-made man, promise you beforehand that I will do it." one apparently above the ordinary character of convicts, and whom it was distressing to see in listen to me. Perhaps you do not know that I "You will!-but you do not know it yet. Now such a situation. The parties approached each have been in the colony for ten years. I was a other with mutual distrust. Thornley knew he lifer. It's bad that; better hang a man at once had a desperate character to deal with, and pointed than punish him for life: there ought to be a proshis gun at him; but the bushranger seemed desir-pect of an end to suffering; then the man can ous of a parley, and after a few words, says the look forward to something; he would have hope writer, he laid his gun quietly on the grass, and left. But never mind that. I only speak of it then passed round me, and sat down at a few because I believe it was the feeling of despair that yards' distance, so that I was between him and his first led me wrong, and drove me from bad to weapon. "Well, Mr. Thornley," said he, "will that do? You see I am now unarmed. I don't worse. Shortly after my landing I was assigned ask you to do the same, because I cannot expect settlers then, and we did not know so much of the to a very good master. There were not many you to trust to me, but the truth is, I want to have a little talk with you. I have something on my things, and able to earn money, I soon got my country as we do now. As I was handy in many mind which weighs heavy on me, and whom to liberty on the old condition; that is of paying so speak to I do not know. I know your character, much a-week to my master. That trick is not and that you have never been hard on your gov-played now, but it was then, and by some of the ernment men, as some are. At any rate, speak to big ones too. However, all I cared for was my some one I must. Are you inclined to listen to liberty, and I was glad enough to get that for seven shillings a-week. But still I was a govern

me?"

I was exceedingly moved at this unexpected appeal to me at such a time and in such a place.ment prisoner, and that galled me; for I knew I There was no sound, and no object save ourselves, master, and to be called into government employ. was liable to lose my license at the caprice of my to disturb the vast solitude of the wilderness. Be-Besides, I got acquainted with a young woman. low us flowed the Clyde, beneath an abrupt preci- and married her, and then I felt the bitterness of pice; around were undulating hills, almost bare slavery worse than ever; for I was attached to her of trees; in the distance towered the snowy mountain which formed the boundary to the landscape. I looked at my companion doubtfully; for I had heard so many stories of the treachery of the bushrangers, that I feared for a moment that this acting might only be a trick to throw me off my *London: Smith, Elder, and Co. 1845.

of parting from her without pain. So about three sincerely, and I could not contemplate the chance years after I had been in this way, I made an attempt to escape with her in a vessel that was know; but what will not a man risk for his libersailing for England. It was a mad scheme, I ty?"

"What led you to think of going back to Eng-truth, sir: attached to her as I was, I was rather land? What were you sent out for?"

"I have no reason to care for telling the truth. I was one of a gang of poachers in Herefordshire, and on a certain night we were surprised by the keepers, and somehow, I don't know how, we came to blows; and the long and the short of it is, one of the keepers was killed; and there's the truth of it."

glad than sorry for it. I could not bear the thought of her falling into anybody else's hands; and as our separation was now absolutely and hopelessly forever-it is the truth-I was rather glad than sorry when I heard of her death. But my poor.little child! I thought of her night and day, wondering and thinking what would become of her! I could think of nothing else. At last my thoughts began "And you were tried for the murder?" "I to turn to the possibility of escaping from Macand two others were; and one was hanged, and I quarie harbor, desperate as the attempt appeared; and my mate were transported for life." Well, for, to cross the bush without arms, and without the less that's said about that the better; now provisions, exposed to the attacks of the natives, go on with your story; but let me know what it is seemed all but an impossibility. But almost anyyou would have me do for you." thing may be done by resolution and patience, and watching your opportunity."

66

But

"I'll come to that presently; but I must tell you something about my story, or you will not [The escape having been effected,] "We scramunderstand me. I was discovered in the vessel, bled away as well as we could, till we got a little concealed among the casks, by the searching distance off, and out of hearing, and then we set party, and brought on shore with my wife; and to with a will, and rid ourselves of our fetters, all you know, I suppose, that the punishment is except three, and these were too tightly fitted to death. But Colonel Davey-he was governor be got off on a sudden without better tools. We then let me off; but I was condemned to work in got the three chained men along with us, howchains in government employ. This was a horrid ever, as well as we could, for we would not leave life, and I determined not to stand it. There were them; so we helped them on by turns; and the one or two others in the chain-gang all ready for a next day, when we were more easy, we contrived start into the bush, if they had any one to plan for to rid them of their incumbrances. We hastened them. I was always a good one at head-work, on all night. I ought to tell you that we heard and it was not long before I contrived one night to the bell rung and the alarm given; but we had get rid of our fetters. There were three others gained an hour good, and the ungagging of the besides myself. We got on the top of the wall sentinels and overseers, and hearing their story, very cleverly, and first one dropped down, (it was took up some time no doubt. Besides, it is not as dark as pitch, and we could not see what be- easy to hit on a track in the dusk, and as there came of him,) then another dropped, and then the were fourteen of us, armed with two muskets, our third. Not a word was spoken. I was the last, pursuers would not proceed so briskly as they and glad enough was I when I felt myself sliding otherwise might, and would not scatter themselves down the rope outside the yard. But I had to grin to look after us. We were without provisions; on the other side of my mouth when I came to the but we did not care about that; and not being use bottom. One of the sneaks whom I had trusted to long walks, we were soon knocked up. had betrayed us, and I found myself in the arms the desire of liberty kept us up, and we struck of two constables, who grasped me tightly. I right across the country in as straight a line as we gave one of them a sickener, and could have easily could guess. The second day we were all very managed the other, but he gave the alarm, and sick and faint, and the night before was very cold, then lots of others sprang up, and lights and sol- and we were cramped and unfit to travel. The diers appeared. I was overpowered by so many. second night we all crept into a cave, which was They bound my arms, and then I was tried for the sandy inside, where we lay pretty warm, but we attempt to escape, and the assault on the consta- were ravenously hungry. We might have shot ble, and condemned to Macquarie harbor for life. more than one kangaroo that day, but it was "I have not told you that my wife brought ine agreed that we should not fire, lest the report of a child. It is now seven years old. I loved that our gun should betray our resting-place to our child, Mr. Thornley, more than a parent usually pursuers. As we lay huddled together, we heard loves his child. It was all in all to me. It was the the opossums squeeling in the trees about, and two only bright thing that I had to look upon. When of us, who were least tired, tried to get some of I was sentenced to Macquarie harbor for life, it them. When we climbed up the trees they would have been a mercy to put me to death. I sprang away like squirrels, and we had no chance should have put myself to death, if it had not been with them that way; besides, it was dark, and we for the thought of that little girl. Well, sir, I could distinguish them only faintly and obscurely. will not say more about that. When a man takes We did contrive, however, to kill five by pelting to the bush, and has done what I have done, he is them on a long overhanging bough; but they thought to be a monster without feeling or affec- remained suspended by their tails, and did not tion. But people don't understand us. There is drop, although dead. To hungry men a dead no man, sir, depend upon it, so bad that he has opossum is something; so one of us contrived to not some good in him; and I have had some ex-climb to them and get them down; and then we perience for I have seen the worst of us-the very worst in the most miserable of all conditions -for that Macquarie harbor is a real hell upon earth! There is no time to tell you about the hardships and the miseries which the prisoners suffer in that horrible place-it soon kills them. But my greatest misery was being deprived of my little girl-my plaything-my darling-my life! I had not been at Macquarie harbor a month, before news came that my wife was dead. I'll tell you the

lighted a fire in the cave, quite at the extremity inside, to prevent the flame from being seen, and roasted them as the natives do. They were horrid rank things to eat, and almost made us sick, hungry as we were; but I don't think a hair of them was left among us. The next day we shot a kangaroo; but we feared to light a fire because of the smoke, so we ate it raw.

"We first struck on the outskirts of New Norfolk, and we debated what we should do. Some