better fitted to call out various and possess her, however distant the day,
conflicting passions, than this one in is a thought that brings the brightness
which we find poor Reginald. Of these, of a blessed felicity over the black
bitter, and cutting, and gnawing re- realities of his most dismal hours.
morse, is one of the chief; and the un- Who she is he knows not. Over her
happy boy casts back many an agita- birth there is a mystery which his de-
ted thought to his beloved father's licate mind seeks not to penetrate;
study. The calm expression of that and that mystery, which seems always
bland countenance smites him worse to involve something sad, sorrowful,
than that of a Gorgon; and he curses and disastrous, bestows on the resign-
his very existence, when he thinks how ed and cheerful creature a more touch-
weakly and how basely he has been ing beauty, and renders her image the
betraying the sacred trust reposed in emblem of everything most pure, most
him of a parent's peace. Independent- submissive, most innocent, and it may
ly of the utter forgetfulness of all pro- perhaps soon be also most deserted and
per academical pursuits, and his par- tonely on the earth. That such a pas-
ticipation, now felt to be more shame- sion, of which a youth, in such a situa-
ful than it really could be, in follies tion, should be unrequited, is not in
for ever bordering on vice, he is day the order of novels or of nature; and,
after day getting deeper, and deeper, fair reader, learn from what follows
and deeper into debt, and the strength how true is their mutual love. The
and virtue of his soul seem dying with- scene of those impassioned vows is
in him, as he gradually knows himself Godstowe Abbey.
to be more and more dependent on

“ He found one of the gates unlocked, those tradesmen, whom, at the same

and stood within the wide circuit of time, he must confess to himself he

those grey and mouldering walls, that has injured. This feeling, so agonizing still marks the limits of the old nunnery. and unendurable in its paltry pain to The low moss-covered fruit-trees of the the honourable mind,-and his is an monastic orchard, flung soft and deep shahonourable mind,-makes him more dows upon the unshorn turf below : the and more helpless, hopeless, reckless, ivy hung in dark slumbering masses from disturbed, distracted, and diseased in , every ruinous fragment; the little rivuspirit. He is enveloped in a net, that let, which winds through the guarded has been slowly creeping up from feet precincts, shrunk far within its usual to forehead, and whose meshes he can- bound, trickled audibly from pebble to not break. A condition like this in pebble. Reginald followed its course to ordinary hands would have become re- the arch-way, beneath which it gushes volting in description ; but this author into the Isis-but there his steps were has saved his hero from degradation, arrested.--He heard it distinctly-it was and preserved our sympathies, by the but a single verse, and it wus sung very clear light which he has thrown on the lowly—but no voice, save that of Ellen circumstances that haveinsensibly thus Hesketh, could have poured out those reduced him, so that he appears as if soft and trembling tones. under a fate, while his fervid and ge

“ He listened for a few moments, but nerous spirit still exhibits itself in va

the voice was silent. He then advanced rious fine traits that redeem its great- again between the thick umbrageous est errors. His principles are still all trees, until he had come within sight of sound at the core ; and we feel that

the chapel itself, from which, it seemed Reginald may be ruined, but will not

to him, the sounds had proceeded. Again be dishonoured, and that, happen what they were heard again the same sweet

and melancholy strain echoed from withmay, he will ultimately, by some ex

in the damp arches, and shook the stillertion of his own, liberate himself from

ness of the desolate garden. Here, then, such jeopardy, and leave no poor man

she was, and it was to find her lie had his creditor, to the value of the tuft on

come thither; yet now a certain strange

mysterious fearfulness crept over all his Thus agitated, tempted, and tried, mind, and he durst not, could not, proReginald Dalton loves, with a more ceed. desperate passion, the beautiful Helen “ He lay down prostrate among the Hesketh. In her presence, all mean or long grass, which, so deep was the shade mighty miseries are laid at rest-com- above, yet retained the moisture of the fort and hope breathe from the face of last night's dew, and thence, gazing that dutiful and happy girl-and to wistfully upon the low door of the dis

his cap.

"Forgiveness!' she said-' O mock me not, Mr Dalton! what have I to forgive?

"Forgive the words that were wrung from me in bitterness of soul-Forgive me-forgive the passionate, involuntary cries of my mad anguish.'

"Oh, sir, you grieve, you wound me! -you know not how you wound me. I am a poor helpless orphan, and I shall soon have no friend to lean to.-How 'can I listen to such words as you have spoken ?-I am grateful; believe my tears, I am grateful indeed.'

"Grateful! for the love of mercy, do not speak so-be calm, let me see you

calm.'

"How can I be calm? what can I

say? Oh, Mr Dalton, it is your wild looks that have tortured me, for I thought I had been calm!-Oh, sir, I pray you, be yourself-do not go from me thus-I am young and friendless, and I know not what I should do or speak. You, too, are young, and life is before you and I hope happiness-indeed I hope so.'

become as pale as their love was purebut the fulness of their young hearts was too rich for utterance-and all seem→ ed so like a dream, that neither had dared, even by a whisper, to hazard the dissolving of the dear melancholy charm."

"Nay,' said Reginald, solemnly, not happiness but I trust calmness to endure my misery. You may, but I cannot forget; and with this his tears also flowed, for hitherto not one drop had eased his burning eye-lids.

"Neither for a few moments said anything at last, Ellen rubbed aside her tears with a hot and rapid hand-and 'Hear me,' she said, 'hear me, Mr Dalton. We are both too young-we are both inexperienced-and we have both our sorrows, and we should both think of other things. Go, sir, and do your duty in the world; and if it will lighten your heart to know, that you carry with you my warmest wishes for your welfare, do take them with you. Hereafter there may come better days for us both, and then perhaps but no, no, sir, I know 'tis folly'

Reginald is now secured in that possession, which, to him, included all worth having in this life. He returns to his father's house, and there makes a confession, not of his love, but of his misdemeanours, and all his expensive follies. Nothing can be more beautiful and pathetic than the description of his father's entire forgiveness, and of the yearnings of his undiminished, his increased affection towards his beloved Reginald. The feelings of Reginald, too, are all painted as well as may be; and the vicarage is a happier dwelling than it ever was before, in the light of forgiveness, contrition, and reassured confidence and hope. The father and son read toge"ther their favourite classics once more; in which Reginald now sees meanings and gleamings of passion that formerly were hidden; for even during these few restless months his intellect had expanded and ripened, and from distress and delight, from perturbation "and blessedness, he had learnt to know something of himself, and of that nature to which he belonged. Meanwhile the Vicar had contrived, limited as were his means, to raise a sum sufficient for the payment of his son's debts; and Reginald returns in due time to Oxford, with the certainty of freedom from his former degrading. and intolerable bondage.

discovers attempting a brutal assault conception of it is both poetical and on Helen Hesketh, wounds his anta- philosophical. It is, on the whole, a gonist, is imprisoned, and finally ex- fine and a bold illustration of a segpelled the university. All these in- ment of life's circle. It is a living cidents, with all their accompanying moving picture-a sort of peristrephic causes and effects, are narrated with panorama. liveliness and vigour, and bring us to In the second place, the main obthe end of the second volume. ject of the work, namely, a delineation

Now, whoever wishes to know what of the youth of a given individual, is the third volume contains, will have attained, and well attained, and Rethe goodness to read it. All we shall ginald, with all his faults and transsay is this, that all Reginald's prospects gressions, is a lad of such metal, that in life are utterly ruined, and his the more England contains of them love for Helen now seems hopeless. the better—for the bar, the church, the He determines to go to India ; and army, and the navy. they first swear eternal fidelity in each In the third place, a great deal of other's arms. But, after many chap- talent is shewn in the sketches of chaters of accidents, the tragic scene shifts, racter throughout the three volumes, and hope rises on the horizon. Hidden and for the most part they are true to things are brought to light-histories nature. Of the priest Mr Keith, we of old times revived-secrets revealed may well say with Wordsworth. “ That --and affairs in general undergo many poor old man is richer than he seems; remai and important revolutions. and we ha not been half so much There is throughout the greater part in love with anybody since the short of the last volume an uncommon bus- peace of 1801, as with Helen Hesketh. tle, and running to and fro of all par- And, lastly, there is throughout, ties concerned. The wily are detect- such a power of writing, beautifully, ed; the crafty confuted; the guilty gracefully, vigorously, sarcastically, punished; the good rise up from po- and wittily, at will, as will puzzle verty, or obscurity, or danger; and, most of our acquaintances to equal, when the curtain falls, the head of He- from the great Unknown down to len Hesketh is on the bosom of Regi- Dominie Small-Text in Tom Campnald Dalton ;-and they are spending bell. Should any of them not think their honey-moon at GRYPHERWAST- so, let them try. Hall, of which Helen Hesketh turn- Now for the demerits. ed out to be heiress; and may Mrs In the first place, the deep and viDalton long flourish, and give birth tal interest of the history ceases with to at least three daughters, as fair and the conclusion of the second volume. as good as their delightful mother. The third, although we are involved

A long analysis of a popular novel in the curious and exciting progress of in a Magazine or Review, is indeed a an uncommon and ingenious denouedull absurdity; and we have therefore ment, is to us frequently teazing and done no more now, than merely state bothering. Let us, if possible, have a few things that it was necessary to no more wills and title-deeds, and state, to bring out before our readers cursed parchments of all sorts fluttersomething of the character of this ing and creaking in novels. They are very original production. The extracts becoming a perfect nuisance. will speak for themselves; and it will In the second place, there is not a be seen, from the glimpses of the story due proportion preserved between the which we have given, that it is full of sad, serious, solemn, pathetic, and bustle, variety, interest, and passion. impassioned, and the light, airy, froWe beg therefore to conclude with a licsome, and absurd. There is rather few sentences, summing up its general too much of the latter. They somemerits and demerits.

times seem to be the principal and In the first place, although neither prevailing character of the work. This this novel, nor any other novel we is a pity, and obviously happened beever read, stands by itself, that is to cause the author wrote away without say, belongs to no class, which we pre- any very regular plan; and when sume is what blockheads desire when sheets are printed off, pray, Mr Wisethey demand something wholly new, acre, what is to be done? Reginald Dalton will be universally ac- In thé third place, not a few of the knowledged to be a work of genius. The incidents are in themselves baddish.

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