“Things Old and New, being a Sequel to ‘The Chronicles of Waltham'”

Things Old and New, being a Sequel to 'The Chronicles cf Waltham? by the author of 'The Subaltern.' —Some five hundred numbers, or thereabouts, of the Athenœum have been published since we were called on to review 'The Chronicles of Waltham.' What a change has passed over our fictitious literature during those ten years! How completely, for instance, has the story of life in the middle classes—or the pleading in imaginary forms of the Rich-and-Poor question—superseded the novel of Fashionable Life! It is within that short interval that the Ruffian School of Romance sprung into existence—thronged for a time our police courts—and passed out of favour; since the Jack Sheppardsare no longer eligible as heroes—Greenacre reposes in 'The Newgate Calendar,' and Madame Laftaige sleeps in quiet in the gloom of her cell. Once again, how has the colour of the religious novel altered! Time was, when 'The Velvet Cushion' or 'No Fiction' illustrated the tone dominant: now the 'Geraldinea' and 'Dr. Hookwells' find many readers in spite of the angry protestations of the Charlotte Elizabeths. Throughout all these "mutabilities of things," the Priest and the Advocate have never ceased their hold, on Fiction—the fantastic reign of pure Imagination has never been resumed; and Mr. Gleig is at once working in accordances with the spirit of his time and his own clerical ehafacter, in following up 'The Chronicles of Wal-tharn by a tale of union workhouses, game laws, church-schisms, and the other topics of the day. He has chosen the cheap form of 'The Novel Times,' by way of insuring for his wisdom an extensive circulation. But we cannot, therefore, fall in with his humour by gravely analyzing what he has so gravely written. As a novelist, he hardly possesses force enough to drive his arguments far, or colour sufficient to set his illustrations vividly before the spectator. Considered as a mere tale, 'Things Old and New' is prosy and feeble. In one page, it is true, the episode of Bessy Brown and Frank Dadds, we find a strong push at the pathetic (as well as the New Poor Law); it is, however, borrowed from Mrs. Trollope's 'Jessie Phillips*—there is an attempt at subtlety of delineation in the character of Lady Evelyn, who is The Coquette* defended—whereas, for the most part, we have had in novels 'The Coquette' reproved. Mr. Jacobson, the incumbent of Walthara, will seem a faultless personage to those who adjust their opinions, on the points at present so sharply contested, according to Mr. Gleig's balance. Be that the reader's standard or not, he must award to the tale the grace of temperance. As this seems increasingly the fashion of discussion—let us hope that it may by degrees widen and deesion into Christian toleration.