are employed all the year round. Those who were rejected, (which did not often happen) had to come up again with another class. Many nights were occupied in examining 143 men: frequently the Assistant Collectors and Deputy Collectors sat by, following the questions; and to the rear there was always in attendance a large body of" passed men," "nearly ready," and the interest taken by them in the progress of the examination, the murmur of dissatisfaction at some blundering answer, showed, that a spirit of emulation had been roused.

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"The annual School of Instruction causes the assembly of all employés once a year at the Sudder station; changes can then be made, and the painful duty discharged, of weeding out veterans. Men must not be allowed to do their duty by deputy; where pension is allowed, it should be granted, and where it is not, the interests of the State still require that a person, not able to discharge the duties, should be removed."

This is a case in which the competition and examination system seems to be made good use of and not abused. In Mr. Cust's hand it may long be so, but if the principle and practice spread under the guidance of mere enthusiastic charlatans, unmitigated evil to the public service will be the only result. With this caveat' we should like to see such schools introduced into the Punjab. Perhaps the day is not far distant when the reproach of ignorance, at present too truly brought against many of the Punjab Amlah, will be numbered among the things which have been.

William the Conqueror, a Historical Romance, by General Sir Charles Napier, G. C. B. London. Routledge & Co.

1858.

THIS work issues from the press under the editorship of the late author's brother, Lieutenant-General Sir William Napier. The announcement of a novel from the pen of the hero of Meanee seems to have caused considerable surprise among the reading public-and good grounds for it too, perhaps. Considering the eccentric genius of the author, and his having been a daring and successful warrior, and not an unskilful politician, that he should also have a place among the novel writers of the age, might reasonably excite surprise. But the subject he has chosen falls in with his thoughts and habits as a soldier. The career of William affords full scope to the descriptive powers of one who spent most of his life in camp and field, and whose ears were more familiar with the harsh sounds of war than with the gentle accents of peace. The work has a public history of some little interest. It was written in 1837, and in that year sent to Colburn who returned it, but not till after it had been read by Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton. He expressed a favourable opinion of it, and the editor seems to imply in his preface, that Sir Edward in "Harold" has appropriated some of the ideas worked out by Napier in William the Conqueror. We think Bulwer is a writer who has no necessity for borrowing the conceptions of other people. His power as a maker or creative artist is abundantly manifest in his numerous works.

Though Sir Charles does not write with the freedom and classic grace of Bulwer, yet we think that his conception of the " Vala," or Sorceress, whom he makes to play a most conspicuous part in the

chapter of accidents, is much superior in imaginative power to the "Vala" of Bulwer. In 'Harold' she seems only an ordinary Danish matron, exercising an influence over others by magic and mysterious ceremonies, but as Bulwer himself says, still "essentially human even when aspiring most to the secrets of a God." Sir Charles on the other hand gives her much more of the supernatural, and makes her a far more necessary character to his work than "Hilda" is to "Harold." Here is Napier's description of her." She was of an extraordinary ' and commanding stature, large of bone and meagre, but of an upright and portly presence; her face was fair, of a reddish line and freckled, 'her features regular but of a severity approaching ferocity."—" She 'seemed one whose sex was more designated by her attire than by nature, which had so fashioned her that whatever garb she donned, she might pass for male or female accordingly. Her dress was as striking as her appearance. A light blue tunic descended below her knees; the cape buttoned round her throat was studded with globes of glass, and on each glass were cut mystical characters. A band of black sheep-skin, lined and edged with that of a white cat, confined her thick and long silvery hair, which fell like an avalanche down her back, and over each shoulder. From her zone, which was a large serpent's skin, 'studded with precious stones, all marked with cabalistic signs, was sus'pended a large bag containing her instruments of magic. Her sandals 'were of untanned calf-skin tied with thongs which were again fastened with buckles of bright steel. She held a wand hung with many 'charms, and at the end of it was a globe formed of a human skull set in a cup of crystal."

Her companions were two dogs; we will let Napier describe them. "Ho! Vafthrudner! A deep low bark from a dog within the tower ' answered. Ho! Gangrader. And again, the answer was a similar 'growl. Then the small door of the tower opened and forth stalked Vafthrudner and Gangrader in all the majesty of canine dignity. They were heavy looking animals, of enormous size, such as are seen in the Alps, but these seemed more fierce. Their paws were 'white, their coats a reddish ground with dark spots, and their flat 'broad heads were more like tigers' than lions'."

Truly, they are no unfit companions for a Sorceress! But we must give a short outline of the story. The scenes are laid both in Normandy and Britain. Duke William afterwards" the Conqueror" visits England, and receives from the feeble Edward a promise of the English Crown on his decease. His marriage with Matilda of Flanders, and all its attendant adventures, are then detailed, and the efforts made by William to subdue some of his powerful vassals are also largely described. Harold, the son of Earl Godwin, having been reconciled to Edward and his outlawry removed, goes to Normandy, and is there kept prisoner by William, and only released after having sworn on the most sacred relics to renounce all interest in the English Crown, and become a faithful vassal of William as the expectant of the throne of England. Harold returns, the English king dies, and Harold by the last words of Edward, and the unanimous wish of the English people is proclaimed king of the Saxons. William, determined to make good

his claim, assembles a vast army, receives the benison of the Pope, and lands on the shores of England. Harold having defeated his brother Fostig in the north, hastens to meet him. The two armies engage near Hastings, and after a long and bloody contest, the Normans are victorious, and the Saxon king is slain.

In

Such is the historical skeleton or substratum of the romance. terspersed are numerous personal adventures of Harold and William ; and the loves of Harold and the swan-necked Edith engross a large share of the reader's interest. Sir Charles writes with characteristic energy and nerve, but his style lacks flexibility and grace. The reader feels a stiffness and formality in the narrative which becomes tedious when long continued. The book exhibits considerable power of imagination however, and many of the most striking scenes are not only well conceived, but graphically described. There is a super-abundance of thrilling incidents and the chief interest is not concentered in the denouement as in a skilfully constructed novel, but allowed to exhaust itself in the course of the narrative. The result is that the reader wearies as he goes on, and when he gets to the end feels as much relief as if accomplishing a task. The history is represented as being dictated by the old knight Sir William Mallet (a vassal of the Duke of Nomandy and a sharer of his fortunes,) to the boy Wace, and he gives him now and then some sage remarks by way of comment which, from the peculiar sarcastic tone running through them, plainly declare that Sir Charles Napier speaks. His brother says in the preface, that when he wrote the work he was feeling rather sore from some political injustice, and that feeling crops out as unmistakeably as the old rocks are sometimes seen forcing their way through the more recent super-incumbent strata. Witness the following :

เ

"History affords examples. Ay boy! I have seen it happen to our great Conqueror, that when his generals grew rich and had gained 'immortal honor by the efforts of his genius, they grew slack in zeal 'for war and for their country." And this other:-"It may be said boy 'Wace; that insults offered by the vile ought not to affect noble ' minds, but this is an idle theory. Brave men heed not so much the 'insults of some base wretch as they are disturbed and irritated 'that they have not power to chastise the reptile as it deserves. 'bite of the bug will deprive the strongest of their rest.”

The

The accurate knowledge of the history of the period shews a considerable amount of reading and research, and the realisation of the men and manners of that comparatively rude and lawless age shews a considerable amount of mental power and original genius, but as a work of art we are not inclined to place it in the front rank, or pronounce it a success. We finish with Napier's description of the battle of Hastings and the death of Harold. The Normans are assaulting

the Saxon defences.

"On! on! was the cry, yet no courage could force that rampart of strong shields, sharp weapons and staunch soldiers crowning the ridge. We were repulsed and went rolling down the height, friend and foe, 'dead and living, in one confused mass. Harold's voice was heard above the mighty din.

"Keep the heights, Saxons, keep the heights; the victory is ours." '-Part disobey and give the Normans an advantage. William in order to draw the mass of the Saxon army into the plain resorts to strata" gem.

"He ordered his army again to attack and feign flight. He succeeded, the Saxons thinking the Normans were routed, raised a general 'shout and dashed down into the plain. Harold saw the ruin. "Stand 'firm, cried he to his guards, and the rush up the hill will come anon, and we may save these madmen yet."

'Ye heroes of Asgaard, how they fight, added he, looking down upon the conflict, O God what madness drew them from the hills ; uttering this exclamation, he dashed his battle axe on the ground as one beside ' himself.

แ

"Gurth guard the heights, I will go down and try to save the maniacs." "No; no, rise! stay thou upon the hill, or all will be lost, let me go," 'saying this, Gurth rushed down followed by his bold brother Sweyne. "The height, the height'; Now Normans, now or never follow your duke," shouted William, and with responding cheers his warriors once more, a serried line of steel, dashed up the slope. Duke William 'led but gained not that part of the height where Harold fought, and ' under one blow of whose destroying battle axe, riders and steeds often 'fell together. He drove on Normans before him; it was death to 'encounter the terrible warrior. That day he had no rival but 'William.

"The Normans assault again. The Saxons made desperate resistance, ' and when their rampart was beaten down, closed shield to shield, pre'senting a barrier which no effort could force, and from behind which 'their heavy long-handled battle axes, and stubborn spears, struck with resistless force.

"Thickly and desperately did the assaulters push up their footing on 'the table land, and hundreds of self-devoted Saxons, closing with their 'enemies, flung themselves headlong with their foes in mortal struggle 'down the steep. There were seen dying men hurling their weapons

madly as they lay, and expiring with the effort. Yet the impenetrable line of Saxons held the crest unbroken, and once more the scales of 'fate, seemed turning against the Normans; one moment longer, and again would the invaders have been driven back by the intrepid sons of the soil. "Now relics befriend us," cried the bishop, as an esquire handed him his bow, and the arrow headed with the holy nail the present of the Pope to William. "I vowed that if the battle went hard, this arrow should turn it, high in the air let it fly and heaven direct its 'fall." Whizzing the shaft disappeared in the sky and the man, the 'words, the act; all drew attention from friends and foes-for an instant their struggle ceased. The uplifted axe hung suspended in mid air, ' and knee to knee, and shield to shield, for a moment kept their hostile pressure motionless. Harold, whose glance watched all changes of that 'tumultuous field, beheld with surprise this sudden suspension of the 'fight, following with his eye the up-cast looks of the combatants, the descending arrow sank deep into his brain, and the great the glorious hero fell a corpse."

A Memoir, Letters and Diary of the Rev. Henry S. Polehampton, M. A., Fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford, Chaplain of Lucknow. Edited by the Rev. Edward Polehampton, M. A. and the Rev. T. S. Polehampton, M. A. London, Richard Bentley. 1858.

THIS, the last production, as yet, of the Literature of the Rebellion, must with Mr. Edwards' Adventures rank unquestionably as the best. Simple and natural, unartistic and unartificial, pathetic and hearttouching, and withal, manly and English-like, this book and its subject are worthy of each other, and of the scenes and the nation that have given birth to both.

Henry Polehampton was in all respects a man, and in very many approached near to the Paul-like ideal of a Christian, struggling with the most untoward circumstances and most calamitous woes, and in strength not his own overcoming even in the hour of his death, and winning for himself the crown of life.' In the triumphant cloud of witnesses who are now beyond the sorrow and the strife, and whose names and memories are the treasured heritage of every Englishman, Henry Polehampton is not the least glorious. Born in a Middlesex village of which his father was Rector, he spent his boyhood at Eton, where he was, boy-like, more distinguished for fearless honesty of nature and success in manly sport, than for his knowledge of Greek and Latin. At swimming, boating and cricketing, especially the second, he was almost unequalled, and laid the foundation of a character, that, sanctified by the Spirit, made him the hero he afterwards became. He passed from Eton to Oxford where he studied with credit, though not distinction, and where also his expertness at swimming and his daring goodness of heart gained him the Humane Society's medal "ob civem servatum," saving as he did, in most perilous circumstances, a drowning man. The act is at once typical and representative of his future. We soon see the manly young fellow consecrating his soul and body to the service of God in the office of His ministry, and in 1849 appointed to the assistant-curacy of St. Chad's, Shrewsbury, where, like the curate in Kingsley's Two Years Ago' he wrought night and day amid the duties of a large and populous parish, and when cholera broke out, found himself alone to discharge them. But seeking for a higher sphere-at least for one that would raise him above genteel penury, and becoming engaged in 1852 to his future wife, Emily Allnatt, the daughter of a barrister-at-law in his parish, and whose name is imperishably associated with his own as a heroine, he looked to a chaplaincy in India, and was appointed by Mr. Butterworth Bayley.

Polehampton with his wife set out for Calcutta by the 'Pera,' on the 4th of January 1856, appointed by God, as it now seems, for that field of suffering and toil on which he died. While he bore with him some plate and a purse of eighty guineas presented by the sorrowing parishioners of St. Chad's, he also rejoiced in the possession of a pint-pewter, the prize awarded to his boat as second in the last race, that for 'auld