HARRY MUIR. *

Tins novel, like the previous works of the authoress of "Passages in the Life of Mrs. Margaret Maitland," is less distinguished for its story than its delineation of Scottish manners and its conception and embodiment of Scottish character. The reader accustomed to strictly analyze what he peruses, may trace some essential resem- blance to what he has met with already, as a certain likeness will often run through all the members of a family, however they may differ in other circumstances of difference—as age or sex. In Harry Muir this resemblance is so overshadowed by novelty of class, conditions, and incidents, as well as by the more defined moral end of the writer, that for any practical effect the repeti- tion will not be felt or indeed perceived. The tale of Harry Muir is designed to exhibit the mischiefs of a yielding weakness of character; Harry being one of that nu- merous class who "is no one's enemy but his own,"—though such a one is usually the enemy of his family. Considered strictly, the story is not well designed for its end. It wants greater largeness and closer consequences ; for although Harry brings trouble enough upon himself and his family by his yielding nature, his catas- trophe occurs at last not as the re.sult of a long sequence of con- duct but as an accident. Besides, he is too weak "to point a moral or adorn a tale "; he is not only tempted to the bottle and bad com- pany by the persuasions of his friends, but falls into them of his own accord,—a failing which is common enough, but hardly fitted to inspire sympathy in fiction.

The main interest of the novel, however, is not in its story, or the sufficiency, of its moral, but in its truthful depiction of the joys and sorrows of humble everyday life, and its nice exhibitions of the character of refined poverty, and in a lesser degree of vulgar com- mercial wealth. Harry is a clerk to a Glasgow merchant ; and in addition to a wife, he assists to support three sisters out of a small salary. His good-nature and accomplishments render him a favourite and lead him into company ; but the conviviality which might be harmless in some cases produces home misery in his, less at first from actual than apprehended trouble and a sense of degra- dation. At last he loses his situation, and poverty: stares the family in the face. The exertions of Cuthbert Charter's, a young advo- cate who has been introduced to Muir and attracted by his family, discover and prove Harry's heirship to a small estate. Happi- ness, respectability, and even position, are now within his reach ; but infirmity of purpose and habit are too strong for him. He em- barrasses his _property, loses character in the eyes of the neigh- bourhood, and is killed by a fall from his horse before his cir- cumstances are irretrievably ruined ; the story being subsequently continued for his sister Itose to marry Cuthbert, and his elder sister to restore by her exertions the estate for Harry's son.

The second part of the novel continues the anxiety of Harry's family and the pain of his friends, introducing a new mode of life, and many new characters; but it is not equal in interest to the first. There is no longer the excuse for Harry ; and the circumstances of his wife and sisters are no longer such as to bring home to the reader the same lesson from his conduct. They may exhibit a similar rare skill, but it is not so effective. The picture of their humble poverty at Glasgow, sordid in its circumstances yet redeemed from sordidness by the simplicity and refinement of

• Harry Muir: a Story of Scottish Life. By the Author of " Passages in the Life of Mrs. Margaret Maitland," " Adam Crania," &c. In three volumes. Published by Burst and Blackett, feeling, is a very remarkable example of a high degree of interest sustained by truthful delineation. Yet there is nothing exaggerated about it. The refinement is natural, not conventional ; while force is imparted to the picture by the stern high-principled character of the elder sister, Martha, with its hidden tenderness, pride, and am- bition, yet so ignorant of the world that she hardly knows what to be ambitious for. -Uncle Sandy, too, is a capitally-drawn character of the lowly, well-read, high-spirited, and sympathizing Sootchman ; inspiring respect and even liking, in spite of considerable oddities of manner.

The following scene, when Cuthbert is gathering evidence to prove the relationship of Harry to the Allenders, slightly exhibits Uncle Sandy, and more fully Miss Jean, a disappointed old maid who has turned miser. The ' forbears " of Harry had lived with her; and Cuthbert and Sandy visit her to examine old papers and the family Bible, two of whose leaves are pasted together, and Sandy is trying to separate them.

" no have the book destroyed wr west. I tell ye I winna, Sandy. Muir,' said Miss Jean, extending her lean brown hand. Let it abee we your napkin. I wonder that the like o' you, that pretends to be better than your neighbours, could gie such usage to the Scripture. Think shame o' yourself, man ; and be done vi' your slaistering.'

"The old man thrust her hand away, with less than his usual mildness. Have patience a moment—just have patience. See, Mr. Charteris, see!' " Cuthbert rose : the leaves came slowly separate; and there in this simple record was all he sought. John Allenders, writer, fourth son of Gilbert ?Menders, of Allenders, married, on the first day of March 1769, to Rose Scott, daughter of Thomas Scott, builder, Stirling.' "Cuthbert laid down the book on the table, and, extending his hand, took the somewhat reluctant one of the anxious old man and shook it heartily.

It's all right,' said Cuthbert, swinging the arm of uncle Sandy in unusual exhilaration; it's all right. I have nothing to do but congratulate you and get up the proof. I thought we would find it, and here it is as clear as day- light. It's all exactly as it should be.'

"'What is right ? what's the lad meaning ? ' said Miss Jean, thrusting herself in between them ; 'and what are ye shaking hands vi' that foolish body Sandy Muir for, when it's me that ony thing belonging to the Allen- ders should justly come to? We keepit them here in our ain house; we gied the auld man decent burial, as ye would see ; and it's out of my book ye have gotten a' ye ken. What does the man mean shaking hands vi' Sandy Muir ? '

"'It's no for me—it's for the bairns—it's for Harry,' said Alexander. " 'Hairy ! and what has Hairy to do wi't, I would like to ken ? He's but a far-away friend forbve being a prodigal, that it wad be a shame to trust

guid vi'. Hairy !---the man's daft ! what has he to do with John Allen- ders ? '

"'A little,' said Cuthbert, smiling. 'He is the heir of John Allenders, Miss Calder.'

"'The heir !' the old woman's face grew red with anger. 'I tell ye he had nae lawful heir, if it binna the ane surviving that did him kindness. It's you that disna ken. Hairy Muir is but niece's son to me.' "'But he is grandson to Rose Allenders,' said Cuthbert, 'and the heir of her father.'

"Miss Jean stood still for a moment, digesting the strange purport of those words : at last she stretched forward her hand to clutch the Bible.

The book's mine—ye ken nocht but what ye have gotten out of my book- gie it back to me, ye deceivers. Am I gaun to gie my goods, think ye, to better Hairy Muir ? Na, na,—ye have come to the wrang hand ! Give me back my book.'

"'There is some property in the ease,' said Cuthbert, keeping his hand upon the Bible: 'it cannot come to you, Miss Jean ; for, though I believe you were very kind to them, you are not related to John Allenders, but Harry Muir is. Now, whether would it be better that this property should go to a stranger, or to your nephew, who is in your debt ? ' "Miss Jean had been eager to interrupt him, but his last words were a weighty utterance. She paused to consider. 'Ye're a clever chield,' she said at last, with a harsh laugh. '1 wadna say but ye could put a case pg. weeL My nephew that's in my debt—and so he is, that's true—what kmd o' property is't ? ye'll be a writer, I reckon ?' "'Yes, said Cuthbert, with a smile, am a writer. It is some land—a small estate, Miss Jean ; but only one who is a descendant of John Allenders can be the heir, and that is Harry Muir.' " 'Weel, I take ye to witness that what ye have said is true,' said the old woman eagerly ; 'that this lad is in my debt; and payment I'll hae afore he bruiks the possession a week. Weans it out of my book ye got a' ye ken? and wha has sae muckle claim to consideration as me ? I take ye to witness ; and you, ye auld snack-drawer—it was this ye was thinking about a' the time ? Oh Sandy Muir! me, in my innocence, thinking ye were taking this pains to do me a guid turn,—as ye're awn me a day in harst, a'body kens ; and you thinking o' yoursel a' the time. I wonder ye can have the face to look at me !'

" am seeking nothing for mysel, Miss Jean,' said Alexander. with a little pride ; 'the little I have will soon go to the bairns, as this Will do. And I am thankful to say I owe ye nothing, if it be not in the way of good

" Guid will, said he! bonnie guid will to take a bray inheritance out free under my very een,' said the old woman, bitterly. '1 haud ye bound for the value of that book, Sandy Muir, mind. I'll haudye bound, and you too, my brew lad : sae if ye tak it away the noo ye sail bring it back again or it will be a' the waur for yoursels. Mind what I say ; bee my goads spoiled and my gear lifted for nae man in this world.' "Cuthbert promised, with all reverence, to restore the Bible, which he had considerable fears he would not be permitted to take away ; and after they had soothed, as far as was possible, her bitter humour, Miss Jean, with as much courtesy as she was capable of, suffered them, rich in these precious documents, to depart."