1828.] 



Domestic and Foreign. 



85 



William Chambers, it seems, observes, ora- 

 cularly, that an architect should not be igno- 

 rant of law by which we suppose he meant 

 the law so far as it concerns the matter of 

 building, and the sites on which such build- 

 ing is erected ; and Vitruvius long before 

 laid it down, that he should not be ignorant 

 not only of law, but of nothing else ; and, 

 according to the motto of Mr. Elmes's book, 

 he said, " Medicine non sit ignarus." Why 

 or wherefore, is not added, and few, we should 

 think could make a decent guess. All this 

 seemed likely to alarm an architect, and 

 looked a little like mystification ; but all 

 such alarm is removed by Mr. Elmes ex- 

 plicitly stating his opinion. 



That an architect should study the science of 

 jurisprudence, so far as to enable him to judge of 

 the legality of his proceedings, to prevent his em- 

 ployer from being involved in law-suits through his 

 means ; and to extricate him the shortest way 

 when ?o involved, by a cessation or alteration of 

 the offensive operations, if the cause be connected 

 with his pursuits. 



This is Mr. Elmes's aim ; and a very ex- 

 cellent one it is ; nor can his statements 

 fail of being practically useful. Undoubtedly, 

 .whatever comes within the precincts of a pro- 

 fession, should be known to the professor ; 

 and we care not how much the wings of the 

 lawyer are dipt. 



Herbert Lacy, by the Author of Granby, 

 3 vols. 1827- Very correct, and<proper, and 

 pretty as all this undoubtedly is, it is also es- 

 sentially of a common, uninspired and unin- 

 spiring cast. All the good husbandry libe- 

 rally spent upon the author will not coun- 

 terbalance the native poverty of the soil. No- 

 thing will make it bear new fruits ; nor can 

 we hope to gather grapes from thorns, nor figs 

 from thistles. 



" Continuo has leges seternaque fcedera certis 

 Imposuit natura locis." 



The whole concern, in conception and exe- 

 cution, is inferior to Granby, which, though 

 as often feeble as forcible, yet had strong 

 scenes, which this has not ; and gave a pro- 

 mise, which this does not fulfil. The tone and 

 temper of the story is irreproachable, pure, 

 and chaste ; but, like Dian's icicle, as cold 

 as it is chaste. For any thing like force, or 

 warmth, or passion, we look in vain once 

 skimmed, it never can be thought of more 

 by old or young. As to particular and tan- 

 gible faults, it is almost invulnerable ; but 

 if it have few faults, it has as few compen- 

 sating virtues. It is obviously the production 

 of one born and bred, as the writer himself 

 nonsensically phrases it, in " elegant letters," 

 which means familiarity with certain classes 

 of the works of others very little with the 

 world and its real ways with men and wo- 

 men, and their real character and as little 

 with himself. Every thing, though carefully 

 and even tastefully expressed, is so obviously 



right and according to rule, that the effort 

 required is not to keep an eye upon the 

 writer's sentiments, but to resist the lulling 

 effects of the security we feel of finding no- 

 thing but what is customary and common- 

 place. The writer, no doubt, is deep read 

 far deeper than ourselves in the annals of 

 fiction. It is that which has given him fa- 

 cility in the construction and evolution of his 

 plots ; or, in other words, as we have often 

 occasion to remark, the author writes because 

 others have written. " I too am a painter," 

 is as often the dictate of a blind desire to be 

 doing, as the bold and confiding impulse of 

 irresistible ability. What is the story ? 

 That of a young gentleman, who falls in love 

 with a young lady. The young lady has an 

 independent fortune, and a guardian, who 

 takes a fancy to the lady's property ; to se- 

 cure which, and to keep off competition, he 

 has recourse to the vilest expedients familiar 

 as household words, since the days of Ce- 

 cilia which are finally defeated by the recoil 

 of the instruments which he overstrains in the 

 using. This account will not satisfy every 

 body ; and here is the story, at fuller length. 

 In one of the midland counties reside two 

 families one of a parvenu cast, the other of 

 ancient pedigree between whom a sort of 

 hereditary hatred subsists, entirely unknown 

 to each other and each suspecting the other 

 of qualities quite foreign from reality. Each 

 has children the descendant of the iron- 

 foundry a daughter, the heiress of great 

 wealth left by her aunt, with a pair of guar- 

 dians one young, and the principal the 

 other old, and subordinate. The Baronet 

 hss a son, who, like his father, knows nothing 

 of his neighbours, but supposes they must be 

 sad vulgar people. At the house of a com- 

 mon friend, the youngpeople Herbert Lacy, 

 the Baronet's son ; and Agnes Morton, the 

 ironman's daughter meet; and being, in 

 reality, both of them young, handsome, and 

 intelligent to the usual elevated degree of he- 

 roes and heroines, and thus thrown together, 

 are of course quickly enamoured of each 

 other. Difficulties are anticipated, and dif- 

 ficulties come, but not at all from the ex- 

 pected quarters. Before any declaration takes 

 place between the parties, Mr. Sackville, the 

 guardian, just in time, to his surprise and 

 alarm, hears of their being at the same house, 

 and of their mutual admiration. Sackville is 

 a very decisive gentleman, and takes his 

 measures forthwith. His ward and her for- 

 tune he destines for himself; and he is not 

 of a character to stick about the means of se- 

 curing them. He has himself all possible 

 advantages of person, fortune, and brilliant 

 abilities ; but there is no room for slow pro- 

 cesses no time to be lost; for Lacy may 

 make his offers, and be accepted in four-and- 

 twenty hours. Lacy is his very dear and inti- 

 mate friend, whose life he had formerly saved, 

 and whose gratitude and admiration towards 

 his preserver are boundless. No matter 



