REVIEW.
" CANTERBURY SKETCHES.*
Some months ago a number of papers appeared in the Canterbury Time* under the above title. They were from Ihe pen of Mrs C. L. Innes, whose faithful memory and .truthful description made old residents look eagerly for the letters of "Pilgrim." Man> inquiries were made as to Pilgrim's identity at the time, but etiquette only permitted our contemporary to publish the sketches, and not the name of tho writer. The rppnblication of these has gWen the desired information lo the curious, who will be pleased to learn that their eurmiseß aa to the personal acquaintance of the writer with tho seem s ana events described, were correct. 'Jhe sketches have been collected and published in book form at the request of many friends •who wish to possess a record of tbe early history of the Province of Canterbury. Before republieation, ihe book has had the advantage of the anlhors careful revision, many of the papera having received additions in the shape of asefnl matter, and good jxtrnctß from local publication*. With tho original paperß am published some of a descriptive charactir, dopic'ing Tarioua Bcenes of Colonial life, written with n Tiewto giving the reader an idea of what Christchurch really i». In these the objett seems to bo to bdow that we are not much different from tho Test of the world, and tbe object has been fairly gaiael Tbe preface to tho book, which i» bj tn* Very Hev the Dean of Christ chnreh, thews in b few pages of Tery graceful writing the special charm which these skrtch«rs have for the old settlers. Beading them reminds them of the peculiar Treasure of reading the dais oj one'e rnr'y childhood. "There is poetry as wrll n> prose," tho writs* ci the preface tells us, "in the life of the early Bottler"; besides the doenmentary rrcord of laws and iwtstßtionp, there is also -what our Tenlonie kinsmen call a folk-lore, to he carefully prwerred and lovingly cherished by the thoughtful and patriotic Colonial, not only. that the ileetfo and words of those whom horevei-cs majnothe.fi'i'cotten, bat for the sake of generations- to coaie, I hat their past may afford them not merely « dull record of facts and names but afeo briuM lizhts and tender shadows for sentiment nnd imagination to dwell upon. Of anon a nature is -the pleasing task to which n the ant hjress of the following sketches haa addressed herself." He adds, and readers of the sketches will endorse his verdict, "in many respects she is peculiarly qualified for the successful accomplishment of it." The fketches are a short history of the settlement from the arrival of the first four ships to the present year, the last event mentioned being the Agricultural Show of November last. The chief attention is naturully giTdn to tbe earlier years of the country, the chapters on the first days of Colonial life and its first stages of development being very full and interesting. All thegrpat events of the earlier years are, it is needless to fur, done full justice to, sueb, for example, as the first cleclii.na, the opening of the firrt. Provincial Couni'.l tfee opening of the railwa&r to Ferrymead, »l » snroessful completion of the tunnel, nnrl « tu; \U loft* 0 Dake of Kdinburgh. Tholutler hiß'"ry K ng better known and more voluminous Tsv '.- serl out of 'the region of the writer <>f dies. For this reason the authoress of ' l.ife From the Biurly Dnva" has been coin 3'i-d to compress her reference to it into rwn. iirutively a few pages. The narrative, whicu it in the unconstrained and conversational style proper to personal reminiscences, is eked out with apt auotations from local newspapers, which give tie dry fact? spoken of bj the writer of the preface as belonging to all histories, and they are illustrated by extracts from the Canterbury rhymes and other ballads of the time. Reading the narrative made up of these Tflrious threads will make old settlers live their lives over again, and give newer arrivals a vivid notion of what a busy, happy, contented little place was the Christchnreh of the early days. ;
♦By "Pilgrim " (Mrs C. L. Innes) : Xi/UiHon TmmfXSc*.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS18791229.2.32
Bibliographic details
Star (Christchurch), Issue 3655, 29 December 1879, Page 4
Word Count
700REVIEW. Star (Christchurch), Issue 3655, 29 December 1879, Page 4
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