THEODORE HOOK'S JACK BRAG.

Tills is not the best novel that Mr. HOOK has written ; but it possesses his usual characteristics of shrewdness, drollery, and power of amusing idle readers. Jack Brag is the son of a defunct tallow-chandler, who has left his business to his widow, and Jack at liberty to follow his own inclinations and propensities. The first leads him to steeple- chases and other arts of jockeysbip; his propensities to tuft- hunting and bragging ; whilst his slender means and exorbitant vanity combine to make him a fortune-bunter. The amusing qualities of the book are derived from tile ludicrously extravagant situations in which the impudence, ignorance, and pretence of Jack continually involve him ; the awkward dilemmas that arise when his mother is occasionally forced into conjunction with Mr. Brag rind the aristocratic equivocals who suffer his companionship for their own purposes ; some strained but ridiculous toying between the old lady and her shopman just raised to time post of her second husband; together with a laughable episode of her jealousy on detecting an intrigue between her J. S. (Jim Salmon) and an inferior actress. Connected with the second marriage, is R very able picture of low domestic politics between Jack Brag and Salmon, carried on by each with a view to outwit the other in money matters. Ravelled in with the earlier part of Jack's adventures, is an improbable story of mock sentiment ; and a nar- rative of a double love and courtship, intended for a picture of the life of the respectable gentry, is only a sample of the sham genteel.

Of time characters, the best are Lord Tom Towzle—a horse racing, good-natured, loose-moralled, free and easy sort of modern roué ; Lord Wagley—a member of the Yacht Club, good-natured,

thoughtless, but still respectable ; Colonel Stiffkey —a very " gentlemanly " equivocal, and a cheat at cards ; together with the sketches of the actors. These, doubtless, are all drawn from life. Brag, his mother, and his father-in-law, however ludicrous,

Om` are exaggerations of nature, and are very inconsistent with them- 'elves: independent, however, of an under-current of general truth in the character of Brag, there are several felicitous touches, which mark a shrewd though superficial observer of life. Of course the incidents and dialogue of the farcical past of the novel are not intended for criticism ; the other parts will not bear it The author has not comprehension to frame a whole ; he wants breeding, taste, and ethics for the details. Amongst many traits of a similar kind, he makes two sisters, intended for the representatives of delicacy, refinement, and all womanly excel- lences, write acceptances of Bray's double proposals, with a view (S0 the author says) to pique their lovers ; he represents an aris- tocratic matron with a coachful of grown-up sons and daughters, address her lord from the window with "My dear love ;" and be

mints his" most perfect' gentleman,' not to use the term as Brag mints use it, but in its purest and most unquestioned shape," as not only associating with an impostor after he has detected him, but doing so to cheat him at ecarte, and making his victim drunk for that especial purpose. Still, however, a man who has observed life, and draws from his knowledge, can rarely write a story with- out enabling the reader to deduce some useful truth ; and the uncer- tain and riskful position of a pretending adventurer, as well as the dilemmas in which he is continually involved, are tolerably well shown in Jack Brag. That the moral the author aimed at incul- cating is not more distinctly and generally pointed, arose from the choice of his subject, the farcical character of his mind, and his disregard of poetical justice in the final fortune of Mr. Jack Brag, who escapes without a due punishment after all. Turning from remark to quotation, the following is the com- mencement of the episode of jealousy already alluded to. Jack Brag has just got "J. S." and his mother away from Eastbourne, to avoid a further family exposure before Colonel Stiff key ; and in roaming about Lewes to buy a bill-stamp and engage a box for the play, they fall in with a female acquaintance of Salmon's.

Her departure was a considerable relief to J. S. who was kept in a perpetual twitter during the brief parley between them. He would willingly have given five pounds not to have encountered the fair syren while in the society of Brag ; and would now have readily given twice as much to insure his silence upon the subject when they got home.

Why," said Brag, "you seem quite free and easy with that young creechur ; who is she?"

'That," said Jim, "is Molly Hogg. I've known her these three years; is is eugaged at one of the Minors, and calls herself, in the bills, Roseville— It sounds better than Hogg : very good-natured girl." " She seems so," said Brag, " and no mistake." "I'm sure I didn't think of finding her hue," said Salmon : " I haven't Kai her now for a good while."

Fneointnon pretty," said Brag. "I suppose I have seen her before ; don't recollect ; see so many, sh ? " "Well," said Salmon, evidently nervous, " shall we go awl do this bill? I'll give you the cheek, or, if you like, I'll draw it in town to-morrow, and cross it to your banker's, save another stamp—twig? And, John, there's no no harm in what I'm going to say, only you can do me a favour." " What is it?" said Brag ; "name It, and it's dune; straight up, right down, Old no mistake."

o Why," said Salmon, looking uncommonly sheepish ; "theme's nothing in it —but—l—wish you wouldn't say any thing to Titsy about my meeting little Hogg."

"Not I," said John ; "I know the female sex too well not to know how easy they are made jealous. I conclude there's nothing serious?" "Nothing, upon my life ! " said Salmon : " besides, I give you my word I haven't seen the girl these six months—twig ? "

"Mum's the word," said Brag; "no, no, there's no use making quarrels in fuailies ; life's too short for that, eh ? " • a

Away he and his friend proceeded to their temporary residence, where they were received by Mn. Salmon in a tempestuous humour, the sweetness of her temper have been curdled and her spirit stirred by circumstances which were but too soon developed. "Well, I'm sure gentlemen," said the matron us they entered the room, you haven't hurried yourselves."

" We have been shopping, Titsy," said Salmon.

"Don't Titsy me, Sir," replied the lady, her cheeks burning and her eyes dust starting out of herbead. "I have been shopping too : you did not sup- pose I was going to be stewed up in this place while you and -Mr. John were fitting all about the town. I have got eyes, 'Air. Salmon, and I'll take care and make pretty good use of them, I can tell you that. Pray Sir, who was that fire, flaunting Miss, in the lavender-coloured 'gown, with the short petticoats, sad platted tails hanging over her shoulders? "

" Gown ! " said Jem.

" Tails! "said Jack.

" Yes," said the lady, reddening with rage, " gowns and tails: you are a nice pair ; you'd du uncommon well to run in a curricle, I'm thinking. I ask you who that dressed-up minx was that you were talking to in the street ? " " A friend of mine, my dear mother," said Brag, resolved to bind Jew eter- nally to him by an act of self devotion, which, in the first instance, might in- duce hitn to niake the check five hundred instead of three ; " knew her in London, one of the actresses; met het at Lord Tom's, used always to take a box at her benefit ; very amiable girl; supports an aged mother and nine orphan brothers and sisters."

"A friend of yours, Master Johnny, is she," said Mrs. Salmon ; "why, then, I wonder gm didn't shake you by the hand instead of Mr. Jem ; that won't do; no, no. This was the trick of coming over here to the play, in- stead of enjoying the agreeable company of that genteel Colonel, and showing hint how we had made up matters, and how comfortable we could live together. Oh, to be sure ! Mr. Salmon saw in the play-bill who was to act here, and off be come, better-skelter, no matter what'a to pay, in older to see her painted face."

"I assure you, They," said Salmon' "1 did not know a word about it ; and N for going to the play, if you don't like it, we won't go; and if you like to go back to Eaatbourne, we will go back directly." " lam sure that's fair enough," said Brag; "so don't let's squabble about nothing. Men of the world -know great lots of people fur whom they don't rare a brass farthing Here, dinner's just ready, the stage-box secured, all tight, and no mistake."

"Well," said the lady, "I don't want to break up our little family party, lad I should like well enough to go to the play ; but I will not go if that young woman performs to-night. What's her name, John ?"

"Hogg," said Jack "didn't tou say Hogg, Salmon?" " I! " said Jem • "no, yaw said her name was Hogg." " So I did, to be said Jack.

" Have you got the v Sir?" said the lady to her husband.

" Yes, there It is," said Salmon. " And now, while Titsy is looking that over, we may as well do this job about the check." "All right," said Jack, "comae along, here's pen and ink. You draw Of/ me, I accept, payable at my banker's." At this moment, and just as Mrs. Salmon had satisfied herself that no pea. son blest with the euphonic name of Hogg was to contribute to the entertkains. went of that night's audience' a tall, fresh-coloured chambermaid opened the door, having previously tapped at it, and entered the room.

"I believe ma'am," said she, addressing Mrs. Salmon, "my mistress misun- derstood you; she said there were only two beds wanting to- night—do both gentleineu stay here?" " Yes," said Mrs. Salmon, "both."

"Then the young gentlemen will want two," said the maid, "and —" "No, no," said Mrs. Salmon, " we want but two."

"Then, where will your son sleep, ma'am? " asked the maid.

"My son," said Mrs. Salmon, "why in ,hi e own bed, to be sure; whereelse should lie skep?" "Then whele will Mr. Brag sleep, ma'am?" said the maid, who had arrived nm i

at the knowledge of his a

e, n consequence of his accuatunied inquiries after hia "servant and canine," which he had told the landlord he firmly believed to have been at Lewes.

" Why, Mr. Brag is my son," said the lady. " Oh, beg pardon, ma'am," said the chambermaid ; "I thought the tithe, young gentleman was your son, being the saute name.'

"Thought," said Mrs. Salmon, "then you had better not have taken the trouble of thinking any thing about it. Mr. Salmon is my husband, will that itisfy you ? "

" Oh, quite ma'am ! " said the maid, looking emedingli Nu rprised, and par- ticularly foolish ; "I beg pardon ; I —" And so she retised, hi.ivimig by no means contributed to the aettlenient of Mrs. Salmon's agitated mind, who, the) moment the door was shut, fired up anew, and exclaimed in a tune of exas- peration, "No wonder, Mr. Jetties, the woman should be mistaken. I have no doubt she saw your goings on in the Street, and so made up her mind that you could'nt be a mar ied man."

Mr. HOOK, we beliete, has been in an Indian colony, if not exactly in India Proper ; and contrives to hook in a little picture of colonial life. Here is a sketch of its scandal and scandal- mongers.

in London the circle is so extensive, that although some hundred or two people whisper, and look wise, and nod and wink at each other when a flirta- tion becomes a little too evident, there are seven or eight hundred others to whom it is a matter of no interest; and moreover, whatever people think, they keep their thoughts as far distant as possible from the flint's themselvue. Within the confined ling-fence of an ludiau presidency, the slightest movement of that nature at head. quarters creates a universal sensation ; all the worst passions of mankind are concentered and petrimicau'd in a little community of that sort ; envy and jealousy assume the garb of friendship and esteem ; and- some miserable wretch, whose hatred towards one of the parties has been engendered or fostered by the remembrance of a slight or neglect, thinks it a duty he owes to so excellent a man as his Excellency the commander in-chisf, to mention to him what people say about his daughter and Mr. Somebody, whose society and conversation she happens to prefer to that of the considerate friend of her father.

Two months had not flown over Geotge's head in his new capacity, before the whole tribe were in motion. " To be sure," says one, " Sir Cadwallader is an extraordinary luau : he can't but see it." " Perhaps he does not object

to it," says another. " La," cries a third : " what, let his daughter marry a. man from the ranks ! " " Hush ! " says a fourth 7 "tile less we oar about that the better: rose ft oni the ranks ilimself." " Flogged at Chadian' for stealing a cock turkey," nays a fifth. " Hush ! " says a sixth, " here comes his Excellency." Out turns the guard—ruffle goes the drum—rattledum slap go the muskets—and his Excellency iN immediately surrounded by the little group in the full exercise of Koo.tooisin, who, the moment before, were exer- cising their historical and biographical faculties in commenting upon the folly of his Excellency's conduct, and in descanting upon the obscurity of his Ewa cellency's birth.