The Press. — London, England, 1853-10-15 00:00:00

At p. 111 we Owl " 1144 .Inh• hrin.zs vss.ling slismers. gillltlowur..•' At p. ;•I :- 1 This Irish Quarterly Ileriew,iieverthcless,l•a• the literary talent exhibited in its pages, is one of the cheapest of all the periodicals; and the annual test shillings required 14 ,e its s ithserit,t• will be laid out 14, greater advantage titan in the purchase of the shilling trumpery with which the railway-stalls site choked. The Pontropheou ; or, History of Food. By M. Soyer. London; Simpkin, and Co. WE cannot commend this gaudy volume, in which tile crude and ill-assorted contents of Mr. tiojer's commonplace book are palmed off upon the public by the arts of the typographer, the paiwrinaker, and the bookbinder. The work is not, in any St'llS4e of the term, a "history of foisl." It is le othing iwire than a string of cursory remarks all the vai'''n: kinds of comestibles that have been used in all ages, elaborated with an alfeetation of classical knowledge, which scholars at a glittos • will detect as of that ready-made kind easilj supplied by lexicons, indexes, and 41!Yell01111 . 11lit 4 . We are IMAM that the subject of "cookery " has often been played with by phileso pliers and men of letters, and that, in Freneli litentUire especially, there e‘tst several works in Whirl the science of gastronomy is curiously gossipped about with much hinnotir Ulla original Ittrotog. Butt this vellum. called " .'ittErop. I ositi" is useless for reference, a n d without any charms of style to attract, a reader. Writers of gued, honest "Cookery Books " are entitled to their appropriate praise ; and we would and deduct inini the inerits of Airs. Masse, or lir. hitchiner, or e‘cn M. `oyes himself in this rapacity ; lint we cambia l'lsoiglitso him as iiitea for the part of a Sititgel'ilf the kitchen. We object to compilers tricking themselves out in old cast•off learning, furbishing up " Adams's Roman Antiquities " with tinselled binding and whimsical typography, and then asking to be erloWlieil With tin laurels flue only to true versatility. It would be easier for .I. Moyer to dress up the old leather breeches of a French postillion, and make the Ire tinentent or the Reform Club swallow them as entrolettev ales pantalens braisi.s a la diligence," than to induce the reading publie to accept hint as a historic el mitetevitibb or. A classical pnwerli addressed to cobblers is also applicable to conks; and to so deep a scholar as M. SOyer processes to Ise thieve is no necessity for our translating it. Pretty Les►rons la rerse for Good Children ; with sonic Lessons in Latin in, Easy 11goyim.. Ity Sara Coleridge. London : .loliii W. Parker and Son. WE have looked into this unpretending little volume with interest and pleasrrrr•. IVe eannot say that it is without faults—that we have not noticed some tri►ial errors in natural histot,— that our eve Ibis not been attracted by isolated expressions which, if a dmishilde anywhere, are not certainly perinissilde in at work, not a '• 1101)k " exeltinkel, hut intended indiscriminately for the use ot• Little \tory:: as well as Nlaster Ilerberts. Thus, •• kirk up a riot " (p. -11); "phi'," instead of face (p. 4:11; jolly nautili orange " (p. :In) ; " sneh jolly fat grubs" (P. PO, are blemishes which should he erased. Nor ran the fair authoress plead the rxigencies of rhyme 11.4 ale e%ellse for irrtr•odlucing them, since, throughout, the volume generally achieles an easy ►iron.) ono' the difficulties of verse. At p. :IN, in describing n crib, she prettily bay p. .1 iAkeol cant: Fro an 141n11HM), 1.:11. they 1 . 111S•111 1111 . 1.11.1111 10111 C fly ihr !Omani.: of Indio grill (t ow ility to the midst of a burning :Only. When meadows are parelietl, And the rivulets thy." Ally 6 certainly, in general, our driest mouth, and the two vottpletm are rontrmlietory. Thim may lie vonsi4lert.4l tri%iul and hyperetitieal ; but no Mayen. nosey, still 1e.4 a row should be permitteil iu 111, for children. At p. 41 We : " The rig 'level locals% from hi- Read that line t+► a quick child. familiar With a fartnyartl. 111141 he Will ilthl ell% al IsWer, ►' Thell that pig imist be vet, oiti% gel 4110 W hen. ever they eon :" ►►l'. if his reasoning powers were not far a►haneell as t►► comprelieml varieties an►l ex ceptions to al rule ► he won't' contradict the statement. and think lie knew Mum I hall the writer of the book, I sea it .l. the close of the hook, the commoner Latin sithstaltdiVe4, With their optauititiol, marked, are introduced in appropriate setae. THE PRESS. The Transverse or Diagonal l'rinciple Ships Together, ay. London : C. Wilson. The l'ratiorerse l'hinkell Principle of B. ibl in Australian Passenger resselN, dc. : WE shall not street to prom ',ince a judgment on the merit, of these two pamphlets, which require a special profess' al education to undershoot mill follow their explanatory statements ; lout we can fairly say they contain prima facie e‘illl'flei` that they are mot a lly Claltorate lout important. A tact mentioned in the former of the two is of general 'within. interest : " A carious circumstance, in association with o ne of the earlier vessels 11111111sol'1 , s;lllal l 4..lostl'uction, is w orthy of notice. We 11.1 . 1•1* 1111111! 11 • 141•14 built at Nlllo' Elms in Itclll. Phis was floe Ship. ill fact, that was dt•Nig11111 to he sith• merge.' oaf the island sat St. Helena, as a 1111 . 11115 of /1411111• liar the eyilesl Napsolcon Itsmaparte. blie was elitist 'meted miller the secret direction of the Captain Johnson, tat' smuggling tiotouiety. lier csomloinatison, a s we have Wall, was of bore-amt all and motional courses Of 1111111k1llg, V/111111111111 111111111. 1111 N 11.• 11!%1111111 111 a 11111 g and 111 . 1A . 1 . 1 11111 . 1 . 11 . 41111 1 111 Allll'lllll% S111111•101:11 11/1111 . 11111 111111Ve and 1 / I . IIIW. Tlll' 11111141'N 1111 . 'sail' 111 11:111 . Is en lute in sostolorr. A1W1*11114 . 4 were cost through her sle e k s urface for . 1 teisitosorary leatelsaays ; her rouudiug at the gunwales toeing tilled sip nearly to the Nl t llaile, with stead planking. She is described lo) those who recollect has Mg seen her at the time Si. It 111111) beautiful model ; a n d, though sonicaliat full ohmc water, she was filly huti. ta N•wmvl smsl all below ; ausl showed that ths• .limesley easatmry to what has lu cu Ilssllllll4l for it in this respect, was capable of proiliteing a 111311 ofisso inesinsisleratlole degree sal sharpness of form a The duvet lll/aeVt a *, obtaining it chie t.. 111.1. sosiseetssl (11111111 a donht rail ) ionr 1141S1. 111111 111 . "411111111111, liar having a l'rgisler granted HAVE she was ttttt . 1101. The a d opl i uC the planked principle,by the shairsightesl smuggler, raw the eonstimetisoll 111 a Slll/111111 . 1111 . VtSSII . I, says something again roar the la 11;31 iosspriTioatx/regot aif the 101111110.41 sys4llll of build, whatever may has its other qualities,- Penal Discipline. Threo. Bettors. By ('liptitin nochie, II N. Lomita, : Titt:sr. letters originally app:ired in the Daily Nerrot, 111111 aro 101 imp ortinlee in C4llllll'4'l ion with the ingnirirK WSW Inking plare at Birmingham, Leicester, anal elsewhere. They el sill ail% oits interesting state ments. The folloa Mg is a testimony to the sympathetic motives of Captain 31aeonoehies treat ment : A prisoner once said to the in Sydney, " One would Think, sir, that you had been y 1111 l self a primmer, you know su peifectly all unit we think and say among ourselves." They eontain the inti►nnation which will he new to many, that the most suecessful prison in Europe irs that of " Valencia, in Spain, which in thirteen years has bad an almost inappreciable number of recom mittals. Great praise is awa►ded to its governor, t'iolonel 1/on Manuel Motiterilios. Factx awl Infereneex drawn front Inspection of the Public Baths and Waxhhouges. By Allred Ebs worth. London : Briekhill. A nm'. account. of the operations of the various public batl►s established about the metropolis, with tabulated data leading to the main inference that similar baths einild be established at St. Mary Newington►, and that a rate of Id. in the pound on the inhabitants would meet the difference between the reeeipts and expenditure. Electoral nifornt ; or, the Prerention of Bribery and Corruption Practically Shown in fl Drlift of a Propimill Bill .for Portia Me lit. By Willia m Pall' 1.441(1011: Tut: author tells US Ilint he haS had expeiience pro fessionally as an electionecting agent and manager, and ministerially in conducting cloct• . i 4, under sheriff of a county. We reserve the consideration of his proposed hill until other proposals with a si milar object are fairly before the country. !Pinch's Aquila). Tables tOr Ascertaining the Pane of Lifehohl, Leasehold, and Church Property lieu( Fines, cfc. Third Edition. London : 1 .ongnians. Tuts is a well known work. The first edition was published in august, IN:c2 null this, of June, lis;'):1, is the third. The position or the anther in the sci entitle world .ullieiently guarantees the utility and e‘celletice of these tables. Peculiarly useful to the capitalist, the attorney, awl the film of business, to the general reader they will prme interesting, and furnish hint with curious information. lie Trie.giart l)rtaiHt. London : 11 1 dt:hard. Tut , 41616 tttt book contains an account, interest ing in it , win. though hyperettlogistie, of the cele brated Dr. de Leuw, of Urifiah, whose prefessivual SATURDAY, merits were popularised to the English public in the Lay of the Water Lily " published la-t year. It mmy be %4•Illi the attention of persons afflicted with the eye di.ca.cr 14 the cure of which the doctor is so celebrated. A portion of the profits of the work is promised to the doetor's poorbox. PUBLICATIONS BECEIVEI). ....—. - Th.. Art of &morning. S. Neil. Waltou and Mothelley. The Me..l Holy Trituty. Surer. Srt•lrp.. rot. T. tuts ill Criminal Cmicx. W. Itibtoti. Butter%unit. .1 Nttwinte - r Search/or Nit. J. Frfttildttl. E. A. Ingleheill. T. tiani...n. Hoe. a cute. A. W. Cult.. T.l'. ipvirterig I:crietr. J. Murray. fp puma. DRURY LANE THEATRE. Mn. BIVooKE has continues' to attract crowded audiences, and, after having seen him in several parts, we have little to add to our previous remarks on his style of acting (►see l'nEss, ante p. -IWO. We saw hint in Claude Melamine in The Lady ql Lyons on Tnesilay night, and, although he was twice called before the curtain by his clamorous admirers, we thought his performance that night was one of his least successful impersonations. Its pathos was too funereal for a gallant spirit like that of Melnotte, stud we observed that in the last act Mr. Brooke's voice showed symptoms of exhaustion. When he re vealed himself in the last scene as the returned lover, his embrace of Pauline was so grotesquely tierce and so unreasonably prolonged as to cause laughter. The ftwt, however, of Mr. Brooke's great success with the crowd remains undoubted, and his power of producing broad effects, and depicting character with masses of light and shade, tells on the nmltitudinous throng that fills Drury Lane. The tine voice, and aptitude for expressing vehemence, account for muclt of his success. We suspect, however, that his present burst of popularity is not uninfluenced by Isis comparative novelty. Our playgoers have so long been familiarised with the I►eculiarities of Mr•. Charles Kean, Mr. Anderson, and other actors, that even mannerism of another kind la►ssesses the charms of novelty, and api►ears to have something of the freshness of inspiration. Miss Anderson has greatly improved in her acting. She wants the stature required for a tragic actress. So petite a figure cannot produce the commanding efforts required in high tragedy, unless the artist possessed the piercing eyes and resonant voice of a Rachel. Miss .tnderton will, we have no doubt, be come a very good actress, lint "the great" is beyond her powers, despite of her general cleverness. She is very young, and has not been well trained for her profession, so that experience and practice to one of her intelligence will proshice much improvement. The Waterman WILY played as an afterpiece on Tuesday night, Miss Featherstone, the new singer, essaying the part of To►n 'Tug. She has a fine con tralto voice, capable of achieving great effects, if its owner was a proficient iu musical science. She dis plays at times a mellow richness of tone which might be turned to great account in ballad singing, and would make her a popular favourite in English opera ; and we counsel her to lose no time in availing herself of judicious musical instruction. Miss Featherstone's first appearance was at Miss Bell's little theatre in bean-street, and we believe that she was a pupil of Miss Kelly. Her acting gives promise of success. Iler Helen in Time Hunchback has much of the exp►ieyhvie and hoydenish coquetry requisite for the part ; and her byplay, in which it is so difficult to school young actresses, may be pronounced t xcellent. In this latter respect she has evidently profited by the able instructions of Miss Kelly, who, since the death of Mrs. Clover, may be pronounced almost the best of our theatrical teachers in comedy. We have great hopes of Miss Featherstone rising to distinction, but she must learn to control her powers. The best song lust Tuesday night—" And did you not hear of a jolly piling waterman ? front its being in articulately gabbled, apparently from the nervousness of the singer. Her "Then farewell my trio► built wherry " was better, but out of tune, and s hould have been sung with more simplicity. 11cr " Bay of Biscay " in so large a theatre could scarcely lie sat,; cessful. We must say that her theatrical friends have not given this promising young actress the best advice in urging her into what are called "breeches rails." The Wilhelmina of Miss Emily Onuonil was well sung, but not pleasingly acted. This holy is an excellent musician, but her voice is not pleasing in quality, though she manages it with great skill. Her first song was deservedly received with au enthu• siastic encore. S.►ULEIt'S w 1. LLS. Tim most imaginative readers of Shakspenre justly question the judiciousness of attempting to put upon the stage such a play as A .1/id744ffncr Night's Dream, and, indeed, to attempt, to bang together with suburban resoureeti, and with thick thumbed supoN, such a delicate cobweb as thu