The Press. — London, England, 1856-09-27 00:00:00

SEPT. 27, 1856. ceases ; that truth is great, and in the end triumphs. We may fairly carry the induction to the subject im mediately before us, and conclude that, though novelists might and would often advocate false or partial views, the general result of their using serious questions as elements of fictitious interest would be to diffuse truth, and dissipate error;—at any rate, this may safely be predicated of the practical and reflective Englishman. What kinds of sub ject-matter are adapted to purposes of fiction, and what not, is a somewhat difficult inquiry,—for the promised elucidation of which at your hands I shall look forward ; but I may remark my gratifi cation at finding you have so fully anticipated the expression of my belief that " Uncle Tom" and " Dred " exhibit the rarely combined qualities that are needed to treat such subjects satisfactorily. Nay, more, those parts of her works which some critics have condemned as vulgar, impious, and so on (though not justly obnoxious to such an imputation, as Mrs. Stowe briefly, but satisfactorily, shows in the preface to "Dyed"), have a very different aspect when regarded as necessary parts of a work pro fessing a grand social object to what they would if they occurred in one of humbler pretensions. When the Spectator argues that the success of " Uncle Tom " settled the question of the legitimate use of social questions by the novelist, I do not agree with him that that popularity did decide the matter, if he uses the word " success" in its simple sense; but if he means that Mrs. Stowe's treatment of so difficult and complex a problem was triumphant and successful, I fully coincide with him,—and that the more heartily, because (in opposition to many abler writers, who cannot, however, I think, have read her novels through with critical impartiality) I maintain that she, trusting in the goodness of her cause, has sternly done justice to slaveholders, slave institutions, and emancipation difficulties (and thus practically disproved the arguments of opponents, who would limit the domains of fiction) ; whilst she has won herself an enviable reputation by her ex posure of a monstrous evil, and her condemnation of a giant iniquity.—Apologising for troubling you at such length, I am, sir, yours obediently, H. L. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.-Szrr. 25. BOOKS. The Frithjof Saga. The Hillii of the Shatentue. Triibner and Co. Rutledge Mars and Stripes ; or, American Impressions, Freemiin La Bagatelle. Simpkin and 11arshall Old Memories. A Novel. Newby Advice to Officers in India. John M'Cosh, M.D. Allen and Co. Vernon. A Tale of the Sea. Hall and Virtue Oat on the Tito:id. Henry Owgan, LL.D. Hunt and Illackett PAMPHLETS While Banks thus Fail, Who are Safe ? Effingham Wilson—Royal British Bank, Improved List of Share holders. Ditto—Milner Refuted. Charles Hastings Col lette. Penny—An Argument for the Legislative Prohibi• lion of the Liquor Tr4llc. Dr. F. R. Lees. Tweetlie-- Rerised English Version of the Holy Scriptures. Triibner and Co.—The Life Boat. Knight. THE ROYAL. POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION authorities are about to organise a system of evening classes. A meeting was held at the institution on Thursday, when the manager, Mr. Pepper, explained the gene ral objects of these classes, and the reasons which had induced him to organise a more systematic course of scientific instruction. He had always been anxious to make the Polytechnic, not only a place of popular amusements in science, but an institution in which the elements of science should be regularly and accurately taught. Its appliances and situation were, he thought, well adapted for such a purpose. He hoped in the course of time to establish a trade school, similar to those of Wandsworth and Bristol, where boys would be taught at a small charge those principles of science upon which our industrial suc cess depends. He stated that these classes will commence in October, and terminate a few weeks previous to the annual examination of the Society of Arts. The books and apparatus necessary for these classes would be supplied through the Society of Arts by the Privy Council on Education. He had started these classes, not with any desire to make a profit of them, but to meet what he considered a social want. Every farthing, after the ordinary expenses of the class-rooms were paid, should go for the benefit of the teachers; and in the selection of gentlemen to conduct these classes he had satisfied himself of their reputation and ability for such a work. He had been greatly assisted in the formation of these classes by Mr. Buckmaster, one of the science mas ters of the Department of Science and Art, and a gentleman well acquainted with the requirements of such an undertaking. CREMORNE GARDENS promise a final fete for Thursday next. There are to be special amusements of every description, and a grand display of fireworks in the evening. Fine weather will be all that is re quired to insure success, and present appearances we must say are rather against such an agreeable result. THE PRESS. THE RUSSIAN CORONATION FETES. THE rejoicings at Moscow have continued with un abated vigour since the coronation. Balls, fetes, processions, feastings, military spectacles, and re views, have followed each other at a killing pace till one half the people are laid up with relaxed throats and bronchitis, and the other half with dyspepsia. Even the Czar himself appears tiring, for he has ordered the people's fete to take place five lays earlier than was at first arranged. " But, amidst all this pervading lassitude," writes a correspondent, The British Ambassador keeps steadily on the even tenor of his hospitable way, and greatly dines, or merrily dances, or courteously receives, with that unflinching pluck and bottom which are the proud characteristics of his race and nation. I think I mentioned in a former letter the anticipations of the St. Petersburg English, that at Moscow Lord Granville would overtake his French competitor in the festive race, and in the long run main tain for the " Roast Beef of Old England " its traditional supremacy ; and they have not been disappointed. The Count do Morny has been distanced in the race, fairly dined and danced down, and to Lord and Lady Granville is now universally conceded the palm for dinners, for balls, fo" receptions, and, best of all, for unflagging graciousness and courtesy of demeanour. Ido not say this in any ungenerous spirit of depreciation towards the French Embassy, who have well and splendidly represented both the wealth and proverbial taste of their great country; but then the Hotel de Morny is Bachelor's Hall, while at the English Embassy the wives and daughters of England offer a " material guarantee " to the wives and mothers of Russia, and, consequently, the latter find themselves as much at home there as in their own domestic circles. This, I can assure you, is no exaggeration. The provincial nobility of Russia—the great boyards of the rich and fertile south—are primitive, almost patriarchal, in their habits ; their homes are their empires, and the warmth of affection exhibited by the different membets of a family for each other is quite touching and refreshing to the English strangers. The old princesses cluster their fair daughters about them "as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wing ;" and the latter, while educated to the highest pitch of modern refinement, speaking freely " the four languages," and being well acquainted with English literature—in which I am proud to say they take un• affected delight—dancing, singing, and playing with lady like grace and skill, have all the freshness and modesty of deportment that foreigners so much admire in our island girls. It is not to be wondered at, then, that ladies such as I have attempted to describe find themselves emphati cally "at home ' with Lady Granville, and Lady Stafford, Lady Emily Peel, and Lady Margaret Leveson Gower— that they should grace the receptions, and go gladly and freely to the balls.—D. News cor., Sept. 15. A grand review of 100,000 men around Moscow was held on the 15th, but the weather was intoler able. It rained incessantly the whole of the day. The troops nevertheless were out : It is not more than once in an Englishman's life that he can see such a field-day as that we have just witnessed. A grand plan of attack upon Moscow, and of a defence and retreat, was executed by three corps d'armie, consisting of the Guard Corps and - Grenadier Corps, with their cavalry and artillery, numbering not less than 100,000 men. One corps, about 40,000 strong, represented the army defending the city. The two others were the active army of operations of the assailants, and the most experienced generals directed the movements of the troops, in which military critics took a lively interest. As the distance of the ground on which the offensive force was to act was very considerable—possibly six miles from their camp— they had to march at seven o'clock in the morning, and the cavalry were mounted at five. The rain fell in torrents, and never ceased till near midday, when there were a few lucid intervals, but it was not till two o'clock, just one hour before the review was over, that the water proof could be dispensed with for five minutes at a time. The Emperor and the Grand Dukes, followed by a nume rous suite, were on the ground on horseback immediately after nine o'clock, and the action became general soon after their appearance. The Prince of the Netherlands, the Prince of Prussia, the Ministers and Envoys, and the members of their suite who were invited to attend, followed in fuli uniform. Some of the English Embassy appeared in round hats and frock coats, which certainly were better adapted to the weather than shakoes or cocked hats and laced tunics. The Frech, who in all things have a wise eye to effect, have sent a military commission along with and attached to their embassy, consisting of Crimean officers of great reputation, such as-General Lebceuf, who commanded part of the siege artillery ; General Frossard, of the Engineers; General Dumon ; Colonel Reille, Etat- Major, &c. It is true that Lieutenant-Colonel Maude and Lieutenant• Colonel Hardinge are attached to the embassy, but they, gallant officers as they are, occupy no special military position here, and hold an inferior rank to the officers representing the French army. I remark this merely because it has been remarked. The plain on which the manoeuvres take place is a steppe, sandy, covered with short grass, intersected by watercourses, and undulating with patches of natural forest scattered here and there. It is particularly well adapted for manoeuvres, for it offers admirable positions for attack and defence; it affords admirable coups•d'oetl; it is of interminable extent, and the ground is firm without being hard, and is well suited to the march of troops and the passage of artillery.—Times cor., Sept. 15. Eighty pieces of artillery were in the field, but the rain was so heavy and the mist so thick that very little could bo seen of the mansvuvres 931 The Emperor, attended by what on a fine day would have been a most brilliant staff, and such members of the various embassies as did not mind being wet to the skin, rode up and down at intervals between the hostile armies, and critically watched the performance of each successive evolution. The Cossacks obliged us to dismount at a distance of about two miles from the field, which was soft as pap, and adhesive as glue ; the rain came down in torrents, and so dense was the atmosphere that we could not see the hostile armies, although the frequent reports and hollow rumbling of the artillery announced that they were close at hand. After a sore pilgrimage, we at last came to a rising ground, the rain suddenly ceased, and a sight burst on our view that repaid us for all our previous annoyances. There stood, in battle array, the whole of the famous Imperial Guard, dotted over the plain in huge human parallelograms or glistening squadrons, the bayonets of the infantry in long regular rows sparkling hke a diamond necklace, and the varied uniforms of the cavalry glowing like the costumes of some great state pageant. There were the Guards-ii-Cheval in white, with gold burnished cuirasses, and all mounted on splendid chesnut horses. Then there were the Hussars, scarlet and gold, or blue and silver, the regiment of Paul, with their quaint old-fashioned conical caps, the Grenadiers, the Cossacks of the I)on, the favorite " Finlandake" regiment, and, finally, the artillery in immense force, each gun drawn by trains of unusual size and power. Soon all these masses began to move, each with the regularity of some vast machine, the artillery opened fire, the musketry rolled and rattled, the officers galloped to and fro, and I fear swore a little, and the battle was soon at its height. The position, to judge from the loudness of the report and the prevalence of the smoke, was most resolutely defended, but with what vicissitudes of fortune I am unable to tell, for the tremendous firing brought down the rain again, and the great object with the spectators was to get into shelter as soon as possible. We accordingly, in the sim plicity of our hearts, rushed to the wood; but very soon found, to our surprise, that we were in the very centre of the battle. The holders of the eminence had valorously repelled their assailants, and were now driving them pall moll before them into the plain. Our harbour of refuge became the scene of a desperate hand-to-band contest, in which the soldiers charged or resisted, rushed about, and fired totally regardless of the nerves of travellers or the convenience of special correspondents. Gun-wadding flew about in showers, and there was an odour of " that villan ous saltpetre " of the most smothering intensity ! To our immense satisfaction, the hill forces, after a sanguinary struggle, at length cleared the wood, the assailants were driven into the plain and thoroughly defeated, and trumpet signals informed us that the sham battle was over, and that the poor soldiers might go home to dinner and dry clothes. So ended the great battle of Kadinka, the men cheering lustily for the Emperor, and the conquering army celebrating their victory according to Russian custom with songs of triumph, full of wild, warlike melody and national character.—Daily Netts cor. Tho domestic economy of the Guards is not a little entertaining. The magnificent uniforms are only worn on special occasions : Even these troops undergo a metamorphose, and ex• temally they are not the same before and after the review. Their finery is put off, and the old long grey coat, fiat cap, and thick boots are resumed when the visitors have retired ; the casques and feathers are laid up till the next parade ; they are, in fact, like the negroes of the Court— those wonderful pieces of ebony which are mounted in the richest and most costly garniture—gold lace (how often I have had to write these words!), Cashmere shawls, scarfs, and braid, and who are polished up till they shine all over on company days, but whose legs and bodies are cased in common grey linen when the entertainment is over.—Times cor. The great feast to the mujiks took place on the 20th. The guests were to be limited to 00,000: — There are six hundred tables provided already at Hadinka; each table will accommodate about one hundred and ten guests. Balconies and awnings are constructed for the Emperor, the Empress, the Court, the *robes. sadors, and the strangers of distinction. A guard of soldiers will watch over the safety of each table, and the police will be everywhere. And, talking of the police, an amusing manifesto in Russ has been published by Count Zakreffsky, the military governor of Moscow. Beginning with " From the Military Gavernor•General of Moscow, Aide de.camp-General Count Zakreffsky," he solemnly beseeches all good Muscovites, and all guests or spectators from the neighbourhood and elsewhere, to respect and aid, on the occasion of the forthcoming banquet, the various arrangements of the police. Especially, he enjoins the people not to be in a hurry to begin, but to wait till the Emperor shall have passed among them ; to keep the avenues clear; and then to look to the imperial box for the signal of battle with the objects on the table. " Let the people eat," says Count Zakreffsky; " let them drink, and let them rejoice; but yet in an orderly and decent manner, that, while they are thus rejoicing, the heart of their Czar, who is near them, may also rejoice in the family of his faithful subjects. Not to attend to these injunctions would he to show that they are not Russians." —Post cor., Sept. 15. A ROYAL MARRIAGE. ROYAL marriages are always matters of interest for the million as well as for the Court few, and the greater the ceremony the more attentive the reader ; for it is curious in these days to read of the exercise of the strictest traditional etiquette upon such an oc casion. How the bride's toilette was according to rule, even to the curls of her hair and the bodice of her dress ;—how lacqueys, swinging censers of per-