The Press. — London, England, 1856-12-20 00:00:00

1218 Malcolm found the enemy encamped at Me hidpoor. The action was never for an instant doubtful, but it was gallantly fought, and Malcolm gave signal proofs of his personal courage. To Malcolm was committed the task of settling the conquered country, and in the execution of this trust he gave perhaps the highest evidences of ability which distin guished his career:— There was a heartiness, a sincerity, in all that he said and did which gave people unlimited confidence in him; and even when his decisions were unfavorable to the appli cant, there was a robust sort of kindliness in his very denials which disarmed them of offence. A well-timed readily appreciable joke often was more serviceable in his hands than the most elanorate arguments. On one occasion, when receiving petitions anti listening to complaints—a duty to which he systematically devoted a portion of the day—a liheel, one of the wildest of a wild tribe, broke clamorously into the tent, threw himself at Malcolm's feet, and cried aloud for justice. He had a dreadful story to tell of robbery and murder, and prayed that justice might be executed upon the criminal. " Hold, hold," said Sir John, " not so fast; the party, the party you accuse shall be sent for, and the cause inquired into forthwith." " What is the use of inquinng?" asked the B heel ; "my cattle have been carried off, and one of my sons killed in an attempt to recover them." "It may be so," returned Malcolm, "hut still I must inquire. Do you know why the Almighty gave me two ears ?" The plaintiff looked puzzled, shook his head, and answered in the negative. " Then I will tell you," said Malcolm. "In order that I might hear your story with one, and the other party's with the other." The bystanders loudly applauded the wisdom and justice of the speech, and the liheel, equally convinced, awaited the inquiry against which he had protested. Called to bear his part in the government of India, Malcolm brought his sturdy sense to bear on the great question in what manner our power could be best supported and per petuated. Tho result of his reflection was that it was our true policy to uphold native Go vernments as long as possible. He believed that the decline of our power would date from the day when all India was submitted to our rule. This notion may now be thought old fashioned ; but the conviction was firmly fixed in Malcom's mind, and shared by many of the most eminent of his contemporaries. Some of his sentences on this subject are worth pondering at a time when a system directly opposite has gained predominance:— If policy requires that we should govern a considerable part of India through its native princes and chiefs, it is our duty to employ all our influence and all our power to strengthen, instead of weakening, these royal instruments of rule. No speculation of comparative improvement or better administration should lead us aside from this path. The general good that is effected by our remaining in it must always overbalance any local benefit that could be derived from quitting it. This is the master evil against which we are to guard. Territory is coming too fast upon us. We cannot prevent accessions, and the period may arrive when the whole peninsula will be under our immediate rule ; but every consideratiin requires this period to be delayed, and every effort should be made to regulate a march in which we must proceed. No additional province can now be de sirable, but as it furnishes us with positive means of sup porting that general peace which is alike essential for the prosperity of oar provinces, and the preservation of those whom it is our policy to maintain as rulers. The native Governments are abused as intolerably bad ; why even in this view the very contrast of their govern. went with ours is strength. Make all India into zillahs, and I will assert it is in the order of things—considering the new sentiments that must be infused, the operation (unchecked by comparison of th it dislike to rule which all human beings have, and that depression and exclusion from all high rank and fame, civil or military, of more than a crore of men, which must be the consequence of the establishment of our direct authority—that our empire should last fifty years. But if we can contrive to keep up a number of native States without political power, hut as royal instruments, we shall, I believe, exist in India as long as we maintain our naval supremacy in Europe ; beyond this date is impossible. It will be seen that Malcolm reasoned from policy alone. His conclusions were the result of long and intimate acquaintance with India, and they were perfectly unprejudiced and honest. What would he have said to the modern system which counts each accession of territory to be clear gain, and makes the over throw of every native Government a subject of warm congratulation? The next paragraph raises the great question how India is to be governed:— I regret as deeply as you, or any man can, that there is no opening for natives. The system of depression becomes more alarming as our power extends, but the remedy is nut in raising to rank or influence our servants, moonsbees, 6cc., however good ; we must, or we cannot last, contrive to asso ciate the natives with us in the task of rule, and in the benefits and gratitcatious which accrue front it. Letts's Diaries for 1857. THE benefits resulting from division of labour everywhere meet our view. The firm of 'Messrs. Letts has specially devoted itself to the production of diaries ; it has produced these useful volumes in every variety of form, fi oin a thumb•book ti, for the waistcoat•pocket to the bulky volume proper com panion to the massive ledger on the merchant's. desk. In all these varieties of form there is the nicest adaptation of matter and arrangement to the use and character of the diary. An admirable size for general convenience is that marked No. 8. It is of an octavo form, and about as thick as an ordinary volume. It opens with a comprehensive almanack, containing such information as persons engaged in commercial pursuits are most likely to want. Then follow a number of blank pages for general memoranda. In the diary an entire page is devoted to each day of the year, an ample space for noting engagements, and for a brief record of facts. At the end of the diary, two pages ruled for cash accoant are given to each month. The diary is in stout. convenient binding, and opens wide with facility. Leather covers are provided for persons who wish for some additional protection. The whole of the diaries issued by this house are got up with equal care; the convenience of all classes of the commu nity has been sedulously studied ; every person wishing to cultivate habits of regularity, and to keep matters in hand, so that he may always know his position, cannot do better than select from the number of "Letts's Diaries " offered to his choice, one best suited to his wants and means. It is a sure way to commence the new year well, if only resolve be made to regularly use it for the record of facts, and particularly of such as are of a business and pecuniary nature. The Old Monastery. By the Author of " Clara." From the Original. By Lady Wallace. Two Vols. London : Bentley. WE must confess this book has 'puzzled us not a little. We cannot, we think, be mistaken in suppos ing that. we have recently read a great part of it in " Clara," which came recommended to the public by a preface from the pen of Sir Archibald Alison. We have not leisure to unravel the mystery. Our im pression is that a story has been made up by con necting together parts of separate fictions. Lady Wallace favours us with not a word of preface, and we are disposed to think the words " From the Original " must be loosely interpreted. The merit of the book is of a sketchy character, many of the scenes being full of truth and humour. The story itself savours of the literary cookery which we sus pect to pervade the whole book. E4t gram a. HAYMARKET THEATRE. REVIVAL OF " THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL." FOR the last many weeks the playbills might be stereotyped. At the Princess's Theatre, the Lyceum, the Olympic, and Adelphi, the same pieces have figured on the stage and in the public advertise ments. During one entire month The School for Scandal has been played at the Haymarket, and even still it is made to fill the house for half the week. The fact is worth chronicling in the barren theatrical events of the current season, and it will justify some notice. We do not concur with those who have said that" the success of Sheridan under the circumstances was a triumph under difficulties." That large and fashion able audiences heartily approve of The School for Scandal, as now acted at the Haymarket, cannot be denied. The piece is fairly acted on the whole, and although there is no excellence in any one part, still there is no flagrant failure anywhere. Miss Reynolds plays Lady Teazle with great vivacity, which would be more brilliant if it were less "stagey." The half-smothered rusticity of the country girl suddenly blooming into a lady of fashion, is not represented by the actress. Her performance of Lady Teazle is too confident and noisy. Yet there are many parts of the portraiture well brought out. The clear, sharp-cutting wit of Lady Teazle is delivered with much intellectual power by Miss Reynolds. The difficult speech after the screen falls, is delivered by this clever actress with much natural pathos and ladylike grace; and, ou the whole, the Lady Teazle of Miss Reynolds is as good as can now be seen on the stage. Mr. Chippendale's Sir Peter, though too hard and wooden, has, in some parts, many etrective touches. ~. THE PRESS. At the close of 1821 Malcolm again turned his face homeward to rejoin his family. From the date of his arrival in England till he again quitted it his efforts were directed to obtain the government of one of the Presidencies. To his great disappointment Mr. Lushington was preferred to him for the Governorship of Madras ; but soon afterwards (in 1827) Mal colm received his appointment as Governor of Bombay. His three years' tenure of office was chiefly noticeable for his dispute with the Bombay Supreme Court on the attempt made by Sir W. Grant and Mr. Chambers to extend the jurisdiction of their court over the whole Presidency. When Sir John returned to Eng land, in 1831, he found the whole nation in the height of the Reform fever. He plunged into politics with his usual ardour; and an amusing account is given in his journal of a long dis pute he had with William Cobbett, who we suspect was playing a part, and affecting more Radicalism than he ever really felt. The idea of peacefully ending his days in a country re sidence had ever been cherished by Sir John, and in 1833 the consummation of his hopes appeared at hand. He had completed his mansion at Warfield ; everything there was at last ready for his reception, and he was in daily expectation of removal, when the cholera broke forth with fatal virulence. The pesti lence laid its hand on Sir John as he went in his carriage on an errand to Charing Cross. He lingered for a month, cheered by the hope that he would soon be well enough to be re moved to Warfield On the 30th May (1833) there came tidings to Prince's street that the mansion at \\rudeld was at last completed ; that it was ready for the reception of the family. How earnestly had Malcolm looked forward to this hour—how strenuously had he exerted himself to hasten it—how fondly had he hoped beneath that roof to close his eyes upon the world for ever! But it was not to be. There was another mansion—one of many—prepared for him, and on that very day, soon after the news came from Warfield, Sir John Malcolm, it is permitted us to hope, passed into his Father's house, and was at rest. Of all vain expectations that appears to be the vainest which anticipates a period of com plete repose and peaceful enjoyment between man's labours and his grave. Most commonly the boon is denied ; often, when attained, the granted prayer proves the very reverse of a blessing. The truth is. man's work is seldom done while he remains on earth. Life's war fare ends fitly only with life itself. How con temptible was Charles V. in his cloister ! Better had he died with his sceptre in his hand. If a homily were to be written on schemes for future enjoyment, the conclusion should be this—that it is in the present alone we can rationally look for happiness. What ever be our work, it is in the work itself that we must look for• our• content. We must snatch such joys as we can in our passage through life, without dreaming to hoard them up for some crowning festivity in our closing days. Mr. Kaye's volumes have the great merit of being full of matter. We have touched on but a few of the subjects which will richly reward the diligence of the reader. Malcolm led a busy life. He had the activity, both of mind and body, which forbade him to be idle. He had no title to genius; nor was he one of those origi nal men who carve out for themselves a path where none have walked before them. But he was a man of affairs—an excellent servant of the Company ; and with a much higher spirit (as regards freedom from all mercenary motives) than commonly belongs, or is thought to belong, to Indian officials. The best in scription for his tomb would be a sentence from a letter addressed to him by the Duke of Wellington in 1825, after he had been forty four years in the Company's service : You have filled many situations in which you might have become rich consistently with your duty to your em. ployers ; and possibly you ought to be found fault with for not having become so. But the truth is, that you are poor, notwithstanding you have filled these situations, and your services. Edith Frankheart. By Captain Curling. Three Vols. London : Saunders and Otley. THIS story is one of modern day, with a ducal family in the foreground, and most romantic inci dents, together with common ups and downs of life in this railway age, surrounding the noble group. Captain Curling's style of story resembles that of the novelists of the last age—Mrs. Meek, for example. SATURDAY, There is throughout the book a great mystery to be unravelled, in which the fortunes of all persons in the story are more or less concerned. Plot is in " Edith Frankheart" the great agency for sustaining the attention of the reader. The story is in no respect distinguished ; but as a novel it is readable, and has the negative merit of being unexceptionable in sentiment.