The Press. — London, England, 1856-11-08 00:00:00

NOVEMBER 8, 1856. e lse the use of the prefix "pseudo" is wholly super fluous, and merely adopted to throw a sort of mist round what his views of Conservatism really are. But the fact is that his true Ginservative is to be found in the person of Mr. Hallam. Whether the Liberals choose to confess themselves mistaken in the name or in the thing, we care nothing ; but, either Mr. Hallam is not a Liberal, or Liberalism is not what its pro fessors ordinarily proclaim it to be. Of Wolsey the reviewer says that be was an " heroical type of man " and a " noble soul." It is the first time for many a long day that a debauched priest, howei+r great a genius, has been thus described in England. Another very good article in this number is on religious novels, in which the employment of fiction as a channel for theological controversy is severely condemned. Bentley contains a iively and curious article on the " Newspaper in France." Louis XVIII. was, we learn, an accomplished newspaper writer, and constant contributor to the " Yellow Dwarf." The profits of Dumas from the Parisian journals seem almost fabulous. "Paris in 1856" is also a very amusing article. The tale of the month, called " The Steward's Bargain," is scarcely so spirited as usual. Part I. of the National Magazine is the first spe cimen of a new periodical on the scale of Household Words, though got up on a different plan. It is well illustrated, and contains a much greater variety of matter than that hitherto undisputed chief of the weekly magazines. It contains tales by some of our best known novelists, such as Holme Lee and Wilkie Collins ; little antiquarian sketches by Dr. Doran; essays, scientific and moral; but no articles of a purely literary character. It is for the people themselves to say whether the entertainment is one suited to their palate. The idea seems to us good, and the execution, on the whole, praiseworthy. But all the contributions in every department must be braced up a little if the magazine is to hold its ground. We would offer to the conductors two sug gestions—one, that a good novel-writer is not neces sarily a good tale-writer; the other, that in all such papers as are genuine essays, a pure English style, clear and at the same time original argument, and some evidence of scholarship, are indispensable to real success. We by no means imply that the essays in the present number are deficient in these qualities. But they must be rigidly kept up to ihe mark, and not be permitted to degenerate into the slipshod, unconnected string of words which at the present day too often passes for an essay, and is praised for its "ease." In the part before us, many of the engravings are extremely beautiful. The National Magazine has thus far, we hear, met with prodigious success. Punch's Pocket-Book for 1857. London : Bradbury and Evans. Ifs. Lescx's remorseless wrath still falls upon the crinolines and other isolating contrivances of our womankind, and his coloured plate this year repre sents a handsome full-made girl, in her " slip," seeking the aid of an inflated petticoat to conceal her unimpeachable figure ; while another pretty creature, whose ample toilette is complete, watches with affectionate interest the proceedings of the lady's•maid and milliners. Mr. Tenniel, on the other hand, departing from the modern, embellishes Mr. Punch's pocket volume with a series of delicate and piquant little cuts, as headings to the various departments of the almanac, in which grotesque humour is refined by a Watteau-like fancy. We are glad to take this opportunity of remarking upon the immense advance Mr. Tenniel has made In the school of humour. His drawing was always admirable, but some of his recent contributions to Punch display a boldness and freedom of hand which hid fair to give him a first place among the caricatu flats of the country. 'Co return to the little annual before us, we may observe that its literature has met) and varied merit, and tl at such a collection of squibs and fun would excite more attention but for the periodical itself of which the " Pocket-Book" is a parasite, and in which so much of the same kind of writing is found. Mr. Punch himself is the worst enemy of his children, and we should incline to re commend that this annual, instead o° being a kind of extra volume of Punch, should take different ground. However, that is the business of its direc tors —ours is merely to say that the book is a very capital investment for the moribund coin called half-a-crown. Health and Beauty; or, the Human Body. By Madame Roxey A. Caplin. London : Darton and Co. To those persons who, like ourselves, have a most unconquerable aversion to the figure of a lady with out .stays, Mme. Caplin's work will bring bo►h conso lation and hope,—consolation because we shall no longer fear lest a pretty shape should be purchased at c the sacrifice of health ; and hope because we be lieve that no young lady will be able to resist the arguments here a dduced in favour of that auxiliary THE PRESS. garment which we so greatly prize. Stooping is an unhealthy as well as an awkward habit, and contrac tion of the chest scarcely a less dangerous result than pinching of the waist. But when it is found that the greatest health may be united with the truest grace, and that the imrset is no longer a mere fashionable expedient to produce effect, but a salu tary preventive of disease, and relief from deformity, we cannot doubt that Mme. Caplin's system will be universally adopted. Every stage of life, and every female infirmity or peculiarity, is here considered at length, and illustrated by excellent plates, which, if sometimes inevitably wanting in delicacy, are never theless necessary to the work, and calculated to be highly useful to the public. It should, however, in justice be mentioned that the idea of her gymnastic machines was not only originated by the well.known Captain Chiosco, but has at this moment been per fected by him to a degree quite beyond the range of Mme. Caplin's attempt. We would recommend the original works of this talented Italian officer to the attention of all. M. JULLIEN'S CONCERTS opened on Wednesday night with the usual success, and, we may add, the usual riot. Id. Jullien has this year taken up his ground in that, convenient locality—Her Majesty's Theatre. Miss Catherine Hayes nightly sings. M. Jullien's selection of music is always good, always well performed, and the house, under these circum stances, is always certain to be well tilled. On Wed nesday night it was more full than on a cheap Tra viata night. A grand selection of music from this opera is now in rehearsal, and will shortly be per formed. ROMAN CATHOLIC PROPAGANDISM IN NORWAY is thus alluded to in a recent letter from the Alten copper-mines in Finmark. These mines are worked by an English company, and form a kind of centre of activity for the surrounding population of Nor wegians, Finns, and Lapps : In the midst of this population arrived some time ago a Roman C atholic mission, destined, it was said, for La brador, and intending only to make a temporary stay in these somewhat less barren and cheerless regions in order to become inured to the rigours of the Arctic climate, and to render the missionaries able to bear the hardships and privations awaiting them in the more tireary fields of their labours. Norway, and more particularly these outlying portions of the realm, was at that time in a state of reli gious ferment, caused by the preachings of a methodistical sect called " Lucre," and especially of an individual named Runge, whose fanatical doctrines found a willing soil in the less cultivated members of the community, and led to much discussion and many bickerings. Actuated probably by the principle that it is good to fish in troubled waters, the Catholic missionaries in Finmark soon began to show indications of an intention to take up their per manent abode at Alien, instead of merely making it a halting place on their route, as was at first intended. A ' large building, at one time the residence of the Amtmand, or chief magistrate of the district, was purchased by them and converted into a church. Not cc•ntent with the in fluence exercised through the pulpit, and other more sur reptitious means which are said to have been employed, an advertisement in the local paper of Tromsde, dated St. Oscar's College at Alien, and signed by one of the mis sionaries, Pater Bernhard, from Rheims, now announces that they have opened a school, in which instruction will be given in classics, mathematics, and modern languages, as well as in all other branches of learning required for the practical purposes of life. All intention to interfere with the religious creeds of the pupils is disclaimed with an " of course," while, at the same time, the '• universality " of the Romish Church is indicated as a fact enabling it to provide natives of the various countries with a knowledge of such foreign languages as may be deemed desirable; and it is boldly maintained that the circumstance of the teachers in the school belorging to that Church ought not to be a greater oustacle in Norway than in America, where the Washington College, in the City of Washington, which is under the direction of Roman Catholic priests, is frequented by 300 pupils, many of whom belong to Protestant families, who are rendered uneasy by that deviation from the funda• mental principles of the Christian religion which is exhi bited in Protestantism, and which. in point of faith, and doctrine, is in a constant state of fluctuation and oscilla tion, so that, although one may know what it is to day, it is impossible to say what it may be to•morrow." Allusion is then made to the teachings of Honge, " who has the merit of having opposed this tendency, but whose activity— like everything undertaken on mere human and self assumed authority—leads to different results from those contemplated, and has contributed still further to develop the spirit of sectarianism and methodism." The conclu sion meant to be suggested is evident: the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, which is destructive of secta rianism, is the beat safeguard against the fluctuations of Protestantism ; while the allusion to the example of repub lican America, as jealous of the religious, political, and individual liberty of her citizens as the Norwegians of theirs, is meant to allay any fears that might possibly arise on this head. GENERAL WALKER has issued an important decree annulling the old decrees of the Federal Constituent Assembly of Nicaragua, among which was one abolishing slavery in Central America. The effect of this is, that the right to hold slaves is now ac knowledged by the Government of Nicaragua, and the peculiar institution may therefore be considered as re-established in the republic. 1075 MR. DU CANE UPON EDUCATION. MR. CHARLES Du CANE, of Brasted-park, and can didate for North Essex ' presided last week at the annual meeting of the Witham Literary Institute. Mr. Du Cane delivered an eloquent address upon the occasion, and in the course of his remarks expressed the following opinion upon national education : I remember that when 11 had the honour of addressing to you last year a few remarks on this subject, I stated that I hoped that the day was not far distant when the difficulties that at present attended the question of a general measure of State education would be overcome, and that this country might ere long reap the benefit of such a system of general education, combined with sound religious instruction, as would hArmonise with the views and satisfy the scruples of all parties, who, while differing perhaps upon matters of detail, yet appear to make common cause upon the para mount necessity for the education of the masses of this country. Such was the opinion I last year expressed, but I must confess, when I consider the manner in which the opinion of this country has been unmistakeably evinced during the present year, on the subject of a comprehensive measure of general education, when I consider, moreover, the almost insuperable difficulties that surround the reli gious element of this great question—difficulties which would be fomented rather than allayed by any compulsory settlement—l begin to despair on the subject, I begin to recant the opinion I last year expressed, and to doubt whether a system of State education be not inconsistent with the free character and free institutions of our country ; whether it would not interfere with our national ideas of our national liberty, and whether, which is abcve all au important consideration, it would not tend to check that private zeal and munificence in this great cause for which our present age is so eminently conspicuous. I would say then, let the Government of this country devote its efforts to the extension and revision of the present existing system, which if it be not perfect—if it does not effect all that the most sanguine among us require from it, is a t least 1 think founded on sound principle. Let it continu as heretofore to give assis•ance by giants from the Treasur . to the voluntary and local efforts of individual combination y let it proclaim the value of instruction, and give a stimalu,; to the cause of the education of every class in the kingdom by a more liberal system of admisson to the public offices and appointments to the public services of the country above all, let it extend its operations towards the reclama tion of those unhappy thousands of destitute children who, for the most part abandoned by their parents, swarm in the streets of our large and populous towns, without hope either of instruction or employment, recruiting the already too well filled ranks of crime, and a prey to every tempta tion to evil. I say let the Government of the country do thus much, but let it not attempt to force upon this country a system of compulsory education for which the voice of its people is evidently as yet unprepared, and which, besides the objections I have already urged, will tend I think, and especially in the agricultural districts, to interfere with the law of labour, to check the judicious employment of the young, which would stir up the bitter and angry feelings of conflicting religious opinion, and ultimately effect that which I could never but consider as otherwise than as a deplorable result, the entire exclusion of the religious element from any system of national edu cation. I trust that iu venturing my opinion on this great subject I have not allowed myself to be carried into matter beyond the limits of discussion permitted by the rules of this society. For my own part, I must say that 1 have ever regarded the question of the education of the people of this country as not one of an entirely political tendency, not one that should call for the array of party against party, and prejudice against prejudice, but one which we should approach as a great question of national welfare—one which involves the. real application of that oft-misquoted sentiment, " The greatest happiness of the greatest num ber "—one which should combine as in a common bond of union all who have at heart the social elevation, the moral progress. and increase of true Christian civilisation of their native country. After a few remarks upon the ultimate object to which all educational efforts should be directed, he resumed his seat amidst very warm applause. THE FRENCH RAILROAD FRAUDS. TEE capture of Grelet in America has been quickly followed by that of Charpentier, the principal crimi nal, and to secure whose arrest the Rothschilds had exerted the whole influence unlimited means can at any time command. Charpentier for some weeks eluded all search. He escaped from New York, and went into the interior of the State, intending to secrete himself until the heat of the pursuit had passed, and then watch his opportunity to slip out of the country. After wandering about in several disguises, shaving off his moustache and cropping his hair short, he dressed himself ass farm labourer, and came towards New York. Thsn, taking the cars on the Erie Railroad, he stopped in the neighbourhood of Newburgh, and once more succeeded in obtaining employment on a farm near Canterbury. Here be fancied himself secure from detection ; but on Wednesday nigbt,the 15th October, after retiring to rest, he was awakened by a man wrapped in a cloak, who ordered him to dress and follow him to New York. The poor Frenchman excused himself, and endeavoured to convince the stranger that he was mistaken—that be was not Charpentier —but it would not do; the stranger was imperative, and Charpentier reluctantly complied. He was securely handcuffed, and then assisted into a waggon in wait ing outside. Two officers from Newburgh followed I I