The Press. — London, England, 1856-01-12 00:00:00

JANUARY 12, 1856. Introduction to the Literary History of Europe. By Henry Hallam, LL.D. Fifth Edition, London : Murray. FEW scholars have ever been so well qualified for extended critical discussion as Mr. Hallam. Though without an active imagination, his understanding is ' so versatile that his mind can thoroughly appreciate various kinds of literature. He is not a bigot of any particular school, though " Englishman " is broadly stamped upon him ; and what his style wants in subtlety and grace is atoned for by its vigour and racy homeliness of idiomatic expression. His " Con .stitutional History" will probably render his name most permanently popular in England, on account of the nationality of its subject ; but there are por tions of his " Introduction to Literary History " in -which he s ows his greatest powers of thought and his best writing. We allude more particularly to his analysis of Bacon's Philosophy, to his charac terisation of Shakspeare, his estimate of the French Stage, and his comments on Bossuet, Pascal, and other divines. In comprehensiveness of critical aim we are not racquainted with any one work in European literary history which equals this performance 01 Mr.Hallaiu It embraces Italian, German, Spanish French,• and j'Aiglish classics, on many of which its corn .nients tire minute and profound. As a history of •one country's literature, the great work of 'lira :hoschi may be more perfect ; but the various German manuals have not the variety of Mr. Hallam. Sis mondi's "Litterature du Midi " is a brilliant perform an ; bat, as its title suggests, a large part of the m ist important European literature is exempted from its consideration. On the whole, this work of Mr. Hallam stands unrivalled for massiveness and extent of roach. In portions of it some inequalities may be dis cerned. The extent of space is n“t always propor tionately assigned to the relative value of the sub jects di cussed. A few lines, for example, are given to Clarendou's great history, while trivial modern Latin poets are specially commemorated. Too rnueti honour, we think, is given to the intellectual achievements of the Jesuits, and Mr. Hallam is rather too severe in treating of defects of moral evaracter. He does not always make sufficient allowance for the miseries of life, and the infirmities that follow high-wrought temperaments. These are only slight defects in so great a work, exhilkting such energy of style, and so much far sought reading. It tands like a monument amongst the hasty and superficial performances of an age when the printing-press teems with ephemeral b ioks. "Lo ! what huge heaps of littleness around !" may a -thoughtful person exclaim in wiu3essing the worth, 'less compilations, more easily written than read, advertised in all directions. But on recollecting the names of Thitlwall. Grote, Mitre, Milman, and, last not least, Henry Hallam, there is ground for con .gratulation on the number and eminence of our Jiving British scholars. The text of this edition has been carefully revised, and some additional notes have been inserted in it. Memoirs of British Generals Distinguished during the Peninsular War. By J. W. Cole, H.P. 21st Fusiliers. Two Vols. Bentley. Is.ifuese two volumes the lives of fourteen generals, who were eminently distinguished during the Penin sular war, are narrated in a concise, clear style, por traits being given of the most famous of them. Mr. Cole has been diligent in the collection of his mate rials, and has shown much skill in avoiding needless repetition, though having often to traverse the same ground. He is generally impartial and intelligent, but we must except his remarks upon Lo►d Castlereagh, whose character he evidently does not understand. and against whom he seems to entertain a strong prejudice. The most important points in the history of each general are prominently brought out, and •the controversies concerning their conduct judi .ciously sifted. The soldierly skill of the author enables him to relate military events with precision. The volumes are well fitted to convey a distinct idea of the separate details of the Peninsular war, and of the manner in which, under various commands, they were arranged and combined by the genius of Wellington. Byron's Poetical Works. Vol. 111. "Murray's British Classics." London : Murray. THIS volume, in its editing, deserves the praise we 'bestowed upon its predecessors. The introductory notices to the various pieces contain appropriate mat ter expressed tersely. Lord Byron has a most enthusiastic admirer in his editor ; but we think that the opinions of Lord Jeffrey are too much reverenced by him. That Jeffrey was a neat and graceful writer—that he was an excellent reviewer, and that he had a highly versatile intellect—may be readily admitted without according to him any high place araungit critics properly so called. He had neither THE PRESS. the weighty sense of Johnson, the subtlety of Cole- ridge, nor the masculine vigour and scholarship of Hallam. He never appreciated Shelley or Words worth ; he was a bigot in the school of Frenchitied criticism ; the present editor of By ron should recollect how Jeffrey, even in his collected reviews, places Crabbe at the head of the poets of his time ! It is irritating, after some splendid passage, to be referred to a footnote, and read (as at p. 277)—in the " Prisoner of Chilton "—" The gentle decay and " gradual extinction of the youngest life is the most " tender and beautiful passage in the poem." The editor, before quoting such a platitude, should recol lect Sydney Studio's "Jeffrey is here with his adjec tives." The words "tender and beautiful" do nut fit that admirable passage (the eighth), for it nearly commences with the powerful lines : Oh, God ! it is a fearful thing To see the human 13.1ul take wing In any shape, in any mood: I've seen it rushing forth in blood, I've seen it on the breaking ocean Strive with a swoln convulsive motion, I've seen the sick and ghastly bed Of Sin delirious with its dread. If he bad written that the whole passage was thrilling, Jeffiey would have used a more critically appropriate word. Then we turn the page, and come upon the celebrated tenth passage : A light broke in upon my brain— It was the carol of a bird, &c. Many would think that to be more " beautiful " than the preceding one. The present volume includes " The Giaour," "Bride of Abydos," "Corsair," " Lara," "The Siege of Corinth," " Parisina," " Beppo," " Prisoner of Chillon," " Mazeppa," and "The Island." We shall reserve till the last volume our general estimate of Byron's fixed position amongst our great poets. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.-JAN. 10. BOOKS. Letters from the United States, Cuba, and Canada. Hon. Miss Amelia M. Murray. J. W. Parker and Son. The Englishwoman in America. Murray. Poems. Walter It. Cassels. Smith and Elder. Antler!: Spanish Ballads, Historical and Romantic. J. G. Lockhart, Esq. Murray. The Pilgrimage, and Other Poems. The Earl of Ellesmere. Ditto. The nramatic Works of William Shakspeare. In Ten Volumes. Vol Pell and Daldy. The Practical Stenographer. K Soper. Darton and Co. Narrative of the Niger, Tsheutda, and Binue Exploration. Longman& M'intosh's and Kemp's British Year-Book for the Coo nt,:g, Ditto. Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory for 1856. Ditto. PAMPHLETS. of the Civil Service. Hatchard. On the Right Management of the Voice in Speaking and Reading. Bosworth. How to Save Half Your Coals. Marlborough. Convent Visitation. J. .T. Chenoweth. H. Batty. What Next, and Next ? Ridgway. Prize Essay on Canada and her Resources. Sampson, Lowe, and Son. Canada. An Essay. Ditto. Bore Zbqin Polske. Chapman and Hall. Tracts for the Present Crisis. Second Series, No. 1 Bartlett. 4 Critical Dictionary of English Literature. Peterson and Son. The Position and Prospects of Ireland. Ridgway. Addresses, delivered at Manchester, Lee ls, and Birmingham. Earl Stanhope. Murray. A Letter to the Bight Hon. Dr. Lushington. Ditto. Speech of Malcolm Levin, Esq. Stanford. The Preaching of Christ. J. A. St. John. Chapman and Hall. Death• Bed Canticles. A Dying Clergyman. Longmans. PERIODICALS. The Post Magazine Atmanack for 1856. Pateman. Freemasons' Magazine •nd Masonic Mirror. Warren. Macphail's Edinburgh Ecclesiastical Journal. Simpkin and Marshall. The Ifonthly Review. J. Mitchell . The Electric Review. Ward and Lock. PRESCOTT, THE HISTORIAN.—I was 1-bOWII up into a drawing room exquisitely furnished, and surrounded with bookcases, the walls between which were orna mented with choice prints. In a few minutes a door behind one of the bookcases opened, and a most pleasing, gentlemanly looking man, of slight figure, stepped forth, and, cordially holding out his hand, led me to a sofa, and we at once entered into an animated conversation on various topics of interest. Most people in England are under the impression that Mr. Prescott is blind. Such is not the case. Although from an injury received at college his eyesight became so weak that he is afraid to exert it, and therefore writes with the machine used by the blind, he can see with perfectly sufficient clearness to dis tinguish people and to enjoy society to the utmost; indeed, no defect in his sig' It is discoverable to the ordinary observer.—Kingston's Western Wanderings. 43 htsir. HANOVER-SQUARE ROOMS. MME. GOLDSCHMIOT'S CONCERT. A CONCERT of miscel'aneous music was given by Mme. Goldschmidt at the Hanover-square Rooms, on Thursday evening. The audience was brilliant, and every available seat filled. The great attraction of the evening was the announcement that Jenny would sing several of her most pop liar airs. As she has previously only been heard in sacred music since her return, there was great expectation to hear how she would acquit herself in the class of compositions in which she first gained her popu larity. The pieces chosen were i different st)les, but well adapted to display her peentiar talent. The prayer of Agatha from the Freischiitz ; the grand scena from Beatrice ; the arrangement of tour mazurkas by Chopin for voice and I iano by her hus band, Herr Goldschrnidt; with "John Anderson, my jo," and the Swedish " Echo song," constituted an at • tractive programme. Whatever doubt might have been previously entertained as to her unimpaired possession of not only her vocal gifts, hut her dramatic power, must have been dispelled by her execution of these various pieces. Perhaps never in the course of her brilliant career has she been heard to greater advantage than on this occasion, from the contrasted character of the selection. The devotional feeling and saintly aspiration of the prayer, giving the idea of angelic harmony, and ex quisitely phrased in the original German, was suc ceeded by the animated composition Df Bellini. In this fine scene the genius of the dramatic artist shone forth with admirable power. It was im ossilde to mistake her vocation while listening to her, (r doubt the part which Nature intended her to fill. As this piece proved her power, the selecti• n from the mazurkas tested her taste. Nothing coo d be more delicate than her appreciation and render ing of the etherial sentiment of this imaginative composition. With a skill only to be understood when heard, she seemed to seize the floating melody, to detain it for the moment necessary to give it distinct expression, and in that moment to fix it in the memory there like a magic spell to live for ever. The delicacy of Herr Ooldschmidt's accompani ment could not be surpassed ; the voice and the piano were never blended in happier union. The Scotch ballad was in itself' a domestic drama of most touching and plaintive loveliness. In this simple ballad the story of a life found melodious expression,—the opening animated and cheerful,—the sentiment growing graver and di eper as it proceeded,—until the close melted the soul with sadness. The "Echo song" shelv ed the marvellous mechanism of her organ, and her perfect command over it. All the accessories of the concert were excellent; the performance of Herr Goldschmidt was marked by fine perception and exe cutive brilliancy ; the orchestra, led d by M. Benedict, was well ordertd ; and the pieces sang by Herr Reichardt agreeably contributed to the entertain ment of the evening. Etc g)rama. HAYMARKET.—The Butterfly's Ball is one of those pretty pastoral pieces for which this theatre of late years has obtained a certain degree of reputation. The dialogue is lively, the incidents well arranged, and the scenery comn ises two or three beauti• ful landscape views of fairyland, with unexception• able effects. The story is already known to most of our readers, and if not we can only recommend them to take an opportunity of becoming fully acquainted with the history and fate of the jealous Wasp who loved a Silver-wing, and sought after the most ap proved modern model to poison his rival, GreAs nopper. In the pantomime the tricks and changes, though not showing much novelty or originality, are yet cleverly executed, and among the younger branches of the family in the boxes excite to the full the ordinary amount of amusement and wonder. ADELPHI.—A new farce hv Mr St•-•rhrst Coyne, has met with a decided sumsa this week. The story is simply that of a jeatous captain in the m litia coming sudile ily home, findiihr votte lota, and the maid indulging her " young man" with the cold duck and apple pie, while the wi e of his major comes to the house to keep an appointine , it with her lawyer. Ample material is f Rind here for a series of the most amusing contretemps, which terminate at length by the major coming in and finding his subaltern off duty, with his (tire major's) wife alone with him. " Urgent private affairs "is pleaded by the poor sub., but the major is desperyte, and unpacks a couple of revolvers for inst int execution. Every thing at length is happily explained, by the arrival nt Mrs. Captain Dentatus Dott, and the major is pacified. Mr. Wright as the jealous sub., Mr. Paul Bedford as the young man. and Mr. Se . by major, produce an effect in ihis ih tough Adelphi farce which must insure its popularity.