The Press. — London, England, 1857-05-09 00:00:00

462 LITERATURE. THE New Quarterly Review is so good that the probability of its achieving an independent and special position as the literary periodical of the day is beginning to approach a certainty. Something of the same character may be traced in its pages as has won such great and immediate success for the Oxford and Cambridge Essays. Many of the articles bear marks of being written by men who have devoted special thought to one subject, and who do not take it up merely because it is a topic of the day. By this kind of management a Review is doubly benefited. In the first place, by the intrinsic excellence of its matter ; in the second, by its com parative independence of mere literary merit. A man who is master of his subject can always com mand our attention, either as a speaker or a writer ; but be who knows no more of it titan those whom he professes to instruct, is compelled to fall back upon brilliancy of style or sprightliness of fancy to avoid utter dulness. And when we remember that th 3 writers who at any one time possess either of these two qualities may usually be counted on the fingers, we shall at once see the advantage gained by any periodical which resolves not to rely for success upon such purely precarious qualities. As it happens, the style of the writers in the New Quarterly strikes us as particularly good; but if it were not, the papers would still he of great merit. Among the best we should class " Pre Raphaelitism," the review of Mr. Brough's translation of Beranger, and "Judicial Reforms in India." The review of the career of the Emperor of the French is written in an impartial spirit, and does justice to the Emperor. The raviewer evidently has a thorough acquaintance with the secret political history of the period. Among some of the anecdotes related is one of the conduct of Baring Brothers, in the year 1803: In 1804, Napoleon had an impoverished exchequer. To make head against the persevering animosity of Eng• land, fresh wars were contemplated, and an extension of means to defray them was necessary. Spain, by treaty. had agreed to pay a yearly subsidy to France of 7:2,000.(HW francs. These payments became greatly in arrear, and the Emperor, through his Minister 13arbil! Marbois, threatened to sack Madrid. In this untoward position M. Ouvrard proposed to relieve the Spanish monarchy, end to subsidise prance, by making use of the treasures lying at the com mand of the Spanish Government in Mexico and Peru, but which could not be reached on account of the war, and the sweeping command that England exercised on the seas. By a commercial agreement between Ouvrard, Hope, Labouchere, and Baring Brothers, ratified at Amsterdam on March 5, IHUS, backed by A preconcerted arrangement with the French Ministers of War, of the Marine, and of the Interior, these Mexican treasures were made available fur Spain primarily, and for France ultimately, in despite of the vigilance of the English navy. The commercial Whigs furnished funds for the campaign of Austerlitz. But the impatience and financial ignorance of Napoleon closed this source of wealth Had not Napoleon's violent and arbitrary dissolution of the close relations of Ouvrard t Hope, Labnuchere, and Baring) with the Spanish monarchy the silver mines of Mexico would, after the unavoidable delay of a few months, have long been made tributary to France.--I.Volfc, e. v. p. 107.) Iu the business undertaken by Messrs. Hope and Labouchere, the London house of Baring Brothers and Co. took part; yet this fact was kept secret on account of the state of relations during the war. 1, at that time, had no knowledge of the cireuinsiance, and only heard it upon my first return from America, when Mr. Henry Hope communicated it to we.—(Nolte, chap. iii. p.:6). After the restoration of 1815, the Baring Brothers and Labotichere were extricated from a financial dilemma, in conjunction with their old ally, M. Ouvrard, by the Tory Duke of Wellington. Truth is no doubt stranger than fiction, and not always so agreeable in its subject matter to the Whigs. If Napoleon had been a financier, according to the views of Prince Louis Napoleon, France at present would have possessed the mines of Mexico. French policy in Italy is regarded altogether favour• ably : The French expedition to Rome against Mnzzini and Garibaldi, at once destroyed their hopes of France making war against monarchical Europe, in favour of political communism. Austria, forgetful of former benefits received from Russia, and which were given not grudgingly or of necessity—indiaposed towanls England—inimical to Prussia—not loving France—and intent on crushing Sar dinia, kept a lowering eye on Italy, and was prepared to take advantage of the growing confusion in the Peninsula, to pour her armies into Modena and Tuscany, and along the shores of the Adriatic towards the Abruzzi. The cccupation of Rome by a French army paralysed her movements. It was a masterstroke of policy. Tuscany was relieved —Sardinia was saved, awl empowered to assume an attitude of independence, that, in an after•day, made her a valuable auxiliary in the Russian war. This was entirely attributable to the far-sighted measures of the Prinee.Prosident. The ultratnontanes held the march of the French army Roinewarils as a "pilgrimage of st.r.ctitv to the shrine of St. I'eter." The Jesuits, less amiably confiding, doubted a Bonapartist crusade in honour of lie Immaculate Conception. The treaty or treaties, signed or unitigued, between England, France, anti Austria, that have been lately divulged, do not materially affect the po4itimi of the allies in Italy. The reluctant confession, extorted by Mr. Disraeli, has only damaged the Whigs in the estimation of the Italians, and made them set a higher value on the presence of a French army out Latin ground. THE PRESS. 'The French policy will, iu the main, be really and intrin sically dominant in Italy. And Sardinia will not forget— and the Sailli offer at Florence will serve for inwruction— to whom she will he indebted, and on whom she may rely for future independence. The political article entitled " Parties anal Politics in the New Parliament" is slashing and indiscreet. An article on universities, more especially the London University, contains some passages worth the consideration of academical authorities. In Blackwood, politics are represented by No. IV. of "Letters from a Lighthouse." This is a truly admirable paper—the style short, sharp, and eine tive ; the argument close and clear; and the conclu sion such us none but the wiliully blind can dis regard. The sketch of the It idical party is masterly. In " Lays of the Elections," the " Cock of the Hustings" is a wonderfully humorous and ringing piece of verse. Maga is liberal enough to continue two excellent stories—" Mr. Love Story," and the regular tale, "The ithelings ;" both are as good as good can be. Fraser opens with an article entitled Impe rielism," which we should most heartily wish to see engraved on the memory of all Englishmen. It is at once a spleniidly eloquent invective, and a fault. less chain of reasoning. The fools and the profli gates who are provoking Providence to bless us with a Xing Stork, have never received a severer or more merited castigation. The false glitter which surrounds the diadem of a despot is sternly swept away, and the metal shown as it is—some thing worse than iron. But the gifted author of this noble essay will, we hope, allow us to point out to him that whatever might have been the real opinions of Lord Bolingbroke, the aim with which " The Patriot King " was written is not that here attributed to him—namely, to paint the beauty of absolutism. He saw clearly, and we believe gladly, that the days of absolute monarchy were over, and "The Patriot King" was an endeavour to place this truth before the eyes of the high Tory party in as palatable a form as possible. He wished King and Parliament each to occupy their legitimate place, and he believed that both James 11. and Sir Robert Walpole had equally missed the mark. But he was as little for reviving the regime of the former as for supporting the pretensions of the latter. The May instalment of "The Interpreter," a paper on " Crows and Choughs," and another on the " Mythology of Finland," are such as to constitute this number one of the best we often get. The Dublin University Magazine contains a very pretty story, entitled "A Sketch of Two Homes ;" the continuation of a capital historical and antiqua rian paper on Dublin Castle. At present we are brought no further than the reign of Henry 11. We look forward to the succeeding numbers with great interest. The most remarkable article in the present number is, however, that on Whewell's •' History of Moral Philosophy in England." It displays great knowledge of the subject, an exuberant fancy, and occasional passages of elegant and poetic style. The difficulty of grasping moral philosophy among the various conflicting theories which time has produced is very cleverly illustrated : We have read of a beautiful old experiment, the PAM. genesis. There is placed before the eyes a vase of trans parent crystal, which appears t 3 contain nothing hot water, with a sediment of ashes. But, upon the application of heat, the particles of the ashes move in wavy lines of the most delicate tints, until the Um of a perfect flower is produced—a fairy creation, which, when the heat is with. drawn, collapses as quickly as it has blossomed. Some thing in this way the successive theories of virtue and duty seem to the student to be but the ingenious phy. things of superior intellects—which have no substantial shapes and no permanent colours—which are excited by the warm touch of genius, and when that is removed sub. side into a worthless sediment. The review of the two first volumes of " Napier's Life " is complete and careful, giving the general reader all he wants to know in a readable shape, with a running commentary of illustration and criticism. The following little sketch of the lonian Islands may be interesting to some of our readers : The lonian Islands, at this period, were in a semi•barba• rolls condition ; in that condition, at least, which the world is in the habit of calling se 1:i barbarous. They seem to have presented pretty nearly the same aspect on a smaller scale as the Highlands of Scotland previous to the rampsign of 1). The land was owned by small retitle' chiefs, descen• dents of Venetian and Neapolitan families ; and the ground was tilled by the peasantry, in whose veins probably flows the same blood as in those of the " high-coureged " Ceplial lenes who followed Ulysses into Aria. For more than four hundred years, the condition of these islands had, in all probability, known little change. From 1:11t, when th e leading naval empire of the fourteenth century inclosed them in her grasp, to 1797, when the last Doge of Venice, feinting with emotion, did horn tge to the Austrian com missioner, they had followed the same lyvs soil been governed by the same masters Fully occupied with am• tinental affairs, Venice probably paid but little attention to the internal administration of the islands. The seig niors were above the law, and frequently sat upon the bench to overawe the judges. They lived as such men invariably will live. Agriculture was neglected beyond S ATURDAY, the production of bare necessaries, and the lords of the different valleys waged incessant wars against each other, varied by occasional frays to the mainlaild, for the pur poses of plunder and rape. Under the blue sky and delicious climate of the Mediterranean, they doubtless passed a pleasant existence, till transferred at the Con gress of Vienna to the new mistress of the ocean, under wbose protection, let us hoe, they may remain fur not a shorter period than under the old Queen of the Adriatic. Mr. Mortimer Collins has some pretty verses called "The Organist." The remaining magazines we are sorry we have only space to notice very briefly. Bentley is good. Mr. Dudley Costello's story, and the contributions of the author of "The Red Court Farm," continue to keep this magazine ono of the most interesting we have.—Colburn gives us a continuation of the lawyer's servants, entitled " Parkwater," which pro n►ises well—very well. "The Baths of Lucca," by Florentia, continues very amusing. The other papers are average.—The great recommendation of Tait is in liberality in point of quantity. It is well written too. But so many articles, :43 directly con trary to our own political views, cannot be expected to elicit praise. Those which are not political we have read with much pleasure, " Roads Through Life" and "B oken Memories" especially.—The National Magazine continues to merit the praise we have all along bestowed on it. Among other articles, "Lord Erlistoun" may he mentioned as a very attractive tale, though marked by one or two little blunders in regard to country life, such as that rook shooting and partridge-shooting go on at the same time of the year.—The West of Scotland Magazine has more light literature than usual. Two rather amusing tales, a paper on " Clerical Authors of West Scotland," " Dr. Livingston and the Probable Future of Africa," are the best specimens of its powers.—ln the Churchman's Review " Bishop Biomfield and his Times" is still the leading attrac tion. The Review, however, is remarkable for a paper of short pithy paragraphs on the leading ecclesiasti cal subjects of the day.—Paved with Gold con tinues to increase in interest. Having run away from school, little Philip becomes first a cress-seller, then a crossing-sweeper, and promises ere long to be "a tumbler." It is one of the best serials we have, and much better than Little Dorrit.—We fear the Train does not quite exemplify the motto placed on the titlepage, but it is very readaole over the postprandial cigar. We recommend it to eschew politics as it has hitherto done. The specimen in the present number is ominons.—Of the Irish Metro. politan Magazine and the Commercial Magazine, which we have only just received, we can only say that from glancing at their table of contents they appear to be improving, and to promise some enter taining reading. Of Nature and Art in the Cure of Disease. By Sir John Forbes, M.D. London : Churchill. SIR JOHN FORBES holds the sensible opinion that the medical men of the present day exhibit in their treatment of disease as much want of trust in nature as over trust in art, and it is to combat and expose such misconceptions, and to substitute in their place "juster views of the animal economy in disease and "juster views of art's relation towards it," that Sir John Forbes advocates his principles in print. Ernest Stahl, nearly two centuries ago, iii his " Ars sanandi cum Expectatione opposite Arti curandi nude Expectatione," wrore .—" True medical or artistic, expectation is that which, while carefully observing and watching the salutary operations of nature, is content to do so without offering assist ance where it is not needed, or 'limiting this assist ance to the giving of prudent counsel, such us recommending to the sick temperance and patience; yet, in the proper place, recognising not merely the propriety but the necessity of artificial interference, and yielding it accordingly; still, however, in every case, having due regard to the proceedings and co operation of nature, according to reassa and ap• proved experience." "As to the methodus medesuli or indicaticn of treatment to be followed (tie says, in another place), it is clear that it must have reference to the disease itself, and not to drugs or other reme dies. The first consideration is—ls it necessary to prescribe a remedy at all? so, we have then to consider not so much what remedy is best, as what effect is desired ? and this is to be sought for not. on pharmaceutical but pathological grounds. We are to judge, according to the peculiar character of the disease, when and in what order the operation indi- • cated is to be instituted ; and then, and not till then, it is time to look about fur the instrument with which we are to work." Doubtless, between the two evils of doing nothing and doing too much, the true and rational system is to be found whereby nature may h, assisted to a nitre ; but the error of all such writers us Sir John Forbes is that they take min not as he is but as he ought to be. Navin of course does a great deal, does everything for a savage who lives in mountain air, drinks pure water, and hunts before he eats his dinner. The viB mcdicatrix in this being is of a far