The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-11-20 00:00:00

178 iNovEMBEit AV; SUPPLEMENT TO THE LIVERPOOL. STANDARD. augurated proved far from happy is too well known to require us to follow the historian through its numerous incidents. Within four years after the marriage, Philip was again a widower, and in his desire to retain his hold on England, he, within a month after Mary's funeral, made proposals for becoming the consort of Mary's sister andsuccessor, our "virgin Queen" Elizabeth. The Protestant sincerity of feeling and policy of Elizabeth diverted him from this purpose, and in less than four months after the demise of Mary he was espoused by proxy to the Princess Eliza beth of France, a . charming girl only fourteen years of age, and tWenty years his junior. On the arrival of this Princess in Spain the royal wedding was celebrated with great pomp, the festivities extending over several weeks. These festivities were enhanced by tournaments and bull-fights ; and at Toledo, while the royal bride and bridegroom were amused, as was the fashion of the time and nation, with these rude sports, the Holy Inquisition, to increase the piquancy of the royal enjoyments, added the attraction of an auto da fe, which, it is said, from the number of the victims, and the quality of the spectators, was the most imposing spectacle of the kind ever witnessed in that capital! In his fourth book, Mr. Prescott, after having previously, to a considerable extent, advanced his narrative beyond that point, goes back to incor porate another important thread in the tissue of his historic web, the struggle of Spain to with stand the incursions of the Turks. This portion of the work is instinct with life and spirit, and includes the memorable defence of Malta by the Knights Hospitalars, or Knights of St. John, under their Grand Master Valette, against the armada of Solyman. Among the dramatic mili tary incidents of the fierce struggle between that heroic fraternity and the Moslem infidels, few are more graphically detailed than greatly tempted to yield. Instead of which, how ever, we content ourselves with recommending the book itself to careful study. In its pages will be found many admirable practical lessons. In every portion of his career Philip presents a singularly interesting aspect ; one portion of his conuct offering a striking contrast to another throughout the whole of his stirring life and reign. Though the acknowledged and ostenta tious champion of the Romish church, he waged fierce war against the Pope—the implacable enemy of France, from considerations of state policy, he wedded a French princess. Stimulated by similar motives, having become the husband of one English queen, he became the suitor for the hand of another, the sister and successor of that queen—refused, on religious and other grounds the advantages of this second matrimonial alliance with England, he attempted to invade and subjugate the kingdom. By Philip, Spain was raised to the highest point of glory which she ever attained among the nations—by him were also sown the seeds of her decay and present abasement. The Ballads of Ireland. Collected and edited by Edward Hayes. Edinburgh : A. Fullarton and Co. As all ballad collectors and editors should be, Mr. Hayes is deeply impressed with the impor tance of the task he has in hand, and feels the full weight of responsibility attached to a due discharge of his self-imposed office. The ballads of a people have long been known as the best in dication of the general sentiment ; and their effi cacy in promoting a spontaniety of feeling, and evoking the national spirit in times of difficulty and danger, have been widely acknowledged. The two volumes now under consideration, viewed in the light referred to, would have been greatly improved if half of their contents had been omitted. That much spirit and much heated temper may have found expression, and might have safely found decent burial, in the ballads deriving their existence from those wild ebullitions of political animosity which resulted in the nota blerebellion of '4B, and found its culminating absurdity in the classical cabbage-garden of the Widow M'Cormick, may indeed be true ; but that a republication of them at the present time, and under present circumstances, is judicious or wise, few will be prepared to admit. Such, however, is in a great degree the character of many of those now introduced to decent society by Mr. Hayes. The evil becomes more flagrant from the circumstance that the delinquent effu sions are introduced in good company, to the manifest discredit of the latter. In the section devoted to the "Ballads of the Affections," there are numerous beautiful and thrilling strains. The .portion consisting of " Fairy Ballad," is also marked by fine fancy and lively imagination ; and it is impossible to contemplate the mistaken notion which has incorporated, along with these, the wild and passionate ribaldry in which excited dislike found vehement utterance at such periods of turbulence, without feelings of regret, often rising to the verge of indignation. For enter taining fervid feelings it might be wrong to cen sure Air. Hayes ; but for allowing those feelings utterance in a way which must tend to circum scribe the admiration he insists on for much which he has collected, and, which is really de serving of admiration, he must be content to underlie the charge of hasty and imperfect judg ment, even from those who do not incline to visit his offence with heavier punishment. The volumes are beautifully, indeed elegantly, got up, and in their typography and general aspect they reflect much credit on the resources and the taste of Messrs. Fullarton's establishment. The True History of Al e xander ,] 1 71 Patrick. By the Professor of An,'f.: in. the College of St. Mango. C 4 ' l " - R. M'Nair. This brochure,. which is very cleve„.l„bto is a satirical view of the " Scottish opor tion, in which. the author, after the the Swift, in his " Tale of a Tub," p uts d t ments on both sides in a clear n t fi to expressed point of light. The au studied the subject deeply, an , exposition a clear and logical in able power of sarcasm, and, abo' value, an unmistakeable power o. illustration of fact and elimina are felicitous and striking ; and his varied powers to forward w looks on as a just and righteo' important cause. His aid is p prove effective in keeping the nal to that ardent desire for the red . which has of late years taken upon the mind of the Scottish re Hand-Book of Natural Philosor Lardner. Part 11. Londor Maberly. The second part of this Philosophy manual maintains tl indicated by the first, and goes promise held out in the prospek an elucidation, in popular lancru. the most important principles science, and illustrates these by to all. To the practical mechan;le, prove very amusing, as well as laxg,' l It is profusely illustrated with we"' cleverly executed wood-cuts, any cheap, neat, and useful. 0 14 4 41i 4 , 1 k o ‘tt t lthOr OW li d o lld br eggl-O t i C ct eio ntelle t t Yo e we all, )..°610.. 110 , °l ' ), of argot.) ~:() i tion d o t b o 'o P 4 dbe j i4 1 10 ,0 ort f4) wha t hewed ,11,1 )us, off• iiio', bo( poweifoiroo,4 toll( NtiDrillie,pi tf;4o( ireas co: e d 11 f t er, ae° t tlt 41 n s public. jyt ml 81 4,,„te PosoilVoil 1)0,:4 Lon : o pti tk l ,"W Pill1;1.4/ t 4 1 il po ~,,& iti ' Ntt4p the rid!" ,tor ; ftirto' ACi Wtllll. 1 1 00 07 ) tlo , t ;lit Igt ° ilii ; 8 Cll°ASill'Ot Lille o th ° • yotritliN g higorgiligni '.,, \ 311 a iii-7> 4,141, ~,1> s. Q; 4 4, trig % 5 l 111.1 ii to 1, idO r 160 0 , frO rAt; l idaol l ' t / , ,he Owiiiti Ile t roo st, 00'018 ', ( , a s, in los , 111,1 lit sun 0' ij : . 1:: A pelf !I:0 il Nt Le 0 41 1 0 ~ O'Sfp elia) ,A oeool 1,, ,f l o g t ca or lon elselbP ; , q o t an or e) , ilati ' ' '%() 0 store), tor wof A 4 11 , I \l 4 e e. 0 '' 1 3 belore g o ,tq ig Oa oibet,;ll a, i again.,sto4 F., , 41 t1 t COWS; , 1 1 P , .' tl i tie apealcl°° 0 'lbe 'd viritteose 1441, ,f the ilecedt, ' tr e 4falys 0 , 1 tta I Place,. l i ttle ,'' i"lk er o p P i m eq e atop j Ito old, of '" . a tension to j i tik ieiently 0 o el '7 i 1 hich, j ',' ' Yl t ' t dao ie d e 0, elite_l Pry i ,: 4" ---,. tvto V 1 ° ktt THE STORMING OF ST. ELMO BY THE TURKS. The besieged now concentrated their aim on the formi dable body of janizaries, who, as already noticed, were hurrying forward to the assault. Their leading files were mowed down;and their flank cruelly torn, by the cannon of St. Angelo, at less than half a mile's distance. But though staggered by this double fire on front and flank, the janizaries were not stayed in their career, nor even thrown into disarray. Heedless of those who fell, the dark column came steadily on, like a thunder-cloud ; while the groans of the dying were drowned in the loud battle-cries with which their comrades rushed to the assault. The fosse, choked up with the ruins of the ramparts, afforded a bridge to the assailants, who had no need of the fascines with which their pioneers were prepared to fill the chasm. The approach to the breach, however, was somewhat steep ; and the breach itself was defended by a body of knights and soldiers, who poured volleys of musketry thick as hail on the assailants. Still they pushed forward through the storm, and, after a fierce struggle, the front rank found itself at the summit, face to face with its ene mies. But the strength of the Turks was nearly ex hausted by their efforts. They were hewn down by the Christians, who came fresh into action. Yet others suc ceeded those who fell ; till, thus outnumbered, the knights began to lose ground, and the forces were more equally matched. Then came the struggle of man against man, where each party was spurred on by the fury of religious hate, and Christian and Moslem looked to par adise as th e reward of him who fell in battle against the infidel. No mercy was asked; none was shown • and long and hard was the conflict between the flower of the Moslem soldiery and the best knights of Christendom. In the heat of the fight an audacious Turk planted his standard on the ram parts. But it was speedily wrenched away by the Che valier de Medran, who cut down the Mussulman, and at the same moment received a mortal wound from an arque buse. As the contest lasted far into the day, the heat became intense, and added sorely to the distress of the combatants. Still neither party slackened their efforts. Though several times repulsed, the Turks returned to the assault with the same spirit as before ; and when sabre and scymitar were broken, the combatants closed with their daggers, and rolled down the declivity of the breach, struggling in mortal conflict with each other. To follow Mr. Prescott further would be to encroach further on the limits of our space than prudence will permit, though in resisting we feel THE THREE BO (FROM THE FRENCH OF (1:10 5 NOT far from the dark core the stage of the Theatre Franc hind an enormous pillar, was hi' like violet beneath the leaf, th' rather garden, of Madame Pre dealer of the theatre. A fadeless garden indeed it No to the cold of winter, the ardell and the dust or the storm. A appeared to reign around th( Beneath its protecting shado seasons, pale violets, superb es' pansies, and the now, alas ! seemed to flourish better than the square pedestal, the Parisia every morning the riches of he; orange-flower to adorn the brow simple daisy. A maiden could never pass suminc , garden without thin kin e , the fir st ti flower she had placed ag The shop of Madame Prevost already composed, soft elegies, and here also might be found hour, in the embalmed cups of only . love-letter it female can al' need might be learned, at this sal language so much sought after One day, I saw enter the WI apparently about forty years ' plexion, with an awkward p re' ism ; which, however, was suffi , for a Parisien de province, NO proved to be. " You will take;" he sa id, salutation, " a bouquet to Mad` - street." At the same time he threw clow n t li Ili