The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-09-18 00:00:00

CONDUCT OF TEE ALLIED GENERALS.

On the 23rd the army advanced to the Katcha, and not
encountering the enemy there pushed forward on the fol-
lowing day to the Belbeck, where they only found a few
detachments occupying the entrenchments at the mouth of
that river. It was now evident that Menschikoff was de-
termined not to wage a second battle in open field, and thus
the opportunity of retrieving the mistake on the Alma upon
the banks of one or other of the neighbouring rivers slipped
from the grasp of the Allied commanders. Now that they
stood in close proximity to the works of Sebastopol as well
as to the army of Menschikoff, the Allies, amounting to
50,000, all at once discovered how much they had under-
rated the difficulties of the expedition, and in what dispro-
portion their means were to the magnitude of the under-
taking. At the same time considerations as to their
own safety began to press heavily upon them. The Rus-
sian reinforcements from Odessa were rapidly moving down
by way of Perekop : thus if they persisted in their plan of
operations against the northern fortifications, they ran the
risk of losing their land communication with Eupatoria,
and of being taken in the rear by a relieving army, while
vainly sacrificing time and forces upon those works. These
motives, and not the sinking of a few vessels at the
entrance to the harbour of Sebastopol, induced St. Arnaud
and Lord Raglan to abandon their design upon the north
fort, and to execute their memorable flank manoeuvre to
Balaklava. The possession of both the harbours of Ka-
miesh and Balaklava secured them in the rear, and offered
a tolerably firm basis of operations. No wonder that both
the leaders felt greatly relieved, when they found them-
selves sheltered ; the French in their enthusiasm going so
far as to call the Bay of Kamiesh the Bay of Providence.
The flank march of the Allies succeeded marvellously.
Had they but taken advantage of the surprise of the
enemy, and attempted an immediate assault upon the
city, which at that moment was weakly garrisoned, they
might possibly have succeeded in carrying both the town
and the arsenal ere the Russians had time to erect regular
works of defence. But, instead of this, they took to pro-
tracted reconnoiterings, in this case overdoing what had
been utterly disregarded on the Alma, where a more accu-
rate reconnaisance would have assisted them in a better
arrangement of the plan of battle. Here, on the contrary,
protracted reconnoiterings led to perpetual indecision and
preparation, and finally to a formal siege, which had never
entered the calculation of the Allies in the original plan of
the expedition. One daring and rapid blow, even at a
heavy sacrifice, might still in the present state of affairs
have led to a favourable issue ; and if the Allies had not
had determination enough at once to have recourse to such
an extreme expedient, they ought immediately to have
returned to their vessels. Pelissier, the present French
commander-in-chief, would in all probability have been
the very man for such a contingency; both Canrobert and
Lord Raglan were wanting in energy. They thought such
an act of daring did not tally with their conscience and the
responsibility devolving upon them. How incomparably
more victims has the winter campaign cost the Allies than
a bold assault under the protection of some easily-con-
structed batteries at the end of September !
Like all military authorities at home and abroad;

106

except those in Downing-street and atithe Horse
Guards, Gperal-klapka condemns the siege on
the south side of Sebastopol by the allies, with-
out having an adequate force under their com-
mand to cut off supplies and reinforcements from
the north.

From the specimens of the work already
adduced, it will be readily observed that its author
is strictly a matter-of-fact man. He avoids
description, and eschews all manner of sentiment,
except the slight indication of it in reference to
restoring or liberating nationalities. His mode
of criticizing military evolutions and diplomatic
tactics is' cold and phlegmatic, but it is also clear
and convincing. He appears thoroughly in
earnest, and speaks his convictions without scruple
or fear.

The History of England, from the Accession of
George 111. to the Accession of Queen Victoria.
By the Rev. T. S. Hughes, B.D. London :
George Bell.

The seventh and eighth volumes of this ably-
written history, being the concluding ones of the
monthly issue, are now before us, and the beauty
of getting up, together with the copious amount
of pictorial illustrations, with which the publica-
tion was started, have been sustained to the end.
The history itself is carefully compiled, and well
written, the present edition including all the
latest corrections and annotations made by the
author, who thoroughly revised the work shortly
before his death. These volumes, as we have on
previous occasions remarked, form a continuation
of the noble history of England by Hume and
Smollett, bringing the narrative of events down
from the earliest authentic periods to nearly the
present day. The whole series consists of eighteen
handsome and elegant volumes, which are pub-
iished A a very cheap rate ; a rate, indeed, which
can only reimburse the publisher for his outlay
by a very large sale, a practical acknowledgment
of its value to which it is fully entitled.

Dublin

The Dublin University Magazine.
James McGlashan.
The September number of this publication, like
the other productions of the season, is rich with
mellow fruit. It opens with five chapters of
Harry Lorrequer's new tale of " Glencore, and its
Fortunes," in which the racy style and vivid
colouring of Lever are conspicuously visible, and
as usual sparklinc, and delightful. These charm-
ing chapters are followed by an ably-written paper
on " Bunsen's Egypt." To these succeed a valu-
able assortment of prose and poetry, including
some excellent literary criticisms and essays, com-
prehending two valuable papers, one on the litera-
ture of Italy during the tercento ; the other on
Russian Literature," in which the moral and
social bearing of the literature of Russia is con-
sidered, chiefly as illustrated in the writings of
Nicholas Gogol, a native of Little Russia, who
perished about two years since, through an
agency similar to that which has invariably cut
short the career of every man in Russia who has
sought to establish in those mind-bound regions
the slightest movement in the way of intellectual
freedom. Gogol was eminently a delineator of
life and manners, and possessed a rich fund of
genuine humour ; so rich, indeed, that the maga-
zine writer claims for it a consideration to some
extent kindred with that of Swift and Sterne.
Like all his literary predecessors, the instant
Gogol became distinguished he became also an
'object of suspicion to the government ; his
prospects became clouded by misfortune, and
his steps were followed by persecution. To
escape from these he contrived to make his way
to Rome, where he lived for several years. He
was induced to return to Moscow, and took with

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LIVERPOOL. STANDARD.)

him numerous manuscripts, the fruit of hit 3 literary
labour while in exile. In a brief time after his
return, he was seized by mysterious illi less and
died suddenly. The publication of his. writings
was immediately prohibited, and his n ame was
forbidden to be mentioned. Such has been the.
fate and such the reward of literary aspiration in
Russia. The heavy gloom of moral darkness
which overshadows that land of despotism is in-
stantly fatal to the possessor of intellectual light..
The September number of the Dublin contains
also a capital paper on Tennyson's " Maud," and
is wound up by a terse and vigorously constructel
review of the legislative and other proceeding.o.
of the last session of parliament. The sketch,;
though rapid, is bold and complete.

Fables par le Chevalier Chatelain. London.

The Chevalier de Chatelain is favourably known:
to the public for his poetical translation of Gatfs
Fables, and also for his admirable rendering into
French of Chaucer's " The House and the Leff.."`
In the work before us he appears as poet on his
own account, and one of no mean pretensions-
The book contains no less than fifty origimal
fables, in that easy, joyous kind of metre which
is peculiarly French ; and there are also several,
minor pieces, some of them bearing special refer,
ence to recent events. It is such works as,this
which makes the study of the French language
so pleasant, and we recommend it to thooe who
are desirous to become proficient in its idiomatic
peculiarities.

Hogg's Instructor. Edinburgh : James Hogg.
The September number of this miscellany main-
tains its character as a serial of varied usefulness,
in which instruction is happily blended with
amusement.

LOVE AND BEAUTY-WOMAN'S
CONSTANCY.

IT is quite possible for a man, or woman either,
to be too handsome. We do not pretend that it
is an original remark, springing from our own
brain, because our conscience forces ua to ac-
knowledge the working. Nevertheless,, it is an
observation which few make, and fewer still will
confess to be true. Therefore we intend to enter
the lists in behalf of ugliness. From this declara-
tion it will doubtless be concluded that we are
some old bachelor, ugly enough to " frighten the
crows," as country children say ;, but decidedly
not the case.

Having thus given out our thesis, it is our
intention to illustrate it by a tale—an " ower true
tale," as the annuals would write ; and, moreover,
we judge it best at once to acknowledge That it is
a love-tale —nothing but a common-place love-
tale ; no wonderful self-devotion, no " heroism
in humble life," will be found therein ; therefore,
gentle reader, it is useless to seek it. And, after
this exordium, we will begin.
Philip Heathcote lived in a country town,
where he was the beau, par excellence—the
Adonis, Apollo, Narcissus, of almost every young
lady from fifteen to fifty ; and, to tell the truth,
Philip was indeed very handsome. We have no
intention of describing categorically his eyes, nose,
and mouth, because beauty is entirely a personal
matter. It is seldom that two people agree on
the subject. Each of them has his or her ideal
of perfection, and judges others to a certain
extent as they approach to or divorce from this
image formed in each mind. Ugliness becomes
beauty, and beauty ugliness, according to one's
own fancy. There is no glamour so complete as
that of a loving eye. Therefore, let each fair one
picture our young hero as resembling her own,
and she will like Philip Heathcote all the better.

fSErrsivrear I_ 8,,H18911:;
110
Philip .was one- of those- pOrsells,„: on
hem with talentsior everything. nwi:d
Lion was winning;. enough to, " wile a " oh.'
bush ;' he was ."-a man .of infinite huol4o
Shakspere has-itcand possesseclitha.t e`rer-esvri fl'
quality of making the - dugast,pesti ni,..011,
be.entered. Then he was- the best `l.,`""roo.
best. singer, the best flute-playeri:fOr ile:, orl
short 0
wrote poetry,. drew% likenesses--is
was . a ,patternl, of perfectiOni, 11131& goodj
through the countryrounct ; Jionewere 1.1
to it, save one, the very lastle would bacild
-.'
to have been.so—a . young gic4.l2ltined '
Lester. ' 0
With that :z peculiar co atrial:46°a w_n!
raeterizes lbw,. young_ HOothrote's hen,
had .a heart, which some • doubted-4'Y
one entirely...the opposite-of
assuming,. not beautiful, „ order. interest`"
no accomplishment save a sweet valty:
could warble for ever Au
i- --rgiret Lesterse
stolen away,all the love- why the
noting, dashy Philip- could bestow;:. ,44
derful to tell, was. unite. insensible to ''s4l
She was.not in, love with, any one elstX
certain ; , and the sweet, gentle PSMirc'j
himself.
..,..di
heartless--oh I that: was quite Wire,
and yet she did not care for PhiliP IP'sjoij
She never askedfor-his poetry ; selal ;01.
00
him ;.. wasperfeetly, happy to waits w;
else-;, would quietly, and withal: Tsild j
colour, acknowledg.e his personal .letri
qualities,, and praise him with the greo/0
cern. So, for. months and raooth*Atriot
moved through, the circles of cerroll4o,
meeting constantly, and furnishiog;#l°,l4
a grand speculation. In worldb6or
were equal ;: neither very, rich 9'ol oe,
matched,. as. the gossips said ; 14:: lfj.
less; and. Philip at lastonortifie&A Tai
indifference which his. homage "itolo„r $v
gentle- girl ceased all outward all!„01'04,
attention equally to every new orIFVt 5v
seemed determined to dazzle or ow.
ever really loving or being loved. 1 '
as apparently unmoved by her 10001
1000
as by his previous. adoration. glove ' 0
on the subject were only expressed 7-ill
who naturally wished to see her milli/ .)11
" Why could you not like Philip lotiY,
asked Mrs. Lester. "You knout"" Aft
good prospects ; every one admire°, Or,
very handsome, and is the life c''' .1
wherever he goes."
" That is the very reason he did 0
,ril
dear mamma," answered Margare!` ' ,i'
not wish my husband to be 0 i
lassl
want more than mere outside clu 10 01)/
should be inclined to distrust a 00,13#/.1
very brilliant—he would never 0,0
Don't you remember Beatrice, tai'l
about Nothing,' when Don Pedro roil A
have him for a husband. ' Ni,: 4
should want another o' week Or,' i
is too costly for every day wealr'aili, f
tinned Miss Lester, laughing cheer: 0001 i,
it is much the same with myself anuifotldf
cote—he is, in truth, too ha do
ittioy,
e
Perhaps Margaret's feeling wag!
true-hearted woman likes to feel he 1
lover, or rather to have one that! 0
and justly feel proud of ; there is
to
more delicious or more unselfish tlilooll'i!li
we doubt very much if a woroll, ° si111:4
hearted, and good, as
garet, would feel love for a Phil' arls
idol of a ball-room, the adralre„,t J'A.:O
all the vain and frivolous. .."`",etni
We wish to illegj
deeper qualities than these was ils JOO r
such was his apparent character'

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