The Press.
London, England, 1853-07-23 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

In reading the following letters—written at
the time of Napoleon's expected invasion—
the mind travels back to the beacon-tires in
the days of Elizabeth :
Private Milton Abbey, Blandford,
October 12, 10903.

My dear Bankes,—The spring-tides take place next Sa-
turday, and the information U, t lovernment is so precise
that the Isle of Wight is the enemy's object, that it is nut
improbable they may avail themselves of this ensuing
spring-tide •if they do not, their attempt must be post-
poned another month. Under these circumstances 1 would
nut fail of giving you this notice in confidence that you
will keep it to yourself, and only so far prepare Mrs.
Bunke% and your family as to be able to remove them upon
the first intelligence of the enemy's being oft' the coast. I
have to beg of you that you will give directions for an as-
semblage of fagots, furze, and other fuel, also of straw, to
be stacked and piled on the summit of litulbury Rings, so
an the whole may take fire instantly, and the tire be main-
tained for two hours. The general direction, if you will
take the trouble of ordering the execution, is that this bea-
con may be fired whenever the beacon otf St. Catharine 's
(Christ Church) is tired to the eastward. or whenever the
beacons on Lytchet-heath or Woodbury-hill are tired to
the westward, but not from the demonstration of any coast
signal.--1 urn, my dear 'Wilkes, yours must sincerely,
Donut ESTEU.

Milton Abbey, lllandford,
October 18, IMO 3.
My dear Bankes,-31 any thanks for your cure of the
beacon on Itailimy, and generally for the contents of your
letter on the 10th instant. As to the first, I have thought
a watch and guard necessary for the two I have erected—
one above Chizlebourne-common, in my grounds, and the
other upon Ilullbarrow ; but the guard, to say the truth, is
more against the wanton than against any other descrip-
tion of persons. The expense of them, no great object
indeed, will be defrayed by Government; and I am author-
ised to send in my charges to the Commissary-General.
As to the other part of your letter, it is very handsome, and
I shall be glad to avail myself of your services. At the pre-
sent it only occurs to me that, if, upon the alarm of an ene-
my's being ott'the coast, you should be disposed to transport
yourself to this house, 1 should receive you with great se-
tisfaction ; and something might occur to one of us in
which you might find employment.-1 any ever, my dear
liankes, must sincerely yours,

The historian of the seventeenth century
will know how to use the materials in this
attractive volume, which we recommend to all
persons interested in the domestic history of
the " Great Rebellion." We hope that its
author will be tempted to give further extracts
from his family papers. " Mr. Bankes of
Dorsetshire" was looked on as the most inde-
pendent member of the House of Commons in
the days of the younger Pitt ; and we conjec-
ture that his letters and correspondence
would cast much light upon his times.

Russian Turkey ; or, a Greek Empire the Inevitable
Solution ty' the "Eastern Question." A Letter to
Lord John Russell, by G. D. P. London : Saunders
and Stanford.

THE author of this pamphlet is a Greek, who, as
might be expected, takes the Russian side of the
question. He argues that the expulsion of the
Turks from Europe, as a governing body, is neces-
sary ; that the demands of Russia are justified by
the treaty of Kainiukji ; that the Greek Church is
degraded by the power now vested in the Court of
Constantinople of appointing its patriarchs and
bishops ; that the toleration of Greek Christians
rests on no surer basis than a tirman or declaration of
the Porte, which is at any time liable to be revoked;
that they are consequently exposed to persecution
whenever a reactionary policy may prevail in the
Divan; that to remedy this evil a convention is
necessary ; that Russia, say and do what we may,
will not recede from her claims ; and lastly, that the
integrity of Turkey, so much dwelt upon by poli-
ticians, was not recognised either at Verona or at
Aix-la-Chapelle, and has been repeatedly violated
when it suited the convenience of European powers.
The chief value of this pamphlet is the proof
which it of of internal disaffection in the
Turkish empire, and of the influence which Russia
has acquired there in her character of protectress of
the Greek faith. The language, mutatig mutandis,
is such as might have been used by an " United
Irishman " or 9s, relative to the menaced invasion of
Ireland by France.

Beatrice; or, the Unknown Relatireg. By Cathetine
Sinclair, Author of " Modern Accomplishments,"
1-e. Fourth Edition. New York : De Witt
and Davenport.

WE are not going to review a novel so long published
as "Beatrice r but we notice the facts of the Ameri-
can reprint, and the testimonies of approbation it
appears to have received in the " Far West." We
have always thought that Brother Jonathan would
struggle against ltomanism, as soon as its system
began to develop itself fully ; and the success

SATURDAY,

of "Beatrice" with the American reading public
seems to be a symptom of the active Protestant feel-
ings that exist in the United States. As we have
intimated, we will not now criticise " Beatrice,"
though we have much to say on the general question
of what are called " religious novels." The applica-
tion of fiction to the discussion of the most solemn
themes is becoming an interesting question in more
senses than one; and when the opportunity presents
itself we may consider its probable effects upon
novels and their readers.
We have exactly copied the American titlepage.
Miss Sinclair's Christian name they spell differently
from our orthography ; and the Americanism of
using " author" for authoress is followed in this
"fourth edition."

The Quarterly Review for June, No. 185. London :
Jahn Murray.

WE postpone our notice of this number for the rea-
son that one of its articles on the Oxford University
Commission is so excellent of its kind that it re-
quires a longer notice than we can afford it in our
present number.