The Press.
London, England, 1855-09-01 00:00:00

,06

ittraturt.

The Works of Professor Wilson. Edited by
his Son-in-Law, Professor Ferrier. "Noctes
Ambrosiame." Vol. L London : Black
wood and Sons.

THERE are few more important chapters in the
critical history of English literature than
those which record the influence of Scottish
intellect on public opinion south of the
Border. After the house of Stuart became
politically defunct the mind of Scotland gra-
dually was Imperialised, and the union was
transformed into a social reality. Moral phi-
losophy, which was neglected in England, was
actively pursued in the north, and the Univer-
sity of Edinburgh sent forth a crowd of alumni
to vindicate their country's intellectual re-
nown. Political economy was raised into a
science, and Mackintosh was not far wrong
when he said that the three most influential
works of modern times were, Grotius's " De
Jure Belli et Buis," Montesquieu's " Spirit of
Laws," and Smith's " Wealth of Nations." In
practical politics, and in the literature of
party, the Scottish intellect had abundant
representatives. We need only name the
Edinburgh Review to suggest a galaxy of repu-
tations, which will occur to every reader's
memory.
There was a period (circa 1810) when there
might have been grounds for asserting that
the active and interprising intellects of Scot-
land were on the " Liberal" side in politics. It
is beyond dispute that numbers of the rising
minds of the north were powerfully biassed
by the success of the " blue-and-buff " flag.
Though tho opposition to the Edinburgh was
largely aided by Sir Walter Scott and other
eminent Scotsmen, still the Quarterly was from
the first emphatically a London periodical. It
was reserved for the enterprising founders
and brilliant supporters of Blackwood's Maga-
zine to show what mines of intellectual wealth
were owned by Scotch Tories. After the first
three years of Blackwood, the notion that the
Whigs possessed all the wits of the Scotch
metropolis was universally dispelled.
Amongst the foremost of those who contri-
buted to that result was the gifted person
whose works in a revised form are about to be
submitted to the mature judgment of the
reading public. It would be hard, indeed, if
"Christopher North" did not take his position
iu this age of reprints. Authors with far less
pretensions have " collected " their writings,
and the friends of Professor Wilson are only
doing justice to his memory in piling up a
literary cairn to his name. How high that
cairn should ascend, and in what proportions
it may be praised by English, as contrasted
with Scotch admirers, may hereafter be a
question for discussion. At present we shall
not enter upon it. Our critical estimate of
the genius of Professor Wilson must be de-
ferred until the series of his republications
be completed. We shall here confine our
attention to the first volume now before us.
Ambrosianse " was the most
Ition to any of our
written in various
sd collected their
were of " a connected
" of Blackwood had
Jug precedent, and
Lmitation. It con-
igs, both comic and
tssions on themes of
1 with the passing
classics of antiquity,
month, were coin-
' equal cleverness.
i.e was scarcely a
was not made the
a display of Scot-
omnibus rebus, with a
de quibusdam aliis.
its say on every-
well as Jeffrey and
• ! and Tory Scot-
t could meet the
statistics, poor laws,
sing songs, and
,nia in a style that
val. Gallantly did

could


The " Noctes Ambrosiante
remarkable serial contributio
periodicals. Essayists have
reviews and magazines, and
papers, but their writings wer(
character." The " Noctes " o
a variety without any previou
without any successful imi
tained many excellent songs,
sentimental. It had discussi,
sublime interest, mingled a
politics of the hour. The cla
and the magazines of the rt
mented on and "cut up" with
From Homer to Hazlitt, ther
single literary reputation that'
Subject of disputation. It was
tish genius talking de omnil
trenchant commentary de
Tory Scotland would have i
thing upon earth, just as w(
his blue-and-buff men. Ay !
land would show that while
Whigs upon economy, static
and all the ologies, it could
strike the old lyre of Caledon
•he Whigs could never rivai