The Press.
London, England, 1855-05-05 00:00:00

430

between what is natural and what is exaggerated,

and then a great deal of training and taste to get
beyond the mere mechanical part of art and to judge
correctly of composition and colour. Select a jury
from the ploughtail to decide on the merits of a
gaudy signboard and the cartoons of Raphael, end
the former would have an unanimous verdict in its

favour. The conversation between " Hyperbolus," a
young Democrat, and " Tlepolemus," a Conservative,
in the article on " The Cold Shade," tends to show

us that of all forms of Government,—royalty, aris-
tocracy, and a Commonwealth are the best as
opposed to a tyranny, an oligarchy, and a democracy.
Tlepolemus believes that our military disasters are
traceable to the effects of the Reform Bill:

That most pernicious measure never gave an inch of
power to the people—that is, the independent freemen of
the State. It merely substituted an oligarchy for an aristo-
cracy ; it made wealth the only standard of fitness for go-
vernment—exactly realising Aristotle's oligarchy ; deposing
birth and virtue and intellect—ay, intellect, from the high
places which they held in the days of Burke, Pitt, Fox—
and forensic eloquence. Since 1532 our Government has
not been growing more popular, but more democratical ;
and democracy, as we have seen before, cares not for free.
dom. Freedom can only be where the best men rule and
keep watch over it We have lost the criterion of political
worthiness by imagining that we were liberalising our con-
stitution. We all groan now under a tyranny of Mammon,
and as " Convention " was the name of the " dwarfish
demon" who, as Byron says, " foiled the knights in
Marialva's dome," so was Mammon the gigantic fiend who
has brought to the dust the heads that wore the laurels of
Alma and of Jnkermann. The hardest case is, that the
oligarchy of Mammon is confounded in the abuse of the
democratical party with the true aristocracy, which I must
be excused if I pronounce only In a lower sense than the
Church—the very salt of the earth in these unsanitary and
unsatisfactory times.
Not the aristocracy, but the commercial interest is,
according to Tlepoleinus, to blame for our present
position
In fact, it is not the cold shade of our genealogical tree
that has stunted and blighted our army ; it is the cold
shade of the upas of commerce—yet best symbolised not
by a tree, but by a ghastly Manchester chimney, vomiting
nitric acid, inuriatic acid, and a thousand putrid abomi-
nations, shutting oat the sunbeams from the face of once
fair Britain with its o'ershadowing smoke, and making the
earth, where grass and wild flowers grew in the memory
of our fathers, into a blackened and blasted wilderness,
like the sites of the cities of the plain.
There are several reviews in the number. That on
the " Longevity " of M. Flourens concludes that
from 90 to 100 years is the natural length of ordinary
human life—a comfortable d striae for septuage-
narians, but sadly contradicted by all experience.
The " Notes on Canada," being the result of personal
observation, present a lively view of some aspects of
the country.

Colburn's New Monthly affords in this issue even
more than its usual variety of entertaining matter.
" The Military Resources of Germany " contains some
valuable statistical information on the force of the
German States. The effective strength of the Austrian
army, without including the depOts, is stated to amount
to 4711,000 men, with 1,140 guns; that of the Prussian
army, without reserves, at 299,500, with 732 guns ;
and of the Confederation, also without the reserves,
at 403,362, with 592 guns. With reserves the
effective military force of Germany• may be con-
sidered as equal to 800,000, with 2,400 guns ; while
within six weeks an • additional 400,000 could be
brought into the field. The paper on the "Zouaves "
is compiled from the able article in the Revue des
deux Mondes, known to be by the Duo d'Aumale.
The origin of the term Zouave is curious :
• This word is fearfully mutilated in its tranfot•mation into
French. Zawawatt is the name of a very ancient Berber,
or as the French have it, Kabyle tribe in Morocco Out
of Zawawah, we might by elison make Zawaws or Zuaves ;
but we cannot make Zouaves, if the ou is to be pronounced
as in out, ounce, hound, mound, or as it is indeed com•
monly pronounced in English. The word, however, with
its French pronunciation, is now so universally accepted,
that after protesting against its correctness, we must accept
it, as we do Bombay fur 2ilambij.
The paper concisely gives the facts relating to the
organisation of this now famous corps. It yet re-
mains to be seen how far these troops, mainly
recruited from foreign sources, can be depended on
for the complex operations of regular warfare. Some
'sensible remarks on " Military Promotions by Pur-
chase " show that we must almost accept the
system as a necessity. " The Diary of a First Winter
in Rome" has many passages of eloquent descrip-
tion. " Sketches of the Italian Revolution " supply
authentic details from the personal observation of the
writer. There are many other light, sketchy papers
in the number, that on the " Habits of Young
France" being one of the most amusing.
The first article in Fraser is devoted to an analysis
of our " Regimental System," and points out, in a
clear, practical tone, the advantages and defects of
the mode by which our army is trained and main-
tained remedies are suggested for what the writer
oonoeives to be the most glaring imperfections of the
',stem, The leading error is stated to be that the

THE PRES

meet important duties of the regiment are thrown
upon the non-commissioned officers, while the intel-
lects and energies of many of the commissioned
officers are wasted in idle pursuits instead of being
devoted to a mastery of the great principles of their
profession. " But it is not," he says, "by converting
" our officers into drill sergeants that we shall make
" them the efficient leaders of our men." By per-
forming the duties they do perform, the sergeants
are raised alike in their own estimation and in the
eyes of their men : therefore, do not interfere with
these, it is urged,
Rut establish a military university, permit officers to
study at it, and give no staff appointment to one who has
not taken from it a certificate of his attainments. And as
only a limited number can be spared for any long period
from their regiment, let those who are obliged or who prefer
to remain with their soldiers, and who have qualified them•
selves in their barrack-room, attend at the university ex-
amination, and take out the certificate. For great skill or
gallantry in the field, indeed, make an exception from this
rule. We are writing, however, our readers must recollect,
on the subject of training an army for war, not of the rule
by which to judge or reward officers once they are embarked
in it. We think it not unlikely that we should find in
this class the ablest of all our officers. Then we think that
there should be a gradation in the standard of intellectual
merit, and that some mark, to denote what he had attained
to, should be placed in the army list to the name of the
officer who had greatly distinguished himself.

• - • - • •
We think, also, that the officers who attained the highest
distinction at the university should, after a lapse of years,
failing their appointment on the staff (a term of service
in which should lead always to promotion), receive a step
of rank by brevet, and an increase to their pay. Finally,
we are of opinion, that the prizes of our colonial dependen-
cies should be open to these officers. We do not of oourse
mean that as soon as they should become worn-out trene-
rals they should be sent to govern our rising communities.
We mean that such officers as had shown remarkable abi-
lity, and, having served in any of the colonies, had had the
opportunity to become acquainted with the idiosyncracy,
so to say, of a colonial community, should be placed in
situations of trust and emolument from that of the govern-
went downwards.

Whatever value there may be in such suggestions,
they can hardly be said to have an immediate prac-
tical bearing. Theoretically an army may be far
from perfect ; yet with the knowledge of what Wel-
lington accomplished under the "regimental system,"
having an army that could do anything and go any-
where, it is plainly mere cant to refer the misfortunes
which have attended our army in the Crimea to any
defects in the system. With able administrators at
home, and good generalship in the field, we should
have had little reason to complain of the " system"
to which, with incredible ignorance, all our disasters
are vulgarly ascribed. A most amusing paper is
furnished by " Servian Proverbs," among which our
eye alighted upon one peculiarly applicable to the
late and present administration of the War-office :
"What one fool entangles it takes a hundred wise
" men to clear." Dr. Badham's "Periwinkles in the
Pound" is an engaging description of a "Vivarium,"
giving an entertaining account of the ways and habits
of the inmates. A careful reading even of this slight
sketch upon the subject will much enhance the plea-
sure of a visit to the " Vivarium" at the Zoological-
gardens. "Paris in Little " is a review, and an
amusing one, of "Les Petits Paris," a series of lively
little books which have lately come out in Paris.
"The Sebastopol Committee" is the closing article.
After noticing the salient points given iu evidence,
the writer asks:—
What is to be the result of this great inquiry ? Are the
disasters which it has disclosed the inevitable concomitants
of war, or could they have been avoided by due care and
management? There can be no hesitation in answering
this question. There is scarcely a single mischance which
has befallen the civil service of the army that might not
have been averted by proper precaution and efficient super-
intendence. With whom, then, does the blame rest? We
have no hesitation in answering this question either.
Primarily with the Government at home, who never made
any far-sighted provision for the exigencies of the war; who
omitted to dispense with the tedious and complicated rou-
tine of office which is incompatible with the promptitude
and vigour required for warlike operations ; who still con-
tinue those vexatious forms ; and, above all, who have not,
except in a single instance, and that one of doubtful justice,
taken any step to remove from the power of doing farther
mischief men whom we must designate as proved

delinquents.
Lord Raglan is described as unequal to his arduous
command; and we are warned that Ministerial inca•
pacity is shaking to their base the institutions of the
country :
The Home Government, so far from recalling the Field-
marshal, are in entire sympathy with that noble lord's
administration of affairs in the Crimea. The " jaunty "
style is to carry us through all our difficulties. But while
the plodding clerk at Balaklava, and the hoary trifler at the
Treasury, are in a state of doomed complacency, ominous
symptoms are already visible in the public mind. The for.
tune of war may for the moment avert the storm ; but the
deep resentment of the people will not be readily allayed,
and the institutions of this country must be prepared ere
long to sustain a shock similar to that by which they were
shaken to their centre a quarter of a century ago.
The Dublin commences with a favorable notice
of the "Life of kitty," and this is Mlowed bir the

SATURDAY,

first of s series of geological (wasp, " Coal " being
the subject selected tor illustration. The filth
chapter of the " Dramatic Writers of Ireland" con-
tains sketches of William O'Brien, Jephson, Bicker-
staff, Denis O'Brien, Simons, and O'Keefe. "The
Sea" is a review of Lieutenant Maury's works upon
the geography of the ocean. We are tempted to
quote a well-penned paragraph illustrating the
difference of temperature in corresponding lati-
tudes:—
- - - - • -

---- •
By a very natural mistake, we used formerly to look on
our own climate and temperature as the normal one for
all similar latitudes in other parts of the world, and to re-
gard any deviation from them as the exception, and ours
as the rule. Now, the very reverse of this is the truth. In
no part of the northern hemisphere, between the parallels
of 50 deg. and 60 deg., is there another country with the
climate of the British islands. During the month of
January the air is not on the average ever above the
freezing point as far south as latitude 40 deg. throughout
Asia, and through the greater part of America. This is
the latitude of Lisbon and Madrid, of S. Italy and of
Greece. On the western side of the two continents, as we
approach the ocean and Lyme within the region of the
'warm westerly winds, this cold zone recedes towards the
north, its boundary in Europe crossing obliquely from
Turkey to Holland, and in America running up to Van
couver's Island, and thence skirting the coast to the
Aleutian Islands, in latitude 50 deg. and 52 deg. In
Europe, however, this boundary runs from Holland
directly north, skirting the coast of Norway up to I,4titude
69 deg., or well within the Arctic Circle. This ISlCAtigth •
pushing back towards the north of the extreme cold of
winter, to which all the rest of the northern hemisphere is
subject, is due to the warm water of the Gulf stream. It
is, in fact, a great natural hot-water apparatus adapted for
the especial benefit of the British islands and the coast of
Norway. To compensate in some measure for this advan-
tage, our summers are proportionably cloudy and cool c..m•
pared with the bright flash uf heat and sunshine which passes
over Asia, and America, and Eastern Europe in our lati-
tudes during the summer months. To convince ourselves
of the truth of these statements we have only to recollect
that the Labrador and Hudson's Bay oil the one side, and
on the other, Moscow, and Tobolsk, and lianutschatia, are
in the same latitudes as England, and Ireland, and Scot.
land.
- - -

A new story, full of love and French romance, of the
first Bonaparte period, its commenced. A review of
the life and writings of Hans Andersen gives a
kindly sketch of his works and pays a just tribute to
his vivid fancy. The short concluding article upon
the " War Budget" is opposed to the loan system,
and proposes an increased income tax. The writer's
conclusion is, that " it is in the highest degree im-
" probable that we shall ever again be called upon to
" review another budget of Sir G. Cornewall Lewis."
The Art. Journal contains two plates from the royal
collection—" Cupid and Psyche," from Uwins, and
the spirited. "Battle of Moanee " from Armytage.
There is, besides, a nicely-executed engraving of the
"Temptation of Eve," from the statue of M. Vande
Venne, which appeared in our Great Exhibition of
1851. Whatever opinion may be formed as to the
merit of the design, great praise must be accorded to
the artist tor his graceful treatment of the subject,
and for its fine expression. Among the illustrated
papers is a notice of the "Life of Collins," with
specimens of some of his pretty earlier works, and
elaborate articles on " Design applied to Ladies'
Work," and on the valuable Museum of Ornamental
Art in Marlborough house. From the notice of the
Amateur Exhibition we learn that—
Affixed to the picture of the Princess Royal is a paper
notifying that two hundred pounds are offered for the
work. Three offers have been made, of which this is the
last and the greatest; it is yet open to an advance, and it
is to be executed in chromo-lithography, by which also a
considerable sum will be realised, as the subscription list
at one guinea each is already very numerously signed. In
the early part of April the sum already realised for the
fund was four thousand pounds.
The number contains a full report of the action
brought against the editor of the Art-Journal re-
cently tried at Warwick. There can be no doubt
that in his strictures on picture-sales Mr. Hall has
been actuated by a high sense of his duty as a jour-
nalist, and of the confidence reposed in his integrity
and independence by the art-public. The verdict
sufficiently shows that the jury attached no moral
blame to Mr. Hall ; and, from the very peculiar cir-
cumstances of the case, we think that he ought not
to be exposed to the penalty which the costs of the
trial will entail on him. It is a case which all per-
sons interested in the integrity of modern pictures,
and in the genuine reputation of our modern artists,
should make their own. A subscription to defray
the expences of the trial would, we must say, be
only an act of bare justice to Mr. Hall. In dealing
with picture-sales, the editor Df an art journal can-
not be expected always to have a law library at his
hand. Mr. Hall, in exceeding the strict limit allowed
to comment, was actuated only by sincere zeal for the
best interests of art ; and a gentleman to whose
talent and enterprise the public is largely indebted,
ought not to bear the whole costs of a vexatious
prosecution through his independent desire to guard
the public against one of the great abuses of the day,
fraudulent picture-sales. A very moderate sum,
which we are sure might be easily raised by artiste