The Press.
London, England, 1855-11-03 00:00:00

PERIODICAL LITERATURE.

IN Blackwood we have "Zaidee" as charming as
ever. She is, however, as usual, in sad tribulation.
There is no nearer approach to the Yivians accepting
the estate than before, and, further than that, Aunt
Vivian becomes seriously ill, and poor Zaidee fancies
it is all her doing. The most important feature,
however, in this number is, that Mary Cumberland
has discovered Zaidee's secret, which, like a prudent
girl, she keeps to herself. We must not, however,
say too much about her, or we shall be spoiling the
reader's appetite "An Old Contributor at the Sea-
side" is full of genial fun. The section entitled
" Tickler Missing "is especially good. How the con-
tributor took him to bathe, how he assisted "in
squeezing the salt water out of his dear little pepper-
and-salt jacket, how be left him asleep on his own
clothes and found him gone when he came out of
the water, how " Tickler," " Teekel," " Teek,"
" Teekleur," " Taklar," resounded for hours in the
neighbourhood in every variety of Norman• French
which the inhabitants, stimulated by a reward of five
francs, could devise, is narrated with kindly and de-
lightful humour. The section on creature comforts
is also excellent :

What with all this, one gets quite ready for dinner, ay,
and now and then looks at one's watch as the hour draws
near, and that's the truth, and I can't help it, and I don't
care. Now look at to-day, for instance. If all go well,
you may at five p.m., military time, see a very splendid red
mullet, caught off the rocks this morning by one of my
friends down below, who has taken a fancy to me because
If admire his little boy, and sent him up with the prize as a
present for Monsieur; who secretly resolved to give a
franc and a half as a present in return, on some pretence
or other :—Well—there's that mullet (I had to give the
ar entire *beet of the nice paper on 1%44 I am

THE PRESS.

writing to you, that the aforesaid mullet might come to
table in due state) : then (lest it should not be enough for
five), two dozen nod a half of curried oysters (I intend
to eat some of both) ; then some hashed mutton, and
a little piece of cold corned beef; to be eaten to the tune
of pickled gherkins, a jar of which, with admirable fore.
thought, I had brought from England.
" Modem Light Literature " consists this month of a
review of " Traveller's Tales," embracing Lieutenant
Burton, Mr. Wilkie Collins, Mr. Beste, and Mr.
Bayle St. John. The two first are applauded, the
third is treated with some good-humoured raillery,
and the fourth we think deservedly chastised. The
purple of the grape is the only purple in Mr. Bayle
St. John's "Tints of Paris." "The Story of the
Campaign " progresses to the thirty-first chapter,
but, like the concluding article of the number on
" War Politics," is too important to be noticed here.
We may possibly have something to say to them on
another occasion.

The current number of Fraser opens with a new
story, edited by Wilkie Collins, entitled " The Monk-
tons of Wincot Abbey." The first number promises
well, though we question whether it be not pitched on
rather too high a key to be sustained. The Monktons
are a family in which insanity is supposed to be he-
reditary. The uncle of the young owner of Wincot
has been slain in a duel in Italy, and his ghost
having appeared to his nephew Alfred, the latter
sets out on a pilgrimage to discover his remains,
which he is convinced are unburied. lie is aware,

likewise, of an old family prophecy which says that
the line of the Monktops shall end when one of the
family is not buried in the Wincot vault. lie leaves
behind him in England a young lady, Ada Elmslie,
to whom he is engaged, and to whom he has confided
his secret, and at the termination of the last chapter
he is just about to commence a fresh search in com-
pany with au old Mend, whom he had accidentally
met at Naples. Here is no lack of materials for
romance, yet we have observed that Mr. Collins is
more happy in exciting than in realising our expecta-
tions. May his present story prove an exception.
"American Parties, Past and Present," is a clear
and instructive article, containing a brief sketch of
the pro.slavery and anti-slavery, the temperance, the
democratic, and the know-nothing parties. The de-
scription of the American slaveholder " who boasts
" tohe descended from the English cavalier, and to
" perpetuate in his person the type of a gentleman
"derived from the old times of chivalry" (p. 525),
strikes us as very good ; while the writer's remarks on
the connection between democracy and Romanism
are worth the consideration of all who take an
interest in the present attitude assumed by the
Papacy. But the truth is, that the Romanist hates
every thing approaching to constitutional government,
and he is not paore friendly to the democrats of Ire-
land or America than to the despots of Italy.
" Clavering St. Mary" is a pleasant gossiping article
about the worthies of Devon, evidently written by
one deep in the enthusiasm which characterised
" Westward Ho !" The Carews, the Gilberts, Lord
John Holland, and John Oxenham, are the heroes of
this article, which we should not be sorry to see con-
tinued on a future occasion. "A Campaign with the
Russian Army " is a -very vivid and graphic picture,
but we should question the accuracy of its statements.
At all events, we should like some stronger evidence
before believing that the respectable inhabitants of
Sebastopol were under the idea that our artillery
would kill at ten or twelve miles, and other marvels
of the like character. The opinion which is stated
to have been theirs concerning the operations of our
cavalry, and our " grand awkwardness " on more than
one occasion, is too probable for us to gainsay. "An
Imaginary Conversation between Asipius Polio and
Licinius Calvus," by Walter Savage Landor, will be
read with pleasure and interest by all those to whom
the names of Catullus, Caesar, Livy, and Cicero
are still magic sounds. Not that we think it
is free from errors. And in the first place,
we may observe that it is scarcely justifiable
in Mr. Landor, notwithstanding all the licence
his subject gives him, to introduce Calvus as speaking
familiarly about events which occurred after his own
death. Calvus died certainly not later than B.C. 40,
Casar was murdered B.C. 44, the fourth eclogue of
Virgil was written B.C. 40, and Horace's "Journey to
Brundusium " B.C. 37. Yet Calvus converses about
there freely. Surely there was no necessity for this.
In the next place, we do not think lie has quite
fairly stated the truth about "birth and rank" in
ancient Rome ; but let that pass. Both Calvus and
Pollio came of plebeian gentes, and though we do
not think any Roman would have used exactly the
language put into the mouth of Pollio on this sub-
ject, yet, as great licence is permitted on these occa-
sions, we will say no more about it. Here is Pollio's
apology for Caesar's usurpation, and Calvus's reply :
My dear Licinius ! there are still poetical visions floating
round about your head. Consitution I Has the dead
man any? Proconsulates and commands were given to
the mercenary and rapacious. Military spirit existed yet ;
and it wafted at last by its strong aspiration a vigorous
and a rise man to the Capitol, and the shotiM of the aol,

1053

diery shook down the rotten fabric that encumbered it.
States, like men, have their growth, their manhood, their
decrepitude, their decay. Caine Julius, oven had he been
willing, could not have propt up so wornr•eaten a fabric.
He called stout workmen in, and pulled it down. It was
time that ssmething better should be substituted. No
death ever was so deplorable to his country as Caesar's.
am far from being an admirer of Cicero's polity, much as
1 admire his eloquence. He excited the murderers of the
greatest man the world had ever seen, of the man who
would have protected his life and preserved his dignity.
He fell by ungrateful hands, as Julius had fallen; yes,
poor Cicero fell by hands equally ungrateful and inure
ignoble.
Calvus ; Neither so vindictive as Sulla nor so sangui-
nary as Marius, yet Caius Julius cared little for human
blood, whether it ran upon the earth or stagnated and col,
rupted under ; and in these sentiments he found conge-
niality among the Gauls, than whom no people is more
indifferent to the duration of life, or less indifferent to its
enjoyments. Never had leader more faithful relievers,
followers a more indulgent leader.
Mr. Landor's criticisms on the style of Livy, Cicero,
and Catullus we think are just, though we cannot
help fancying the reader will smile at the turn given
to the address of Tarquiz to Lucretia :
Note the order of words. " Simms Tarquinius sum;
ferrum in manu oat; moriere si emiseris vocem." I have
remarked to many this admirable collocation. He would
win her to compliance by his name, which bore al mg with
it his royal rank, his martial courage, his lofty stature, and
that prowess of limb which in woman's eyes is manly
beauty. The verb follows the noun—not a syllable pre-
cedes it. He then intimidates her—the sword is there—
the verb again stands behind. She must see at once the
whole extent of her danger—death is announced—uncon-
ditional, inevitable ? No ; but, "si emiseris rot:ern." Wo
know in what manner our friend Cicero would have fabri-
cated the sentence ;
,we are quite certain his ear (par-
don the expression) would have overlapped his under-
standing, and the sentence would have been this:—"Ego
sum Sextus Tarquiuitis ; in mann autem ferruni eat; at
vocem emiseris moriere." In the middle of this oration
the girl would have jumped out of bed, and have run down
stairs before it ended.
The remaining articles comprise "The Early History
of 'Russia," a review of "My Schools and School-
masters," by Hugh Miller, and a paper on "The
Condition of France." This latter contains several
pages of commercial statistics, which we dare say are
valuable, and a review of the various French govern-
ments from Louis XIV. downwards, which is remark-
able for doing more justice than usual to the old
Bourbon dynasty:—

- -
Under the monarchy of Louis XV. there was undoubtedly
the germ of a free and liberal, and of a firm and constitu•
lions], government. That germ required great dexterity
and a considerable period fur its expansion. But in that
crisis of French destiny there was no masterband to guide
tile vessel through the storm, and when once wrecked in
the tumult of revolution Its efficient reconstruction was
totally chimerical. We now reap the result.

Of the Dublin University, to say that it is a very
good number would be to say nothing distinctive, for
we think it has for some time past contained more
genuine magazine articles of a superior class than
most of its contemporaries. The present number
contains two long historical papers—one on " The
Progress of Russia," the other a review of Helps's
" Spanish Conquests in America;" a dashing Eastern
story, something in the style of "Frank Hilton," called
" Sultan Akbar's Love ; or, the Siege of Chittorer
the concluding chapters of " Alberico Porro : a
Tale of the Italian Insurrection, 1848 ;" and the
opening ones of a new story, entitled " The Old
House of Darkbrothers." These last are written
with very great merit indeed, though the scene at
the hall, when the rioters assemble on the lawn, is,
perhaps, a little too near that inimitable chapter is
" Sybil,' to be entirely free from a suspicion of
plagiarism. However, we dare say it was quite
un-
intentional, and the writer, at all events, shows that
he is thoroughly competent to shine without bor•
rowed plumes. But the most interesting article of
the whole number is No. U of the "Dramatic
Writers of Ireland," containing sketches of Sheil,
Griffin, and Banim. Shell's dramatic success was
not ftist.rate ; nevertheless, during the eight years
he wrote for the stage, or from 1814 to 1822,
he netted 2,0001. An amusing anecdote is told
of him in connection with his fiisit play, Adelaide ;
or, the Emigrants, brought out at Covent Garden on
the 23rd of May, 1814. Sheil, it appears, was
behind the scenes, and, observing that his piece was
received with a dead silence, perhaps rather un like what
he hail been accustomed to in Dublin, asked abruptly,
" Pray, when do they usually begin to damn a new
" piece here ?" (Hazlitt said of Adelaide, that. "if it
" had had one good passage it would infallibly have
" been damned.") His second play, The Apostate,
was, however, much more successful, and his profits
amounted to 7901., the largest sum which he ever
received for one performance. Though Shell for-
mally ceased to write for the stage in 1822, be had
a band in many pieces produced subsequently, and
it was not ell the year 1835 that big connection with
the drama finally terminated. It is difficult," bays
the reviewer, "to fix the exact rack which, as a
" dramatic writer, Sheil is entitled to hold. Id.

1054

" cannot for a moment be placed on a level with
" Knowles, and is, perhaps, not superior to Maturin."
This is au opinion from which, we think, the world
will not generally be inclined to dissent. Gerald
Griffin, author of the well-known novel of " The
Collegians," comes into the catalogue of dramatic
writers in virtue of his one tragedy of Gisippus,
acted at Drury Lane in 1842, two years after the
author's death. He had, indeed, as early as 1825,
" procured the representation of an operatic melo-
" drama at the Lyceum, but the result does not
" appear to have been very encouraging," for he
wrote no more for the theatre. Gisippua was
written before he was twenty, but was rejected
by all the London managers, and was not played till
nineteen years afterwards, when it came into the
hands of Macready. This circumstance furnishes
the writer with an opportunity of giving us a short
but interesting and valuable sketch of the unmerited
fate which has attended so many dramatic publica-
tions from Venice Preserved to Paul Pry:—

Otway's Don Carlos is a poor tragedy in rhyme, but it
was infinitely more applauded, and better followed for
many years, than either The Orphan or Venice Preserved.
The Provoked Wife was a failure, and Congreve's
Way of the World, his best comedy, was coldly received.
The Distressed Mother, a weak translation of Racine's An-
dromaque, kept the stage with popularity for more than a
hundred and twenty years. The Wonder of Mrs. Centlivre,
one of the 'lest comedies in the language, was only acted
six times the first season, and was completely laid aside
after the second Cymon, a poor operatic piece, met
with great success, while a revival of Ben Jouson's Silent
Woman proved a failure. Cobb's opera of The Flaunted
Tower vas acted above eighty times during the two first
seasons, and now would fail to command a single audience.
A miserable opera called The Woodman, written by
the Rev. Bate Dudley, music by Shield, ran upwards of
thirty nights. Speculation, one of Reynolds's worst
comedies, was acted thirty-six times, and The Castle
Spectre drew forty-seven crowded houses during the first
season. It is still on the living list, and generally comes
forth at Christmas to usher in the humours of the panto-
mime. Howard Payne's cento from many plays, which he
called The Tragedy of Brutus, met with a great success, en-
tirely owing to the powerful acting of Edmund Kean. It had
a run of fifty-two nights, and for a time completely retrieved
the failing exchequer of the theatre. Paul Pry was acted
forty-one times during the season of 1825, in which
it was first produced at the Haymarket, and about seventy-
three in the next. After this let us be silent as to success
being a fair criterion of merit. We could go on multi-
plying instances, but enough have been adduced.

We must not omit to mention also an amusing extra-
vaganza, denominated How I became an Egyptian.
It is clever and well sustained. The number is con-
cluded with No. 12 of " The Rivers of Ireland," the
subject of the present one being the Barrow, which
flows by the scenes of many an interesting episode
in Irish history.

The New Monthly contains no less than sixteen
articles. If editors would take our advice, they would
cease for the future to lead off with an article about
Russia—for our part, we are tired of it. Almost
every magazine begins this month with a paper on
this subject. The one in question is but a consomme
of telegraphic messages, and weakly done too. Of
the other articles, one on the eighteenth century, by
Alexander Andrews, and that on modern song-writers,
will repay perusal.

This is a capital number of the Law Magazine.
The second article, " On the Competency of Loan
Contractors to sit in Parliament," is of more than
legal interest. Another on " Personal Protection
Acquired by Bankruptcy and Insolvency" deals with
a question that must, sooner or later, be taken up by
the Legislature. The most interesting article to the
general reader will be that on Lord Lyndhurst.
The September and October part of the new comic
publication Falstaff, is not more witty than usual.
Part XII. of the new series of the Home Companion
is well got up and amusing.
In No. 1•l of The Martins of Cro' Martin we have
a vivid picture of one of the " three nights" of 1848.
Here, as may be supposed, Mr. Lever is in his
element, and we think his account of the barricades
equal to anything he has ever written.

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.
BOOKS.

History if Piedmont. Antonio Gallenza. Chapman
and Hall.
Lectures to Ladies on Practical Subjects. Macmillan and Co.
Mrs. Boss's Niece. Author of " Stories on Proverbs."
J. and C. Mozley.
The Abominatian of Desolation Come; or, Revelation
Revealed. A Cambridge M.A. Layman. Nisbett and Co
Minnesota and the Far West. Laurence Oliphant, Esq.
I Ilackwoods.

The Relations of Science. John ➢J. Ashley.
Bell and I)aldy.
The Great Sieges of History. William Robson. Routledge.
Sebastopol; the Story of its Fall. G. R. Emerson. Do.
Elementary Chemistry itt the Imponderable .4genls, and of
Inorganic Bodies. Houlston and Stoneman.
Selections from the Holy Seriphs res. Rivingtons.
Removal of Nuisances. H. Sweet.
Metropolis Loofa Management Act. Toulmin Smith. Do.