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

overlooks the distinction he has previously attempted
to establish between the architect and builder, and
at pages 151-2 he enters into elaborate details to
show what exquisite skill has been employed in the
proportions of St. Mark's at Venice :
The proportioning of the columns and walls of the lower
story is so lovely and varied that it would need pages of
description before it could be fully understood
Hence while one proportion ascends another descends,
like parts in music, and yet the pyramidal form is secured
for the whole; and, which was another great point of atten-
tion, none of the shafts of the upper arches stand over those
of the lower.

According to Mr. Ruskin's theory, all this proportion
and beauty resulted from mere builder's work. But,
conceding so much, is not the skill which produced such
admirable results entitled to be called an art ? And
as we have already a title for the sculptor, why should
not the building•artiat retain the name, by which he
has been known for centuries, of architect? After
all the ingenious pleading of Mr. Ruskin, it will be
difficult to convince the world that the man who de-
signs a magnificent building, and upon whom its
symmetry and beauty must wholly depend, is not as
important a personage as the sculptor wbo decorates
it. Ruffles are very well, but we can't dispense with
the shirt.

An in all Mr. Rnskin's works, there are passages
in the " Seven Lamps" of almost unequalled elo-
quence. In its general scope it is a splendid protest
against the utilitarian spirit of the age, which all
poetic and imaginative minds will gladly receive.

A lIASTY glance is all we have been enabled to
thrown over those magazines for September which
have reached us. Blackwood opens with a paper
upon the social condition of the Russian people, a
subject of unusual interest at this moment. The
condition of the serfs, and of the landowners, great
and small ; the relative state of masters and servants ;
the merchants, and the exactions which they suffer
at the hands of the authorities; and the system of
justice and peculation which prevails thr ughout the
land, are touched upon, and much practical informa-
tion is generally given upon domestic life in Russia.
"Zaidee" is continued, the story gaining on us as the
plot is unravelled. Tennyson's " Mend "is reviewed,
by Professor Aytonn we imagine, and characterised
as " namby.pamby," full of strange metaphors and
conceits, arid, on the whole, "a great mistake" of the
Laureate. The "Imperial Policy of Russia" is a
Havy historical pricis, but " Light Literature for the
Holidays" is a laughable review of Bell's Life, and a
capital criticism upon one of those cant descriptions
of a " mill," which is occasionally to be met with in
the columns of that paper.
Fraser, with great variety of light matter, combines
some good papers upon graver subjects. A length
ened review of Helps's "Spanish Conquest in America,"
a sketch of the "History of Sardinia," and a clever
paper upon " American Parties, Past and Present,"
by Mr. Bristed, will be found among its best contri-
butions. An article upon "Continental Statistics"
reviews incidentally a late publication by the Baron
de Reden upon the " Military Statistics of Europe" :
For the whole of Europe the Baron gives a population
of 266,543,199, of which the per-tentage proportions are
thus divided :

dermany 2718
Russia

France 1343
England
Turkey in Europe 0142
Spain
Other States
military foroes and their cost for the above six
(the other States being omitted) he gives in the
rig elaborate table. It should be mentioned that he
of their peace establishments :

Per Ceutagi
of Popula-
tion.
---
Germany 820,708 I'l3
Aube's
rranee
Turkey 138,880 1'32
Spain
Eugland
Whole of 2,731,085 i'o2
Europe

General Cost Cost ',Mead
Francs. Fs. e.
383,133,739 4G6 89
286,393,038 362 78
508,986,935 800 17
76,212,469 349 52
71,W8,468 718 63
239,391,479 2,144 78
1,561,618,214 571 78

These figures require some explanation. It is not the
custom in Germany to keep its whole military force
standing during the whole year, a considerable part being
called up for exercise in the spring, and dismissed with
the short days of autumn; otherwise there could not be
such a difference in the cost of a soldier in France and in
Germany, there being the conscription-law and economy
in both countries. In Russia, also, I believe the reserve
forms a part of these 790,00 ti men, which is less costly
than the standing army ; the latter, however, being some-
what over 600,000 in time of peace. But making these
allowances, bow immense is the difference in the money
cost between England and the Continent! The words
" money cost" are used because there is another cost to be
etec .n into consideration—that which falls on the popula-
.
In Russ it is 1•76 per cent.; in England, only