The Press.
London, England, 1855-08-11 00:00:00

PERIODICAL LITERATURE.

THE new number of the North British contains an
article on Sir D. Brewster's " Life of Newton," acutely
discussing the obscure and disputed points in the
life of our great philosopher. Sir D. Brewster's
work is, in the judgment of the reviewer, more an
exparte statement than an impartial biography. As
Sir David had full access to the famous Portsmouth
papers, the fact cannot be concealed, though the
biographer will hardly admit it, that Newton was not
free from the faults and fraiities of humanity. His
jealousy of his contemporaries, his ungenerous treat-
ment of Liebnitz, his heterodox religious opinions,
and his peculiar behaviour with regard to his niece
and Lord Halifax, are now established. Hence-
forward a very great distinction will be drawn be-
tween Newton's intellect and his morals. The
reviewer's conclusion seems just :
Homer's heroes are very dry automatons so long as they
are only godlike men : but when they get into a quarrel
with one another, out come the points on which we like.
and dislike. Newton always right, and all who would say
otherwise excathedrally reproved is a case for ostracism ;
we are tired of hearing Aristides always called the just. But
Newton of whom wrong may be admitted, Newton who
must be defended like other men, and who cannot always
be defended, is a man in whom to feel interest even when
we are obliged to dissent from his eulogist. As we have
said before, it is the defence which provokes the attack.
Newton, with the weak points exposel and unprotected, is
not and cannot be an object of assault : our blow is on the
shield which the biographers attempt to hold before him. A
great predecessor was guilty of delinquencies before which
the worst error of Newton is virtue itself: he sold justice
for bribes, so committing wilful perjury—for who may dare
to deny that the oath of the false judge rose before his
mind when he fingered the price of his conscience—that
the perjury itself is forgotten in the enormity of the mode
of committing it? But how often is this remembered when
we think of Bacon? The bruised reed is not broken,
because even biographers admit that it is a bruised reed : let
them hold it up for a sturdy oak, and the plain truth shall
be spoken whenever the name is mentioned. And so, in
its degree, must it be with the author of the " Principia."

The review of Dr. Peacock's "Life of Dr. Thomas
Young," which follows, concludes," that while the bio-
" grapher, as a mathematician f the first rank, has
" been able to analyse the most profound of Dr.
" Young's researches, and placed his labours and dis-
" coveries in the most prominent light, he has never
" forgotten to do justice to his rivals and contempora-
" ries." Five of the principal works of Sir Edward
Lytton form the text for an analytical notice upon the
merits of that distinguished novelist, to which the
writer's faint praise does less justice than the volumi-
nous extracts from the works themselves. The works
of Kingsley upon the schools of Alexandria, Whewell's
edition of " Grotius," and Erskine's " History of
India," furnish material for elaborate essays upon
those subjects; while the question of reform of the
" System of Purchase in the Army " is calmly dis-
cussed, sad "the systom" strictly separated from

SATURDAY,

any "irregular and arbitrary" departures from it,
carefully examined, and a fair estimate of its advan-
tages deduced :
• • -

Now, the first thing that strikes us in this singular
system ia, that the whole service is gratuitous, or nearly so.
Not only are the officers of the army, some six or seven
thousand in number, willing to serve her Majesty for the
scantiest remuneration, far less than ordinary diligence
and activity would command in any other calling, but they
are actually willing to pay for the privilege of being thus
allowed to serve her for this inadequate pittance. In a
country where private enterprise is more lucrative than
any other, where merchants give their clerks, and railway
companies their inferior servants, salaries varying from
1001. to 3001. a year ; where the lowest Government copying
clerk receives 901. a year to begin with, advancing at the
rate of 101. a year; and when even skilled artificers, car-
penteis, and smiths, earn their tis., 88., or 10s. a day ; and
where even policemen and ticket porters get their 80/. a
year—there is a most eager competition among young men
of family and education for first corn isaions yielding only the
pay of 901. a year—and even this subject to deductions. An
ensign in the line pays 4801. for his commission, and rece vas
Os. 3d. a day. A lieutenant pays 7001., and receives fis. cif.
a day. A captain pays 1,6001., and receives Ils. 7d. a day,
A. lieutenant•colonel pays 4,0001„ and receives l7s. a day.
Nay, more, not only is every vacant commission eagerly
purchased at the regulation price, but officers, in addition,
pay large sums to others, to induce them to vacate. Thus
not only is permission to serve her Majesty at the peril of
life and limb anxiously sought for, but as soon as it lb at-
tained it has a saleable value—it is at a premium—some-
times at a premium of 00 or 100 per cent.
To the objections on the point that gratuitous
services are generally the worst that can be had,
and that although men may be willing to fight, yet
they are not willing to toil, and study, and learn to
become experienced generals, it is replied that
although there is much force in these representa-
tions, yet they are overstated; for if competency,
proved fitness, knowledge, character, and qualifica-
tion be made an essential pre-requisite to obtaining
a company, with or without purchase—
Three•fourths of your lieutenants would be able to
pass whatever ordeal you might decide upon. Nay
more, they would thank you for the change. It is a
mistake to suppose that a life of indolence is agreeable to
any, save a small minority of men. It demands, no doubt,
an effort to discard it; but, when that effort is insisted upon
and enforced, it brings with it its own reward. And the
majority of oar young military men, all who are fit for any-
thing, would be thankful after a year or two for whatever
dispelled the " killing languor," the miserable tedium, the
overpowering ennui, of a banack or garrison life; they
would bless those who compelled them to exert themselves
—they would hail with joy the appearance of an object suf-
ficient to arouse them from their lethargy, and to stimu-
late their powers ; and if they knew that, unless they could
prove their competency for the duties of a captain's rank,
they would as surely he passed over as if they had not de-
posited their purchase-money, and that the cost of their
indolence would be continuance in a subaltern's position—
we do not for a moment doubt that barrack-rooms and
country quarters would become scenes of diligent and sedu-
lous preparation for the coming ordeal, in place of being
scenes of disreputable pastimes or yawning wretohednes',
and that observation, practice, and professional studies
would replace reckless profligacy or stagnant indifference.
Finally, to abolish the system compensation must
be given ; and although eight millions would be re.
quired to counterbalance existing rights of purchase,
yet they would fail to recompense the poor subaltern
who alone serves in the hope of obtaining a saleable
unpurchased commission as his reward and fortune
in future years. Mrs. Norton's "Letter to the
Queen," and Ferrier's theory of "Knowing and
Being," form the two concluding subjects treated in
the present number, which is as remarkable for va-
riety of matter as for able disquisition.
The Dublin continues its biographical sketches of
the dramatic writers of Ireland, including some of
the less prominent but more modern names of the
present century. An amusing paper upon our " Sea
Songs" gives rather an unfair estimate of Dibdin. We
doubt if Dibdin did exaggerate the qualities of the
men he depicted. The jack-tar of that day differed
widely in most respects, except that of "pluck," from
the British seaman of 1855. The story of "Alberico
Porro" is continued; and a long review of the wine
question, suggested by Sir Emerson Tennent's
volume, opposes any reduction of the wine duties at
present, but anticipates the greatest success from
the experiment in time of peace, when the revenue
could better bear the loss of duty. " Mid day with
the Muses" is a light review of new poems; while
" Forest 'frees " affords subject-matter for an agree-
able botanical chapter.
Tait this month has no striking artiv'le to recom-
mend it. "Reading Raids " are continued, Payley's
works reviewed, and the popular notion of his
" expediency " doctrine combated with some force.
Of novels, " &pen Court " and " Eustace Conyers "
are both favorably noticed; and the political register
for the month decides that Warsaw, and not Sebas-
topol, should have been the point of attack for the
allied armies.

Macpliairs Ecclesiastical Journal contains some
good original notes upon " China and the Chinese,"
a review of " Guizot's Meditations," translated by
the Marquis of Ormonde, and a forcible article upon
"*The War and its Prospeots."