The Press.
London, England, 1855-09-08 00:00:00

PERIODICAL LITERATURE.

THE Dublin presents an excelient table of contents.
Of lighter literature there is abundant matter. " The
Fortunes of Glencore " are continued, in four chap.
ters, and some clever sketches of Irish character given.
" The Literature of Italy in the Fourteenth Century "
comprises some brief but good notices of the works of
Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio, "the triumvirate of
" the Tercento," stars that shone out of the horizon
of literature, forming the clasp in the chain which
constitutes the literature of Italy. Reviews of Sir
David Brewster's "Life of N'wton," which is cha-
racterised on the whole as successful, though with
many faults of style and an undeniable mistake in
its dedication to Prince Albert; of Tennyson's
"Maud," which is kindly described las incomplete
and unsatisfying, though with many detached
passages of beauty and power; of " White-
locke's Embassy to Queen Christina"; and of
Bunsen's "Egypt," in which the learned German's
work, and his peculiar rejection of the Mosaic
narrative of the Flood, are cleverly and critically
commented on

We have no desire (remarks the writer) to undervalue
the labours of so distinguished a man on a field that he has
made almost hii own, and who has established so many
claims upon our generosity; but we must state, in plain
terms, that if his conclusions offer a positive violence to
the religious convictions of the people of this country, they
will be rejected without hesitation, and will deserve
to be so . . . Whatever comes of the monuments,
the inscriptions, and the dynasties, we cannot afford,
as yet, to put them in the place of Moses and his writings.
If the modern German scholars will not allow us to con-
sider him an inspired man, who was under the guidsnce of
a heavenly power, and must be indulged with the liberty of
sneering at our simplicity when we do so, they cannot pre-
vent us from asking where, in that case, he got that collec-
tion of strange and varied knowledge which he communi-
cated to others, and which distinguishes him so remarkably
from all the profane writers of antiquity. The story
which he tells it is impossible he could have invented. It
is too complicated and too multifarious for that; and if he
has only bequeathed to posterity a series of old legends
which had been preserved among the descendants of the
Noachithe, can any good reason be assigned- why we
should not put as much credence in them as in the infinitely
more apocryphal traditions preserved in Egyptian papyri,
or engraved on Egyptian tablets, Melte, and tombs? . . .
Egyptologysis not only a fashionable study at present but a
fascinating one. . . . It is for this reason that we have
dwelt at such length on the Chevalier Bunsen's system of
chronology. His high personal character and his wonder.
ful attainments necessarily impress much weight on his
individual opinions; and many unreflecting persons will
adopt his views, without considering that if they were to
prevail over those which have been received unsuspectingly
by the great body of Christi ms for 1,810 years, they would
leave the modern man in a worse condition than the
ancient man, by sapping the foundations of his religious
belief, and replacing his positive faith by an objectless
pantheism.
Curran's "Sketches of the Irish Bar " are reviewed
at great length, and copious transcriptions made
from those pleasing aoecdotieal volumes. The sole
political article in this number is a brief review of
the session, in which Lord John Russell's unfortu-
nate escapades form the main topic.
' -

Colburn's New Monthly follows up its late excel-
lent papers upon " The Military Resources of Ger-
many " by an admirable one upon her fortresses,
in which we see, while the frontier line of Germany
is defended by vast fortresses and intrenched camps
on the French and Russian sides, her Baltic seacoast
is almost wholly undefended by any fortress of
strength. Cuxhaven, Rostock, Wismar, llamburz,
are all defenceless and alike open to the attack of
every enemy, Russian, French, or English :

When the German Confederation was founded at the
termination of the great Napoleonic wars, and a few for•
tresses were commenced by the aid of the French contribu•

863

tion, no thought was taken of anything but protecting the
frontier as far as possible against France. No one thought
for a moment of the defence of the seacoast, for in all the
late great wars, whose experiences /ere alone kept in sight,
it bad never occurred that a French fleet had attempted a
disembarkation on the North German seaboard. But the
supposition that it would always remain so, which alone
prevented steps being taken for the defencr of the North
German ports, is no longer correct. In tht first place, in
all the wars Germany carried on with France from 1793 to
1815, England was ever her ally The powerful British
fleet commanded every sea, and prevented the French
from hazarding any expedition. But now England and
France are firmly allied, and will assuredly remain fast
friends in case either power is engaged in a war with
Germany. When united, their fleets will sweep every sea,
and then, unless the Germans set about the task of
defending themselves much more energetically than they
have done during the thirty years' peace, the eventualities
to which we have alluded would very soon come about.

A clever, thoughtful paper upon the numerous
mushroom assurance-offices which are daily springing
up all over the country is worthy of attention ; while
"Ensign Pepper's Letters from the Crimea," though
treating of rather a stale subject—the assault of the
18th—will be found entertaining. Of other light
matter there is abundance, lively and entertaining
as usual—reviews of books, sketches of character
and country, literary leaflets and leaves from diaries
—which well sustain the reputation of the magazine.
Tait this month has no very striking articles, with
the exception of a critique upon Mrs. Norton's
" Letter to the Queen," in which the writer, while
admitting the justice of Mrs. Norton's argument for
women, claims an equal right on the part of men
afflicted with the " converse cause " to her personal
sufferings. " Reading Raids " contains a review of
" Maud."
The second number of the new series of the
Merchant's Magazine contains a clever, practical
article upon " Limited Liability," in which the
writer, with considerable ability, points out the
errors to be avoided, and warns the public not to
regard limited liability companies as institutions per-
fectly safe because resting on an act of Parliament,
but as institutions liable like all others to mistakes,
and depending for success solely upon the honesty,
integrity, and skill of their managers :

The only basis upon which the safety of these institu
tions depends is the honesty, skill, and judgment of its
managers, and the fact that the right class of men are
more likely to join these companies than they were while
unlimited liability existed. Then, to be convinced that
this, the only safeguard, is the first and most essential
condition towards the successful working of the principle
of limited liability is necessary ; and to apply it practically
in the choice of companies in which parties desire to invest
their moneys, will he the necessary consequence of that
conviction. In addition to this, we would urge the direc-
tors of these companies never to undertake anything upon
the strength of subscribed but unpaid capital. The paid-
up capital is all they ought to deal with, the other they may
call for when they wish to increase their operations or to
make good losses, but they must not build upon it till they
have it. Half the mistakes have arisen from a neglect of
this principle.

To those who will have to deal with and trust these
companies we would also say—first satisfy yourself as to
the trustworthiness, in a moral point of view, of the

directors; secondly, look only to actual available present
assets for your security ; and, lastly, put not the least
value upon the share list. By observing these rules they
cannot err ; but if creiit be given to these institutions upon
the liability of shareholders to pay calls rather than upon
the means in hand to pay liabilities, they will be acting in
opposition to sound commercial mkt, ; for, excepting in
exceptional cases, and in matters of speculation or kind-
ness, no one will open a current account, or lend money
to a trader in the ordinary way of business upon expecta-
tions or reversions.

A paper upon the " Capabilities and Resources of
our North American Colonies " is continued from
the previous number ; and an admirable paper upon
"The Opportunities Furnished by the Gold Die.
coveries" takes a practical view of the question as
bearing upon commerce and of the great results
likely to accrue to the world from the influx of gold.
The usual money•market, foreign, colonial, and home
produce reviews of the month are continued with
great ability.
The Art Journal for September opens with an
acute and critical review upon "The Sculpture at the
Beaux Arts," in which the larger portion of the
French works displayed are characterised as coarse
in feeling and devoid of that purity of sentiment
which should envelope the nude; and, though
possessing extreme imaginative beauty, and display-
ing great execution, yet a want of natural modesty
and unaffected grace pervades the design, yet
among many of the varied works contributed these
qualities, it is admitted, are to be really found. The
writer further on draws a comparison between the
position of the sculptor in France and in England, n
which all the advantages fall to the lot of the
Frenchman. A beautiful engraving of Uwins's
famous " Vintage in the South of France," from the
Vernon collection, and of Canaletti's "D 4 gana at
Venice," from the Royal Gallery, form the two most
prominent illustrations in the present number.