The Press.
London, England, 1854-07-08 00:00:00

To Mont Blanc and Bank Again. By Walter White.

London : Routledge and Co.
A REPRINT from Eliza Cook's Journal of a summer
excursion performed by Mr. White. The author
went to Mont Blanc and returned by the most beaten
route, and describes what he did, felt, thought, and
saw as minutely as if Lake Leman had been Lake
Ishad, and Murray's handbooks and Albert Smith's
entertainment unknown. The only novelty is in Mr.
White's equipments for the voyage. He manufac-
tured his own knapsack, and, " lest it should be
" thought he stinted himself of matters essential to
" cleanliness," he gives a list of its contents, begin-
ning " two shirts," &c. Mr. White closes a solemn
preface with the cheering assurance that, " notwith-
" standing the war, there is reason to believe that
" the route to Switzerland will remain open"!

An Easy and Practical Introduction to the Latin
Language. By A. H. Monteith. London : Bar-
ton.

THIS work forms a volume of Darton's School Li-
brary, which is edited by the Rev. B. J. Johns, head
master of the grammar school, Dulwich College. It
is chiefly an " adaptation of Dr. Seidenstiicker's first
"‘ I•lementerbuck; a work in very general use
" throughout the primary schools of Germany."
The principle on which it is framed is, that rules
should be learnt by reading simple sentences instead
of, as with us, postponing reading until a long and
complicated series of abstract rules have been learnt
by rote.

THE PRESS

Lectures Read at a Mechanics' Institute in the
Country. London : John W. Parker and Son.
THERE are fifteen lectures in this volume. Some
are historical, such as the first, which contains inte-
resting selections from Orme and other writers, illus-
trative of the character of the people of India; others,
are scientific, and relate to geology and mathematics-
while Shakspeare and his plays occupy three lec-
tures. The author makes no pretension to origin
ality either in matter or manner—where another
writer's words express his meaning clearly he uses
them instead of his own—for his object evidently is
to instruct others, and not to display his own powers;
and the powers of the author of these lectures we are
disposed to estimate highly : the topics are well se-
lected and well treated, and the author goes direct to
the point without superfluous verbiage. There is
besides manly vigour in a short preface, in which
he states his views on mechanics' institutes, and his
opinions as to what style of lecture is best suited to
them
" For the political benefit of a country, the great object
is, that power should be in the hands of the fittest persons.
To increase education, if you increase forwardness and self-
conceit in a greater degree, may, therefore, in a country
like this, where any man in any class may be said to have
some poli'ical power, be injurious to the public, though
to the individual it may be useful. Now, these institutes
have certainly tended to nourish a degree of self-opinion
beyond what their fulfilments in most places have justified.
But, at any rate, I would on no account minister farther
to such a feeling, or pamper it, as is often done at present,
by the choice of' such subjects for lectures as are really
unfit for the hearers, and make them think themselves
much more knowing and clever than they are. To lecture
such societies on any subject, or new discovery of tempo-
rary interest merely, seems to assume that they are already
acquainted with the ordinary and old subjects of knowledge
and courses of study. But least of all would I appeal to
their judgment, as if, instead of my instructing them,
they were to instruct me.
"Mere amusement, or novelty, or fashion, or the interest
of a doubtful theory, are not the principles on which the
subjects for these lectures ought to be selected.
" Of useful things, we are to consider which are most
useful to them ; to persons in their situation in life."
In a lecture on madness the author, speaking of the
great capacity of the insane for enjoying recreation,
mentions that, at an asylum of which he is one of the
visitors,
" we had been asked to allow newspapers, but thought
it would be better to refuse. One of the patients said to
this gentleman,' So you think we should quarrel about po-
litics ? No, no; we are not such fools as that.'"

The Mysterious Marriage; or, Sir Edward Graham.
By Catherine Sinclair. London : Clarke, Beeton,
and Co.
AN original novel, contained in a volume of the " Run-
and-Read Library." That an author of Miss Sin-
clair's reputation should first usher a production of
her prolific pen into the world in this form is quite
one of the features of the times. The work itself is
lively and animated, and its object moral. The scene
opens in Edinburgh, in this present year, 1854, the
characters belong to the fashionable world, and the
reader may not only learn " how a duchess conversed
" with her cousin the earl," but also " how much
" deeper and better founded than any other happi-
" ness is that derived from an honourable, virtuous,
" and single-hearted attachment, sanctioned by reli-
" gion, by mutual confidence, and by the approbation
" of friends as well as of parents."

Dante's Divine Comedy. The First Part—Hell.
Translated by Thomas Brooksbank, M.A. Lon-
don : John W. Parker and Son.

Tins is, we think, the fourth translation of Dante
which has appeared within a short period. Mr.
Brooksbank follows the difficult terza rime of the
original, believing that there is "as much soul in
" metre as in language." In a modest preface he
shows that he is fully sensible of the greatness of
the task he has undertaken. The present part,
which consists of " Hell," has been executed with
care, and is enriched with many notes. The
remainder of the poem is promised in due time,
several cantos of "Purgatory " being already in MS.

India—Pictorial, Descriptive, and Historical.
London: Bohn.

A WELL-ARRANGED and, HO far as a rapid perusal
enables us to judge, an accurate compilation of In-
dian history. The most valuable part of this volume
consists in the record of native dynasties and of
times which preceded the English conquest- Mr.
Macfarlane's work, to which frequent reference is
made, supersedes the necessity for any other popular
history of British India. It is true that the narra-
tive is here more condensed ; but condensation be-
yond a certain point leaves litt:e except a dry chrono-
logical record, destitute of interest or spirit. Assuming
that a cheap prkis of Indian annals was required, we
find no fault with the manner in which Mr. Bohn
and the writers employed by him have executed their
task.

SATURDAY,

The Condition and Prospects of the Greek or Oriental
Church. By George Waddington, D.D. London:

Murray.
DIE Dean of Durham is favourably known in the
world of letters in connection with Greece. The pre.
sent is an investigation into the real nature of the
religion professed by the Eastern Christians. Per-
sonal obvervation as well as learning is brought to
bear upon the subject. The little volume was origin-
ally published in 1829, but passing events have re-
vived the interest of its contents.

English Liberty in Danger. London : J. Allen.
THE writer objects to the unconstitutional means
adopted by the Attorney-General to put down
gaming• houses. In the new bill it is made an
offence, and punishable as such, to bar a door or
window with a view to obstruct or delay the entrance
of the police. But in all former enactments it has
been held that a man might fortify his house in any
way he pleased without thereby exposing himself to
punishment. Again, the party accused is, by Sir A.
Cockburn's act, compelled to give evidence against
himself and his confederates before a criminal
tribunal—a principle wholly novel, and not free
from danger. Lastly, the rewards offered to police.
men in case of detection are direct inducements to
them to bring false charges, and contrary to the
whole tendency of recent police regulations. The
author questions whether gaming can be put down
by the mere suppression of public establishments
open for the purpose. These will only be succeeded
by private houses, where the same frauds will be
practised in even greater security. Ho instances the
parallel case of houses of ill-fame, as showing that
the Legislature does well to forbear from inter-
ference with practices which it must necessarily
o.indemn.

The National Debt, and How to Pay It. London :

Longmans.

AN essay to prove that the National Debt is the
source of serious embarrassment to England, and
ought to be paid—not wiped off. The means of so
doing are discussed in detail with much elaboration
of argument. The writer computes the real and
personal property of the British islands taken toge-
ther at something less than 5,000,000,0001. sterling.
Of this enormous sum the debt forms less than one-
sixth part, and it is suggested that, in lieu of an in-
come or property tax, all capital, in whatever form,
should be taxed to the amount of one tenth, whereby
500,000,0001. might be raised, a sinking fund formed,
and the entire burden got rid of. Professional men,
and those in receipt of fluctuating incomes, to con-
tribute 5 per cent. income tax for a given number of
years, so as to bear their share of the load. Those
who either could not, or objected to part with a
tithe of their property, to retain it, subject to a
Government mortgage, paying interest thereupon.
Such, as we understand them, are the general fea-
tures of the author's plan. The argument that a
national debt, having been contracted for the benefit
of future generations, should also be paid in part by
them, does not seem to occur to him. He is eloquent,
and not unreasonably so, on the double dangers of
repudiation and of over-taxation, more especially
since American competition has begun to be felt in
European markets. He argues, also—and we think
with truth—that since a permanent state of peace is
not to be hoped for—since a war, if of long duration,
almost inevitably involves the creation of fresh debt,
it is not enough, in peace time, to pay off the interest
only without making an effort to diminish the prin-
cipal. That question, however, it is now too late to
consider.

Russia As It Is. By John Reynell Morell. London :

Routledge and Co.
PROFESSEDLY a cheap compilation from recant books,
devoid of original matter, and thus leaving scanty
room for criticism. Mr. Morell has brought together
a vast multitude of facts (or fictions) respecting
Russia, the majority of them well known to habitual
readers, but probably new to many of the class for
whom they are intended. Of a work of this kind we
can say little either in praise or censure.

Russia and England : their Strength and Weakness.
By J. R. Morell. London : Trdbner.
Mn. MOREL'. belongs to the party of Kossuth, Urqu.
hart, Golovin, and Co. His tract embodies much
information principally on the past history and pre-
sent. state of Circassia. It may be supposed that his
political ideas partake of the wildness of the school
to which he belongs ; but the men who for years past
have been insisting, amid general neglect, on the
danger to the repose of Europe from Russian aggres
sion have certainly a right to be heard now that their
predictions are fulfilled. The question discussed
here, whether Russia shall be suffered to retain the
Crimea, seems likely to take strong hold of the mind
of our public.