The Press.
London, England, 1856-04-05 00:00:00

' THE PRESS.

and the battery which defended it. Colonel Borodine,
with his brigade, and the Tith and 40th Chasseurs, then
crossed the river, and occupied the other suburb ; so that
the Russians were soon masters of all the ground to the
very foot of the citadel, where the inhabitants, in the wild•
est disorder, were endeavouring to seek shelter. The
walls were rapidly falling before the fire of the Russian
artillery, and that of the enemy was silenced; the bravest
and most active of the Russians had established them-
selves on the terraces of the houses, and kept up an in-
cessant fire on the walls of the citadel ; the gates were soon
forced, and the nearest towers, with twenty-five pieces of
artillery, were in the hands of the besiegers. The Turks
made a greater resistance on the western side, but with
little success, for the whole of the lower fortress was soon
occupied, and the pacha gave up all hopes of a longer re-
sistance. A white Hag was now hoisted; Prince Paskie-
witch demanded the surrender of the paella and of the
Turkish garrison as prisoners of war, said the disarming
of the militia and local troops, who were to be permitted
to return to their homes. So great was the panic that
1,000 belhis, stationed in the heart of the town, passed
before the Russian troops without venturing to commit
any act of hostility.
Emaum Paella hesitated to accept these terms, trusting
to be relieved, and demanded two days to consider, declar•
ing his determination to bury himself under the ruins of
the part of the citadel he still occupied. The principal
Mollahs brought this answer to the general, who replied,
" I will dive you two hours to make up your minds. Mercy
if you surrender, death if you resist." As this threat was
supported by forty pieces of artillery, ready to open on the
confined space of the upper citadel, the garrison began to
show signs of insubordination, and EIMIUM Paella, tearing
an insurrection, .n despair brought the keys of the place,
and gave himself up a prisoner. The garrison surrendered
at ten a.m., and the Russian flag was hoisted on the
ramparts.

The following is the character he draws of
Prince Paskiewitch :
Gene' al Paskiewitch fortunately possessed an instinctive
knowledge of character, and he completely trusted those
whom he employed. In his attention to the civil adminis-
tration, he was indefatigable, and he put a stop to the
abuses which had so long disgraced and ruined the Russian
affairs. Men of every rank and class had free access to
him ; they might bring their own interpreter, and be sure
of having justice quickly administered. His loss was
deeply felt in Georgia, which he was rapidly getting into
order ; and he had neatly succeeded iu bringing the tribes
of the Caucasus into pacific relations with the Russian
Government, by employing a portion of their troops and
not interfering with their internal goverment—the only
system of policy, as I otten heard from his own lips, that
he thought likely to succeed. A commencement was
made by forming a Circassian body-guard at St. Petersburg,
with high pay and great advantages, privates ranking as
officers. The four Mahomedan regiments raised by him
still form part of the Russian anny ; and had the Polish
war not summoned away the Prince, the native troops
would have been augmented to 25,000 men.
Jn his outward deportment Prince Paskiewitch was hasty
and sometimes even violent, which appears to be a fashion-
able piece of affectation among the Russian officers—per-
haps from a desire of imitating the eccentricities of
Suwaroff; but in his actions Paskiewitch was as remarkable
for his cool deliberation as for the rapid execution of
whatever he had decided upon. It has been said of him
( reversing the e;igram on Charles II.) that he seldom
said a wise thing and never did a foolish one. I had my-
self a great deal of communication with him regarding the
payment of the contribution levied on Persia, winch I had
been appointed to superintend, and always experienced
great kindness and consideration from him, having access
to him at all hours when any difficulty arose about the pay-
ment, an annoyance that was constantly taking place from
the caprice or insolence of the inferior agents.

All persons who wish to get a clear view of
the military resources of these regions, and
their re;at►ons to Russia, England, and one
another, should read General Monteith's
book. It has the additional recommendation
of being prefaced by an excellent map ; and,
though it may seem a trifling matter to notice,
we must remark that it has also an index, the
want of which is frequently a great inconve-
nience to readers who use a book for any
purpose beyond mere amusement.

Causeries du Lundi. Par C. A. Sainte .Beuve.
Tome Onzieme. Paris : Gamier Freres.
Tms volume is the eleventh and lust of a long
series, in which essays on people of note in
all countries, and in all ages, have been com-
prised. I'iiny, Firdousi the Persian poet,
Froissart, Rabelais, St. Francis of Sales,
Fenelon, Gibbon, Voltaire, Lord Chesterfield,
Balzac, Goethe, Frederick the Great, and
Alfred de Musset, have each received their due
share of gossipping criticism. The present
volume, besides essays on Cowper, Dante,
Charron, Madame de Maintenou, and others,
contains a copious index, the study of which
alone would give a reader some smattering of
general literature. M. Sainte-Beuve's touch
is light and graceful, and in dealing with the
lives of men who are not well known to his
readers he conveys facts rather by implication
than by straightforward statement, thus avoid-

SATURDAY,

ing prosiness, while he imparts actual in-
formation. There is much that is spirituel in
his pages ; but, with the majority of French
writers of the present day, he deals in esprit
rather than in wit.

Naturally, the essay that we read with most
pleasure is that on " William Cowper, ou de la.
" Poesie Domestique." The French critic is
thoroughly versed in Cowper's letters, and in
Southey's life of the poet of the "Task." Ile
follows Cowper through the events of his life
ith delicacy and elegance, culls the most
favorable specimens of his letters and poems,
and presents them in a French dress without
robbing them of their English graces. It is
too much the fashion to undervalue Cowper in
this age of spasmodic poetry. His easy
melody and fluent rhythm are not appreciated
after the complicated jangle of Browning and
the mysticism of Bailey. But this deprecia-
tion of such a man as Cowper will merely suc-
ceed in showing the unhealthy state of mind
of the worshippers of the new poets, and good
judges will continue to assign him a prominent
niche in the Temple of Fame.
In his essay on Cowper, M. Sainte-Beuve
deals less in criticism than in details Jf the
poet's life. We must regret the absence of the
critic's opinion, while we acknowledge the
value of this mode of treatment. Cowper's
poems are so well illustrated by his life, that
it is sufficient for us to read one by the light of
the other, without needing further commen-
tary. Southey has very happily said that but
for Mrs.Unwin, Cowper would never have been
a poet; and but fur Lady Austen he would
never have been a popular poet. According to
Corn te's theory : given a melancholy religionist,
infirm in body, and dineased in mind, who
found his ouiy solace and comfort in the
society of an aged woman, who acted to him
like a mother, and you have the "Task " as a
necessary consequence. To connect Cowper's
poems with the various incidents of his life
has not much novelty for the English reader.
But the Frenchman, who is not familiar with
either life or poems, will find M. Sainte•
Beuve's essay a valuable study, and will ac-
cept it with pleasure as a contribution towards
the solution of that problem, " le Home."
On Cowper's letters M. Sainte-Beuve ex-
presses himself with much felicity

In the retired life which he leads, there is little to
recount ; he talks of himself, of his readings, which are,
at first, few, and of the little accidents which scarcely
diversify his tranquil inner life. There were in him certain
points of profound melancholy, which were never entirely
healed ; these he avoids touching on, and prefers to appear
quick, ingenious, kindly, and pleasant. He commences
one such letter by stating that he has " nothing to say,"
and under that pretext he sets himself to chat pleasantly
and sensibly ; he gives the whole theory of familiar come•
spondence among friends; writing on, one word chasing
another, letting the pen run away without a thought—like
the tongue in conversation, or the foot in walking.

The following passage on domesticity is
remarkable from one of our lively neighbours,
one of a nation whose disregard of home is
proverbial :
It is necessary to distinguish the different families, aiol,
so to speak. the different races of men of wit and genius.
Cowper is the poet of family, though he never was a husband
or a father: he is the poet of home, of well•regulated,
pure, and sweetly animated home, of the grove at the end
of the garden, or of the fireside corner. Stormy and
passionate poets like Byron, worldly and sprightly natures
like Moore and Hazlitt, would naturally find little to like
in him. Byron in a moment of ill temper called Cowper a
coddled poet. Moore laid it down as a rule that genius and
domestic happiness were incompatible with, and excluded,
each other. One day, when he asked in Wordsworth's
presence if such was not necessarily the case, the grave
Poet of the Lakes replied, " Men do not make their homes
unhappy because they have genius, but because they have
not enough genius ; a mind and sentiments of a higher
order would render them capable of seeing and feeling all
the beauty of domestic ties."

APRIL 5, 1556.'

went as the present this precis of the military
powers of Europe is essentially valuable. As the
existence of a power depends upon its credit, a casual
glance at the present financial condition of the Euro.
pean powers may not prove uninteresting. Of Russia
little is really known, and that little is obscure. The
Ilepreciation of the
i paper rouble to one-fourth of
what it represents in money comes, says Mr. Mac-
gregor, incessantly n conflict with the statements of
the official returns. These returns do not date
later than 1853, so that nothing can be yet known of
the effect of the war upon Russia. At the end of
'53 the public debt amounted to 778,573,112 roubles,
or 117,700,000/. The revenue was given as 275,500,000
roubles, and the expenditure at 275,800,004). The
expenses of the military and naval establishments
of Russia on a peace footing appear trifling—both
scarcely amounting to 15,000,0001. a year. Prussia
has a debt of 242,770,000 thalers, or upwards of
thirty-six millions sterling. Her revenue for 1855
was 111,827,785 thalers. The wretched condition of
Austria is seen at a glance. Her revenue, though
with a population of thirty-eight millions, only
amounted, in '54, to 24,500,0001. sterling, while her ex-
penditure was 38,700,0001., and her debt 180,000,0001.
Her enormous army, and her unsound financial
system, have ruined her credit and reduced her to
:he verge of bankruptcy. The finances of Turkey
:an only be cursorily examined, says Mr. Macgregor,
and, upon the authority of M. Übicini, he estimates
her revenue, including everything, at 0,724,4001., and
'ier expenditure at 0,740,0001. France, in her
widget of '3O, shows an anticipated revenue of
68,418,0801., against an expenditure of 67,801,7861.
The government of the Emperor, observes Mr. Mac-
gregor, "has preserved industry, trade, and financial
credit." The military forces of Europe he estimates
in round numbers as follows :

The United Kingdom, ineltilinq militia and yeomanry,
at 380,000 mt n ; F. ance, including 25,030 gendarmerie
and National Guards, 700,000 men ; Russia, nominally,
1400,000 men ; Austria, 650,000 men ; Prussia, including
the first and second bans of the landwehr, 000,0 X) men ;
turkey, 500,000 men; the contingents of the whole Ger-
manic Confederation, 220,000 ; Sardinia, including volun•
teers and National Guards, 70,000 ; Holland, 60,000 ;
Belgium, 115,000; Sweden and Norway, 170,000; Den-
mark. including Holstein, 70,000; Naples, 110,000;
Greece, 10,000 men.

Of the naval forces of Europe we may briefly say
that the navy of England is equal to the united
navies of the rest of the world. France, Russia,
Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Sardinia, Spain, and
"ortugal follow in rank. Of our Atlantic cousins,

with whom Lord Palmerston seems so anxious for a
trial of strength, Mr. Macgregor writes with capital
discrimination :
The United States of America have not lavished an ex•
travagant expenditure in maintaining a formidable army
or navy. but it would be an utter delusion to say that the
great Anglo-American Republic was not formidable. The
fertility of her Roil, her wealth, commerce, and her mer-
cantile, sailing, and steam navy furnish all the elements
militaty and naval power. Her present army, which is
,ell and scientifically educated and disciplined, consists of
only about 1,000 officers, who have received a strictly proved
education, and who are prepared to be normal military in-
structors for an armed militia, and of about 10,000 regular
troops. But the enrolled militia comprises 9,470 officers
and 2,150,000 men.
The Anglo-American fleet consists of 11 ships of the
line from 80 to 120 guns, 14 frigates of 50 to 60 guns, '2O
corvettes, 6 steam frigates afloat and 7 building, 10 steam
corvettes and some smaller vessels, altogether forming a
msiderable force. Besides, the splendid merchant ships
t the United States could soon be formed into a navy.
must it be forgot' en that Anglo-America, unlike
Ipanish and Portuguese Americas, owes no public debt.
The best article in Blackwood is the one entitled
War and Woodcraft," which stands for the healthy
14 national character with a manly defiant spirit
!haracteristic of " old Ebony," in the best days of
Thristopher North
Better far to listen to the voice of a sportsman, a gentle-
man and philosopher of the olden time. Xenophon extols
the noble science of hunting as the best of all schools for
var. Akin to the Utilitarians are the disciples of the
goddess of reason, the march-of-intellect men. These
maintain, with some plausibility, that a man of leisure
night employ his time more profitably than with field-
sports. He might be lecturing at mechanics' institutes,
or investigating German philosophies. He might
assuredly; but he would do even these things still better
for being moderately addicted to healthful exercise, as he
would do these things still better for eating a good dinner
every day, and taking his glass of wine after it. A weak
and morbid condition of body inevitably leads to a weak
and morbid condition of mind. If whet is called rude
health is deleterious to ary mental operation, depend
.ipon it that that operation is of a morbid nature. Spas-
modic poetry and transcendental philosophy may flourish
better with a constitutional walk of an hour a day than
voth a hebdomadal canter with the hounds: but what are
they
worth, atter all ? They are to the efforts of the
healthy mind what the insane strength of the lunatic is to
the prowess of a Samson or a Milo.
And, after all, we would back a fox-hunting, par-
tridge-shooting, trout-killing, country gentleman,
against any cockney for a genuine knowledge and
appreciation of our best literature. The next best

THE PRESS.

article is one entitled " The Scot Abroad," which
seems to be the first of a series. The present one
is the " Man of Letters," and we presume it will be
followed up by sketches of the soldiers and states-
men who made the name of " Scot" familiar to all
Europe. The reviews of Alison's "History of Eu-
rope," and Prescott's " Philip II.," are two most able
historical articles. The remarks in the former
about Russia deserve general attention.

In Fraser "Kate Coventry " pursues the lively
tenor of her way with unflagging gaiety. The scene
in which Squire Haycock, the nervous man, comes
in to breakfast, is wonderfully comic. Kate herself
is the merriest girl we ever met with in or out of
novels. For refined humour, natural and piquant
descriptions, and skilful incidents, the author of
this tale has no superior. The essay "On the Treat-
ment of Love in Novels" is an ingenious piece of criti-
cism. The " Imaginary Conversation between Me-
nander and Epicurus," oy W. S. Landor, will be
interesting to those who care for such things.
And a review of the poems of Edward Capern is a
laudable attempt to help an obscure poet who seems
to oe capable of writing with poetic genius.
The Dublin opens with a long essay upon " Kars."
The following passage is just :

In any event, the Great Conservative Party occupies
high ground. It must ever be remembered to its honour,
that at a time when the issue of the war was uncertain, and
Government might have been hopelessly overthrown by
the slightest obstructive movement, it kept political and
party considerations out of sight, and lent itself as a body
with the same lofty demeanour that distinguishes the pro-
minent individuals composing it, to help the common
cause, and forward all such efforts as were made in a
patriotic spirit for the maintenance of the honour of the
country against a common enemy. We doubt whether an
equally conspicuous instance of disinterestedness has oc•
curred in the annals of party. Certainly considerations of
the kind are not familiarly known to actuate a Whig
Opposition.
The other articles are of considerable merit. There
is a capital tale by Mr. Carleton, and an amusing
batch of stories by Mr. Hurton, under the title of
" A Bowl of Punch in the Captains' Room." The
two continuous stories called "The Fortunes of
Glencore " and " Love in Curl-Papers," are well sus-
tained. The article on the " Gentleman-Soldier" is va-
luable in every way at the present moment, and points
out with distinctness the advantages attendant upon
the service of gentlemen and their historical connec-
tion with the modern profession of arms. In the re-
view of Mr. Langdale's " Memoirs of Mrs. Fitz.
herbert" an interesting point is touched upon—how
far, namely, the present restrictions upon royal
marriages are expedient at the present day.
The New Monthly presents us with its usual
variety. We should select for special commendation
the tale of " Infatuation ;" " England and America,"
by Cyrus Redding ; and " Pilgrimages to the French
Palaces," by Florentia.

Bentley gives the usual amount of light and
variable matter. We have reviews of Burton's
" Medina!' " and Mr. Raikes's "Journal," a solitary
chapter of Mr. Harrison Ainsworth's original tale,
" The Spendthrift," a brief article upon " Peace and
the Imperial Dynasty," founded upon a late political
pamphlet by Mr. Reitzenheim, published in Paris,
a pleasant prosing about Charles Lame, by Monks.
hood, and sufficient light and amusing matter to
satisfy all readers.
The Idler contains a good assortment of articles.
" Bagot's Youth " progresses favorably, as far as his
initiation into Bohemianism is concerned. The
memoir of Bolingbroke is carried down to
his final rupture with the Stuarts ; and the other
continuous subject, namely, " Eminent Modern
Writers," is this month represented by the la-
mentably weak Biographer of Mr. Disraeli. But
perhaps the two most noticeable articles are
" London Cliques and Coteries," and a letter to
Lord Stanley on a cheap press. From the former we
quote the following :

If I were an enterprising publisher—which I am glad to
say lam not—l would bring out a Biographical Dictionary
in opposition to Mr. Bowie's capital collection of recipro-
cal puffs, the " Men of the Time," and I would call my
set " The Failures." Dr. Johnson remarked, when
pressed to give some account of his early struggles when
he led an economical lite about town, " Sir, there is no-
thing interesting iu the annals of poverty." This is not
altogether true. We like to hear of Caesar in the Queen's
Bench of the period—of Napoleon One in an attic—of Na-
poleon Three in the pit of the Opera, London—of Mr.
Lemon in trade, amiably distributing pleasant half and-
half—and of similar antecedents in the early careers of
other great personages.

The article on Ruskin is written with great earnest-
ness, though we certainly do not agree with all the
author's conclusions.

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVE 1).,-Ai RIL 3.
BOOKS.

Peter Simple. Captain Marryat. 'Routledge
Poems. lsa. Blackwootls
Contemporary Memoirs qf Russia. Longmans
Manual of Moral Philosophy. Ditto

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