The Press.
London, England, 1854-07-22 00:00:00

688

is, let us study them. They can help to cure us of what
is, it seems to me, the great vice of our intellect,
manifesting itself in our incredible vagaries in literature,
in art, in religion, in morals ; namely, that it is fantastic,
and wants sanity. Sanity—that is the great virtue of the
ancient literature : the want of that is the great defect of
the modern, in spite of all its variety and power. It is im-
possible to read carefully the great ancients without losing
something of our caprice and eccentricity ; and to emulate
them we must at least read them.
We need not add to our former remarks upon
Mr. Arnold's theory of poetry, but, with
reference to his notions about " sanity " being
the necessary consequence of classical models,
wo might inquire how far Burns, Scott, and
Crabbe were indebted to ancient literature ;
and, on the other hand, allowing full credit to
his genius, we may doubt whether Mr. Arnold
himself would say that " sanity " was a spe-
cial feature in the poetry of Coleridge, who
probably was more familiar with classical
literature, than any of our eminent poets since
Milton and Cowley.

History of Europe from the Fall of Napoleon in
1815 to the Accession of Louis Napoleon in
1852. By Sir Archibald Alison, Bart., D.C.L.
London : Blackwood and Suns.
[second Notice.)
Oisx-eaLT of Sir Archibald's last volume deals
with the Greek insurrection, and the invasion
of Turkey by the Russian armies in 1827-8—
events to which those of the last two years
have given an especial interest, and which are
nowhere more fully or more lucidly detailed.
Of his narrative, interesting as it is, we give
no abridgment here, partly by reason of its
length, partly also because it has already be
come familiar to readers through the medium
of innumerable publications. The historian's
survey of the Turkish empire, his summary of
its position and prospects, and his views on
the Eastern question generally—expressed as
these are with the impartiality of one who
writes for future time—deserve all the space
we can afford them.
The peculiarity of the Ottoman Government
consists in the variety of nations over which
it extends. From earliest ages Turkey has
been a seat of war. Persians, Romans, Goths,
Vandals, Russians, Arabs, with many more of
less note, have fought, conquered, and colo-
nised within its limits. The Greek, the Alba-
nian, the Wallachian, the Servian, and the
Egyptian, all own a different origin, and dis-
play a peculiar character. None of these
races, even at the present day, is wholly
merged in any other; and diversity of descent
and customs is thus found superadded to
what in other countries has been found the
great difficulty of statesmen—contrariety of
religious belief among the governed. But,
though to rule well a people whose component
parts have so little in common be difficult,
their very want of homogeneity makes it
easier to govern them in some fashion ; while
the very physical nature of the country they
inhabit, divided by mountain ranges, and un-
traversed by roads, adds to this facility.
Under such circumstances, a ruling class com-
paratively small in number, but occupying all
the fortresses, exclusively trained to use arms,
imposing tribute on their fellow-subjects, and
strongly impressed both with religious zeal
and a sense of the necessity of co-operation
for their common security, may, without any
extraordinary display of either courage or
skill, retain its power long, and exercise it
boldly. Such seems to be actually the posi-
tion of Turkey. Until lately, no standing
army worthy the name existed ; for it was
held that every Mahometan ought to be a sol-
dier, and the boast has been made good on
many trying occasions. The Romans relied
on their disciplined legions, and the prestige
of their name, to keep remote provinces iu
subjection; the East India Company wisely
represses all tendencies towards Christian
fanaticism, keeps religious questions as much
as possible in the background, and trusts to
--wer of military training, and the absence
- the people, for the fide-
Osmanli system, purely
from both, resembling,
.ibald, the Norman rule
sixty thousand horsemen
at Winchester to overawe
In Turkey, to fight, and

the power of military tr
of patriotism among 1
ri• lit -ofliFT tepoft; the
Ipl/4differs
.n...y'` %,.,"`..; 11, -)"'• -z r rch]
iw..4-IP-. -1• ..7-t 0111""h4r , Hi.
(r.,*?-••'-'ir f-114 , at
, ,05 i -
i.........
• I .... ~ • J
X ,
• ' lie 4-. '.
liaava-_--; 1/41 r '