The Press.
London, England, 1858-12-18 00:00:00

1858.

more entitled to the birth for repeating history
backwards, or rather translating it into the oppo.
site. Mr. BRIGHT may be quite at ease on the
subject of hazarding his historic renown.
Does he mean to teach that the reputation he
may hazard is that which he has accumulated
by bringing in bills into Parliament, and seeing
them pass into law ? Hansard is silent on his
exploits in this matter ; the newspapers know
nothing of his Parliamentary triumphs, llis
reputation is yet to be gained, not lost. We do
not envy the man of Birmingham his coming
laurels—their fragrance, verdure, or weight. 11
his past be the key to his future—if antecedents
furnish any elements of prophecy—if the plat-
forms of Birmingham and Manchester reflect any
rays of the forethrown light of his anticipated
glories—we venture to predict, if we may we
plain language, that he will put his foot into it.
He may talk glibly and plausibly, and affect to
be the mouthpiece of millions, and demand for
" manhood " a suffrage, which the upholders of
order, law, and social and national well-being
will, whether Whig or Conservative, refuse. Ile
may rouse passions which he cannot lay, and con-
vulse the masses whom he can never satisfy, hut
he will neither gain the reputation he desires,
nor hazard a reputation he has not, by bringing
in and carrying through a bill based on the
principles, or rather the unprincipled demands,
which he has made in his recent political explo-
sions.

DISCOVERERS OF TIIE UNREAL.

THERE are some gentlemen who ara wonderfully
clever at new discoveries. It is not that they are
highly scientific—they never make any discoveries
in that line; but they have a strong moral scent
by which they detect, with amazing quickness,
another class of existences. With the best pos-
sible intentions—yea, with a jealousy for the
right and the true which does them the greatest
honour—they not unfrequently astonish the
world with discoveries of things, indeed, which
ordinary mortals would never suspect, much less
be able to bring to ligh t. The only drawback is
that their science admits not of so vulgar yet
necessary a thing as demonstration. It fails
indeed usually even of moral proof to any other
persons than themselves, or others like disposed.
We are required to believe it all upon their bare
assertion. Thus it resolves itself into this one
proposition—that credence is for the credulous.
Were it not the fact that the greater part of man-
kind never reflee., or take the trouble to make
inquiry, such philosophers would find very few
followers. But unfortunately nothing more is
needed than for a thing to be
positively asserted
in order for it to be believed by numbers; and
thus the false conclusion gains credit, and not only
so, but realizes the poet's description of fame or
report—crescit eundo. Hence, what is the em-
ployment of one half of the public press but to
correct false statements or false conclusions of the
other half? Happy is it if only truth prevails at
last.

Among adepts at discovery of the kind to
which we have alluded, we are sorry to be
obliged to class some of our best and most reli-
gious men. Through their own special organs,
they are constantly putting the public upon a
wrong scent. It was only the other day Lord
STANLEY, in an address of his to the young
cadets at Addiscombe who are just going out to
India, happened to say that to any " English
"gentleman in India there is no such thing as
" private life; " and at once some of our watchers
to "make a man an offender for a word," dis-
cover an intention on the part of the Govern-
ment to padlock the mouth. and fetter the free
action of every Englishman who henceforth holds
or takes office in India. in regard to the promo-
tion of Christianity. Now, our belief is that this
is the veriest mare's-nest in the world. All that
Lord STANLEY evidently intended was, to remind
these young men that any conduct on their part

„ . , • , ‘,. - - . , ,
_ _ ... •
on the
1228 Tll E P 1 ES S, DECEMBER 18, 1858.
more entitled to the bir,lllforrepeatinghistory
site. wmardr.s,Boßruthemr theatyrabneslaqtiunigteitaitnteoase
'WARD Lrrros shows us the elder Caxton ' lactery and pronouncing the shibboleth, and in
whichte.ach. thathe thehas reputationaccumulated
ng to reform the unbelieving mind of a
and seeing
secret laughing at that straitlaced and easy-
subject of hazarding his historic renown. oppo.
ical politician, by enlarging on the value of principled sect. How far his dabbling in Reform
'n-bag worn at the pit of the stomach ; but
Bills may be inconsistent with the creed of his
ge was to take place, not from the bag maDy'oehaszahrdemiseatnha to
by bringing in bills into Parliament,
co-religionists we are unable to guess. But of
from faith in the bag. The illustration
this we aresure,—that, should he lose his whole
' to the spirit of Irish popular move- them pass into law ? Hansard is silent on his
reputation as a Quaker, he will not weigh six
sited Irishman, the Agitator of the exploits in this matter ; the newspapers know
ounces less avoirdupois. nothing of his Parliamentary triumphs. lik
rpe, the Young Irelander, the
Does he mean his reputation as an English- reputation is yet to be gained, not lost. We do
ejector, each and all of them
man ? 'What is it ? Where is it ? Has he not not envy the man of Birmingham his coming
'lion-hags, and shown great denounced in virulent invective—mistaken for laurels—their fragrance, verdure, or weight. i
nething great” was always his past be the key to his future—if antecedents
eloquence by the Morning Star—all that makes furnish prophecy—if any elements of h 1
yen confederacy or secretthe plat-
up the strength and reflects the glory of Eng- forms of Birmingham and Manchester reflect any
whatever it may be,
land? Ile has denounced the Peerage as effete, rays of the forethrown light of his anticipateddark treason, or a glories—we venture to predict, if we may use
and insinuated, if not argued, that the submer-
ing, and several join plain language,
.that he will put his foot into it.
sion of that ancient asylum of justice and freedom
` something great '' . He may talk glibly and plausibly, and affect to
- in the muddy waters of the fierce democracy be the mouthpiece of
millions, and demand for
`torneys' clerks in
would be a consummation and a benefit devoutly " manhood " a suffrage, which the upholders of
h, trusting, like
to be desired. He has represented the English order, law, and social and national well-being
will turn up,„ "adulterous breed"—ignorant Episcopacy as an will, whether Whig or Conservative, refuse. Ile
alcohol and may rouse passions which he cannot lay, and con-
oose ste as he is, or unmindful as he ought not to be, of a vulse the masses whom he can never satisfy, hut
p.
-
fact, patent in every chapter of our history, that, he will neither gain the reputation he desires,
credulity
with all their faults, the Bishops have written nor hazard a reputation he has not, by
bringing
nen at in and carrying through a hill
.based on the
those defences and vindications of our religion
ween principles, or rather the unprincipled demands,
which the highest continental scholarship has
Ind which he has made in his recent political explo-
been the first to recognize, while as a whole they sions.
have allied themselves with the broadest interests
of the nation. When our country felt called DISCOVERERS OF TIIE UNREAL.
,pon to unsheathe the sword, and our dearest and THERE are some gentlemen who an. wonderfully
'pest feelings and character were " jeoparded clever at new discoveries. It is not that they are
the high places of the field," it was his highly scientific—they never make any discoveries
A and delight to disparage his country, to in that line; but they have a strong moral scent
'e her sense of duty as Quixotism, and to by which they detect, with amazing quickness,
masses by exaggerated pictures of the another class of existences. With the best pos-
f war. His mean and mercenary sible intentions—yea, with a jealousy for the
led duty at so many shillings—pre- right and the true which does them the greatest
I though dishonourable peace to a
inevitable war. No public man " k
onour—they not unfrequently astonish the
contempt and scorn at that day. world with discoveries of things, indeed, which
Are unpopular, even with the ordinary mortals would never suspect, much less
in his only force lay. Ili
---s be able to bring to ligh t. The only drawback is
'ic life became a necessity, if
that their science admits not of so vulgar yet
~ lie has now emerged
her a wiser nor a better necessary a thing as demonstration. It fails
the popularity he had indeed usually even of moral proof to any other
•-• conduct, by making persons than themselves, or others like disposed.
`er speeches which
We are required to believe it all upon their bare
oderate of his sup-
Ans of the more assertion. Thus it resolves itself into this one
In the judg- proposition—that credence is for the credulous.
s not hazarded Were it not the fact that the greater part of man-
had left him. kind never reflee. or take the trouble to make
hazarding ,
Bill. it inquiry, such philosophers would find very few
wer, and followers. But unfortunately nothing more is
needed than for a thing to be positively asserted
,a
ion in order for it to be believed by numbers; and
n- thus the false conclusion gains credit, and not only
n so, but realizes the poet's description of fame or
report—crescit eundo. Hence, what is the em-
ployment of one half of the public press but to
,rrect false statements or false conclusions of the
er half? Happy is it if only truth prevails at
'ng adepts at discovery of the kind to
re have alluded, we are sorry to be
class some of our best and most reli-
Through their own special organs,
3tantly putting the public upon a
't was only the other day Lord
address of his to the young
Abe who are just going out to
say that to any-
" English
there is no such thing as
Ace some of our watchers
nder for a word," dis-
lart of the Govern-
And fetter the free
henceforth holds
1 to the promo-
lief is that this
Id. All that
I, to remind
their part