The Press.
London, England, 1857-02-07 00:00:00

PERIODICAL LITERATURE.

Blackwood this month is especially good. The
first article is upon "The War in Asia," and urges
the adoption of vigorous measures to counteract the
progress of Russia in that part of the world. The
convict question receives admirable treatment in two
articles, one especially devoted to the subject, en-
titled "Tickets of Leave," and the other called
" Letters from a Lighthouse," being a bird's-eye
view of the most interesting and pressing social and
political topics. "From Pent to Bucharest" is a
lively traveller's sketch. "Scenes of Clerical Life,"
No. 11., is very good ; " Lord St. Leonards," a critical
and clever summary of that great lawyer's career,
and vindicating for him a position among the great
legal luminaries of modern times. The story of "The
Athelings," which had begun to flag a little, now re-
covers itself, and this month we have a very stimu-
lating instalment.
Fraser commences with an article Iby Mr!,Frou le,
in which deep thoughts are clothed in precise lan-
guage, and a vigorous style is not gained at the
expense of candour. The name of the paper is
" Gleanings from the Record-office," and the pur-
pose of it to show that the accounts handed down to
us of the condition of the monasteries at the time
of the Reformation are not so exaggerated as some
writers have been willing to suppose. But the most
valuable part of the article will be found in the
opening pages, and in Mr. Froutle's reflections upon
the mistaken verdicts which a later age is so liable
to pass upon a prior one. The following remarks de-
serve attention :
Historians are fond of recording the supposed suffer.
ings of the poor in the days of serfdom and villanage; yet
the records of the strikes of the last ten years, when told
by the sufferers, contain pictures no less fertile in tragedy.
NVe speak of famines and plagues under the Tudors and
Stuarts; but the Irish famine, and the Irish plague of
1547, the last page of such horrors which has yet been
turned over,ia the most horrible or all. Wo can conceive a
description of England during the year which has just
closed over us, true in all its details, containing no one
statement which can be challenged, no single exaggeration
which can be proved. Aud this description, if given with-
out the correcting traits, shall make ages to cyme marvel
why the Cities of the Plant were destroyed, and England
was allowed to survive. The frauds of trusted men, high
in power anti high in supposed religion; the wiwleinlc

SATURDAY,

poisonings ; the robberies ; the adulteration of food—nay,
of almost everything exposed for sale—the cruel usage of
women—children murdered for the burial fees—life and pro.
perty insecure in open day iu the open streets—splendour
such as the world never saw before upon earth, with vice
and squalor crouching under its walls—let all this bo
written down by an enemy, or let it be ascertained here.
after by the investigation of a posterity which desires to
judge us as we generally have judged our forefathers, and
few years will show darker in the English annals than tho
year Is bleb has so lately closed behind us. Yet we know,
in the honesty of our hearts, how unjust such a picture
would be. Our future advocate, if we are so happy as to
find cne, may not be able to disprove a single article iu
the indictment—and yet we know that, as the world goes,
he will be right if he marks the year with a white stroke—
as one in which, on the whole, the moral harvest was
better than an average.

"The Interpreter " progresses favourably. " The
Three Numbers " is an exciting story of a highly
melodramatic character, with a moral showing the
result of keeping criminals in their own country.
" A Christmas Week at Giasgow " is a genial and
appetising article, though we had an idea there was
more liquor drank there. " Little Lessons for Little
Poets " is a sc.und critical article which we have
read with the greatest satisfaction, and we sincerely
trust the writer will follow it up by another equally
wholesome dose, much required by certain other
little poets whom a careful system of puffing, both
printed and private, has blown out to within an inch
of bursting.

The Dublin University Magazine has various good
articles upon popular subjects. " What Shall we Do
with the Poison Trade " is a useful and well-timed
contribution. The account of the Prussian army,
supposing the facts to be correct, is w€ll put together ;
and the review of the Staff Officer's " Letters," as
an epitome of the arguments in Lord Raglan's
favour, and an attempt to come to some impartial
conclusion on the conduct of the press, will, we
should think, prove useful to most readers. "The
Fortunes of Glencore" grows very interesting : the
character of Sir Horace Upton may be a little over-
done, but on the whole the tale has a combination
of incidents, surprises, and good characterisation,
which must insure lasting popularity. Most of the
other articles are quite sufficiently good to maintain
the character of the magazine ; but there are one or
two not quite of that calibre we are accustomed to
expect from a periodical of this standing.
Bentley contains a continuation of Mr. Dudley
Costello's story entitled " The Millionaire of Minc-
ing-lane." To judge from these first two numbers the
tale will be one of high interest, and is in our opinion
no bad exchange for Mr. Ainsworth's " Spendthrift."
" Napoleon the Third " is a review of Dr. Veron's
recent work. The Doctor is sharply chas-
tised for his impertinence. " The Red Court
Farm " is a very good tale, exactly the thing fur
magazine readers. The sketch of Mrs. Glover, by
'F. P. Grinsted, is pleasant reading, though we see
no reason why it might not have been rather fuller,

The Monthly Review has an entertaining account
of French society before the Revolution ; a rather
indignant essay upon Mr. Thackery's philosophy;
a review of " Boswell's Letters," and of Mr. Ruskin
on the Turner Gallery. Science is represented by
an article on the " Suez Canal and Euphrates Rail-
way," and another on " Dr. Kane's Arctic Expbra-
tions ;" religion by a paper on " Church Exten-
sion," and politics by one on the " Persian War," of
which we can only say that a writer who undertakes
to sot everybody to rights in so decisive a fashion is
bound to go into the question at rather g:eater
length than two or three pages, and to condescend
to the material aid of fact.. and arguments before he
can hope to influence the public. On the whole the
review keeps its ground as by far the most promis-
ing of all the younger periodicals.

The New Monthly opens with a very amusing,
gossipping article about " The Baths of Lucca." We
should be glad if our space permitted us to give some
extracts ; as it is, we can only recommend it to the
attention of our readers. " Five Thousand a Year,"
by the author of " Ashley," is rather a pointless tale,
the illness of Mrs. Grainger, at the commencement,
which is made so much of, having nothing whatever
to do witl► the story. We have a good review of
" Marmont's Memoirs," and a tolerable account of
Wilkes and the North Briton business in Mr.
Andrews' " History of the Newspaper Press " ; but
this gentleman scarcely possesses the peculiar talent
suitable to the kind of work he has undetaken, and
fails in every number to do justice to his very
interesting and curious topic. "The Past Recess,"
by Cyrus Redding, is not more successful than
that gentleman's raids into the field of politics
usually are.

The London University Magazine scarcely fulfils
the promise with which it started. The articles are
too short. A newspaper article and a magazine
essay are essentially different things ; and we would
recommend the editor of this periodical to take
hint from the oldest and best of the class; /31aok

FEBRUARV 7, 1857.

rood, and to strive rather at real excellence on one
or two subjects, than to entice readers by a various
table of contents. The object defeats itself, for a
bad paper is not more readable because it is brief ;
and the more such are found within the two covers
the stronger is the impression conveyed of general
incompetency. The only good article in the number
is the review of Stanley's "Palestine," and that is
fifteen pages.

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.-FEB. 5.
BOOKS.

The lloyal Gallery of Art. Edited by S. C. Hall, F.S.A.
Calnaghi and Co.
The Philosophy of Common Life; or, the Science of Health.
John Seoffern, M. B. Ward and Lock
The Elah. Daravelia. Hardwicke
Episode on the War. Calder Campbell. Skeffington
The Fear Book of Facts in Science and Art. John Timba,
F.S.A. Bogue
How to Make Home Happy ; or, Hints and Cautions for AU.

W. Jones, F.S.A.
Natural Religion. M. Jules Simon. Translated by J. W.
Cole. Bentley
Lucy Aylmer. Author of " The Curate of Overton."

Bentley
History of the It in Afghanistan. John William Kaye.
Boutley

is puma.

PRURY•LANE THEATRE.

TREATIMAL audiences are easily pleased in the present
day. They possess a catholicity of taste which is all but
identical with its entire absence. Their charity is of that
all•embracing character which abolishes the distinction
between dramatic Good and Evil and accepts with the
same applause, and an unquestioning belief in the equal
excellence of the two—the refined wit of Sheridan, and
the heavy platitudes of the last " new and original "
three-act drama, the stolid buffooneries of some ponderous
low comedian, and the graceful and intelligent by-play
of a finished artist. It is beside our present purpose to
enter into an investigation of the causes of this tolerance.
The fact is patent to all unprejudiced observers ; and there
can be no better illustration of the truth of our position
than the success of an adaptation of Lea Memoirca de
Diable, recently produced at Drury Lane. Never was such
a dreary affair as the Black Book. It is more depressing
than a family dinner on Sunday in a serious family—duller
than Cambridge in the long vacation, and more solemn
than Harley-street at any period of the year. There is
not the faintest glimmer of wit in it from beginning to
end. All the jokes (three at the very outside) go off
like a damp squib ; a miserable puff, a gleam no brighter
than the glazed light in the eye of a frog in arlicido
mortis, and all is over, except the roar of delight with
which the audience greet the miserable exhibition. The
characters talk like shy young gentlemen, as if they felt
an overpowering necessity of saying something, and did
not exactly know what to say. They remind one of the
manager in " The Great Hoggarty Diamond ;•' you only
know tlo their faces when they are making a joke. The
main idea, that of giving a supernatural air to the prin-
cipal character by furnishing him with minute and mystc.
riot's information about the private affairs of the rascaldotn
of the play. which he employs in the rescue of distressed
Honesty, has been worn threadbare ; and the action
drags sadly in the early scenes, and is nearly stationary
until near the end of the last act. Yet, in spite of all these
gross defects, night after night the chief actors are called
before the curtain with as much enthusiasm as if they
had been playing the principal character in Sir Bulwer
Lytton'a Lady of Lyons, ur one of those brilliant " bits " of
comic dialogue with which Shirley Brooks used to delight
Lyceum audiences some twelve years since. If some
magnificent and unexpected national success had elevated
eke spirits of all London to a dangerous or even inconve-
•nient pitch of excitement, we could assign a reason for the
production of such dreary trash as this. The most violent
maniac might be depressed into tame rationality by one
visit to the Black Book. In lowering effect, the first two
acts are equivalent to a copious venesection ; while the
whole three might be administered, with good hope of
<success, in cases of insomnia resisting the most powerful
narcotics. The only difficulty would be in persuading
patients to repeat the application. Of course we are
•speaking of persons not habituated to theatrical amuse-
ments (!) It seems odd that the idea of employing the
drama as a hygienic agent should never have occurred to
the medical profession. The majority of the plays pro-
duced by " enterprising" managers are really good for
nothing else. yEathetically, they are worse than useless;
they are actively injurious. I'ublic taste is at so low an
ebb, that Shakespeare must be played to empty houses, or
as a mere appendage to splendid scenery and gorgeous
costume, except in the remote regions of Clerkenwell,
where Mr. Phelps still fills his little theatre by the ordinary
and legitimate attractions of good plays and tolerable act-
ing. All evil, according to some modern metaphysicians,
arises from the non•adaptatron of constitution to con-
ditions, or from some incompatibility between the organism
and the medium by which it is surrounded. This may be
very true in most cases ; but, unless what was called " bad
taste" in the last century be consieered no evil in the
present one, it is perfectly clear that the appreciative
faculty and the material which supplies it may be each

THE PRESS.

perfectly adapted to the other, and yet both unquestionably
bad. Both being so in the case before us, it remains to
consider what remedies are to be applied for their ame-
lioration. Meanwhile, we are quite sure that our sug-
gestion might be adopted with benefit to invalids; and we
look forward, with all the faith of discoverers, to the day
when a physician shilll send a private box instead of a pill-
box, or write an order for the theatre where he now Las-
guises in bad Latin the elements of a nauseous draught.

Corrtsponttutt.
THE FALKLAND ISLANDS.
TO THE EDITOR OF " THE PRESS."

Sir,—ln your two last numbers, supporting the
advocacy by Mr. Eddy of the eligibility of the Falk-
land Islands for a convict settlement, you quote
from my despatches to Sir John Pakington, in 1853,
reporting the increase in the price of land near the
town of Stanley, which appears to you to be incon-
sistent with the statement I lately made in reply to
Mr. Eddy's first letter in the Times. As I have had
no reason to change the opinions I expressed to Sir
John Pakington regarding the "favourable prospects
which the Falkland Islands afford to steady and
industrious emigrants," I will (as briefly as I can)
explain the circumstances to which you allude. The
town of Stanley, the seat of Government, is laid out
in'two lines of allotments, of half an acre each, on the
shore of the harbour. The fixed upset price of
these allotments is 501., or at the rate of 1001. per
acre. To occupy the frontage is a great advantage
to trading, but unimportant to the labouring classes ;
and the suburban lots, occupying the third line from
the water, being only valued according to the
Government regulations at 2/. per acre, some of the
working people who had made a little money were
anxious to acquire pieces of land on which they
could build and cultivate gardens. Hence the com-
petition, which rose the price to 121. per acre. In
no case, however, during my administration did the
price of rural land ever exceed the Government
upset price.
My recommendation of the Falklands to steady,
industrious emigrants, as the despatch shows, refers
to the class of town settlers who purchased the land
alluded to. In the town of Stanley there were during
the whole of my tenure of office, extending from
1848 to the close of 1835, always good opportunities
for a moderate number of artisans and workmen,
who found employment in a variety of ways, com-
prising repairs and refits of shipping, constructing of
houses, fences, raising vegetables, &0., on account
of the colonists ; and by the local Government in
works necessary for the convenience of the settlers
and shipping, including jetties, an iron lighthouse,
reservoir for water, slaughterhouse, wells, streets,
drains, barracks, and battery, .t c.
The question, however, at issue between Mr.
Eddy and myself is whether the climate and soil of
the Falklands are adapted for the employment and
ultimate settlement of say five or ten thousand con-
victs. The observations I have made have always
had reference to an extensive criminal settlement,
for which purpose I differ entirely with Mr. Eddy as
to their eligibility. I will not, however, discuss
theoretical speculations—facts are the foundation of
the statements I have made. From what Mr. Eddy
and others have written, it might be supposed that
the Falklands are an untried field for enterprise.
Let me, however, either remind or inform them that
about fifteen years ago a large awl well-formed ex-
pedition (called the Falklands Agricultural Associa-
tion) sailed for Port Louis, the site of the original
seat of Government, and one of the most favourable
situations in the colony, where agricultural and
grazing farms and fisheries were commenced with
no lack of means and no proved inefficiency of
management. Not a vestige of this company, ex-
eept some of their buildings, now remains. In 1846
Mr. Lafone, of Monte Video, contracted with her
Majesty's Government for the purchase of a large
tract of land, with the entire dominion over all the
wild cattle, horses, pigs, &c., in all of the islands. A
sum of 10,0001. was paid to her Majesty's Govern-
ment as the first instalment, and I was led to believe
that Mr. Lafone's wealth, energy, and acquaintance
with the South American cattle farming, would
enable him to accomplish the magnificent projects
which lie held out to her Majests's Government for
colonising the islands with graziers, fishermen, &c.
On my arrival at the Falkland islands, only two
years after this prospectus was issued, I found the
prospect beginning to cloud over, and a succession of
complaints of disappointment and losses were sent
to me for transmission to the Home Government,
praying for remission of terms of payment, .5.7 c.,
until Mr. Lafone finally disposed of the whole of his
interests and privileges to the Falkland Islands
Company, now his successors.
Mr. Eddy has quoted Captain Sulivan, R.N., as a
practical witness opposed to my views. His evidence
before the committee of the House of Lords on
transportation last session may be seen in conjunc-
tion with mine. Both are at considerable length. I
will, therefore, only transcribe one of his replies to

139

questions put to him on the general subject. The
committee present were Earl of Harrowby, chairman ;
Marquis of Salisbury, Earl Stanhope, Earl Delawarr,
Viscount Dungannon, Bishop of Oxford, and Lord
Colchester.

Chairman to Captain Suliven, Q. -041.---What induce-
ment is there which will draw to the Falkland Islands a
considerable free population and capital ?
A.—There is no inducement except grazing farms,
which will never employ a large population, and that is the
great drawback to it as a convict colony.
The report of the committee, fourth section, says :

That, according to the evidence laid before the com-
mittee, it would not be desirable to send convicts either to
Moreton Bay, or to the Red River, or to the Falkland
Islands.

In your first notice of Mr. Eddy's letter you
alluded to the favourable reports of Captain Fitzroy
and Lieutenant, now Captain, Sulivan of the eligibility
of the Falklands for a convict colony. Captain
Fitzroy never tested them practically : Captain
Sulivan, however, bas done so, and in some of his
answers to the Lords' committee he acknowledges
his want of success. On my appointment to the
governorship in 1847 Captain Sulivan called on me,
and said that it was his intention to follow me soon
after to the islands with some (,f his friends, who
were determined to establish grazing farms to a great
extent, as well as to carry on the fisheries, on both of
which pursuits a careful calculation on paper ap-
peared to hold out splendid returns. In a few months
I had the pleasure to welcome Captain Sulivan and a
numerous party, provided with all the requisites for
the purposes above mentioned. In less than four
years, however, I regret to say, the brilliant anticipa-
tions of Captain Sulivan and his friends, as to graz-
ing and breeding cattle, as well as fisheries, ended
in disappointment and heavy losses. I might add
descriptions of other individual failures; but is there
one of success to be pointed out? I know of none.
Capital, energy, talent, and knowledge have hitherto
failed in developing those capabilities which Mr.
Eddy and his supporters maintain exist in the Falk
land Islands. It appears to me they are bound to
prove that in the instances I have described incapa-
city must have largely prevailed, before they can
justly expect the public to believe that criminals
without capital, and probably every other qualifica-
tion for industrial purposes, have any chance of suc-
ceeding in a field which has hitherto been so unfruit
ful. The wild cattle succeeded well when left alone,
but every attempt yet made to tame and congregate
them in large numbers has failed, mainly, I believe,
from the poverty of the pasturage, which is unable
to maintain more than one animal for twenty.five to
thirty acres. Consequently, large herds will dete-
riorate from the great range they must graze over to
find food in sufficient quantity.
In giving publicity to those views, I have only
obeyed what appears to me to be a public duty, in
order that a vast expenditure should not be incurred
in founding a convict colony in an ineligible situation.
It is far, however, from my intention to depreciate
the value of the Falkland Islands as an appanage of
the greatest maritime nation. They form the key
to the western, as the Cape of Good Hope does to
the eastern, hemisphere. They abound with safe,
natural, and landlocked harbours: that of Stanley,
the principal settlement, is in fact a large dock, and
requires little more in addition to the wo:ks already
made than a patent slip, which I have repeatedly
urged her Majesty's Government to construct. I
showed in my first reply to Mr. Eddy that means of
repairing and refitting shipping had been provided,
but any additional accommodation of that descrip
tion would be most desirable. The small population
of the islands were supplied by rations sent annually
from England, which I stopped very soon after my
arrival there in 1848 ; and, although some uneasiness
was felt at first, the colonists, with a little assistance
from the local Government, were soon enabled by
importations, not only to provision themselves, but
to supply all the shipping which required replenish-
ment, up to the time I left the islands. Some mis-
apprehension exists as to the speed with which
repairs ought to be made at the Falklands. It some.
times happens that no damaged ship enters the
harbour for one or two months at a time : a tempest
off Cape Horn occurs, and several enter in a day.
1)o those gentlemen who cry out for shipyards,
docks, J:c , expect that shipwrights and artisans will
wait in great numbers for employment so casual ?
If they are kept there, it must be at the expense of
the Government ; and if fifty or sixty selected con-
victs, fitted to assist when required on work of this
kind, could be sent, I think their services might
occasionally be very useful. In my evidence before
the Lords. I stated, on the authority and by the per-
mission of Mr. Hunt, who was long resident at Monte
Video as Vice-Consul and acting Consul-General,
that the number of ships coming there for repairs
has very considerably diminished since the means of
refit were supplied at the Falkland Islands.
Mr. Eddy says (on what authority I know not)
that coal exists in the Falkland Islands. I can only
reply that I never heard of it; and the colonial

~_