The Press.
London, England, 1854-05-06 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

sidered there was nothing to hinder our Duke of Wellington
steaming up the Neva and flinging her ultimatum into the
windows of the Winter Palace. The prevalence of the
dread of such a terrific parody of Prince Menzikoffs antics
at the Golden Horn is, of course, partly ascribable to the
natural ignorance of courtiers and slaves. But this expla-
nation will nut apply to other symptoms of nervousness
pointing to the same quarter, and exhibited in high places.
His Imperial Majesty some time since planned a mortar
battery for the defence of the palace of Peterhof, which,
however, could only be insulted by an enemy who had taken
Cronstadt. More recently he gave orders for the fortifica-
tion of the point of the Vassili•Oatrof, one of the islands on
which St. Petersburg is built. Resolutions of this kind,
even if not carried out, indicate the current of ideas in the
mind of a personage not incompetent to form an opinion
on such subjects.'•
The writer promises on a future occasion to discuss
the very interesting question of the relative strength
of stone walls and line-of-battle ships propelled by
steam. No precedents exist: Copenhagen and even
Acre are inapplicable since the screw and Excellent
gunnery have wrought a revolution in our naval
force. May we suggest that the solution of the
problem depends very little on the difference between
wood and stone, but much on these points ? Can
casemates be ventilated so well as a ship ? is gunnery
so perfect that an object so small as a cannon can be
struck to any degree of certainty? which can con-
centrate the greater number of guns on a given
point—land forts or ships? We are glad to notice in
this article an absence of any desire to underrate
the real force of Russia. Under the head of
" Gallinaceana " we have a pleasant chapter on
pheasants, displaying some learning and much
knowledge of the subject. The writer accounts
in a manner which seems satisfactory for those tales
about " cocks eggs " which are prevalent in rural
districts :
" Sir Philip Egerton, to whom science is so much in-
debted for the light which he has contributed to throw on
fossil fishes, the structure of the extinct saurian, and other
branches of zoology, had, at Oulton Park, a hen pheasant
which had, almost entirely, put on the livery of a cock and
laid a full complement of eggs in her nest, from which she
was driven by the curiosity of spectators who came to behold
the extraordinary sight."
This change of plumage seems to accompany a decay
in the power of forming eggs. Those "cock's" eggs which
we have seen were about the size of a pigeon's, and
were all destitute of yolk. Some years since we
found one in Hyde Park, but in farmyards they are
not uncommon. " General Bounce " is much im-
proving : the chapter in the present number is worthy
of the author of " Digby Grand." The political
articles are " Lord John's Sacrifice " and " Party
Government."

THE best article in the Dublin University Magazine
for the present month is the original memoir of
the gallant Colonel Cameron, who fell at Quatre
Bras. Some of our northern readers knew him
better by his hereditary title of " Fossifern," while
even southerns remember him in the lines of Sir
Walter Scott :

" And proud Ben Nevis hear with awe
How upon bloody Quatre Bras
Brave Cameron heard the wild hurrah
Of conquest, as he fell !"

It is a long time since we read so interesting a mili-
tary sketch, and it is deserving of republication.
Recent translations of Dante are reviewed at consi-
derable length, and "Sir Jasper Carew" still lum-
bers along in the present number. There is a genial
notice of the late Professor Wilson, evidently from a
Scottish pen, and written with an energy that would
have pleased "Christopher North" himself. The
paper on "French Dramatists " is very uninterest-
ing, and is only a compilation. On the whole the
present University is a heavy number.

A VERY long article on Anastatius Griin, " an Aus-
trian poet," opens the current number of Tait. His
poetry appears to be of the ballad kind, and the
form of it not unlike some of our own historical
songs. The most amusing paper in Tait for this
month is "Wanted the Police," in which the critics
are urged to do summary justice upon certain recent
poetasters of the flowery school. In the notice of a
recent work on " The London Pulpit" we regret to
see some very gross personality, of a style that has
long been extinct in periodical literature.

Fuou the National Temperance Chronicle, No. 35,
we learn that Father Gavazzi has incurred the dis-
pleasure of the " Total-Abstinence" Society by ex-
pressing his disapprobation of the " Maine Liquor
Law ; " also that
" the late Judge Talfourd having once requested M.
Kossuth to drink wine with him, the latter politely declined,
saying that he never drank wine, upon which (we regret to
add) the judge uttered his surprise that the brilliant orations
of the former could have been composed and delivered with-
out a resort to wine. But why this surprise ? M. K os-
suth's speeches had not been singular in this respect. The
orations of Demosthenes and the Paradise Lost' were
not indebted for their inspiration to the stimulus of wine."

SATURDAY,

Loose reports of casual conversations should not be
printed as the solemn expressions of deliberate
opinions: it misleads, and may injure the young.
In this instance the probability is that the late lamented
judge made a classical or poetical allusion to the in-
spiration of the grape.

Orr's Circle of the Sciences, No. 19, contains much
information on the " Varieties of the Human Species."
In these cheap editions of scientific works it is always
well, if possible, to give the name of the author. This
is by Robert Gordon Latham, M.D., F.R.S.

Household Medicine and Surgery, &c., being No. V.
of " Orr's Household Handbooks;" gives useful di-
rections in a popular form for the treatment of the
numerous ailments and accidents to which flesh is
heir—how to bleed, how to recover persons nearly
drowned, and sick-room management, cookery for in-
valids, and the like.

[We are compelled to omit our list of Books, &c., received. ]

tint arts.

ROYAL ACADEMY.
IF we had given our opinion on the contents of the
Royal Academy after the first hurried glance that the
" private view" affords, disturbed as it always must
be with conversations, salutations, and interruptions
of every sort, it would not have materially differed
from that which repeated visits have obliged us to
form. Our own impression seemed pretty generally
shared by the public, that the exhibition was de-
cidedly inferior to most of those which we have lat-
terly been accustomed to see in these rooms. We
miss several popular names from the catalogue
altogether, and we observe with still greater regret
that several which do appear are unworthily repre-
sented. _

Vv
We have a still larger proportion than usual of
green and grey landscapes. We never remember
to have seen so many ladies fixing eyes of super-
natural size upon us with flattering earnestness,
but, in spite of all the charms of innocent coquetry,
or even of maternal tenderness, exhibited by ladies
in ball dresses, surrounded by groups of children,
like the figures of Charity,—in spite of blue satin,
pink velvet, rustic bonnets, nosegays, shawls, and
jewels, we cannot think the artists have done justice
either to their sitters or to themselves. We have gal-
lant generals and young cornets, stiff in frogs, em-
broidery, lace, and feathers ; we have statesmen
looking wise, authors intense, and lawyers witty; but
in all, or nearly all, we want the Promethean touch
which gives the lite. We miss the variety, taste, and
spirit which render portraits interesting to persons
unacquainted with the originals, and we do not even
find the striking effect, chastened colouring, and ap-
propriate detail upon which we have often found occa-
sion to compliment our best portrait-painters.
The portrait which has undoubtedly given the
most general satisfaction is that of Lord John Russell,
by Mr. Francis Grant. It is painted with the most me-
ritorious care, and the likeness is well preserved ;
and, though we think the colouring a little feeble,
and the tone monotonous, we heartily concur in a re-
mark we have repeatedly heard, that Mr. Grant has
represented his friend (Lord John has himself
honoured him with that appellation) as he would
wish to be handed down to posterity—he has taken
fifteen years from his age, and added six inches to
his stature.
The portrait of Mr. Macaulay (No. 69), banging op-
posite, by the same artist, is perhaps happier as a re-
semblance—it is certainly less flattering. We have
only to regret a slight degree of feebleness in the
colour, a defect from which few of Mr. Grant's pic-
tures are altogether free. " His Imperial Majesty
Napoleon 111." (N o. 14), by Mr. J. G. Middleton, an
imposing full-length, and hung in a conspicuous place,
has been praised as a pleasing instance of the can-
dour and liberality of the august sitter, who has ho-
noured an Englishman with his patronage. We
regret that such liberality should not have been better
rewarded. The attitude is stiff and tasteless, the
countenance has nothing open or intellectual, the
colouring is monotonous and displeasing, and the
landscape in which the figure stands wants nature
and elect.
Sir Watson Gordon, whose portraits we admired
so much in the last exhibition, and to whom we had
such pleasure in offering our tribute of admiration,.
has greatly disappointed us in his performance of
the present year. His portrait of the Lord Jusucc-
General of Scotland (No. 58) has few of his charac •
teristic excellences. He has attempted a richer and
more luxuriant tone of colour, and has failed. The
drapery is stiff and ill-cast, and the figure wants
ease. We have sometimes admired the dexterity of
this clever painter in producing a fine portrait from
an unpromising subject; on the present occasion we
should think he has not done justice to regular
features and a powerful expression. No. 33, "My