The Press.
London, England, 1856-12-13 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

vinces in that quarter, and Promoting the trade ou the
Caspian. will he your motives for interfering to prevent the
north-western parts of Persia being disturbed ; while we
shall see in any troubles that disturb the southern and
eastern parts of that kingdom a cneck to our profitable
trade with the Gulf, and discover in your coming across
the Arras (whatever be the professed object) a dangerous
approximation to our possessions in the East. That all
this will eventually happen I have no doubt. Besides the
natural action of a great military empire, there is (as my
whole life has given me all opportunity of observing) an
impelling power upon civilisation when in contact with
barbarism that cannot be resisted. These combined
causes will bring Russia forward, and there is no nation
more constitutionally jealous than one which, like Great
Britain, has its greatness in a considerable degree
grounded upon extended commerce. Besides, the wisest of
nations, or at least those who hare the greatest reputation for
wisdom, have a tendency to create evils, by an anticipation if
them, that mocks all calculation.

There is no subject upon which all my reasoning powers
(such as they are) have been more exercised than on that
of the relative interests of our respective countries regard-
ing Persia ; and the result is a conviction that as our
policy must always be defensive in that quarter, it can
never give serious alarm to your Court; and the latter,
whether we consider the unproductiveness of the soil, or
the character of the inhabitants of Persia. can have no ob-
ject in advancing beyond sour present limits; and the
peace of all within them can be easily maintained and pro-
moted, particularly with an increased openness and good
understanding of our Iwo nations respecting their mutual
interests in this part of Asia.
. _

In considering this question, I have never entered into
the irrational project of an invasion of India, because,
whatever alarm men might endeavour to produce by talk-
ing of, or even making preparation for, such an expedition,
I have been always convinced that the obstacles were of a
magnitude that must prevent its ever being carried into
execution.

In 1826, when Russia and Persia were at
war, Malcolm, who was then in England,
laboured to impress on the Government the
necessity of affording support to Persia, or at
least of attempting to mediate between the
parties, so as to compose the quarrel. He
addressed himself particularly to the Duke of
Wellington. The Duke wrote a letter, full of
practical sagacity, to Mr. Canning, then at the
head of the Foreign-office. He wrote :

We have a real interest in the preservation of the inde-
pendence and integrity of the Persian monarchy, and the
existence of this interest is well known in Russia as well
as throughout Europe. It will not answer then to allow
the Persian monarchy to he destroyed, particularly upon
a case of which the aggression and injustice are un-
doubtedly on the side of the Russians. The real well-
understood interest of the Emperor of Russia in this
case is likewise to keep the King of Persia in a state of
independence and respectability, if not as a barrier be-
tween him and India, at least as one between the Russian
dominions and the wild •gibes of Mahomedans in that part
of Asia. I think, therefore, that you will not find the
Emperor disinclined to listen to your counsels upon this
subject.

Canning was too busy with the politics of
Europe to care for Asia. He called the
Persian treaty " a most unlucky effort of
" negotiation," and intimated his opinion that
we were not called on to interfere. Malcolm
observed to the Duke, on the correspon-
dence :--

I most cordially concur in your opinion as to the interest
we have in keeping Persia in a state of independence and
respectability ; and the interest of Russia is the same,
though I much doubt that Court continuing to view this
subject in the light we do.

Are these opinions of the Duke of Welling-
ton and Malcolm entitled to weight? Cer-
tainly it appears to be our interest to support
the Persian kingdom, as the most effectual
barrier between Russia and our Indian pos-
sessions that the nature of circumstances
admits of. How then does this policy consist
with our meditated attack on Persia ? Can
we hope, by hostilities against this only State
in Central Asia of any real power, to preserve
its " integrity and independence''? If the
war proceeds, shall we not compel Persia to
look to Russia for support? Whatever turn
the contest may take, it must tend to weaken
the power and impair the independence of
Persia ; and exactly as we succeed in effect-
ing either of these objects, we shall be acting
against our own interests.

One observation of the Duke on the po►ver
of Russia has been so significantly fulfilled as
to deserve notice :

Take my word for it that, notwithstanding their
[Russia's] million in arms—or rather in congequenee of
their million in atmx,—they are not better prepared for
win' than their neighbours, end have more cause than
others to dread its consequences.

(To be continual.)

•••••••

SATURDAY,

Pen and Pencil Pictures. By Thomas Hood.
London : Hurst and Blackett.
THIS volume is interesting as the first step
before the public of a literary aspirant, whose
name ought to be a passport to every admirer
of genius. " His father's son "is a flattering
introduction, though too provocative of con-
trast. Young " Tom Hood " possesses a
various range of gifts. He has a flow of sweet
sentiment, which sometimes becomes girl-
ish, but is gracefully uttered; he has keen
comic perceptions, and his wit plays with
some lambert brightness, though it rarely
sparkles and never blitzes. his style, indeed,
possesses only too much of
the ease
Which marks facility to please.
He has more versatility than depth, more
culture than force. He is naturally bright
and joyous, and it strikes us, after an attentive
consideration of these juvenilia, if " Tom
Hood " trained his pen for song-writing,
that he would find the most natural outlet for
the " gushing " character of his mind.
We have not heart to criticise the book of
a young man whose name is " Tom Hood."
At such a title the critical scales hang lazily,
the judgment being balanced by the affections.
The volume takes us back to the time when Ma-
caulay and Praed were young men about the
Inns of Court, and whenT.Hood, Charles Lamb,
and Hamilton Reynolds, along with Hazlitt
and many more, were writing joyously in
the lighter magazines We are made to think
of " The Annuals " and their songs and
scraps of pathos and poetry. The volume is
not, however, equal to the juvenilia of Praed.
It wants distinctive, sharp-cutting style, and
we are too much put in mind of Longfellow
and the elder Hood. We rejoice to say that
we do not observe a trace of Carlyleism in its
pages.
There are nearly sixty pieces, long and
short, in the volume, and we think that those
with the puns and " wit" are worst, and those
with poetical aspirations aro the best. The
" Home of Romance" thus commences :
Romance—a queen dethroned—sits
Within her ancient halls :
The ivy slowly creeps and climbs
About the crumbling walls:
Her fading splendour all around,
Like dying sunbeam, falls.
A dreary solitude and still
Fills those deserted rooms,
Whose mouldering tapestry is mock'd
By dusty cobweb-looms;
While rotting fungus bluely lights
Their sad and solemn glooms.
In the once•merry banquet•hall
The grey owl nightly chatints;
Within the turrets, dark and drear,
The bats have made their haunts;
And, where the banner spreads its folds,
The blood-red wall-flower flaunts!
This is " The Haunted House " over again,
some of our readers may think; yet not en-
tirely so. After a long and artistic descrip-
tion of the " home," the poem thus ends
But while she sits forlorn—as one
Who never may rejoice—
Throughout that castle old and dark,
The dwelling of her choice—
Through those still chambers, dim and drear,
There sounds a solemn Voice !
" The New becometh Old—the Night v
Retreats before the Day—
In turn new Cycles must arrive,
In turn must pass away!
The Past had beauties—Present Time
Has charms as fair as they !
And, if no more ye hear of deeds
Of gay and gallant knight,
Earth hath her heroes still, who strive
In silence for the Right—
Unheralded—to battle come
Truth—Patience—Firmness—Might! "
Where " Tom Hood " affects a moral mood
he does not succeed so well. Thus the follow-
ing piece, though printed as " poetry," is
merely prose, in spite of its sentimental man-
nerism :

THE PILOT AND THE STAR.
saw a pilot seated at the helm
Of a small shallop, that hi:ceasing toiled
Against the tide. Within the Heavens there shone
A single star, to which the mariner
Ind steer his course. Its glittering rays o'erlaid
His watery path with silver: by its beams
He saw to guide his vessel, and the star
Spangled his robe with light; and on his head
Jt threw hiflory: so lie seemed as ono