The Press.
London, England, 1857-08-01 00:00:00

THE PRESS, AUGUST

stringency. For some good purpose this was
not the method He pursued. A variety of
precepts antagonistic to the ideas and prac-
tices of the heathen world are introduced
with caution and even ambiguity. It was left
for mankind to interpret particular passages
by the general spirit of the whole system ;
and when they do not choose to do so, it is
often not difficult to find excuses for any
course of conduct they may desire. Slavery,
therefore, an existing institution of paganism,
which could not have been suddenly swept
away without great social and political dis-
turbances, is not condemned in the same tone
as the violation of morality, or the coldness of
religious faith. But that slavery practically,
and as we think inevitably, presents features
irreconcilcable with other parts of the Christian
scheme must surely be acknowledged by most
impartial reasoners.
Politically, Mr. Stirling does not think that
the slave difficulty will lead to the dissolution
of the Union; and lie grounds his confidence
on the character of the American people ? We
fear, if this is all, that he is over sanguine.
The national character of America is not, by
Mr. Stirling's own admissions, allowed fair
play under her present political constitution.
That class by whose moderate and enlightened
counsels such a catastrophe might be averted
is mute before the sovereignty of the mob,
and a rule of compulsory equality has crushed
down intellect, education, and refinement into
one muddy level of prejudice and ignorance.
Out of this " dismal swamp " we see very little
hope arising that any but the most violent and
shortsighted policy will prevail. Indepen-
dently of these considerations, we must recol-
lect that the question at issue between North
and South is of such a nature as to render any
compromise extremely difficult. Slavery is not
merely one of those disarrangements of the so-
cial machinery which a little skill and patience
can set to rights. It is not like a question of
suffrage, or taxation, or prerogative. The
point to be determined is whether an institu-
tion coeval with the foundation of the Re-
public, and intertwined with the traditions
and prejudices of a large number of its in-
habitants, shall stand or fall. The question is
almost of as much magnitude to America as
the Reformation was to Europe; and when we
add to this that the pride of class is involved
in the maintenance of slavery, and that for the
South to submit to the dictation of the North
would be felt as an insupportable disgrace,
we shall begin to perceive the probability of
more danger than Mr. Stirling is willing to
admit.

We should readily linger over one or two
other topics which Mr. Stirling has treated in
both an agreeable and an impartial style; but, as
we cannot do this, we would especially recom-
mend to our readers' perusal the 12th letter,
upon American manners; the 13th, upon the
suffrage ; and the 15th, upon the English and
American idea of work. Mr. Stirling does full
justice to the virtues of our Anglo-Saxon
brethren, and has glanced at their foibles and
their vices in a more conciliatory and gentle-
manlike tone than the majority of European
tourists have hitherto adopted.

History of the Royal Sappers and Miners.
By T. W. J. Connolly, Quartermaster of
the Royal Engineers. Two Vols. London:
Longmans.
THE first edition of this valuable and interest-
ing work has long been out of print, and we
are glad to see this new and greatly improved
publication. At the present time it will be
found a pleasant work for general readers,
besides being of value to those professionally
interested in the history of one of the most
distinguished corps iu the British Service
There are curious plates in the two volumes
illustrating the changes of uniform from 1772
to the present time ; and military tailoring
would seem to be almost as arbitrary as that
which regulates the fashions for lay persons.
In examining these volumEs we have been
struck with the fact that a good handbook of
English military services does not exist. Wo
have various and worthless compilations for
the circulating libraries, but we have no classic
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