The Press.
London, England, 1858-01-16 00:00:00

THE PRESS, JANUARY 16, 1858.

" portrait of a gentlemsn or lady " at the Exhibition may
represent four-fifths of oar similar generation.
Further afield :hen must our dramatists seek, if they
draw from life, for their models of passion and humour.
In his so•ealled " revivals," we cannot but
think that Mr. Kean sacrifices Shakespeare
almost as remorselessly as Mr. Albert Smith
does his own narrative of Mont Blanc—a pie•
ture being in both instances substituted for
the dialogue. We are therefore disposed fully
to subscribe to the justice of the following re-
marks :

Of such poverty we have no longer to complain, and
perhaps have more reason to murmur at our present
opulence. For if we in reality succeed in exhibiting the
tumult of a great battle, the storming of a fort, the
splendour of a council chamber, or the pomp of an ecclesi-
astical procession, we incur the opposite risk of rendering
the spectator, by the power of these sensible impressions,
indifferent to the proper business of the scene and those
who move upon it. The essential is sacrificed to the
accessory. In this respect however the public and the
managers have long since combined to spoil each other :
the one by demanding, the other by supplying ornament
in excess, as the proper instrument of dramatic attraction.
Whether Timothens should yield the prize, or both divide
the blame. is a question which cannot be discussed within
our present limits.
The mistake is, in fact, similar to that of the
ultra pre-Raphaelites. In the one case, the
spirit and interest of the play as a representa-
tion of human passions is overlaid by that
which too often represents only material
actions ; in the other, the spectator's eye is
drawn off from the expression of the features
and harmony of the groups by the labour and
prominence bestowed on some comparatively
unimportant accessory of costume, furniture,
or natural objects.
The essay on " Popular Amusements" is
interesting, and displays a great deal of read-
ing not to be found elsewhere in so convenient
a compass. We believe, however, the notions
conveyed in the following paragraph to be
almost as Utopian as some of Mr. Ruskin's on
which we commented last week:—
Is whatever light we regard the State, whether as a
parent regolating his children's actions, and exacting from
them implicit obedience, or ns a body of trustees appointed
by the governed for their own good, it has a direct interest
in the well-being of its members. It is not enough for
them to be negatively benefited, as Blackstone insists, by
the vigilance and wisdom of their rulers. Man is not
formed to live by law alone, any more than he is by bread
alone. His animal and intellectual faculties alike demand
nurture and relaxation, and the Government which shuts
its eyes to the amusements of the people, and considers
that if life and goods be protected all its duties are per-
formed, I &olds only half of its proper functions, and per-
forms even that moiety imperfectly.
But this is a sort of speculation from which
Mr. Donne is obviously not unwilling to
escape :
lie who shall devise a form of popular amusement
attractive to every grade of society will merit a civic wreath,
as well as he who leads forth a colony, or opens new
avenues to labour.
So many obstacles present themselves to this most
desiderated discovery, that we have not the vanity even to
suggest either an outline of it, or the direction in which it
may, perhaps, be found.
And we are undoubtedly much better pleased
to listen to him as he compares the Roman
and the Greek, the Spaniard and the Fleming,
or digs out a Siennese sonnetteer to testify
how very jollily it was possible to live in the
thirteenth century, than when he shows a
disposition to lecture on ethics or politics.
We hope, in conclusion, that what we have
said may be taken in good part, and that the
present volume is no sign of its author having
closed his connection with periodical lite-
rature.

1. Speech of Earl Fortescue respecting a Monu-
ment to Field-Marshal Lord Raglan. Lon-
don : Ridgway.
2. A Letter front the Earl of Westmorland to Earl
Fortescue, on the Above. London: Ridgway.
THE tides of these two little pamphlets sufficiently
speak for themselves. We sincerely trust they will
contribute towards producing the desired effect upon
the public mind. Some public recognition of Lord
Raglan's worth is demanded both by justice and
policy. As we have treated this subject in another
part of our columns we shall not pursue it in this,
but we are sure the following extract will be read
with interest by all our readers :
Extract from a Letter written by the late Lord Raglan
to Lady Raglan.
Before Sebastopol, June 18, 1855.
Yesterday we attacked a Russian work called a Redan,
and the French attacked the works right and left of a
ower called Malakoff. The object of both these attacks

being to possess ourselves of the Faubourg of Sebastopol.
We hail apparently subdued, by the superiority of our fire,
the Russian Artillery, and though the attacks could not be
considered otherwise than formidable enterprises, yet the
confidence of our success was general, and I confess that I
participated in that confidence. It had been determined
that the attack should be commenced at five or half-pest
five in the morning, and that the interval between that
time and daylight should he employed to bring as much
artillery fire upon the enemy's works as possible. Late,
however, in the evening of the 17th, I heard that General
Pelissier had resolved to commence at Elver o'clock. I did
not like the change, but it was too late to protest against it,
and the necessary orders were given accordingly. The
Redan was to be attacked by three divisions, and I gave
Brown the command of them ; each division furnishing
men for one column of attack.
I left home shortly after two o'clock in the morning, and
met Brown in the trenches by three. The French were
to begin the attack by signal, and I was to order our ad-
vance when I should think proper. Unfortunately, the
French officer commanding the right column mistook a
rocket that was fired for the signal, and began before his
time ; the general officer at the head of the next column,
knowing the mistake that had been made, did not push his
troops forward, and the French left column of course re•
mained stationary until General Pelissier gave the signal
agreed upon. When they were all engaged they seemed to
make so little way, and to meet with so much resistance,
that I thought it right to order our advance. They did so
at once, but such a heavy fire, particularly of grape, was
brought upon them, that few reached the Redan, and no.
body got into it ; in short, the operation failed, as well as
that of the French, and we have to deplore the loss of
many valuable officers and men. Other attacks went on at
the same time, and loss was there incurred.
We have to deplore the death of filajor•General Sir John
Campbell, an excellent officer, who has never given me
one moment's trouble, and was always satisfied whatever I
required him to do ; of Colonel Yea of the 7th Foot, who
had devoted himself to his duty during the whole of this
winter; and of many others. You may imagine my dia.
appointment at this failure ! It is a great misfortune.

1. The Interpreter. A Tale of the War. By G. J.
Whyte Melville. One Vol. London : J. W.
Parker and Son.
2. Scenes from Clerical Life. By George Eliot.
Two Vols. London : Blackwoods.
THESE stories, as our readers may probably be
aware, are both reprints from the leading Scotch and
English magazines, which must be our excuse on
the present occasion for according them so brief a
notice. They both possess remarkable merit. " The
Interpreter" has more incident, more romance, and
more spirit; vie other more insight into character,
deeper thought, and more direct purpose. The first
is the more graceful and animated; the second the
more sinewy and solid.
1. Our principal ground of complaint against " The
Interpreter" is the impropriety of the title. We
honestly believe that many a novel-reader might go
right through the volume without ever finding out
who he was. We might also take objection to the
character of Ropsley—a sort of " marvellous boy "
in whom we have little faith. But Manners, the
tutor.colonel of Bashi Bazouks, is a capital and most
humorous sketch. Victor de Bohan, the Prince's
Vocqsal and her husband, are also exceedingly well
drawn. The hero himself is perhaps the bast claw
racter Major Melville has yet given us. The plot
is certainly good, though here and there we see evi-
dent marks of haste. Many of the scenes aro capital.
The fight with the Russians—the attempted rescue
of Zuleika—the final interview between the Princess
and Victor—the assault of the Redan—and the
Shooting Meeting—are all told with rare spirit. A
most flattering portrait is drawn of General Wind
ham, which just now will be doubly interesting.
Major Melville possesses the advantage of being at
once a gentleman, a sportsman, a scholar, a traveller,
and a soldier, and he writes like all five.
2. " Mr. Gilfil's Love Story " is unmistakeably the
best of the three tales which comprise " Scenes from
Clerical Life." Mr. Gilfil himself is an excellent
character, and we are glad to see justice done to a
type of country clergymen not seldom singled out for
ridicule. The history of his courtship and marriage
is touching, and not sufficiently improbable to de-
stroy the interest. In "Janet's Repentance," the
little provincial clique of old-fashioned churchgoers
is capitally sketched, and their organised opposition
to the evening lecture done to the life. At the same
time we do not wholly approve of such subjects,
which are irritating to many minds. Of Janet her-
self we cannot make much, and Mr. Tryan is
decidedly an unpleasant portraiture. Nevertheless,
these Scenes, as a whole, evince intellectual power,
knowledge of human nature, and obesrvation of life.
They stand well above the average.

PUBLTCATIONS RECEIVED.--JANuAny 14.
BOOKS.

AdOle. By Julia Kavanagh. Hurst and Blackett
Thom'B Almanack and Official Directory for IHSB.

Longmans
Robert Burns and Sir Waller Scott; two Lives. By the
Rev. James White. Rontledge
The Playground. By George Forrest, M.A. lioutledge

._.. .

The Wild Flowers of the Alphabet. Ackerman'
Akhol; its Place and Power. Houlatoe
Voices from the Garden. By S. W. Partridge. Partridge
PAMPHLETS.

Metropolitan and Provincial Law Associalion.—Prenelt
Reading for Self-instruction. E. Wilaon—The Empire
the. Middle Classes. Thacker.

PERIODICAL.
The Quarterly Review. Murray—London Univers;
Magazine. Han and Virtue.

Lusk anti tte trans.

MR. BENEDICT'S VOCAL ASSOCIATION, consisting
upwards of :I(X) voices, will form a portion of
chorus in the National Anthem, to be sung on
of the four occasions of the Queen's visit to

Majesty's Theatre upon the forthcoming auspicious
event. The ladies are all to appear in white dresses,
which will add materially to the effect of the scene.
The Italian Opera on the 2:3rd inst. will be La Son-
nambula, in which Mlle. Piccolomini will for the firs t
time appear as Amina.
PRINCESS'S THEATRE.-Mr. Charles Kean on Tues-
day made his first appearance for some years in the
character of Hamlet. This performance we regard
as one of his best. Mr. Kean was most warmly re-
ceived by a crowded house. Miss Heath played
Ophelia. On a future occasion we will do justice to
her merits.

CRYSTAL PALACE.--The exhibition of poultry and
pigeon-, has been as successful as the high excel-
lence of the stock deserved. The number of visitors
has been larger than any that has assembled since
the annual show opened. The fine weather con•
tributed much to this increase, but the numerous
inquiries for some of the most valued pens showed
that those feathered assemblages are acquiring great
interest among amateurs. Only one opinion is ex-
pressed as to the excellence of the birds exhibited.

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