The Press.
London, England, 1854-06-10 00:00:00

FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE.

Tuesday, June 6.
BANKRUPTS —JAMES LAMERTON and JAMES GALsWORTHY,
Queen's-road, Peckham, builders—THOMAS Purrs, Dove, near
Brighton, carpenter—MAßT TH(,RNTON STEELE, Norlaud-road,
licensed victualler-HENRY SIMMONS, Northam-
berland.place, Commercial-road, and elsewhere, boounakor—
BENJAMIN WEST, Ileet-street, City, and tit. James's-walk,
Clerkenwell, bookseller—EDWAßD SHALLIS, liedfoni-place,
Commercial-road Eust, and Salmon's-lane, Limehouse, grocer—
THOMAS BROOK BRIDOEis STEVENS, Pall-mall, bill broker--
BOBERT ALEXANDER HIRRALDr, leenchurch-street, City, Sta•
Lionel'.JOHN JACOB him., High Holborn, ironmonger-10.cm
CLEMENTS, St. John's.whaif, Westminster, coal merchant—
JOSHU♦ CROWTHER and Wm. DICKINSON, jun., Manchester,
general Manchester warehousemen—WM. BATE, Manchester,
baker—LOT HAYPSON, Dui:lnfield, Cheshire, beerseller--Joslit A
WoIIAILLD, Glossop, Derbyshire, shoe/Raker—ABRAHAM MOSES
MASSE, 131 i minglitun, manufacturing chemist—Wm. BURROWS,
Leicester, tailor—JOHN SAYER, Sheffield, draper—THOMAS
llonosoN, Leeds, draper—JAMES MACINTYRE, North-town, Sc•
mersetshire, nurseryman.
SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.—Wm. PURSELL, Edinburgh
draper--.JoHN GENTLE, Edinburgh,teacher—AßcittnAknklitows
Glasgow, baker—JOHN SIMPSON, Edinburgh, baker.

Friday, June 9.
BANKRUPTS.—Enmunn liaxi Normal, Caversharn, dealer
--JOSEPH COOPER, Liverpool, irontuonger—DAN Ist, WARNER,
Birmingham, baker—GEOROE BOWLEY MEDLEY, Highbury.park
North, Islington, underwriter—SAstuau, WALTON, Macclesfield,
Publican—WlLLlAM BENNETT, Tiluey Saint Lawrence, miller--
THOMAS LANORIDOE, Bristol, CollnlotiODer—SAMUEL BARNES,
Werneth Iron Works, Oldham, machine reeler Enwis
PRITCHARD, Southampton, brick manufacturer.
SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.—MILLAR, BLAIR, and Co.,
Paisley, calico printers—WOOD, TAYLOR, and Co., Glasgow
merchants.

1

JUNE 10, 1854.

yittratart.

History of Europe from the Fall of Napoleon in
1815 to the Accession of Louis Napoleon in
1852. By Sir Archibald Alison, Bart., D.C.L.

London: Blackwood and Sons.
WE congratulate Sir A. Alison on the appear-
ance of a volume very superior in literary
merit to its two predecessors. Critical in-
genuity may still detect a Scotticism here and
there, an awkward metaphor, or an ill-timed
phrase; but the historian's style is in general
more unpretending, more simple, and there-
fore more pleasing. In one respect Sir
Archibald is honourably distinguished from
every other living historian, with perhaps the
single exception of Lord Mahon. His im-
partiality is remarkable; he does full justice
to the arguments of all parties ; while defend
ing his own conclusions he never misrepre-
sents or overlooks those of an opponent; nor
is there any work in existence dealing with
the events of the present century which may
more safely t e mado a textbook of politico-
historical study. Let those who doubt the
justice of our opinion read carefully the
chapters which relate to the reign of Charles
X. of France—his good intentions, his weak
nesses, his illegal acts, and consequent over-
throw. They are the most interesting in the
volume; and we doubt whether a revolution
embodying the antagonism of monarchical and
democratic ideas was ever before described
with so entire an absence of prejudice.
. .

Enthusiastically received by tile Parisians,
Charles seemed inclined to justify and repay
their affection by a liberal system of adminis-
tration. His first act was to abolish the
censorship of the press ; a step perhaps in-
evitable, certainly in English eyes wise, but
which increased the coming troubles of his
reign. Great efforts were made to restore
ecclesiastical influence, which the revolu-
tionary war had well-nigh destroyed. Jesuit
colleges sprung up everywhere; the sanctity
of the Court recalled the memory of Louis
XIV. in his later days ; the Minister df War
exerted himself to revive a spirit of religion in
the army, and with more apparent success
than might have been expected ; the extreme
religious party numbered 130 members in the
Chamber of Deputies; and, what was perhaps
of more importance than all the rest, the
Minister of Public Worship gave his avowed
support to this powerful body. Meantime the
people, though indifferent, and inclined to
laugh, were not hostile. Material prosperity
prevailed everywhere; agriculture and manu-
factures flourished equally; even the press,
though naturally hostile to clerical power,
forbore for a while to attack the Government
to which it owed its freedom. This happy
state of peace did not long'continue. An ill-
judged measure, originating with the War
department, which placed on half-pay nearly
every distinguished general of the empire,
first aroused popular suspicion. The gift of
forty millions sterling to the emigrants,
although probably (apart from considerations
of justice) a wise mode of purchasing the sup-
ports of what would otherwise have been a dis-
contented faction, was viewed by the Liberals
and Bonapartists with deep dissatisfaction.
Even the clergy, who were not included in the
grant, gave it a sullen and reluctant support.
They were pacified by a stringent law against
sacrilege, absurdly severe in some of its pro-
visions, which passed both Chambers by large
majorities, yet contrary to the public feeling.
A far more serious attack on republican ideas
was the attempted restoration (1826) of a
modified law of primogeniture. It failed to
obtain support even in the Chamber of Peers,
where it was first introduced, and its defeat
became the signal for general rejoicing. Well
would it have been for the King's interests—
perhaps for those of France—if the warning
thus given had been accepted. But his ad-
visers disregarded all counsels of expediency,
Supported by the imagined necessity of main-
taining a great principle. Before the com-
mencement of the year 1827 it had become
obvious to all lookers-on that the contest
between Church and people must be decided
by some conclusive trial of strength. The occa-