The Press.
London, England, 1858-06-12 00:00:00

specting France. On the. Rhine, for instance, his
curiosity did not lead him to explore the Seven
Mountains, nor to visit the district of the Eifel—
both well worthy of a traveller's attention, and
cite easy of access. We have not tound any-
kin in this latter part of the book so well
worthy of extract as many passages which might
be selected from that which describes France.
The following, for instance, is an average speci-
men of Mr. Bell's manner and liveliness of style •

:-

THE BRETON TAILOR
is a complex man in mind and person. Generally cross.
made, lame, and humpbacked, red hair, and a violent squint
would camplete the beau-ideal of the class. The reason
Assigned for these peculiarities is, that the profession is
embraced only by persons of weakly growth, although it is
very difficult to conceive how such persona could perform
the varied and toilsome offices monopolized by the craft.
The tailor rarely marries, scarcely ever has a house of his
own, and lives abroad like the birds or the wild goats.
The men hold him in profound contempt on account of
kis effeminacy; but he Ends on ample compensation in the
ardour of the women. He seldom dines at the same table
with the men ; but when they are gone, a dozen fair hands
lay out a cozy repast for him. The source of his influence
Hies in his wheedling tongue. He is an eternal chatterbox,
a consummate master of the art of flattery, is cubed at the
whole strategy of flirtation, and can coquet and coax with
unfailing success for others, although never for himself.
His individual exemption on this score gives him a sort of
licence with the fair sex ; for a pretty girl may listen with
impunity to a men so completely out of the pale of wedlock.
He retails all the small-talk and scandal of the parish ;
knows all the new songs, occasionally contributing one of
his own; and is as full of stories, and tells them as well,
as the mendicant—with this difference, that the latter

confines himself to stories as melancholy as his own life,
while those of the tailor, Letter suited to his peculiar
functions, are all glee and sunshine. In a word, the tailor
is the scandalous chronicle and high minister of the love
affairs of his district.

He is at the height of his inspiration when he is charged
with a negotiation of marriage—an undertaking which is
usually managed through his agency. If he meets a
magpie on his way, he quickens his steps; fur it is con-
sidered an ill omen. His first object is to see the young
lady alone. He opens with some indifferent topic—the
weather—the crops—the state of the sky : perhaps he hits
upon the stars; then, naturally enough, compares them to
her eyes: and so contrives to hring about the delicate
question with the address of an accomplished diplomatist.
When he succeeds in obtaining her consent, he applies to
her parents, and a day is settled, on which he brings the
lover to the house, accompanied by his nearest relative.
This is called asking leave. The young people retire to
one end Of the house, while the old ones are settling
the preliminaries at the other, the tailor vibrating like
a pendulum between them. At last the lovers are
summoned to the table, where they eat with the same
inile, drink out of the same glass, and indulge in white
bread, wine, and brandy.

Mr. Bell's volume is profusely illustrated with
well-chosen woodcuts, is nicely got up both as
to printing and cover, and would form an ex-
cellent book for a present. It will bear dipping
into or reading through equally well, and those
who are meditating a tour in France (if the
passport regulations will let them) may find in
it a very interesting one all ready chalked out
for their guidance.

Elementary History of the Progress of the
Art of War. By Lieutenant-Colonel J. J.
Graham. London : Bentley.
TuE author of this book has not steadily adhered
to his very good plan. It was indeed a (plan
which demanded for its adequate accomplishment
not only a perfect mastery of the subject, but a
good deal of literary skill. To expound a science
popularly you must be acquainted with it fami-
liarly, and you must besides understand tho-
roughly the art of exposition. Whether our
author has the first requisite we can hardly
undertake to say, because he is so decidedly defi-
cient in the second that many omissions which
seein at first to betray a want of information may
possibly be due to awkwardness in communicating
if, and much hazy and confused dissertation
which, if the writer were skilful, might excite a
suspicion of ignorance may here be attributed
merely to literary inexperience. Whatever be
the cause of it, the book before us is a medley of
theoretical discussion and historical narrative,
alike unsatisfactory whether they be considered
apart or in conjunction. Neither a history of
the art of war nor an exposition of it does our
author give, but a fragment of each; nor does
the scantling of theoretical exposition which he
furnishes suffice to make the historical fragments
intelligible ; nor do the desultory scraps of history
which he supplies serve to illustrate his incom-
plete statement of principles. Parts of several
books are contained in this volume. Materials
are here for a critical history of the principal
"MPaigllB of modern war; here is the first