The Press.
London, England, 1856-02-02 00:00:00

PERIODICAL LITERATURE.

Blackwood opens with an article most unjustly de-
preciatory of modern poetry. In his criticism of
" In Memoriam " the writer evidently confuses the
emotion of deep grief with that after-melancholy
which deep grief leaves upon us. And it is this
latter feeling which "In Memoriam " is intended to
express—a kind of sentiment which a man may
dwell upon, dream over, or analyse. To look at" In
Memoriam" for passionate outbursts, is entirely to
mistake its character and intention. The article
entitled " The Wondrous Age " is most eloquent and
impressive ; the evils of Materialism were never
exposed by a more powerful pen. " Touching Ox-
ford "is a very genial and pleasant paper. The
author is evidently well acquainted with the natural
beauties of the spot, and with those pretty and
picturesque nooks in its vicinity which only a
few Oxonians explore. We must correct him
in one little error, lest .v.,me of his Oxford readers
should take a long walk for nothing. The village
near which Stow Wood is situated is Ela.field,
not Elstrce. " Tickler among the Thieves " is de
lightful. We are very glad to welcome back our
canine friend who figured so prominently in the
autumn numbers. The essay upon the drama con-
tains nothing perhaps that is very novel, but it is a
sound, sensible exposition of its present degradation.
The verbal wits of the Talfourd (junior) school
are treated to a little not unmerited castigation,
though we own we think that Mr. Talfourd's bur-
lesques answer that first essential purpose of making
the audience laugh so well, that the criticism will
be a good deal thrown away. In "Lessons from
the War " we find much the same views enforced

SATURDAY

as have for a long time past been advocated by
THE PRESS. " Peace," says the writer, " will
descend on the heated nation like dew." lie teaches
us that the object of the war is "not to destroy,
" but to coerce Russia;" and that, after all deduc-
tion are made, we have great reason to congratulate
ourselves on the results obtained. The tone is very
different from that which prevailed in previous num-
bers of Blackwood. But what succeeds like success !
The number concludes with a tribute to Mr. Caird's
excellent sermon on " Religion in Common Life,"
printed by command of her Majesty.

Fraser.—We cannot follow "Friends in Council"
through the thousand and one subjects which are
discussed in the present number. There is some
very "good talk" in it, and it is more free than
usual from the clumsy attempts at fun in which the
author sometimes indulges. The opinion about
women is worth quoting :
Women are more complete creatures, at least, Icsi in-
complete than we are. They are less affected by educa-
tion, or by the want of it. By the way, this talking about
men and women reminds me of something I have been
longing to say during the whole of this morning's discus-
sion. Mr. Midhurat objects to Milverton's great hopes
for mankind from laws, and statesmanship, and other
fine•sounding things, and obstinately brings him back to
common life—to dinners. I wish to bring him back to
domestic life. You know, my dear philosopher, polish up
the rest of human affairs as cleverly as you may, you
cannot get over domestic misery. Will anybody over love
any other body at the right time in the right way? There
is more misery in the Court of Luve than in the Court of
Chancery.

The reviewer of Macaulay devotes the greater
part of his space to an examination of the foreign
affairs treated of in the two volumes. His summary
of the whole is as follows :

But for all that, we cannot accept it as a fair account of
the times of William 111., or as unshakeable authority for
the great events of that period. Even if we doubt and
waver while we read of events familiarly known to us in
our home policy, how can we do less than protest against
the distortion of view which presents our foreign relations
in so untrue a light, and, for the sake of displaying one
giant, peoples all Europe with pigmies'?
We have a capital instalment of " Kate Coventry," in
which Frank Lovell makes greet way. But the re-
maining articles are heavy. " Bain on Sense and
Intellect " is not a lively topic ; and the rest, though
learned and scholarly, are .scarcely adapted for fight
reading.
T.ie Dublin opens with an article which cannot be
otherwise than most acceptable to all its readers at
the present conjuncture. Russia in the last century
is a most interesting study to those who are com-
pelled to feel so much curiosity about her position iu
the present century. Prince Potemkin is one of
those persons whose lives are a study ; and the ar-
ticle does full justice to the high reputation of
this magazine. "The Fortunes of Ulencure," erro-
neously supposed by a weekly contemporary to have
been prematurely concluded, progresses with great
vigour. The story is a remarkably good one. The
reviewer of Macaulay takes up the lino which seems
now to be generally recognised as the true one—
namely, that history in his hands becomes pietry;
and, though we may look for brilliant descriptions
and imaginative language, it is idle to expect front
him sound, solid information. "The Doctor in the
Witness box " is an opportune article, which all
should read who take a serious interest in the very
serious aspect which refined crime is assuming in
this country. " l'anergus Pebbles" is a humorous
article ; while a " Handful of Cavalier Songs "
shows that, after all, the old loyal spirit is still
alive amongst us.

In the Eclectic are several articles of an interest-
ing character, and executed with the usual ability to
be found in that Review. The critique on Mr. Ma-
caulay's "History of England" is perhaps more re-
tuarkahle for its lengthy extracts than from any
extraordinary sagacity of comment. In the discus-
sion of religious questions, and the treatment of
theological schools, the writer complains, with too
much justice we admit, of the" temporising timidity "
of the Whig historian. " Ildievest thou the Prophets?"
is not precisely the question we should feel disposed
to put to the right hon. gentleman, as we should
tremble f..r the orthodoxy of the reply. In another
article there are bitter complaints that "the memory
" of Mr. James Montgomery is most woefully coni•
" promised by his tasteless biographers." The most
interesting page in this notice is an account of a
sermon preached by the famous Robert Hall, under
which, it appears, the poet himself and the reviewer
had the privilege to " sit." Robert Hall was really a
pulpit orator of the highest class, a man endowed
with the true inspiration of eloquence, and whose
fate would now seem to be that his.life is ill-written,
and his oratory feebly imitated.

The Law Magazine contains its usual variety of
highly interesting articles. The paper on Sir
Samuel Romilly, and the judgment of the Right
Hon. Stephen Lushington, will well repay perusal.

FEBRUARY 2, 1856.

The Idler for February, besides a continuation of
"Bagot'sYouth," worthy Mr. Hannay's reputation, con-
tains several vigorous and well-written articles. The ob •
jectionable features of the first number have been a good
deal toned down ; while in point of style we consider the
Idler quite worthy a place beside its elder and
more famous contemporaries. In principle it is
strongly Conservative, and on that ground alone we
can confidently recommend it to our readers. But it
is rare for the public to have so much wit, originality,
and ability, offered them for sixpence.
The Martins of Cro' Martin sustains its well earned
reputation.
We reserve for future notice a few other periodical
issues.

Handbook of the Arts of the Middle Ages and Re-
naissance. From the French of M. Jules •Labarte.
London : Murray.
Tuts book was originally written as "An Introduc-
tion to a Descriptive Cataicgue of the Debrize
Dunienil Collection," and treats, therefore, cf art as
applied to objects of domestic life. The subjects
discussed in separate chapters are Sculpture ; Paint-
ing and Calligraphy; Engraving ; Enamels ; Dama-
scene Work; Arts of the Goldsmith and Lapidary;
Pottery, or Keramic Art; Glass; Smith's-work;
Clockwork; Ecclesiastical and Domestic Furniture;
and a General Sketch of Oriental Art. These several
subjects are treated briefly, but with distinctness,—
the design being rather to give a bold outline
of the rise and development of the arts than to
enter into their minutife. The composition of M.
Labarte strikes us as evincing equal learning and
intelligence. His knowledge is large, and he has the
art of arranging it, with the systematic neatness of
the French mind, in a clear and pleasing manner.
The volume is beautifully produced, being illustrated
with upwards of 200 wood engravings, representing
some of the most remarkable examples in every
style of art. As a broad view of the domestic arts of
the middle ages, and an introduction to their par-
ticular study, this "Handbook" will be found ex-
tremely useful and satisfactory. It is full of well-
selected facts and of accurate description.

General Guyon; or, the Battle-fields of Hungary
and Asia. London: Smith, Elder, and Co.
"Richard Debaufre Guyon, born at Walcot, Bath,
" the 31st March, 1813, in which fair city he re-
ceived his early tuition, was the third son of
" the late John Guyon, of Ricnmond, Surrey ; a
" commander in the royal navy ; and a shipmate of
" our sailor-king, William IV." His fami►y were
descended from a noble house in Languedoc, and one
cf his ancestors fled to this country at the revocation
of the edict of Nantes, in 1683. One of the present
General Guyon's brothers is a lieutenant colonel
in - the.. Bengal army ; another a lieutenant in the
royal navy. The subject of this memoir at eighteen
years of age obtained a commission in the Austrian
army, in Prince Joseph's 2nd Regiment of Hungarian
Hussars, and in 1838 married a daughter of Field
Marshal Baron Spleny, commander of the Hungarian
Life Guards, and a relation of Count Louis Batthy-
ayni. For nearly ten years after this he lived on his
estate in Hungary, and occupied himself in the
duties and pleasures of a country gentleman. These
facts may possii►ly be new to some of our readers,
and we have therefore copied them from Mr. King
lake's memoir; but we cannot undertake to follow
him through all the events of the Hungarian and
Asiatic campaigns. It is perfectly clear that Guyon
performed the part of a brave soldier upon all occa-
sions, but we question how far a power on friendly
terms with Austria would be justified in employing
him now. There are certain laws which regulate
international intercourse, and which must at all cost
be kept inviolate. Wo think perhaps the English
Government would do well to try and bring about
his reconciliation with Austria; but anything further
we cannot think desirable.

A History of Greece. By T. S. Carr, M.A. London :

Simpkin, Marshall, and Co.
THIS book is intended for educational purposes. In
a compact volume of seven hundred pages the his•
tory of Greece is tracea from the heroic age to the
death of Alexander. An appendix—not the least useful
part of the volume—carries forward the history to
the destruction of Corinth, and the inccrporation of
Greece as a province of Rome, and gives chapters on
the civil and military constitution of Athens and the
literature of Greece. A copious index, glossary, and
Greek index are well calculated to facilitate refer-
ence. One feature of the book is the citation in
foot-notes of passages in Greek text from original
authorities, confirmatory of the author's narrative.
Dr. Liddell, Dr. Major, and Dr. Hvssey, have all re-
ported favorably of the book as a complete compen-
dium of Greek history, giving the results of the re-
searches of the most able modern scholars. Mr.

1

PRESS.

Carr says justly that style in educational works is a
matter of the highest importance. "The taste of
" scholars should not be vitiated by faulty English
"models, defective in expression, inconsequential in
"statement, or disfigured by conventional phrases."
The simplest style for such works is the best. It
may be worth Mr. Carr's while to consider whether
his composition might not be pruned with advan-
tage. In describing the Peloponnesian war—that
great " war of principles " which brought. Greece to
ruin—lie writes :

The relentless destiny of the Greeks in this unhallowed
war seemed to reveal itself in the natural phenomena of
the time. Earthquakes were felt every year during its
continuance ; Etna cast forth tire ; drought, famine, and
the plague swept away multitudes of the best and bravest
of the citizens. But the terrors of nature was less dread.
ful than the passions of men. Covetousness and revenge,
hatred and rage, sordid avarice and bloodstained cruelty,
vied with each other in working havoc and destruction.
The author is too fond of such phrases as " relent
less destiny." We should prefer a simpler and
more discriminating style of statement. " Sordid
avarice " and " bloodstained cruelty " are examples
of epithets which might well be retrenched. The
book is neatly produced (though a little more margin
to the page would be desirable), and for its substance
is extremely cheap.

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.-JAN. 31.
BOOKS.

History of Christian Churches and Sects. Bentley.
Memoirs of Celebrated Characters. Alphonse de Lamartine.
I )itto.
Selections from the Works of Archdeacon Whntely. Ditto.
Sevastopol. Our Tent in the Crimea. Two Brothers.

Two Introductory Lectures on the Science of International
Law. Travers Twisa, D.C.L. Longmans.
Hints to Husbands. One of the Guild. Simpkin and
Marshall.
Sketches from Our Lord's History. Hatchard.
The Fourth Seal of Homilies on St. John. Ditto.
The Works of Professor Wilson. Vol. 111. Blackwoods.
A Narrative of the Siege of Kars. Humphry Sandwith,
M.D. 1I urray.
Byron's Poetical Works. Vol. V. Ditto.
Sinai and Palestine, in Connection with their History.
Arthur P. Stanley, M.A. Ditto.
Hallam's Literary History. Vol. 111. Ditto.
Warrants for Goods, their Use and Abuse. John Ellice.
Smith and Elder.
The Slate of the English Bible. Rev. W. Harness, A.M.
Longmans.
Zanoni. "Railway Library." • Routledge.
Rose Clark. Do. Fanny Fern. Ditto.
The Inheritance. "Parlour Library." Hodgson.

PAMPHLETS.
A Letter to the Vice• Chancellor of the University of Oxford
on the Law Studies of the University. Lougmans.
Letters on the War. Ditto.
The Destructive Art of healing. Simpkin and Mar.liall.
The Bread Question. Ditto.
The Wisdom of God in the Salvation of Man.
Seeley and Co.
The Jews. A Lecture. Ditto.
Missionary Work, Who is to Do It ? Ditto.
Bacon's Essays. Ditto.
The Sanitary Condition of Paddington. Churchill.
A Catalogue of the Museum of Ornamental Art at
Marlborough House. Chapman and Hall.
A Catalogue of the Collection of Works of Decorative Art.
Ditto.
The Police of England, as it Was, as it Is, and How it
Should Be.
Classified Abridgment of the Minutes of the Committee of
Council of Education Hamilton and Adams.