The Press.
London, England, 1854-01-14 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

tracted labours, a grateful world would not distill.")
him were he to take the rest he needs. As the
original MS. of the present essay was burnt in the
fire that destroyed the Royal Exchange, the views
expressed in it are sufficiently old to possess the
charm of novelty. The original dedication was mo-
destly addressed to the Queen, and is dated "on the
Atlantic Ocean," but the latitude and longitude a. e
not given. However, we learn that "it was written
" . . . on board the ship President, on her way from
" England to America, and the greater portion of it
" was penned amid the profound stillness of the
" midnight watch, when the greater part of the pas-
" sengers were buried in deep sleep." The pages
thus impressively introduced are fifty-six in number,
whereof fourteen are prefaces, addresses, d•c.
The rest are occupied with pointing out and suggest-
ing remedies for defects in the first Reform Bill.
Mr. Buckingham would admit every one to the fran-
chise except minors, women, drunkards, and paupers
—lunatics he does not except.. But, though he would
open the door so widely, he yet demands qualifica-
tions from those who would enter. One is a know-
ledge of the four first rules of arithmetic, which, if
old tales are true, would have excluded many accom-
plished orators. Another is " good moral character
"for sobriety and integrity." Were these sugges•
tions to be adopted, Mr. Coppock would soon prove
the Radical part of the population to be saints,
ascetics, and profound arithmeticians. But two more
" remedies " proposed we cannot refrain from
giving, and Mr. Buckingham shall do it in his own
words:—

" l t would be well to give to every voter who should
have obtained a degree in any of the public schools, col-
leges, or universities, authorised to grant the same, an
additional vote for each degree conferred, as Bachelor of
Arts, Master of Arts, Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Laws ;
and the same for Fellowships of any of the Royal Socie-
ties, as those of the Royal Society proper, Colleges of
Physicians and Surgeons, the Royal Academy of Painting,
the Royal Society of Literature, Geography, &c., mem-
bers of the bar, registered solicitors or attorneys, and
authorised professors of any of the various branches of
literature, science, or art, actually engaged in teaching
the same at. any of the public schools or colleges of the
kingdom.
- - - - - • - •

" And, on the same principle, the claims of property,
and its contribution to the revenue of the State, might be
legitimately recognised by an additional vote for every
twenty pounds per annum contributed to the local and
general taxa•ion of the country, in county rates, parochial
rates, and assessed taxes."
If the latter proposal were to become law many
men could return themselves to Parliament : they
would only have to keep a sufficient number of
hounds without compounding for them, or in any
other way to render themselves liable to a 601.
cient amount of taxation. As the tax would
swell the revenue, it would be perhaps better
expended than under the present system of bribery.
We have said enough to show that this essay
on Reform is only one of those butterflies which
Pope at first thought it unwise "to break upon a
•• wheel," but afterwards changed his mind, ex-
claiming—

" Vet I sill lash this bui; with gilded s tugs—
This thing of Silk."
To which we may add,
" So raueli for Tuokingham!"

The Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison.
With Notes by Richard Hurd, D.D. A new
edition, in 4 vols. Vol. I. London : Bohn.

THE title prefixed to the familiar name of Addison
almost excites a smile in the days of Queen Victoria,
so little are we accustomed to associate him with
politics, Holland-house, and the Countess of Warwick,
and so well do we know him as the short-faced,
taciturn, observant Mr. Spectator, haunting the
coffee-houses of " the town," or meditating amongst
the tombs in that abbey at Westminster where his
own image in Poets' Corner is now the first that
meets the eye of the meditating spectator of to-day.
As the Addison of " The Spectator," the polished
yet genial humorist, with his delicate raillery and
playful wit, with those sketches and nice diseriMina-
tions of character which aro always fresh, because
they will never die, a reprint of his works was very
much wanted, and so far Mr. Bohn has done well in
bringing out this new edition. But a selection from his
works would have been sufficient, for of them it may
be said that "a part is greater than the whole." The
present volume contains his "Italy," " Medals" (with
eight plates), " The Campaign," " Cato," &c., which
are well enough ; but who is likely to read the transla-
tions, occasional verses, and Latin poems which fill
the remainder of the volume ? Addison is a delightful
writer, and was, in the language of his day, " the
learned and ingenious Mr. Addison," but he was
neither a profound scholar nor a poet. His works,
however, contain so much that is excellent that we
are glad to obtain them, even if in a bulkier form
than was absolutely necessary.