The Press.
London, England, 1858-08-28 00:00:00

lartiga darrespanenct.

PARIS, Thursday.
TIIE political event of the day is a speech deli-
vered by Count de Persigny, the ex-Ambassador
at London, in the Council General of the Haute
Loire, the department to which he belongs. It is
remarkable for the manner in which our country
is spoken of. England, says the Count, is sincerely
desirous to maintain the alliance with France ;
but she not unnaturally took offence at being
denounced in speeches from high official per-
sonages in Paris, and in addresses from the
army, as sympathizing with the odious Italian
assassins who in January last attempted the life
of the Emperor. Nevertheless, he says, her
anger, which he evidently thinks was, under the
circumstances, perfectly justifiable, has not led to
any real estrangement between the two nations,
and he proclaims that it depends entirely on
France to re-establish and maintain the alliance
in all its former cordiality. This language has
created a profound sensation, and it will no doubt
entirely dissipate the singular notion which has
taken possession of a large portion of people's
minds in this country, that the predominant sen-
timent in England is a dislike of the alliance, and
a desire to see it dissolved. In thus speaking,
Count de Persigny has once again demonstrated
that he has the sagacity to perceive that the
Anglo-French alliance still continues the best
safeguard of the Imperial Throne and of European
peace, and the courage to proclaim his convictions,
even though in so doing he runs the risk of
giving offence to a not inconsiderable number of
his countrymen.
Apropos of M. de Persigny, Lord and Lady
Palmerston have arrived in France on a visit to
him at his country seat. Passing through Paris
on their way there, it was natural that they
should be received by the Emperor, and they
have obtained that honour. The reception took
place at St. Cloud the day before yesterday. Of
course the presence in Paris of a veteran states-
man like Lord Palmerston has occasioned a good
deal of gossip in political circles ; but it has
really no sort of political import ance whatsoever.
This is so true that all the foreign Ambassadors
and some of the French Ministers have this very
week gone from Paris, deeming evidently that his
lordship can do and say nothing which it can
concern them to know.

In Paris, you are aware, there are a number of
French and foreign intriguers whose object is, by
any means, to bring about a misunderstanding
between France and England. To these bad-
minded people the bombardment of Jeddah
seemed a godsend ; they went to and fro prating
that it was done by England in violation of an
agreement with France that French ships should
take part in it, and that it was consequently a
gross insult to France. But this new attempt to
create discord has completely failed. The French
Emperor and his Ministers do not consider that
they have any ground at all for complaining of
the bombardment ; on the contrary, they rejoice
at it, because it was necessary, in order to over-
awe the barbarous population ofthe place, that the
chastisement for the recent assassinations should
he promptly administered ; and as France has
no ships in the Red Sea, months would have

bad the
surprise
co-operation.
pEasagselii:lshbwefaoitrede anythincouldg
arraed cab-e
" thrdeo=r4co,:se:ehaar:
Considerable interest, and greater
some-
what caused by the announcement that%sae' h"
Pelissier, notwithstanding his
and ten " (minus twice twelve months),
to marry a Spanish lady of the name of Valerashout
dheeala'atiifiaier surpassinglyatth
though s le has described
what staid age of twenty-six ; as of ri,4 noble
family, though very poor ; and as a ?'
nend and
even a relative of the Empress. The Marshal, it
seems, was struck with her charms some
months
afro ; but he would probably never
l
thought of matrimony had not the Empress,la
anxious to provide for her friend, "inspired"
him with the idea. And when he gave a "coy,i
reluctant " consent, her Majesty dashed into tlt
matter with such impetuous zeal as to leave him
no chance of backing out, even if he had been so
disposal. The wedding is to come off on the
Bth of September, the anniversary of the taking
of the Malakoff tower, the exploit which gave
the Marshal glcry, title, and fortune. Albeit the
Marshal receives from the public treasury for • his
various employments and dignities a far larger
sum than any other man in France, excepting
only the Emperor, his Majesty has not-
thought
fit that he should be allowed to marry a portion-
less bride, and has accordingly resolved, with his
usual lavish generosity, to present the fair
senorita with a million of francs-40,000/ !
As was expected, the Emperor delivered a
speech at a banquet at Rennes. but it contained
no reference to foreign politics, nor, strictly
speaking, to domestic politics, being little more
than a string of neatly-turned generalities ad-
dressed to the Bretons. An expectation had
been entertained that his Majesty would in this
discourse announce that important relaxations
would be made in the system of government, as
regards the press, the right of public meeting,
and political liberties in general ; but the expec-
tation has been disappointed, and, in fact, a little
reflection would have sufficed to convince any
one that the Emperor would hardly make a pro-
vincial dinner the occasion of promulgating his
intention of effecting what would be nothing less
than a complete revolution in the existing form of
government.
Notwithstanding the terrible fatigue which the
Emperor and Empress underwent in their long
"progress" through Brittany, they both were in
excellent health when they reached St. Cloud on
Saturday evening. Their Majesties have, how-
ever, instead of going off to Barritz at once, as
they originally intended, deemed it advisable to
remain quietly there till Monday next. Before
the departure the Emperor will despatch to
Queen Victoria a cannon—made to fire shell as
well as ball according to his recent invention.
It is intended as a return for the cannon with
which her Majesty presented him. The French
have a saying that " les petits cadeaux entre-
tiennent l'amitie ;" and it may be asserted that
when sovereigns are exchanging "petits cadeaux,
the alliance between their respective countries
must needs be a "great liict."
As usual at this season, Paris is as dull as a
small provincial town on a rainy Sunday—saciety
being broken up and dispersed, and everybody
who is anybody, or who thinks himself so, being
ashamed of being seen on the Boulevards. But
two noblemen who happen to be here by the merest
chance—one the young Duke de Grammont-
Caderousse, member of one of the most ancient
and distinguished families of this country, and a
foreigner whom some persons state to be Count
de la Roca of the Sardinian Embassy, others a
Spanish duke—have kindly afforded some relief
to the dreadful monotony under which we arc
labouring, by slapping each other's faces at
Franconi s Circus and fighting a duel the next
morning. The immediate cause of the encounter
was, it seems, the arrogant refusal of the foreigner
to return the salutation of the French duke;
which refusal was the consequence of a bitter
quarrel of long standing. The duel did no liarni
to either, beyond a little pricking of the diol
wrist. Grim dowagers of the Faubourg St. Ger;
main arc, it appears, indignant extremely, 1.1,1?
are exclaiming loudly—quelle horreur ! gis
horreur—at the idea of two noblemen exchanguli
blows ; but the profane vulgar are rather dispo_
to regard the affair as "jolly." Undoubtedly the
vulgar are grossly in the wrong; but, wen,
Paris is so dull!

Nittraturt.

APPRENTICE FICTIONISTS.
1. Laighton Manor House ; or, Love and Its
Shadows. London : Saunders and Otley.
2. My Three Aunts ; or, Lowminster. By the
Author of " Long, Long Ago." London :

J. and C. Mozley.
TIIE most troublesome part of professional criti-
cism is attending to the claims of youthful or
inexperienced literary candidates. The successes
or the thilures of known reputations possess a
certain stimulating effect ; but it is otherwise
with regard to the immature productions of
fledging intellects and budding authors. Yet
the duty of giving fair play to the pretensions
which are unaided by the whispers of coteries in
the profuse puffs of "the row" is an imperative
one in any critical journal ; and since the estab-
lishment of THE PRESS no small pains has been
taken with this special department of practical
criticism. One reason of a philosophical kind
ought to make professional critics more attentive
than is their custom to young authors ; for it is
in this branch of literature one can most easily
measure the effect of fashionable reputations, and
at the same time discern some of the tendencies
of the rising age. In Fiction, as in Poetry,
young talents try to strike new chords of
emotion. Their notes are weak and uncertain,
but occasionally there is promise of future
strength. Thus in most of the attempts at poetry
during the last twenty years, after omitting the
professed imitations of Byron and Wordsworth,
we may discern in the crude attempts of our
poetasters a desire for a school of poetry which
should realize effects of reflection and sensation,
and which should be at once profound in its
thoughts and views of life, and at the same time
should be melodiously poetical in its ut-
terances. This aspiration of the age is best
realized in verse by the Laureate ; though, in
spite of his rare sweetness, his exquisite finish,
and his wealth of poetical language and ideas,
I Mr. Tennyson has not that vehement energy of
all-enibracing expression which can rivet a vast
national audience to his strains.

In Fiction, judging by the countless efforts
which constantly come before us, there is a rising
taste for strong sentiment, with sonic poetical
colour. The cynicism of Mr. Thackeray is begin-
ning to tire; Diogenes in tears, and weeping in
one page for the pain inflicted in another,
is a striking sight for a time, but it becomes
monotonous. And great as are the resources of
11r. Dickens, many wish for more accurate deli-
neations of close reality; and his grotesque cha-
racters are beginning to impart a tone of delibe-
rate caricature to his writings. The fountain of
thought opened by the authoress of "Jane Eyre "
Was soon closed ; and the world has no new effects
to expect from Mrs. Gore, or Mrs. Marsh, or
Mrs. Gaskell. A male novelist, Mr. Anthony
Trollope, has given reason to think that he will
btcome an able practical fictionist, with a neat
and rapid style of "telling" execution, though
without any inventiveness of new or original
types of character; and a few other novelists give
hopes of looking for brilliant perthrinances from
them.

On the whole, however, the conviction which
remains most strongly impressed upon us is that
writers of fiction do not take as much pains as
they ought. Labour at Fiction will repay
trouble. The Drama (in original writing) is
Virtually extinct, and a conscientious novelist,
who writes to instruct and to elevate, and who
will zealously study his subject, has a great mis-
sion to realize. I Inman nature is the same now,
though seen under other lights and shadows,. as
it within the days of the Great Dramatists; and it
is not too much to ask for thought, and time, and
study from those who profess to assuage our
pains and to elevate our hearts in the pages of a
novel. What nobler subject can be proposed for
study than the human heart ? Are not the vices
and the virtues of the old Adam as glaringly
manifested now in this far-advanced society of
England in the nineteeth century ? Immediate
and widespread fame is given to a successful
novelist, and the pecuniary reward is far from
be, contemptible. With such temptations, it
really • •
• . Purpritung OW Vim are !lot greqtef