The Express.
London, England, 1856-10-07 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Westminster Review. No. XX.
The Rational Review. No. VI.
"The Westminster" opens with an article on
" Alchemy and the Alchemists" which, although
not containing mach that is new, is worth reading,
as it defines clearly the position which Alchemy holds
is the history of science. It brings to view the good
which Alchemy did achieve, while seeking for a suc-
cess which it was impossible to secoomplish. It points
elm to a distinction not commonly observed,
that, namely, between the real alchemists, the
lofty enthusiasts who sacrificed life and fortune
in the endeavour to realise a gorgeous vieloo.
and the pendo-alchemists, the charlatans who traded
upon the capital they found in the secrete of their
and the credulity of the public. "Budd-
ies rdyrehteal and Historical " is a good sketch of the
materials which have accumulated during the lust
few years for the history and description of a system
which hes spied so widely in the But. The article
es the "Property of Married Women" discuses a
gustiest which Ms lately assumed an important
argue. The laws wide regard ite-abirdpee

petty are at the same time so contradictory and so
unjust that It Is haponsible that they can long re-
main in the psas..t state, now that their
nature has been son theetighly investigated. The
petition presented to the Houses last 'onion, the
Report of the Law Anseadmewt Reskgy, sad the
constant discussions which are taking place on the
subject, are all so many .signs that the question has
seamed a position, not indeed more prominent than
it deserves, bat one nevertheless which could soaroely
have been anticipated a few years back. The article
embraces most of the usual facts and arguments
adduced by the opposers of the present state of
the law. In addition to this, bowers., it brinp
forward some information of great significance with
respect to the condition of the law on the same subject
on the other side of the Atlantic. The common law of
England was of course that of the Union during the
earlier years of its history. Most of the States have,
however, become sensible of the injustice of this law,
and have repealed it:
Vermont appears to have taken the lead in this change,
by enacting, M 1847, that "the rents, issues, and profits of
the real estate of say married woman, and the inters st of
the husband in her right to theses's, whether acquired be-
ing or after marriage, shall be inapt from attachment or
execution for the sole debt of the husband; and no con-
veyance of the hothead during courtiers cf such right or
keenest shall be valid, unless the suns be in deed 'minted
Nally by the hothead sad wife. Married women may de-
elm their red estate, or any interest theists, descendible to
their kiln." Is 1848, the great state of New York followed
the szample and esteaded the principle yet farther, sad it
is now adopted also la Peonsylvarne as well as is New
England, is Tense, Califon* and the newly-settled states.
where a married weasels is snowed, with more or less modi-
Amen°, the same rights over property as If eke were single.
We lave bed It la ear power to inquire closely !seethe work-
kg of the law, and in no Woken have we beard any COM•
plaint of domestic isconvenienee arising from the thugs.
Oa the contrary, no women, Is the world are mere devoted
to their duties in private life than those of America. Thus,
we ars not treading is • sew and unknown path is roma-
mendieg this alteration la the law of England as a now
wry soniequence of idealising eMilisation ; we are but tol-
-1 swing up a IMMO of thought sad action which oar trans-
'Mantis kindred have already adopted, and, es it seems,
with satkleetery results.
" The revised statutes of New York," says the Rev. F.
Cheaniag, in same to the glories of Sir &skins Perry,
"Is the yeses It" IMO, provide that the real and personal
=sof way aerie she any hereafter marry, and
AA ems meths time el her marriage, sad the
kW% sad *soot_•. shal sot be thb•
jest to the of Imp besissad, . nor be liable fee his
debts, bet sh wratismi bee sole and separate property, as
if she were a single ftemsb.• And the laws of reaseplvasis
poevide that *every epodes sad deseriptles of property
. shall costinue to be the property of melt women se
fally after marriage as before, . . sad shall not be
sal jest to *nestles fee the debts or liabilities of her has-
immy 911 ter
This prisciple has ales bees adopted by the states of
Mein., Rhode Island, Miehigar, Indiana, Winooski,
North Carolina. Teasers*, Kentucky, Mksiesippi, Florida,
Alkalises, Loathes', Tawas, end California, although they
hare not all adopted it to the same askant, or applied It Is
theme way.
"Married we... may beams posessmid of property, real
or personal, by bevies; gift, parches., be., in their own
came, sad re their owa property, and may convey sad de-
vise real ad pummel proporty, sad any Isterest or estate
thereto. ad the rests, knee, sad profits thereof, is the
same si sad with the same elect as if they were
nonserried, Abc." And " this principle has been likewise
adopted by the dates of Maine, Mewashusetts, Mole
Used, Peassylvanis, North Caroline, Florida, Alabama,
klisslisippi, Leaking% Arkastas, liencereee, Mkadisa,
lodises, Kimmel, lowa. Wisconsin, California, although
they differ la thole way of applying the principle."
The laws of New-York further provide that deposits made
M say savings bank, or other institution of the kind, made
by the wife, shall be payable to her only. A wife may she
take out a patent br her own Inventios, end ..joy the pelt
of it isdepeadently of her husband. And by a farther kw
passed la 1864, 'lmp mutinied women whole husband,
either from dreakessest, l roligacy, er any other came, ,
shall engine to provide for her ninon, or for the support
sad education of thek enildres, and any married woman
who may be deserted by her bashasd, shall have the right
is hes own same to tamest begat**, to rewire sad estleet
her own miniaps sad the earnlege of her own miser
'Widnes, ad apply the same for her oes Darren, and the
caroeet made/deludes et her children, free from the esstrel
as lota/Wean of the husband." By this same law, the
wife is seek ease bee the tight to Mad the children as rip-
premises, and appoiat guanisse. These further WITISIOSI
made in the some dire °this, after as *Amiense of sin
years, arise that the legislature of New York had not uses
as) eases to repeat of what was already done.
la Mamaithusette there is another metal provision made,
iy will!" a married woman may at say time make over her
property to trustees, kw her owe or her ehildroce• bear at,
sad thus be pretested frees tither violins, or importsoity
as the pert of the husbeed.
George Forster, a German author scarcely known
by name in England, although his writings are
among the purest and most national in the literature
of his country, forms the subject of a useful and
amusing easy. The other articles on "Edinburgh_
Piny Tests Ago," "Silly Novels by Lidice,"
" Prance before the Revolution of '89," and "Eimer-
_

, eon on English Traits, are all worth perusal.
" The National" has a more than ordinary amount
of literature in the present number. There is a loog,
rather metaphysical, and subtle analysis of the genius
and works of Shelley. This was much wanted, as a
rut Quantity of noose se has been talked lately
about Shelley. There is a discriminating investigation
of De Foe's merits, occasionally depreoistiry, bet
mostly laudatory. This is followed by a good-natured
denunciation of Mr. Sydney Dobell's poems, which
ends ea follows :
Ws twofer we have little patina with the whole school
of which Mr. Dobell is one of the most prominent members.
Raggedness, want of Apish, and ezeggeration, which, u it
neeersarily mast, often Inks. the form of distortion, are its
Mareeteristier. Fuel! tried the same t►iog in palatine•
He too sought for grandeur in what was strained and
astonishieg in t►e medium of his art. more than en-
mgerated—he exasperated 'mythicise. No men could sit
on a stool withtht the muscles of his leg standing oat as if
he were engaged la a stmegle for his life. People took
snuff glaring et one another like tigers; and an elderly lady
was el ways made se like Titivate se th• artist mold stub
to. He too had molar, and area great genies; and wasted
It by the went of simplicity and trutbfathese. Hs too was
once thought a great vaster; and the tepid situation of
' that brief aotoristy, which was the sole and jut reward of
pewees even so maple as his, misapplied as they were, coy
am as • wersiag to those who are indalgieg the same
false Mae ia another form of art.

Then there is a social sod literary article on " Victor
Cousin's Treatise oa Madame de Hautefort and bee
Contemporaries," extremely well done; and an his.
torice-literary article on the Elowrie conspiracy, in
which the author brings forward the evidenoe very
fairiy, and in which he as fairly confesses that hem:
come to no distinct conolosion on the subject. The
artiste oa Italy is a temperate and well written
statasseat of the Italian question. The following
extreme motelse a good expiation of the manner in
whisk the position of Piedmont hems upon the Italian
dice
ihe get plass, As sand egret of the amid= of
piediesab, as a five govensulat, at tall with la Italy, MB
Maly be ever tulasatial. TM wads am& aim" see
etas aced idly sad wait little tkosabt—ea the sae bead, to
dotty Limos misled wiriest anal mania by last

who cm threaten potently; or, on the other hand, to signify
a =nosed enemy of good simple in converting singers—
ea efilmay which in political life is apt to tansies is spiral.
lion. We see the words S masher of Son sepses. Pied-
mont, if she ocasolidates her liberties, will have a 'seat
moral elect: first on Europe geeerellfs h_l flalflaniaff a
logical ewer to the prejudice againet the Salim capacity
for self serenest ; sesondly and chiefly, on Italy)iiself.
It is the latter whir* we an hardly over-estistate. Walks
Say is altogether •ereatureol the mind, end its growth and
recognition &peed on moral asses. Keay things must
come to render its asides* possible. The ideal elesseste
stilt la Italy in protesies ; but their realisation has been
so long awaited, that they may well be iasafileient for the
scepticism of those preemies' men without whose aid they
.swot be realised. Nutmeat manects the idea with the
facts. Its mistimes must justify the undefined hopes of
the masses, sad famish a ready swear to the doubts of the
motleys few. The anomaly of Austrian dosisks is pal
sable to the dullest, whom a tree Italian settee, with as
Italian Life of its own, strengthens her 'tallies fortresses is
the Amides Seders. To the clam of moral Masses Is
oleo to be referred the fain, that Piedmeoet is Semis/ the
retort of seen of intellectual and social weight frees all parts
of Italy. The effect predated by the sere spectacle of these
sea sposkias freely on Italian subjects, se the hemmed
adopted childnis of a free Italian sate, °asset fail to he
incalculable. It is not for those who have a real faith is
Italian nationality to doubt the impales gives to their muse

:ith-smaree Me sphere et mend kitese, Goa ty-ha.
antleira.• the time wire, and the 11104/11 In which, Pied-
suture power is to rooms available Is the strap& for
Itriaa liberty and indepudenes, we are met by the greater
dillealtita. Let not the English mind rest on a hhed eon-
Meats in the destinies of Piedmont. If we are to do our
own duty oa the Italian quahog, we must keep oar eyes
and oar ears wide open to catch the nal import of every
event. Piedmont is not strong enough to fight eisglrhaaded
with Austria, nor con we point oat any compendious way to
a true lodise league, wars the 101 l of the Neapolitan
Bourbons should enable author free Italian state to hold a
thoroughly national sour in the south. The Manaiatass
will tell us either that the Piedniontese ormseaioa with the
Wester. alliance was the work of nee who would thank-
fully join both Austria and Freer is a conspiracy against
freedom, or that the old gamer French and Austrian rivalry
in Italy is about to be renewed, with Piedmont for the time
eelteted on the fide of Fusee, being allured thereto by baits
which it is never intended to allow her in reality to pal,.
We can at once appreciate the dangers el Italy, If we figure
to oorielve Piedmont overreached by Proem, and playieg
the French game; Naples side by side with Austria in a
libertieide war; and the plains of the Peeinsula once
more deluged with fraternal blood. It would be fatal to be
Mind to such dangers. We shall not be so presumptuous es
to dogmatise on the coneterrailing hopes.
Only be this remembered. Every fresh step In Italy is
fraught with danger. Et, deliverance. on any theory, Is
a matter far more of filth than of sight. epeetaton cm
bet flu their hopes on those elements which seem to them
richest in national strength. We have not faith is demo-
cratic convulai-ns. We long` to see a country in wafer the
lentimeet of liberty le di.joined from that blind levelling
spirit which France has so fatally impressed oa many minds.
We would fele hope that llossialas republiesaira may yet
be replaced, not only in Italy, but throughout Europe, by
somathieg more like our English republicanism. It is the
despotism of numerical rajoritiee, and not the mere absence
of monarchichal forms, that the moderates of Europe are
tesectird not to have. It revolutions our, they mut be
looked mantrilly in the face, and, If possible, not be merely
shrieked at. Meanwhile, we think it supers well fee say
sentry wiles the breathless especiation of such toraadoee,
be it an ardently hi peful or an affrighted eapsotatioe,
superseded by the work of gradually steeling free institu-
tions, air streeitheeing them spinet their enemies. A
Ins Italian country, with a press, and a parliament, and a
noble army leader the control of responsible minister, and
impregnable to:tillerless building on the aide seat Austria;
is not this in heal( a sure and aerials hope hr the Italian
cease, though we cannot as yet re the point at which the
sew forms ere to be used ? It we really believe I. Italian
natietality, we cannot doubt that the maiden will arise. It
may be that Count Caveat's scheme for the evacuation of
the Roman Mates by the Irma and Austrians may be
serried out, end may involve the attahiniset of constitu-
total liberties at Rome swim the guueetes of a Pied-
maltase army. It may be that Plegmata is destined to
shield a roused Neapolitan people hem them who have tee
right to withheld these frees dean setelbatlen es their
eppremme, sad that Roglond sad noses mai. hear her
barmier la sure • malasseisme pgi I A i I I 1111 pre-
cdpie of notpistervesties. Italy is Mee eneMessegles. We
would not dwell overmuch es the Warn eillesee. It
would be creel to hold out the earmarks thet Eaglead
and Francs would be ready new to Os& Pfelesset Is as
unprovoked crusade against Austria or {tidied that Prance
would at any time be eager to crest; for herself a Mediter-
rassen rival in a united Italy. But the provocation may
come from Austria. end in each a form as to insure the an-
haulers of the Western powers. It is not for us to pro.
ohm the future of Itely. Rer revelatioe, like all revs.
lations, will probably come is the form and at the thee
leer eslcehted on beferehred. We as bet look for the
seeds of strength within her harden; and we dabs for
Piedmont's, liberty that it be admitted to hold a sew and
high place among the hopes of Italy—one mere develop-
ment, and in a very new end very right direction—as ad-
ditioaal chases for Italy sad for Europe. Chu benefit at
least will accrue from her position: her politicians will be
able to instruct Europe on the real hi 'rings of Italian
questions. It is, in itself, the Melanin, of batter days, that
we look forward with reasonable confidence to receiving en-
lightenment from sash a warm.
" Crime in England and its Treatment " discuses
the causes of crime sad the proposed methods of
repression, reformation, and punishment of criminals..
The theological reader will be pleased with the con-
cluding article of the number, which contains a pro-
found investigation of the personal influences of New-
man, Coleridge, Carlyle, and others, on religion in
England.

DRAMA.

BIIIIREY.

Last night then was a revival of a piece which
had • greet run at this themes lost esasoo, the great
annoy drum" (se the bills call it) of TAe Flaw Girl and
the Cotiviet Margisfe. It has been reproduced with great
cue, sad Mr. Crawl& his belabored its 'mutton by
meowing the ohmmeter of the hero, Mideast Crease, the
Convict Marquis, a capital part, to which he gives great
effect by his bold, hated, vigorous melodramatic sotto,.
Mime Marriot, as Mololon, the Flower Girl, ie plessing and
interesting. Her and stone in the lest Oct is rosily pathetic;
and her whole pnformsoce would be intellect if oho could
divest herself of her trampontine conventionalities, and be
less tbeetrieed is her action cad elocution. Mr. Widdiesombe
(the Wright of the Surrey) kept the how in roars of
laughter by his finale, aid the whole rsooptios of the
piece by a crowded house, showed that it will btu 'mother
rue as long as the Net.