The Express.
London, England, 1859-07-02 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

real P.-18‘1, awl Glaciers. A Series of Excur-
A 01.4 by Members of the Alpine Club. Edi:ed
by JOHN Bath, 51.11. LA., F.L. S., tie President.—
Longman".
The grandest playground upon earth is tht.t
wonderful region of rocks, ice, and snow, the Hgh
Alps ot Switzerland and Savoy. This is the chosen
place of exercise and recreation to which athletic
climbers, walker", and leapt rs, chiefly from our
English towns and level shires are secustorced in
August and September to resort. We take some
pride in reflecting that the most intrepid and suc-
cessful performers in these manly coutests with the
rugged's.", of Nature are usually our own connh,y-
Tue. French, German, and Swiss men of winos
hare perhaps throned equal risk and labrar in
order to tumid" e our knowledge of the peculiar
phemomena of elevated region but no adventurers
hare equalled the gentlemen of England in their
.es to brava the extremes of fatigue and
danger for the sake of noble and exhilarating sport.
Whilst, in the cams of such learned explorers as
Pro'eseor Junes l'orbes, the ruling motive has bees
a desire to contribute to the world's stock of eciettifie
information—a desire to carry en the work of Alpine
investigation, of et hich De Suasive, is the last one
tiny, made so exemplary a beginning—nine out at
tie of per brave young fellows who have lICLti the
die,y heights ooce denounced se inaeoessible,ar
waded across the treacherous plains of bodcw bar-
(laud snow, did it for the fun of the thing, and for
the pleasure of a generous excitement. We are th-
elmed to praise their choice of a pastime, tear where
they bass no more serious object in view. They
could out amuse themselves in a more innocent, and
inanely is a more virtuous way—admitting that the
courage, the patient endurance, and the prudent self-
command, which in a Roman's estimattoe made up
the coin of e irtue, so still to be regarded so vatues
in this age of • 'scold-be " imuicular Christiamity.*
Considenog these sellout spirits, therefore, only as
a sopenur kird of eportamen, and without reference
to the special accompliehuseve which several of
them have brought to the task of geographical and'
other physical investigation, we feel very great
Intone in their achievements. The recent foam-
tam of the " Alp:ne Club," which now numbers
about oft hucdred gs utlemeu of more or less experi-
ence in arch enterprise', is a gratifying si;n of the
mobil sympathy which bar sprung up between
those who have sought enjoyment, if not dietiae-
coo, io the erne geld. We, who sit at home
in cue, or travel in unambitious comfort along
the beaten roads, are indebted to this association
of the elitsbieg boys for this entertaicing cohection
..t reruns. assouree, illustrated with maps and
brome-lithographic pictures. Several of ti e :overt-
bother to this volume have published very readable
*crowns of other Alpine adventures, by which they
have already was the favourable acquaintance of the
public. Mr. Allred Wills, the author of "
ings among the High Alps," Mr. Hinahliff, and Mr.
Kennedy, are well known by the fame of their
achievenseuts, of which they themselves have been
the skilful ki.torians. In addition to the gentlemen
above-named, Professor Tyndall, the Rev. J. Llewel-
lyn Darien the Rio. J. F. Hardy, and Mesers:P. V.
Hawkins, W. Mathews, jun., E. L. Ames, E. Ander-
son, It. W. Forster, and A. C. Ramsay, hare re toted
their emporium in this volume I the president of the
Alpine Club, Mr. Ball, editor of the collection, also
recording two or three excursions of his own. We
may observe, as an illustration of the wholesome
influences hatitually prevailing in our ancient uni-
versitiee, that aimed every one of these names appears
with the honourable letters M.A., or some ether dig-
nified initials, appended to it, thereby confuting
the fallacy that scholarship and bookish erudition
are incompatible with robust vigour of body,
rry unastie activity, and a sinewy set of limbs. But
although these gentlemen possess literary as well as
pedestrian pewees of a high order, and all write
well, none of them attempt' to write finely. There
is no ostentatious word-painting or trickery of
artificial deeciption in any chapter of this gentile
book. We are convinced by the simplicity and
straightforwardness of the narratives that, without
exaggerating the hardship and difficulties they hare
surmounted, and without any idea of appealing to
public admiration, these gentlemen have reported
what they have dope and what they have seen, for
the instruction of those who may follow them. This
is the original purpose and character of the papers
of the Alpine Club, which was designed to afford
its members en opportunity of communicating in-
formation as to put excursions,' and suggesting
future achievements. To judge, however, from the
aqhirernents of some of these writers, and the re-
note, upon various scientific subject' which
tins volume :cuisine, we anticipate that the Alpine
Club will become an important repertory of grayer
knowledge, and tiler the best means of discussing
those geologies', botanical, and meteorological pro-
blems which the observations of Alpine tourist,. may
heip to explain. The eleabliehmeet of a inioeum
exclusively devoted to these matters would be a most
profitable molt of the efforts of this interesting
societr. Is tie meantime we wish its members. in
tho approaching season, all desirable health and lei-
S'a'e ler their pr, jetted exeursione—ouy boots,
honest guides, wholesome victuals and clear weather,
a ore footing ou the verge of the precipice, a trust-
worthy lee-bridge over the horrible crevasse, or a
tough rope to sustain them if they fall in, a blazing
tire and sheltered corner for the nocturnal bivouac, a
good breakfast in the morning, then safety in clam-
bering to the sun.rnit, an hour's well-earned triumph
on high, and, with unbroken bones in a whole plc.;
the unavoidable descent.

MUSIC:

HEAR. 110LIQUE'S CONCERT.

This concert, which talk plus It Wil.i.i Balms
Wit evening. woo en rit't rt.iomeat of drier:Sera vrwl •
&err It w•. • ref ..ot tore chamber amok, Induling
cared (.111: 11 Ago -se locus:Lew .1 sod vo:a! plue. Tte
girt romaelirla wee Le trio m B g ot, Lr the
vials,uds 400celin,portarcedbybuda.gbier,V:;e.Anna
Idellique, tom wl;', •nl SLgrw itd; •nt )4 mut. tly •,,Ltk
fell of ire, 'lsom, end MI -cies purges for all the ln•tra-
meat' TOO where fa plettruler la • ‘'rry ga. int 0.-i•
gtoal,mnrttat.Noli.ine le • LtgLly ..,coy.obo I
purr ; eke bate fdl said mellow tme, wilth abe .111.4111141
b. 'silkily is matithile Orman whr h•r light owl exile
dart .sire Ler to give to the sr et rapid end br.blest
peseeges Her stilt, as Witt be everted from Ma rattail
ds►gberr, i. pere red elaaJtt, aid Mt 'eateries edisbabbt.

M %DAME LRIIIIIIII,NB SHERRINGTON'S
CONCERT.

Thu lady pro • warfare oft Thursday at
IS•wasa witial were crowded by • f.A.uionalle
somilsam Mario Lorne= now oat of me gres.est
Ineuribm• el Th• eascert eee.i.t.cl of airy, &lei,.
sad twirt.,l p ia mot of veLich al. Iv nod( MatAi