The Express.
London, England, 1859-12-27 00:00:00

FINE ARM

!As Wor ur Italy. From drawings by Cui.o
Boseotr, with a descriptive narrative, by the
author of " The Timor' Lettere from the Allied
Camp."
A pictorial description of the late war lu!:
is most welcome. The drawings of Carlo ll
are not only artistically varied and effective, but sin-
plarly comprehensive. This last quality la the rarest
in representations of great battles; as all will bear
witness who have inspected the acres of battle-pisess
in the palace at Versailles. Even Le Bran and
Horace Vernet do not always esnivey the impend=
of the hosts which engage in every great battle.
Most artists have endeavoured to bring their picture.
of war within the conventional rules of artistic com-
position, by selecting only some episode illustrative
of the heroism of a particular corps, or some in-
cident which will introduce the commander-inchisf
and his staff in an impossible position of danger as
the field. The artist here, however, has gene-
rally avoided such restrictiom, and usually sought
to depict the disposition and movement of the muses,
the crisis of the battle, the configuration of the
ground, and the character of the scenery. The pre-
paratory strategic dispositions and ancillary events
are given, as well as the actual tactics in the face of
the enemy. We may say of these drawings what the
Duke of Wellington is reported to have said of a
representation of Waterloo—" Good : not too much
.mks." Signor Somali has possibly too &Unsought
to heighten the effectiveness of his drawings by the
introduction of meteorological phenomena. The tem-
pest which raged at Soltenno had of course to be
introduced, but the effect of this remarkable incident
is somewhat diminished by the frequency of the intro-
duction elsewhere of accessories of rain and thunder-
cloud. There is perhaps a little patriotic rumination
of the Austrian unsteadiness in defeat. With these
exceptions none can fail to appreciate the panoramic
accuracy and almost epical completeness of these
drawings—merits which give them, in fact, a cer-
tain importance as materian at the service of history,
and render them especially valuable to those who
have not visited the scene, and could not reeling
them from the most graphic word-painting.
The plates number no less than forty, besides
maps, and their production so soon after the termina-
tion of the war is very creditable to Messrs. Day and
Son. The pictorial narrative opens with the Sat,
dioian cavalry proceeding to the camp, through the
wide, stuccoed, gag-bedecked streets of Turin, amid
showers of bouquets and patriotic acclamation..;
The 'French are then seen clearing their
through the early snow of Mont Canis. Theirtt:
landing if other divisions at Genoa, the crowded
fleet, like so mac y hires, the swarming boats, and
the reception of the wedge of the great army on the
quay. Then we have the bivouac of the troops at
Sun, after emerging from the weary winding road
over Mont Cenis ; and we first discover the Austrian.
in the act of blowing up the railway bridge at Valence.

The Emperor Napoleon now arrives at Genoa, and
at Aleesandria receives a popular ovation. Of
Alessandria and the great fortifications in its ra-
vines there is an almost photographically minute
representation. The headquarters of the /ling at
Sardinia affords au mallow idea of how the Alps
and the Apennines die away en all aides in gentle
undulations into the plain ei Lombardy. We
now come upon the war trail of the Aus-
trians crossing the Po, and the first actual colli-
sion in the charge of the Piedmontsse light
cavalry at Genestrello. Then we are in the midst of
the battle of Montebello, with columns of Zemmol
rushing pellmell up the steepest acclivity. The
parse of the Scrim follows, the Zonal's' again in
advance, and with bugle challenging comrades in a
train on the parallel railway bridge. The Pied-
montage in drenching rain cross the Seals, and in
another storm attack Palestro. Two or three plates
are given to various incidents in this combat, and then
the Austrians an seen thrown headlong is muses into
the Reggio's, Canal. The French army now pass the
Basis encampment at Novara ; bildahon's corps sad
the Piedmonteee army cress the Ticino. Infantry
' wend over the half-destroyed bridge of Buffaloes, and
then we gain a general view of the field of Magenta,
the battle, at the railway cutting, in the town,
and in the cemetery, being given in three or
four plates. The introduction of the Emperor
Napoleon, surrounded by the van of the serried ranks
of his Imperial Guards, is (being historically correct)
perfectly allowable. The brilliant eatry into
Milan, and the Ts Deum in in solemn
cathedral, afford a striking contrast to the pre-
ceding scenes of bloodshed. The battle of Mole-
griano suggests some of the horrors of street fighting.
The brilliant diversion of Garibaldi, and the
=try into Brescia, precede the stupendous slaughter,
templet, and victory of &Mein°. These plane
convey some, though necessarily inadequate, impres-
sions of the attack of Cariana by the French, the
attack of the Madonna della Scoperts and that of
S. Martino by the Piedmontese, and the decisive
attack on Solferino by the French. The interview of
the two Emperors at-Villafranca closes the series.
The descriptive narrative accompanying the plates
corresponds in its main features with the " Letters
from the Allied Camp," published in the Tina.
In the preface, the author observes with candour—
" Whatever variations may be found between the
latter and the present narrative arse:plaited by the
difference which must always exist between letters
wri, ten on the spot, under the first impression of the
moment, and a connected socount written several
months later, when many new details have become
known, when much that was doubtful could be
'Land up, and when many erroneous impressions
staid be oorrectstL"

The Right H. T. M. Gibson, M.P., in a least
naked the other day by Predate& Repair, Esq., Atha&
testes that ha to in Avow of the volunteer movemint, mid le
attemeging it se mash es potable.

We (lferbehestier Guardian) learn, on authority
• maim priestly reliable, that government hr
aid ups phi Dr. Limagstoas with • new steamer
he taw wpm of enabtisg him to carry oat his
enpilemehm of the Zambesi. In addition to this
peetedag wawa of the interest with which
the wont admisidrallsm views the efforts for opening up
Ciaaral Abbe le Ms Menses of eivilleettaa, Kr. OW-
ekes, vs no infteseed, he. appropriated a sem of 2,1041. to
the hither emploratios of the rum Nyanza chain of Wm.
The eememed et this latter eapselitios will be entrusted to
Caput& epee.

Mt. Alas*? Sarrm.—We have mach satiates-
tkm io swim, Mit regard to the Moos et Mr. Whist
Balkh, that ail awahrstes ell deafer b bees remeseL
This favourable sire took pleas at MAID eels* IS lea.
day, sad le tee Moot bete pregressiag met favererebly. Mr.
Zee WO base cortastii Is otiseasose, mi. with Dr. Mar
=Ms nod Mr. Oatair Claps*, preeemes hlr. ankh out el
dosser.

taAviumqo ox 111 Earns" Commis RAlL-
war.—ltr. ALlemma Ikeki, vritisi.: a EMI •
innate that it le Wt thee that the ern Com=
way Company siesM be conthalkd by legislative meet-
meat to provide comma, se is done on other liner, of com-
mokatios Mimeo the goard and engine-driver. •• On Mon-
day lest," be trays, between Brentwood and Mont-
fort, we were dragged furiously along for three miles after
as areideat had occurred, the shouts sad sereamir of the
parearnes sot being heard by the msgthe-lriver, al-
tboagh tiny must hare reached the semis•-motor at
Bamford, who signalled the train to stop. The brakes
ail* of the track attached to the carriage to whloh
I rode, carted a horse-boo to be detached sad the bores
killed, blocking the doer line for two hours, the whorls
of the trark travailing on the gravel behind and
producing by friction two streams of fire. The at:Odor
master at Monfort' told me ' not to alone the paeweaws;
and the eagles-driver coolly said be thought ha had Fen
ore, a man, although be a. could ban looked coned to
are what was the matter." A correspondent completes
bitterly to us of ohs present management of this railway.
The train.. searcrly ever keep the power time; the varia-
tions extending from a quarter to • full hour. The midge
puaengers can place so °madames to the time bill..
u ODER/WIELD, BARNSLEY, AND SILXIITOWIL
R• I LIVAT.—It is Fared to wagged a line of railway be-
tweenßarnsley sad I addervflald, es as to accommodate the
mariefectering districts of Otto*, Athmaidbury, Kbkheatoo,
Xi/libation, and other places tothe West Midi , sod also
to develop the resources of the Bithekete ooalB.ld. A com-
mittee he bee• formed by owners of peopeety in the diarist,
with a view to form a employ le awry oat the yeetteeed
tutiertakiar.

--.-
SOMERSHAII. Rainy, AND ROLM' RAILWAY...-.A
line is prepared from dm Dookonthom Maim, ea tM
Eastrro Cousiso, Se dr Halms satitta, ea the GosM
Gottlino. TM sot ef sasetrsories is sislestut is 6,11041.
per gatl,, sod Ms cophol et 110,0001.