The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-01 00:00:00

T•IIE MAGAZINES.

Blackwood.—Blackwood. commences with a cri.
ticisin on the works of the Rev. Mr. Kingsley,
whom it describes as " one of the most remarkable
and voluminous writers of the present day." It
appears that in the space of six years he has pro-
duced twelve volumes of prose and verse, sermons,
philosophy, and fiction. The present criticism no-
tices only the latter, which certainly display a re-
markable diversity in the selection of their subjects
and eras. They range from the Chartists of late
years to the inhabitants of Alexandria in the fifth
century, from a picture of modern English society
to a voyage on the Spanish main in the days of
Queen Elizabeth. The, critic, while condemn-
ing the opinions set forth, and the exaggeration
displayed, admits the talents and originality
evinced in these romances. A paper on "Aland
—the Baltic in 1854," gives a description of the
little group of islands, which are seemingly in so
secluded and unpretending a position that they
would appear to be removed from all chance of the
vicissitudes of war. The natural character of the
country compelled a simple and primitive life. Not
only were the group of islands intersected and dis-
sected by water, but each isle was again subdivided
by lochs and morasses, so that almost every farm
was in a solitude of its own. The natural produc-
tions of the country supplied the limited wants of
the inhabitants, and with little demand for foreign
goods and few materials calculated for export, they
would seem to be totally removed from the chances
and changes of larger and more ambitious states.
But not so. " Once a kingdom, says tradition,
then a dependency of Sweden ; then over-
run by Russian soldiers ; converted into a
military station, and placed under the rule of a
nation alien in sympathies, laws, and blood, this
little island aggregation becomes at last the scene
of a war in which neither its interest nor its pa-
triotism is involved." After some remarks on the
Baltic expedition of last year, a description is given
of the capture of Bomarsuud, to which the writer
thinks the English public were not inclined to pay
sufficient honour.—" Zaidee" is continued with in-
terest. The present instalment introduces the for-

lorn and desolate little heroine to a new country
and new friends. A letter to Eusebius, bears
the title of " Once upon a Time," the name of Mr.
Charles Knight's new work, on which it is founded.
It gives a most fascinating description of these two
volumes of anecdote and history, romance and
reality.—Part 111. of " Notes on Canada and the
North West States of America" gives some amusing
traits of transatlantic character. A canoe was
overturned in steering down the rapids of the Sault
St. Marie, and as the accident took place opposite
the town, many of the inhabitants were attracted
to the bank. The two adventurers in the canoe
were given up for lost, when suddenly a person
rushed towards the group, frantically exclaiming—
" Save the man with the red hair." His earnest
appeals induced the bystanders to exert themselves,
and the individual alluded to was at length
safely landed. "He owes me eighteen dollars,"
said his rescuer, looking approvingly on his assist-
ants. An article on the " Palmerston Administra-

ion" is written with great fairness and modern•

tion, and though it finds much to censure in Mi-
nisterial proceedings (as what impartial critic
can avoid doing ?), it is careful to " draw a dis-
tinction between evils which are the inevitable
result of bad arrangements too long tolerated
by the country and those which arise in con-
sequence of direct Ministerial error." In re-
marking upon the decline and fall of the Pre-
mier's popularity, it is observed with appropriate
alliteration, that " Palmerston, the favourite of
February, is Palmerston the mistrusted of May."
In retracing his political antecedents, the writer
censures strongly his conduct during the Polish
insurrection. In conclusion, the writer expresses
himself convinced that the safety and honour of
the country are in jeopardy in the hands of the
present Ministry, " whether their neglect arises
from deliberate disinclination to push on the war,
or from absolute administrative incapacity." A
brief instalment of the "Story of the Campaign "
describes the progress of the siege, and concludes
the number.

Dublin—This number is not remarkably attrac-
tive, although it contains some papers of interest.
Foremost among which must be mentioned " The
Arabs in Spain; their History, Literature, and
Arts." A long account is given of that peculiar and
gifted race who performed such feats of valour, and
at the same time distinguished themselves in litera-
ture and refinements with zeal and intelligence,
that rivalled the lore of the Jews, and even sur-
passed for a time the enlightenment of the Chris-
tians. This was not all at once attained though,
the whirlwind of battle was to pass by before the
gentler advent of science and knowledge
could flourish. The Caliph Omar, for in-
stance, " ordered the magnificent library of
Alexandria to be destroyed, because its volumes,
if they contained only what was in the Koran,
were useless, and if they contained what was con-
trary to it were dangerous." Gradually, however,
the dawn of intellect appeared. The golden age of
literature, it is said, commenced with the reign of
Almanser, and his grandson, the famous Haloun-
al-Raschid, surpassed him in his zeal for patro-
nising literature, never travelling without a hun-
dred learned men in his train. He decreed that
no mosque should be erected without having a
school attached to it. It is a melancholy proof of
Christian intolerance that Cardinal Ximenes or-
dered eighty thousand Arab manuscripts to be
burned. In conclusion, a number of proofs are
cited to establish the fact that Spain and Europe
are indebted to the Moors. " Chemistry, from a
collection of isolated facts, was by them exalted
to the dignity of a true science." There is also
reason to believe, he goes on to state, that rhyme
was introduced from Arabia ; the language of Spain
is greatly enriched by that of the Orient. It is
urged that we should never forget what they have
done in listening to the detractions of those who
descant on what they might have done, for they
were the "connecting links between the civilisation
of ancient and modern Europe"—a sentiment
which coincides with the opinion expressed in
" Coningsby" of the Moorish epoch, " as a fair and
unrivalled civilisation, which preserved for Europe
arts and letters when Christendom was plunged in
darkness." A " Memoir of Colonel Walter Butler"

given. His brother James, however, is the most
.emarkable person of the two brothers here pre-
sented to notice. He killed the celebrated Wallen-
stein, the dictator of Germany. Walter distin-
guished himself when Gustavus besieged Frankfort,
and the monarch, it is said, averred that, " had
the Imperial generals performed a fifth part of
what this gallant Irishman had done, he (Gus-
tavus) would not so easily have been master of
Frankfort." The story of " Ninette Pompon" is
concluded unsatisfactorily enough. The tale is a
warning to those who take a pleasure in weaving
their own fate, and then blaming destiny. Neither
Ninette nor übert bad any excuse for their hasty
conclusions and impatient actions. One mistake
all lovers of romance and sentiment will justly con-
demn, that of making Hubert turn out so uninterest-
ing a character as that of a " bon-vivant." " Such
is life," exclaims the narrator, but that is not con-
sistent with Hubert Deessert's early years. Time
and trouble can do much, and experience extin-
guishes fancies and vagaries, but they have not yet
been known to change the characters, alter the dis-
positions, and subvert the nature of individuals.
" Boulogne" contains some remarks on the present
and past state of affairs in that place. "It was a
spot for meditation. The waters in which he
struggled for life, and in which he was made pri-
soner fifteen years ago, are creeping with gentle
murmur on the sands beneath this balcony, upon
which the Emperor's chamber opens." " National
Galleries, Schools of Art, and their Management,"
presents some curious instances,in which a zeal with-
out knowledge is displayed in their transactions. It
is said that "cleaning" is always followed by "restor-
ing," and we are reminded of the old question of
identity, " The blade, the spring, and the handle
have been renewed, is the knife the same ?" "The
Birth of the American Constitution " gives a long
account of the manners and customs of the trans-
atlantio republic, which will prove interesting to
some no doubt ; and in the last article, "bur
Enemies Abroad and at Home," some true and wise
suggestions are made, and very sad facts are re-
ferred to, but too desponding and gloomy a tone
pervades the writer. It is the language of hope,
not the murmurs of despair, that should be circu-
lated abroad ; and if blunders and errors have been
committed, they will not be remedied by lament-
ing over our lost honour and tarnished glory, but
by fanning the energy, and awakening the spirit
which will not sink under difficulties, but arise and
overcome them."

Colburn's New Monthly.—A variety is evinced
in the management of this magazine. The "Aus-
trian Army" is the first subject met with. It is
remarked that "Austria certainly possesies a very
splendid army." Many details are given of the
style and arrangements of the troops, the system of
promotion, the discipline observed, &c., which
may afford interest. The grand total of the Aus-
trian army in 1852 consisted of 539,968. " Literary
Leaflets ' presents the name of James Thomson.
The criticism commences by stating that "there
is no English poet of Thomson's rank and reputa-
tion about whose merits and claims to such dis-
tinction there is so little dispute." Coleridge called
it the " true fame," when he found a tattered copy
of the "Seasons" lying on the window sill of a little
rustic ale house. "The Crisis" is the name now
given to the melanoholystotyofAdelinecli Costello.

I In this division it becomes very melancholy. Com-
! plication and mystery were embodied in its details
before, but now the enthralment of superstition
- , and the craftinesi of cunning are employed. as
1 weapons against a young 'and inexperienced girl.
3 No wonder she sinks under so many trials, being
i already weak and fragile. Mr. de Costello was
• ' weak, and St. John hasty and unreasoning. All
combined to produce an effect they little thought
of. In the midst of worldly vanity, religious
bigotry, and human passion, the flapping of the
wings of death was heard, and, as a thief in the
night, stole the tidings to their hearts that Adeline,
I the young
sand beautiful, the centre of hope, fear,
! rage, intolerance, and persuasion, was to vanish as
a dream from their frivolous stage to the solemn
precints of that city where marriage and giving in.
marriage is over. " A Visit to the Home of
Goethe "is very interesting. The details of the
private life of genius afford a pleasing study.
Among other objects of interest was observed a let-
ter of Sir Walter Scott, in which he commences—
" Venerable and much respected Sir." It is said
that " this is a lesson to the vanity and impertinence
that so often obtrudes itself upon the privacy of an
eminent man." "My First Evening on Circuit "
is a lively sketch of the way in which some junior
members of the Irish bar recreated themselves,
after " grave hours that bring restraint to sweeten
liberty." " Credulity and Superstition in the
Eighteenth Century" contains some remarkable
proofs of the extent to which human ignorance and
absurdity may be carried. Conspicuous among
folly appears the fact that the fields around London
were crowded with people, who thought thus to
escape the doom which threatened London, in the
shape of an earthquake, predicted for that time.
Sir Horace Walpole mentions in a letter that
" several women have made themselves earthquake
gowns ; that is, warm gowns to sit out of doors all
night." "The Diary of a First Winter in Rome", is
continued, and gives many agreeable accounts
of the past grandeur and present beauties of the
Eternal City.

Colburn's United Service.—Tho narrative of the
siege of Sebastopol is brought down to the latest
period. General Canrobert is exclusively blamed
for the return of the first expedition to Kertch, and
an early denouement of the siege is anticipated.
" Omer Pasha and his Army" are subsequently re-
viewed. The former is described as " a man of
wonderful phlegm and perseverance—always ready
in time of danger, and of very respectable abilities
as a commander." " Army Reform," a sore sub-
ject, we are afraid, is next treated, and as aristo-
cratically as may be. What is wanted, in the
writer's opinion, is not an opening for merit, but a
further opening of the public purse ! Among the
remaining papers of a purely professional charac-
ter may be noticed the first of a series of lectures
on " Military Science," addressed to candidates
for commissions, an instalment of an article on
" Military Education," and an interesting account
of " Military Organisation in Sardinia." Besides
the above a graphic description of " Liverpool
Twenty-five years ago," and the " Editor's Port-
folio," fairly challenge attention.

THE QUARTERLIES.

The Edinburgh Review. No. CM.

A rather slovenly and scrambling article on
" Slavery in the United States," leads off the
newly-published number of the Edinburgh. It is
indirectly, or incidentally, a criticism (rather after
date) upon the renowned " Uncle Tom's Cabin" of
Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe. As such it possesses
a peculiar interest, for, inasmuch, as it is rendered
the vehicle of some curious and, to us, novel frag-
ments of information. The reviewer sets out with
the declaration that " the sale of ' Uncle Tow's
Cabin' is the most marvellous literary phenomenon
that the world has witnessed." As it unques-
tionably is. He adds, morever, the following
particulars in regard to that sale—namely, that
(although the story was not completed until
the March of 1852, having been written
and printed from week to week as a sort
of feuilleton in a Washington newspaper called
the National Era), by the end of November, 1852,
150,000 copies had been sold in America—that, the
first London Edition being published in May,
1852, it came to pass that in the September of the
same year " the London publishers furnished one
house 10,000 copies per day for about four weeks,"
1,000 persons being employed in the labour of their
preparation ! Before 1852 had closed, more than
1,000,000 copies of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" bad
been sold in England 1 " probably," says the Edin-
burgh, " ten times as many as have been sold of
any other work except the Bible and Prayer
Book." In France it appears that one publisher
alone has issued no less than five different
editions of the work in different forms. While,
wonderful to tell, before the end of that memorable
year of 1852—the Year of " Uncle Tom's Cabin,"
as it might be called, just as we call 1851 the year
of the Great Exhibition, or that of 1848 the year
of the February Revolution—Airs. Stowe's book
had been translated into Italian, Spanish, Danish,
Swedish, Dutch, Flemish, German, Polish, and
Magyar ; there being, moreover, among these as
many as-two different Dutch and twelve different
German translations! A marvellous success indeed.
One that may well be designated the most extra-
ordinary of literary phenomena. After a dreary
account of certain adventurous "Travels in
Siberia," the Edinburgh gives us an amusing
paper on "English Surnames," with a kind
of omnium gatherum of illustrative anecdotes
and running commentaries. It is comical
enough to find it gravely recorded in one part
of this singular contribution, that " Nearly 900
Kings are born annually in Ecgland and Wales."
The subjoined table of kindred statistics will be
read doubtless with some degree of interest by the
numerous families of the names specified in the
United Kingdom : _

Births. Deaths. Marriages.
. Smith
Taylor
Wright
Walker
Turner
Cooper
Clark
Baker 1,033 839 513
Cook
Parker
From which it will be seen that they are
all upon the increase rather alarmingly.
Among the grotesque anecdotes about Sur
names given by the reviewer, no mention is made
by him of that ludicrous one which relates how
Adam, after inventing name upon name for the
millions upon millions of his posterity, grew tired
of his in terminable task, and settled the difficulty
by saying—" Let all the rest be called Smith.' An
important essay upon the " Correction of Juvenile
Offenders," and a review of " Hue's Travels in
China," are followed by a biographical article re-
lating to the famous " Pascal Paoli," the Corsican
Patriot and Liberator. It is amusing, by the
way, to find the reviewer, at page' 445
,of the Edinburgh, speaking of? the brave Sam-
piero as " the greatest military character whom
the island has produced"—as if there never had
been any such personage in the world's history as
the Emperor Napoleon the Great ! In a note, at
page 456, it is mentioned incidentally that the
Abbe Vignale, the priest who received the dying
confession of Napoleon at St. Helena, " was mur-
dered by persons to whom he had lent money—the
produce of an Imperial legacy—on usury."
Mention is also made a little further on
in the body of the same article of Rous-
seau's wonderfully prophetic language in the
" Contrat Social," when speaking of Corsica, he
says—" J'ai le pressentiment que cette petite Ile
etonnera un jour l'Europe." An anticipation of
the coming of Napoleon as wondrous as the memo-
rable prediction of his advent occurring in Mr.
Burke's celebrated " Essay on the French Revolu-
tion." Among the younger contemporaries and
countrymen of Paoli, due reference is made
to that implacable foe of Napoleon, Carlo
Andrea, Count Pozzo di Borgo. It is in-
teresting to note the increase from 8001. to 1,0001.,
and ultimately to 2,0001. per annum of the
pension given to Pascal Paoli by the British Go-
vernment. All the more remarkable incidents in
his eventful career are noted by the Edinburgh
from his birth in 1725 to his death on the sth of
February, 1807. His arrival in Paris in April,
1790, is particularly mentioned, together with the
circumstance, there and then, of his witnessing
reviews of the National Guard by the side of
Lafayette, and of his attending, by that of Robes-
pierre, the sittings of the " Amis de la Constitu-
tion." France, it will be remembered, had
previously—namely, in the November of 1789
—declared Corsica au integral part of her
dominions. An eulogistic notice of " The
Chemistry of Common Life," and a rather dull
paper on the " Autocracy of the Czar," are fol-
lowed by a brief article (little more than a mere
paragraph) relating to " Lord Brougham on Cri-
minal Reform," and a somewhat laboured and
tedious disquisition upon another reform no less
necessary, namely, that of our " Army ;" and with
the last-mentioned contribution the current num-
ber of the Edinburgh terminates.

The Quarterly Review. No. CXCII.
As usual the old Tory Quarterly is much more
animated and entertaining than its Whig contem-
porary. We have long noticed this superiority of
interest and liveliness—and cannot but marvel that,
its general recognition has in no way incited the'
Edinburyh to forsake its customary dead level (of
late) of dullness and mediocrity. According to
what has bee; recently, the no lees fortunate.