The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-05 00:00:00

LITERALTURE.
CLARA HARRINGTON ; a Domestic Novel, 3

Colburn,

If " Clara Herrington " be the first production of
its author it gives an indication of great ability and
a promise of much future excellence. The style is
pleasing and occasionally eloquent, the sentiments
are noble and beautiful, some of the characters are
well portrayed, especially that of the heroine, an im-
per6onation of all that is pure and gentle and meekly
devoted in woman. Having said thus much in praise
of "Clara Harrington," and we might perhaps have
said more, quoting many passages from its pages
which would reflect credit upon the head and heart
of the writer, as well in commendation of the style as
sentiments; but we cannot pronounce with equal
favour upon the subject of his selection, in which
he has evinced little discretion. If it were
possible to write a pleasing book upon
an unpleasing subject, and to inculcate lessons
of pure morality upon a foundation of immorality,
then " Clara Harrington" would, perhaps, be a charm..
ing and beneficent tale ; but, however lovely the cha-
racter of the heroine, and however noble her conduct,
her position, innocent though she be in fact, is one
which, to say the least of it, makes her the object
rather of our commiseration than our sympathy. Still
abundance of evidence is given in " Clara Harring-
ton" that the author can, on future occasions,. and
with happier themes, afford pleasure and benefit to
many admirers.

hE QUARTERLIES.
TILE WES7'2IIINSTER REVIEW. No. CXI.

John Chapman.
Another alteration in this old established periodical
marks the number for the present January; and this
time the change is unquestionably an improvement.
Without preserving the somewhat awkward duplica-
tion of titles with the Foreign Quarterly, the twofold
review is merged into its original and simple desig-
nation of the Westminster. Its range of subjects ap-
pears, moreover, to have been very considerably ex-
tended under these new auspices—and if the memory
of the former siamese publication is preserved in the
form of a footnote on the title-page, the contents are
more consonant in every respect with the character
of the latter enterprise. In illustration of the
importance of the changes here adverted to,
we may observe that the present instal-
ment of the Westminster is inaugurative of a
reed and important improvement in the system of
quarterly reviewing. Instead of disfiguring the
number by appending a bundle of miscellaneous
notices relating to works recently issued from the
press, the Westminster contains a clear and compre-
hensive criticism of the most recent additions to our
library table in the shape of an article signi-
ficantly entitled " Contemporary Literature."
Through the medium of this contribution we
have critical references to Carlyle's Bio-
graphy of Sterling, to Major Macready's
Sketch of Suwarrow, to Holland's Memorial of
Chantrey, to Brown's History of Classical Literature,
to Stephen's Lectures on France, to Kaye's Account of
Affghanistan, and to Sir William Napier's masterly
narrative of his illustrious brother's Seindian
administration. Besides these there are allu-
sions to a variety of other works, such as Bur-
ton's Sindb, Prinsep's Thibet, and the Hon. F.
Walpole's remarkable description of adventures
among the Ansayrii, with Melly's Khartoum, Prid-
ham's Kossuth, Shaw's Golden Dreams and
Walling Realities, Carpenter's Principles of Phy-
siology, Wilkinson's Delineation of the Human
Body, Latham's Ethnological writing on Man and
his Migrations, Thotnpson's Passions of Animals,
Newman's Lectures on Catholicism, and Maurice's
Sermons on the Old Testament. Added to these,
there are cursory remarks introduced on the "Fair
Carew," on " Visiting my Relations," on the " Lily
and the Bee," on the:poems of Beddoes, on " Norica,"
and on the last admirable contribution to the
history of art, by Henry Noel Humphrys.
After this astoniehingly various enumeration, it is
unnecessary to observe that the article upon the
" Contemporary Literature of England" is replete
with interest to the majority of readers throughout
our population. Simultaneously with the appearance
of this very novel feature in Quarterly reviewing,
there start forth from the pages of the Wesminster
some kindred papers in reference to the state of con-
temporary literature in France, Germany, and Ame-
rica; the latter subject being preceded by a retro-
spective survey of the literature of the United States,
in which due honour is done to Jonathan Edwards,
Dr. Channing, William Prescott, George Ban-
croft, Washington Irving, Fennimore Cooper,
Dana, Poe, Willis, Bryant, and Longfellow.
Elsewhere in the number is a delightfully
readable chapter on " Mary Stuart" the
" soft Medusa 'of the age of Elisabeth. The
opening paper is, perhaps, the most important of all,
relating, as it does, to the vital question of Represen-
tative Reform. Towards the close of this really re-
markable political essay we find the following obser-
vations, eminently entitled, we conceive, to the atten-
tion of the community :
"In America representation has to generate from
itself the counteracting forces that are needed to chock
the impetuosity, ensure the deliberativeness, and steady
the course, of a popular. legislative assembly, naturally
tending towards the purely democratic. It has elicited
such forces in a marvellous degree. Of its constitution
it may quite as justly be said, as of our own, ponderibus
librata suis. With us, those controlling forces are other-
wise provided. They are co-ordinate with representa-
tion itself. They hem in the representative power, and
surround it as with wails of brass. It is bound within
its sphere, as abe ocean is circumscribed by the hand of
Omnipotence. If the progressive principle be powerfully
embodied in a House of Commons, ,the Conservative
principle is not less powerfully embodied in Royalty, the
House of Peers, and the Established Church. Beset
with these controlling forces, we can afford to give po-
pular reprezentation ample scope and verge enough.'
Directly or indirectly, these are securities against all
democratic dangers, real or imaginary. Nor can we
multiply or strengthen them, but by polluting represen-
tation at its very source, and making, or allowing to re-
main, the practice in shameful." discordance with the
theory. It is impossible to conceive that this great and
intelligent nation can only bo governed by a falsehood;
by hypocrisy, corruption, and influence, under the abused
name of representation; and that truth, in the demo-
cratic element of our constitution, is not as powerful as
in the royal, the ecclesiastical, and the aristocratical.
We only want a statesman with moral courage to apply
himself to the work of reform with firm faith in princi-
ples which have the sanction of antique usage, aro re-
cognised in our institutions, have been approved by ex-
perience, and are founded in the nature of man as a
social being."
A variety of other contributions are comprised in the
number before us; one upon shell fish, with a special
regard for oysters and the mode of eating them ;
another on the relation between employers and em-
ployed ; another on political questions and parties in
France; another on the ethics of Christendom—all
more or less honourable to the signs of enterprise
newly evinced in the management of the Westminster.,

COURT CIRCULAR.
WINDSOR, JAN. 3.
The Queen and Prince Albert walked in the Home
Park and Slopes this morning.
The Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and
younger members of the Royal Family, took pony and
walking exercise.
There was no addition to the Royal dinner party
yesterday. The following had the honour of joining
the Royal dinner circle this evening :—Her Royal
Highness the Duchess of Kent, the Lady in Waiting
to her Royal Highness, the Baroness de Speth, and
Colonel the Hon. Charles Grey.
The band of the Royal Horse Guards attended at
the Castle during dinner, and played the following
pieces :
Overture, " Iphigenia"
Selection. " Zampa"

Gluck.
Herold.

Waltz, '''Trauule "f dem Ocean".... Gungl.
_ ••
Charivari . Zuhlner.
Galop, " Amazon"
Her Majesty's private band attended afterwards in
the evening, and performed the following selections :
Overture "Die lustigen Weiber von
Windsor" ............ .
Andante and Scherzo
Introduction "Le Prophete"
Hocbzeit's March
SUNDAY.

The Queen and Prince Albert walked in the Home-
park this morning.
The Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and
younger members of the Royal Family also walked
in the Home park.
Her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince
Albert, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal,
the ladies and gentlemen of the Court, and the domes-
tic household, attended Divine Service this morning
in the private chapel of the Castle.
The Hon. and Rev. G. Wellesley officiated.

THE LATE ARCTIC EXPEDITION.-11l our late
review of the Arctic Searching Expeditions we omitted. to
state a fact which renders the history of those expeditions
even more distressing than we represented. It appears that
neither Captain Austin nor Captain Penny, nor any of their
officers, were aware that Sir John Franklin proposed depo-
siting his communications, not in or under cairns, but about
ten feet from them, in a direction indicated by a finger-post
to be erected on the cairu. Thus, while the cairn on Beechey
Island was searched, the ground around it was not examined
at the requisite depth; and it is, therefore, highly probable
that dispatches are at this moment lying in the cache pointed
out by the finger• post. But even the cairns themselves were
not sufficiently examined. Captain Austin, in his evidence
before the committee, states—" We went to a cairn, took it
down, and examined it to a certain extent—but not in the
way we
i were satisfied it should be examined." This con-
fession s most extraordinary.—lnverness Courier.
DEATH OF SIR FREDK. WM. DUNBAR, BART.
We have to record the demise of Sir F. W. Dunbar, Bart.,
of Beath, Nairnshire, who died on the 27th ult. at his seat
in that county, aged 33 years. The deceased baronet suc-
ceeded his father in 1836, and, dying without issue, he is
eucceded by lilt uncle, Mr. Peter Dunbar, in the H.E.1.0.
service.