The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-01 00:00:00

MAGAZINE DAY

BLACKWOOD.

Our beloved and venerable Maga still retains its
accustomed predominance in the world of periodical
literature—and no wonder, with its corps of brilliant
and illustrious contributors. Occasionally embellished
with one of the masterly essays of Sir Archibald Alison,
and sometimes also with a vigorous paper from the pen
of Mr. Warren, the Queen's Counsel, Blackwood is
repeatedly adorned with the searching and eloquent
criticisms of Professor Wilson, and—best of all,
during the two years last past—with instalments of
that exquisite fiction, through which Sir Bulwer
Lytton is still industriously revealing the scope and
vivacity of his genius as a novelist, at the very period
when his ambition as a politician must be revived, by
his recent return as one of the representatives of
Hertfordshire. No wonder then, say we, that with
writers of such allowed capacity, the chief among
the magazines continues to sustain its reputation ! A.
delightful review of Cockburn's " Life of Jeffrey,"
opens the number of Black:y.old for September. The
first sentence affords a sufficiently agreeable inkling
of the drift of the proposed argument. "It is
well," saith the writer, " for this biography
of Francis Jeffrey, that the late cele-
brated critic cannot possibly review it
himself "—a remark as complimentary to the departed
as it is severe upon his biographer. And assuredly
the justice of the observation is well substantiated by
the extracts given from this eccentric effort in author-
ship by one of the judges of the Court of Sessions of
Scotland. The review (being beaded " Part I.")
promises to swell into a supplementary celebration of
the great critic of the Edinburgh. A third instal-
ment of "Katie Stewart" proves that the writer is
admirably qualified to produce a story of Scottish life,
yielding, as it does, many graceful delineations of
scenery and ingenious portraitures of character.
Colonel Mundy's work about the resources and aspect
of " Our Antipodes" is commented upon in the sub-
sequent contribution—in the course of which the
reviewer contrives to give an amusing account of
the result of "Residence and Rambles in Australia."
A Country Minister, in the course of a brief but
highly intelligent communication to the editor, points
out a variety of errors, which he at the same time
conceives to be evidently inadvertent, in the
course of the " Fourth Volume of Chalmers' Bio-
graphy." Thereupon we have another portion of the
latest and in many respects the noblest " Novel" that
has yet proceeded from the hand of Sir Balwer Lyt-
ton—the instalment before us (which is the twenty-
fourth) comprising the eight first chapters in the
Twelfth Book—the " Varieties in English Life"
having extended the domestic narrative by Pisistra-
tus Caxton to epic dimensions. Notwithstanding his
decision announced some months back to the con-

trary, the author has here reverted lovingly to his
original intention, introducing the Family of the Cax-
tons once again to the reader—seen, as it were,
through the lattice of an " initial chapter." The story
at this moment evidently hastening to its conclusion,
we must refrain from entering minutely into the
consideration of its numerous, and many of them re-
splendent, merits. When the tale is told in full, we
shall be enabled to estimate more judiciously the po-
sition it must eventually assume among the diversified
productions of that creative and comprehensive intel-
lect to which the world is already indebted for the
effervescent wit of " Pelham," for the home-
born tenderness of the " Caxton®," and for

the humanizing philosophy of" Maltravers." Of one
thing we are convinced, in regard to this remarkable
novel descriptive of life and manners in England, that
—upon its completion—it must be rechristened. As
it is, the title is unworthy of the work, being
loose and indefinite. Afterwards comes the political
article of the month, referring to " The Premier's
Present Position "—an article which we have consi-
dered in our leading columns of this evening in what
we cannot but deliberately view as terms of deser-
vedly severe condemnation. After a noble and re-
sounding March, written for music by William Ed-
mondatoun Aytoun (another of Maga's gifted contri-
butors), " The March of the Crusaders "—closing

each sianaa with a superb refrain, as thus—
" Strong, strong—mite the song!
Raise it the hills among;
Raise it till the Moslem hear—
Sound, sound, trump and drum!
Let them know we come—
Cross and banner, sword and snear!"--
our hearts are rejoiced with another magnificent series
of criticisms on the poetry of Milton—the finest
tribute that has perhaps ever yet been offered to the
genius of Milton—by the master-band of rare old
Christophee'North, writing as usual under the now
familiar and already popular title of Dies Boreales.
And suchis Blackwood for September !