The Sun.
London, England, 1852-11-03 00:00:00

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Ihonours. So conspicuous, indeed, was this sentimi!nt
in this descendant of the noble family of Walduer,
that, in the beginning of her memoirs, af'erdetaLting
with exactitude the names of her illustrious an-
cestors, she thus pathetically expresses her
anxiety that her race may not become de-
generate in the person of her son•in-law—her
only child being a daughter. " I ask in my future
son-in-law, if Providence should send me one in tne
chaos which surrounds 119, and which seems about to
swallow up all social order—l ask, I say, in my son-
in-law, only high birth; there is a remedy for every
defect but that!" Nevertheless, having quoted this
extravagant passage, we must, in justice to the writer,
remark that, according to her reading of the proverb
noblesse oblige, a man of " high birth" must ot neces-
sity be in every sense of the word a " gentleman," his
ancestral honours imposing upon him a weighty re-
sponsibility. Madame D'Oberkireh, notwitllstanding
her antiquated opinions in these matters, is herself' a
most delightful individual ; we can easily discover this
from her pages, although she is singularly free from
egotism, and we may very safely commend her to our
readers as a very pleasant acquaintance.

Art and Faith ; or, the Harmony of Science and Scrip •
ture. By George Troup. James Bieck wood.

Already Mr. George 'Troup has very frequently
displayed his literary abilities—abilities whits have
stood him in good stead at different times, as editor,
now of the Glasgow Daily Mail, and now agaiin of
Tait's Magazine. Ilis present volume showas in a
somewhat remarkable manner the scope and versa-
tility of his intelligence. No more comprehensive
commentary has yet appeared upon the vast and
almost bewildering subject of the Great Industrial
Exhibition. The production reminds the res der in
every sentence of the astonishing progress made of
late years in the advance movement of practical civil-
ization. A brilliant evidence of this is afforded in
the very initial chapter itself—a chapter which calls
to remembrance, in a vivid and startling ma nner,
the difference observable of late years in modern tra-
velling. Reference has already been made in our
leading columns to the enlightened opinions expressed
by our author upon the subject of the British 'North
American Railway, by which enterprize the advan-
tages of modern travelling would be so very marvel-
lously and inestimably increased. Upon a va:riety of
other subjects, Mr. Troup displays, in the ch arming
little volume under consideration, a no less ea tended
and elevated amount of information. Occasionally he
may evince a rather over weening anxiety to, prose-
lytize ; but even this we are disposed—in spite of
many evident prejudices— to respect as an adi litional
proof of his sincerity and earnestness. Scarce ly any
one, however comprehensive his knowledge, can rise
from the perusal of the work without having secured an
increise to his stock of intelligence, or without having
recognized the tokens of a mind deeply imbued with
the responsibility devolving upon the present, and
increasingly, of course, upon after generations. If
for nothing else, the work would be welcome,
inasmuch as it is thus far a provocative of serious;
meditation. But, in addition to all this, the volume
is remarkable, as affording a clue through the laby-
rinth of doubt and unbelief, separating to many people
the seemingly incongruous study of Science and of
the Scripture. The notion is not a new one—indeed
the project was adventured upon in a less popular
form, and with more ostentatious erudition, several
years ago, by no less a personage than Cardinal Wise-
man. It is not, however, through the medium of
the more abstruse departments of science and
literature, that Mr. Troup is here endeavouring
to trace analogies between the records of divine
and human knowledge. His endeavour is more
directly adapted to the popular appreciation.
He writes upon the subject—a subject E ver enthral-
ling no less to the ignorant than to the philoso-
pher—somewhat in the same homely but delight..
ful strain which Robert Hunt has adopted in his
picturesque compositions. George Troup describes
in this manner " silver in and out of the mine." He
has a beautiful chapter upon " lodine." He ha 3 an-
other upon "Forest Trees," that good old Mr.
Evelyn would not have disdained to applaud. He
has another called suggestively " Snatches from the
Loom," and another " The Fleece and the Clot)li,"
and another " The Fuel in the Earth," and another
" The Seed in the Furrows." Expressions like those
are of themselves sufficiently attractive. But the
volume abounds in other subjects equally commend-
ing it to general examination. The lover of botanical
research will find himself in this manner roused to

airiosity by the chapter upon " Weeds and Wild
Flowers." The lover of entomology will turn not
less willingly to the chapter upon " Art and In-
sects." The metallurgist will have an interest in the
one on " Gold and Silver," and the lapidary in the
one on " Diamonds and Pearls." Indeed the volume,
compact though it is, presents to is readers scarcely
less diversified allurements (and all of them whole-
some ones) than were afTorcieA to the visitor to the
Crystal Palace by the nave, and the transept!, and
the galleries of the great Industrial Exhibition.