The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-20 00:00:00

APRIL 20, 1852.

LITERATURE.
MICHAUD'S HISTORY OF THE CRU-
SADERS. TranslatPd front the French by IV.
Robson. 3 rvis.— Vol. 1. Routledge, Farring
don• street., _ _ _

Although it is the history of times long past, the
chief actors in which are separated from us by ages,
and 'many of whuse events seem enveloped in the
" twilight of fable," still the record of the Crie-ades
must be to all thinking minds an object of interest.
Apart froin their important influence over society,
and their effect on the spirit of their generations, it is
interestieg as well as instructive to consider the
motives that induced so many to forego their existence
of comparative comfort at home to encounter the
most toileome and perplexed lives, and to run the
chance of meeting with the most psinful and linger-
ing dea'hs. Indeed, all the ills to which flesh is
heir seem.d arraysd against them. After passing
through hostile lands, tif.er endurieg shipwrecks and
disasters at sea, they had to meet in the fiery desert
troops of enemies to whom that scorching soil was,
native ground, and to whom that burning atmosphere
was native air. Suffering was indeed the badge of
all their tribes, from the first departure from the home
they would never in all human probability revisit,
till their tin A miseries and frequent deaths in the great
and terrible wilderness in which there. is no water.
It is asserted by many writers, perhaps truly, that
all were not sincere in their professions nor honest in
their practices who were leagued togqher in the
bands of Crusaders. Human nature was ever the
same virtually, in all countries, through every
age, in whatever undertakings there have been
been, but it is certain that one of its brightest pages
is that which chronicles the Crusades. It would be
well if the present age, amid its worship of gold and
its cultivation of luxurious refinement, could exercise
a little of thet spirit of devotion and self sacrifice
which lighted up the doings of the heroes of antiquity,
and drew down the acclatruttions of their greatest
enemies. was not zeal without profit toat inspired
them, nor vies their enthusiasm entirely misplaced,
since it has shown what man can do and dare, when
actuated by a glorious cause. Human aspirations
cannot lock to higher, nor can human igenuity
devise grandeur motives than those which
propelled the Cru-aders, and it has never
been shown that any equalled them. The best
proof is in the fact that notning daunted them. It in
troubles, they expected them; if in want and priva-
tion, they bore their Master's cross; if their friends
tell away, they had gone before them to their great
reward ; and if cast into dungeons, the enterprise that
imprisoned them led captivity captive; while the last
trial that can await all was their crowning triumph.
To coequsr others is the motto of a warrior in lite ;
in death ha must conquer himself. And who rose
more superior to the liieg of Terrors than the chain-
pion of the Cross, over the gloomy horrors of the
foreign grave, into which he would he flung by un-
hallowed hands after the flames of the stake and other
torturing devices had done their worst ; he spread the
spotless robes of martyrdom, and the scene of his ig-
nominy was made bright to his senses by a halo of
glory caught from the opening gates of Paradise.
If such could be endured for the cause, it was not a
selfish, worldly one; and it is to be.questioned if those
who decidedly despise it as of earth, earthy, would
undertake so much themselves for the avowed cause
of Heaven. It is always easy to find fault, and no-
thing is too great or good to escape ridicule ; but
abuse is not argument, and many who criticise the
faults of others are only endeavouring to parade their
own cleverness. The pilgrimages to the Holy Land
are over, but the pilgrims, to use the words of the
biographer. of Lord G. Bentiock, " they have left us
the legacy of heroes, the memory of their great
names, end the inspiration of their great examples ;"
and it would be well, if on rising from the perusal of
their histories, we were to imbibe some of their
energy, their patience, and their courage, to carry
with us into the battle of life ; then, when assailed by
our numerous trials, their spirit might inspire us to
go and do likewise.

THE GREAT CITIES uF THE ANCIENT
WORLD. By Theodore Alcis Buckley, 8.A.,
of Christ Church. Itoutledgc.
A highly
attractive and lost' uctive work, presenting
most forcibly to the mind of the reader the images of
the great cities " in their glory and their desolation."
It must be profoundly interesting to those who have
studied the events and actions of distant ages to have
the scenes where those events took place and those
deeds were performed brought before them, not only
as they are, but as they have been. Conspicuous
among the list stand the names of Babylon, Palmyra,
Jerusalem, Athens, and Romp. Others less known
also find a place, such asTyre, Ephesus, Elis, Veii, and
Scandinavia. The following is taken from the In-
troduction :

" When we view the sand•buried monuments of Egyp-
tian magnificence on their own site, or study the frag-
ments which, thousand of miles away from the places
they adorned fur ages, form the grcatlt ornaments of
our own museums; when we read of tae convulsions
of nature and the wurs of men which have produced vast
and sudden ruin, or when we exa nine the minute poly-
pus which has wrought as sure but mire tardy destruc-
tion in Cal-ibria, than its deadly preclec,-,ssor th, earth-
quake, we feel that even the worm and the moth' have
chair niche in the temple of history. Whit the head-
long sway of armed forces has spared, that the minutest
things or earth have claimed for their own, and the same
&halos: invisible agency that has partitioned the depths
of the •-•ceiin with coral reefs has eaten away the well-
eni,ell,.d marbles teat nine bore wiineas to the pride cf
mart's greatut.st, Dal we set k to write history with
p-rfeet :,ecuracy. how Its details, how minute
its subiivisions

THE TRAVELS of ROLANDO; or, a Tour

Round the Worll George Routledge and co.
A new edition of this wo;lt has long been called
for. It includes travels in Morocco, Egypt, Arabia,
the Cape of Good H.,pe, and Batavia, and many in-
teresting accounts of the cu,toms and inhabitants of
those countries are introduced. Wandering Arabs,
snake charmers, Hottentots, elephants, lions and
crocodiles are encountered, and numerous illustrations
are given. It is translated by Miss Aiken, and newly
corrected and revised by Cecil Hartley, A.M. It is
an excellent combination of instruction and enter-
tainment, conveying valuable information under the
form of exciting incidents and agreeable descriptions
of foreign 'lands.