The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-29 00:00:00

LITERATURE,

Military Ends and Moral Means. By Colonel
J. J. Graham, author of " The Art of War." One
Vol. Pp. 464. Smith, Elder, and Co.
Colonel Graham has a true appreciation of the
real dignity of calling. He is animated by a
genuine esprit-de-corps, and would fain have every
soldier, from the highest to the lowest, regarded
with respect by the rest of the community; and,
above all, he would have every soldier regard his
chosen profession with feelings of reverence and
affection. Especially does the Colonel quarrel with
the "theory of eritz-lent" as put forth by many of
those who have given :et !,ir evidence before the
Recruiting Commission, and who it:::';:le the young
recruit's enlistment to tho lowest motives. The
pros and cons of both sides of the question are very-
logically considered by the Colonel, who sums up
his evidence with the declaration that " the pro-
fession of a soldier is a noble one, ard., as a rule, it
is desirable that every man should get credit for
entering it from noble and worthy motives, and
his ciscipline should be regulated accordingly
until a change of system is called for by his own
misconduct." "As the vigour and beauty of the
tree in the natural world depend on the soundness
of the roots, so the efficiency and morale of an army
correspond with the intrinsic moral and physical
standard of the individual members composing its
ranks." The Colonel's very praiseworthy object in
publishing this most excellent and interesting
volume is to direct the practical attention of all who
have the Soldier's interest at heart to the importance
of that moral element by which he, as well as every
other thinking being, is so much influenced. The
soldier is not to be regarded as a machine but as a
man, in proof of which in how many instances have
not. battles been won by moral influence when, esti-
mated by the laws of physical force, they were
hopeless! Such inetances ebua ad in the various
historical references with which the work is illus-
trated. Under the heading, " Mural Influence,"
the woneerful power exercised by some commanders
is particularly dwelt upon. Sir Walter Scott, in
writing on the influence of' the Chief over his
Soldiers, exclaims—
"They love a captain to obey,
Boisterous as March and frank as May,
Ever the first to scale a tower,
As venturous in a lady's bower,
Sach valiant chief shall lead his host
From India's fire to Zembla's frost."
This volume, so honourable to its author and his
profession, is very appropriately dedicated (with
special permission) to the Duke of Cambridge,
Commanding-in-Chief, who has in so many in-
stances evidenced his personal anxiety to uphold
the dignity and ameliorate the condition of the Sol-
dier. Colonel Graham has evidently bestowed
much time and labour upon his task, which has
to him been a labour of love. He has collected
evidence and information from very nume-
rous and most various sources in reference to past
and present times and to the military arrangements
of our own and other countries. His work will well
repay a careful perusal, and is admirably calculated
to aid the cause which is so dear to his soldier-heart.

The Stream of Life on our Globe. By J. L. Milton,
M.R.C.S. oae Vol. pp. 614. Hardwicke.

At first sight the reader is disposed to regard
with dismay a work which professes to propound
to him " the archives, traditions, and laws of the
stream of life on our Globe, as revealed by modern
discoveries in geology, and paltemitology," &0., but
on a closer investigation we find that Mr. Milton
has arranged his very imposing materials
with such a careful and happy discrimination
that tho result of his labours affords ns a
very interesting matter of contemplation. Be-
ginning almost before the begicning, with
the amazing, revelations of Geology we find new
cause (as may readily be found every day) to mar-
vel over " the things of heaven and earth that are
undreamt of in our philosophy." Here for example
is a startling picture of