The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-01 00:00:00

MAGAZINE DAY,

BLACKWOOD.—" Tony Butler" is continued, and
there are great changes taking place in the move-
ments of the hero and his friend, the gay and dash-
ing Skcffington. A variety of incidents are met
with in this number, and the " Major" evidently is
destined to fulfil some memorable part in the story.
"Chronicles of Carlingford" does not bring anything very
striking before us in this part, with the exception of the
scene between Wodehouse and his sisters. Lucy shows a
natural spirit, and her indignation is quite justifiable. This
passage is well drawn, and exhibits a good description of
character. Mr Morgan's discomfiture also presents a warn-
ing to those who are too hasty in their judgments rod rush
at conclusions without taking time for refiect'w, or taking
a correct estimate of things. A harsh JP agment is always
to be deprecated, and bitterly die. the 'teeter of Carlingford
regret the hard measure he had dealt out to the Curate.
It is more in description of cliaractor and in peculiarities of
disposition that this a':,thor shines than in the narration
of events or the detai
:4s of everyday life, Some of the per-
sons met with these pages are admirably delineated,
while others a;,.0 more or less exaggerated in their outlines.
" The Publ.'m Schools Report, Harrow and Rugby," forms
the subj set of an interesting article, that is almost sure to
meet with attentive readers. It is very desirable that from
time to time the notice of the public should be directed to
the consideration of our public schools, concerning as they
do so intimately the well-being of the youth of this gene-
ration. The Report of the Commissioners seems to have
especially favoured Rugby, in praise of whose management
the highest terms are employed, "The Vote of Censure"
is the political article, and although by this time the sub-
ject may have been pushed aside by many, and more pleasant
topics of discussion selected, it is incumbent upon those
who watch the affairs of a nation to descant upon the
various questions that are associated with that momentous
political crisis. Some striking truths are met with in this
paper, and though, of course, the other side of partisans
will deny its premises and doubt its authenticity, still to
the impartial observer there is great truth to be met with
in its stern, but salutary exposition. Certainly, the mem-
bers of an Administration that can ba spoken of in such
terms, have not much to boast of when they keep office. It
is shown how the supporters of the Ministry in the division
were its opponents in debate; this was the float signal
proof of the want of faith that could have keen r;dueed,
and it must have robbed the victory of
*Acs triumph
to rtflect upon the unwilling age is who con-
tinued to effect its fulfilment,
incon-
sistent course adopted by M The very
—l...asters from the meeting
of Parliament until its close .15 very properly animadverted
upon, and there is only 'no much reason to regret the cor.
redness of the rer
.arks made upon the melancholy and
humiliating pos,:tton of a ruling statesman. When we are
told that ghost of Lord Palmerston's reputation is
keeping #.:ne Ministry in nominal existence, who can deny
the fr..ath of this statement. The writer of this spirited
article truly states that the only party which really
triumphed in the late division was the Peace party. This
interesting resume of public events may be confidently re-
commended to the perusal of all those who wish to glean
an insight into the affairs which are now of such vital con-
sequence to the whole of Europe, and which, moreover,
are unfortunately associated with the honour and interests
of our country. This is excellent advice to all whom it
concerns. "We fear that Europe is only at the ,begin-
ning of her troubles, and it behoves England to watch nar-
rowly the conauet of the men who are now,at the helm of
affairs," " i2ornelins O'Dowd upon Men, Women, and
Things in General," brings as usual some recent:sketches,
of life, and,character before us, and also there are too short
poems of average merit to enliven the contents of this
periodical. The studious reader will find ample enter-
tainment in the article on " Lewes's Aristotle," and in the
paper on " Victor Hugo on Shakspere," which brings be-
fore us a vivid delineation of the author's style, and fur-
nishes thereupon some very appropriate comments.

FRASER.—Diplomacy is not at present very
much in favour with independent Englishmen, who
have seen its stilted courtesies terminate in very
unceremonious actions, while its awful threats
prove au occasion to be Yoxel praeterea
Th-Jse who are not too much disgusted with the
I.evelations of the blue-book on Schleswig-Holstein to care
to study its tortuous character, may turn to a lengthened
disquisition on Diplomacy and Diplomatic History, which
opens the current number of _Fraser. We warn them, how-
ever, that it will be a serious undertaking, since 22 pages
of close print do not allow the author to exhaust his sub-
ject, but he promises to return to it at an early opportunity.
The reappearance of A. K. H. B. in the old familiar pages
is a welcome sight; and though the essayist does not fully
carry out his subject, it is better perhaps than wearing it
threadbare, as he was of old sometimes tempted to do.
" Concerning Unpruned Trees" is the title of his discourse,
and he takes care pleasantly to remind us, by means of this
homely illustration, how many rough corners and ,sharp
edges we all present to tho wcrld. "A Campaigner at
Home," after'"somereflectionson church logic, gives tis a few
quotations from what he calls "tthe gentle poets," a fa•ir band
of poetesses, two of whom, alas 1 have sung Ili their last songs,
A criticism on the second series of Mendelssohn's letters is
pleasantly written, and an article headed "A Pilgrimage
to Compostella" tells of the days when Santiago shared
with Rome and Jerusalem the favour of pilgrims. "It
has," says the writer, "been thought by same that, as the
names, " Roamer" and " Saunterer" were given to those
who visited respectively the city of the Popes and the
Sainte Terre of our Lord's ministry, so the name of pilgrim
or stranger was at first applied specifically to those who
resorted to the shrine of St. James, and only at a later
period used by travellers for devotional purposes in general ;
in the same way as many of the symbols of pilgrimage had
originally a local significance, and the word Romero itself,
whichis often used in Spain for a pilgrim, has lost its distincr
five meaning. "The Transcendentalists of Concord" will
be a title rather perplexing to many readers who may not be
aware that Concord is the name of a village in Massa-
chussetts, about 20 miles from Boston, where Emerson and
his congenial spirits held their court. At this " Intellec-
tual Round Table," of which, according to the writer of
the present article, the author of representative
raen was the King Arthur, the .nost daring and
original thinkers of the new world assembled. But
it is after all a melancholy picture of the vanity of all earthly
gifts to satisfy the cravings of man's mind for something
higher and better than his present life, so long as genius is
to be his only guide. The picture, half satirically drawn by
a visitor—who did not belong to the charmed circle—of the
club meetings at Emerson's, shows that after all Transcen-
dentalism is not what is needed to reform the human race.
Can any one picture to himself a world exclusively corn-
mad of such abstruse thinkers and speculative theorists
However pure and noble their aims, however exalted their
characters, theirs is not a life which ordinary men could
live--not thoughts and principles that could actuate every-
day mortals in every-day life. Yet the magic elixir which
is to inspire and elevate mankind must deal with the masses,
must be suitable for rich and poor, for sage and fool alike—
must be equally within the reach of the exalted philosopher
and the toiling artisan. No potty distinctions of mental
power, any more than the divisions of worldly rank,
should suffice to bar any one from his share in the great
regeneration. Yet these philosophic thinkers have, after
all their declarations against ecclesiastical and aristocratical
tyranny, a tyranny of their own no less dominant and ex-
clusive—the tyranny of the intellect, more noble and
exalted it is true, but still a despotism. One only such
levelling influence has been found which can embrace all
degrees of wisdom as all ranks of society, which can recon-
cile those intangible antagonisms which are harder to deal
with than any material distinction; but that influence no
Unitarian will admit, and it is professedly to this Uni-
tarianism that this school of thinkers belongs.

DIII3LIN.—" Maud Rufthyn and Uncle Silas," by
the author of" Wylder's Hand," has now become more
developed, and the story increases in interest. This
tale will become a favourite with the readers who
love mysterious incidents and admire the introduc-
tion of grim and fearful personages into the story.
Madame de la Rougierre was enough to terrify the
life cut of any unfortunate young girl she had to deal with.
This woman will doubtless be an important character in
this story. She is well delineated in her peculiar style,
and when dealing with adults instead of with a child she
will appear to greater advantage. " Yaxley and its Neigh
bourhood" is continued, and Lisette's troubles do not cease
with time. She goes on a visit to Bessie, who has become
very much altered since her marriage, and some mysterious
incident seems to work in the background and spoil the
pleasure of the visit. "An Irish Actress, Margaret
Woflington," is a very interesting sketch, and
ample jus' ice is done to the fascinating in-
dividual here pourtrayed. A striking instance
is conveyed by the career of this gifted woman of the in-
sufficiency of the world's renown, if peace of mind and
self-resPeot are not in. the possession of the favoured indi-
vidual who has honours heaped upon him. There were
many redeeming traits in Margaret Wof2ngton, and these
are alluded to here; she was not spoiled by prosperity or
rendered selfish by her good fortune. It is a touching
picture which is drawn of her later years when she lin-
gered out her life in retirement; of her it may truly be
said that her brightest moments were her last. The sketch
of her career is well worth p3rusing, and by its vivid rela-
tions it seems to pit a very correct idea :of the great actress
before us. " The Last Sibyl" is rather a peeuliar sketch in
verse ; it contains some good descriptions, and it is in
some passages very impressively written. " Hibernian
Demonology and Fairy Lore" is a paper that presents some
curious subjects to our notice, and during its course will
doubtless furnish much to interest in the old world notions
and the visionary nature of such subjects. " The Grand.
'four" is continued, and the fifth excursion leads the
reader from Dresden to Vienna. We meet with some itn•
pressive relations of places of note, and incidents charac •
teristic of the differ cut manners which reign there to those
which flourish among us. " Charles Townshend, Wit, and
Statesman" is concluded in this number, it is written in a
vigorous style, and brings before us the stirring incidents
of a long past day. This brilliant character is Well de.