The Sun.
London, England, 1830-01-25 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

QUARTERLY REVIEW, No. 83.—LoNnox,
There is much fearless and intelligent plain-
speaking in this number, inconceivable to those
who remember what the Journal professes to be,
of what party it is the organ, on what principles
it was founded, and by whom for years con-
ducted. What would Mr. Gifford say, could
he by any miraculous process rise from the grave
and witness the transformation that has taken
place in his favourite literary foster-child ? How
would the veteran shudder with amazement and
indignation at hearing his own offspring unequi-
vocally define the House of Commons as an
assembly devoid alike of independence and in-
tellectual worth, and the reigning Administra-
tion as a collection of cyphers dependent for
influence with the country on the energies of one
man ! Yet such is the language of the present
number of the " Quarterly," and assuredly of
all the changes that have taken place in our very
changeable age, the change in the hitherto un.
compromising politics of this Review is not the
least marvellous.
The first article, headed " Unlawful Disinter-
ment of Human Bodies," is sensible, plain-
spoken, and altogether of a practical character.
The observations respecting the influence of
medical men, when once introduced into the
confidence of families, deserve to be generally
known. They are full of shrewd truths—the
evident suggestions of a long worldly experi

ence :

" The public have no notion of the power of medical
men in families where sickness is going on : the monks
had less in the plenitude of their influence. An ignorant
man to whem a family have given possession of their con-
fidence (a mistake which people, with all their sagacity,
are continually committing) may not only fail to do good,
and inflict irreparable mischief, but may occasion a quan-
tity of unnecessary alarm, trouble, expense, and sacrifice,
which amount to as great an evil as sickness itself. If he
pronounces some hidden part to be diseased, which re-
quires a long, troublesome, and expensive mode of treat-
ment, who is to gainsay him ? The patient scarcely
knows that he has such a part, or where it is placed,
much less its healthy or diseased condition. The doctor
only possesses the means of reconnoitring its state; what-
ever he reports, however false, is believed—and whatever
he directs, must be done. Ile may tell his patient that
his liver is too large, that his brain is soft (ramollissenzent
de cerveau : in pathology this does not mean foolishness);
or that disease has fixed on some organ, of which he
never heard before, as his 'mucous membranes,'—and it
is wonderful how the news will affect him. Give a disease
'a local habitation and a name,' and though it may be
neither visible nor tangible, nor perceptible by any of his
senses, it will fasten on his imagination, influence his
feelings, and make him as docile as a lamb : the doctor
may do any thing with him. Of what importance is it
that persons possessed of so much power should have the
knowledge necessary to use it properly ! To relate all the
blunders we have seen committed by ill-informed prac-
titioners of medicine and surgery, lives lost, health ruined,
limbs sacrificed, trifles mistaken for dangerous cases, and
dangerous cases mistaken for trifles, measures employed
which required the greatest sacrifices, and which turned
out to be unnecessary and injurious—to relate all these
would require a thousand and one nights, and days be-
sides."

" Pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina" is in-
teresting and neatly written. It does justice
to the late Mr. Burkhardt's account of his pil-
grimage to the Holy Cities. According to the
Reviewer, Arabia is a tract of country less known
than Africa, and presents a fine expansive field
for the researches of the man of enterprise.
" Scenes and Incidents in the Wilds of Ame-
rica," like all the notices of voyages and travels
in the Quarterly Review, abounds in enter-
tainment and will amply reward an attentive
perusal. " Amendment of Tythe Laws" treats on
this important question at some length, and with
ability, though theside-fling at the condition
of Churchmen in Scotland, might, we think,
have been dispensed with. But by a.: the most
important article in the number is the one
headed " Internal Policy." It sets out on the
assumption that the distress of the country, if
not unexampled, is severe in the extreme.
In alluding to the necessity of Church
Reform, it observes, " a great deal yet remains
to be done, which, with the aid and direction of
Parliament, we hope will gradually be accom-
plished." When we remember that this language
proceeds from the Quarterly Review, the
favourite organ of the High Church party, we
cannot but look on it as one of the most eventful
" Signs of the Times" yet put forth. Its opi-
nions on the subject of law are of the same
striking character, viz., " in which ever way it
is considered, nothing can be more unsatisfactory
than the present state of the criminal law in this
country." This remark reminds us more of the
Examiner or the Edinburgh Review, than of
the uncompromising champion of High Toryism.
On the question of the return to Paper Currency,
we have the following remarks :
" The truth is, whatever may be wished or expected,
the advantages of a paper currency cannot be enjoyed with-
out its disadvantages ; and its greatest disadvantage is,
that it is subject to shocks and panics from which a me-
tallic currency is exempt. The more prevalent the use of
paper becomes, whether in the shape of bank notes or of
bills, it is to be expected that these alarms will become
more frequent and injurious. But, trying as these emer-
gencies are, it is possible that the danger arising from the
extreme restriction of paper may be still greater. While
the supply of gold and silver front the American mines has
been reduced to a third or fourth of what it was, the
commercial transactions of Europe, and particularly of
this country, have augmented in a counter-proportion...—
If in these circumstances paper money were not to be re-
sorted to, prices would fall, until trade was either stopped
altogether, or a convulsion ensued as violent as any which
the most extravagant issue of paper money could occasion.
We believe, then, the free use of paper money at present
to be not only unavoidable, but incalculably beneficial.—
At the same time, we must take the evil with the good.
Paper currency allows a facility for speculation which a
metallic currency does not; and when, from the folly of
traders themselves, or an unforeseen change of markets, a
crash comes, we ought not to be lost in amazement, as if
such things were out of the chapter. Whenever such a
crisis does occur, the safest course which Government can
pursue, is to say and do as little as they can. Some assist-
ance, perhaps, they may he obliged to afliird, though it
should be sparingly and reluctantly ; hut they should ab-
stain front every word or deed which can increase the
agitation. In the mean while, combinations among per-
sons of wealth and influence will soon be formed in town
and country ; the good sense of the public will return ;
and things will gradually revert to their former channels,
in which, so long as is practicable, every prudent states-
man will desire to keep them. If he attempts more tha❑
this, he engages in an undertaking which it requires little
short of absolute power and absolute wisdom to accomplish."
As further extracts from this article will be
found in another column, we shall forbear to en-
large on the subject, but content ourselves with
saying that it will create a great sensation, tnorc
especially as it is put forth (we have little doubt
that this is the case), as a sort of feeler to try
the pulse of the public.

Great fears are entertained for the safety of the
Exeter mail and passengers, no tiding having been heard
of them for two days,—Hants Advertiser.