The Sun.
London, England, 1837-06-01 00:00:00

MAGAZINE DAY.

I I PL A OK WO OD' S MAGAZINE.
There is no want of varieties, whether of prose or
verse, in this Number, which is the best we have seen
for some months. The first article, which is headed
" Modern French Classics," criticizes with tact and
discernment seine of the master-pieces of Madame de
Stael and Chateaubriand. The subject is to be con-
tinued, which we are glad of, for it is au hiterestiug
one, and recommended by comparative novelty. We
trust the author will not forget to do just•ice to Pi-
gatilt OW is ;ht'. Sinollett of France, and
whose " Uncle Thomas" conialiii Sceiies t btoEid !!!2-
trour worthy to vie even with the immortal " Dinner
- 4.4 ,
alter ttie iviandef df the Aneients," which the physi-
cian, it may be remenilidiedi gttvh lu honour of his
young friend Peregrine Pickle. " The Wdrid tte live
is es pleasant and fragmentary as usual. " Li.
terary Criticism, by a Ld-ityer!" is a good-humoured
quiz on pedantic critics. The writer prdf”,..e, to view
the works of our greatest writers, only through the
medium of his owii pfdfeFsion. The following is-a
favourable sample of his grave and quiet Irimour :
" As a specimen of these lectures, I shall in this prospeetqs
take at random from some of our best writers a few instances
of legal incidents or illustrations, Whether serving as models
to follow, or beacons to avoid. I begin with the master spirit
of poetry, as hi duty bound. Sir Henry Halford, I belteve,
has shown how correctly Shalt:Team describes the phenomena
of some diseases, and I make no doubt that had he applied
himself equally to law, he would have made a great figure in
it. Yet I own that I never peruse my chief favourite the
Merchant of Venice, without a mixture of melancholy, to
think that it has so many faults, and i particular that the dis-
tress turns chiefly upon embarrassments, with which no lawyer
can seriously sympathise. There are several striking flaws hi
this drama. In the first place, Antonio's difficulties arise en-
tirely from his gross oversight in not effecting an insurance
upon his various argosies. He should hare opened a let of
policies at once upon the Rialto, where marine assurance was
perfectly well understood, and where the brokers would have
got him fifty names in a forenoon to any extent upon ship
freight, or cargo, lost or not lost. This prudential step
would have given a totally different turn to the
whole affair. When he wanted to help Bassanio with
three thousand ducats for three months, he could have
easily raised the money, at four per cent. on the security
of an assignment to the policy. Shylock says of him, " An-
tonio is a good man—yet his means are in supposition : he
hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies ; I
understand, moreover, upon the Rialto, he bath a third at
Mexico, a fourth for England, and other ventures he hath
squandered abroad. But ships are but boards, sailors but
men ; there be land-rats, and water-rats, water-thieves, and
land-thieves; I mean pirates ; and then there is the peril of
waters, winds, and rocks." Now these are the very risks
which the contract of insurance is intended to cover, as clearly
explained in Marshall and our other writers, and as expressed
in the following clause inserted in all policies. " Touching
the adventures and perils which the said assurers are con-
tented to bear, and do take upon them in this voyage, they are
of the seas, mon-of-war, fire, enemies, pirates, rovers, thieves,
jettisons, &c., barratry of the master or mariners, and of all
other perils, losses and misfortunes that have or shall come to
the hurt, detriment, or damage of the said goods or merchan-
dizes, and ship or vessel." With this precaution Antonio's
means would hare been no longer in supposition, but in cer-
tainty, and as good as hard cash, under the deduction merely
of the premium of insurance. Finally, when intelligence was
received of Antonio's argosies being wrecked, it is plain that
he might, in the circumstances, have at once abandoned to the
underwriters, and claimed for a total loss. It is painful to see
so many amiable characters involved in griefs and difficulties,
which this simple and natural expedient would have obviated."
The " Picture Gallery" is an ingenious idea, and
if followed up with spirit, may probably become po-
pular. The writer represents himself in his intro-
ductory chapter, as staying at a friend's house in the
country, who has a fine collection of paintings by an-
cient and modern artists : he is alone there—the
master of the house being absent ; so by way of
passing away his time he resolves on illustrating some
of the most striking of the pictures in a series of tales,
some humourous, some serious, as may be most appro-
priate to the subject. We shall wait to see how this
notion is worked out, before we pronounce a decided
opinion. As far as it has yet proceeded, we incline to
think favourably of it. " A Speech which would
have been spoken in the House of Lords, had not
circumstances prevented," is a violent attack on the
Municipal Reform. Its arguments are sophistical to
a degree, hut the language in which they are conveyed
is terse, and occasionally eloquent. " This time two
Years," is an affecting story, from the pen, as we con-
jecture, of Caroline Bowles. " Here's to the States-
man," is a capital party song, quite as good as the best
of Hook's in the " John Bull.