The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-08 00:00:00

LITERATURE,

The Dublin Review. Nos. I. and 11. New Series.
July and October. Burns and Lambert.
It implies no disparagement whatever to the
original series of this very well known, and long
established Quarterly, when we say, at once—what
we are, indeed, for that matter, constrained to say
in simple justice—that the new series, inaugurated
by the publication of these two numbers, evidences
already an extraordinary advance upon its prede-
cessor. It is not merely that we cannot help recog-
nising in these two exemplars of the capacity evi-
dently inherent in the new management, the gua-
rantee of an appreciable infusion thereby of vitality,
of what is familiarly called " new blood," into the
' very body and substance of the old periodical. Far
wider than this is the improvement, far more radical
and interpenetrating are the changes, even now per-
ceptible at the very outset of the fresh career thus
entered upon by the Dublin Review under its new
management. Its scope, intellectually and morally,
appears to be enlarged. Its survey is certainly more
' extended. There is far more variety in its contents.
Among several of the contributors, at least, there is
manifest in the mere manner, in the mere style of
composition, more vigour and vivacity, more dash
and originality than we were accustomed to find in
the general run of papers, the readers
of the old green Quarterly, with the
Irish Harp and "Erin Go Bragh" as its
device, had of late years become accustomed
to. Yet, at the same time, it should be especially
remarked, that we can happily still recognise
several of the most able, one or two of them, indeed,
master hands, to whose labours the Dublin is mainly
indebted for the reputation it enjoys both for learn-
ing and eloquence. Without, however, enterin g
upon any insidious distinctions between the old
and the new wine, whether of wit, or of wisdom,
remains to be seen, whether of critical acumen or of
bibliographical research, here poured out fur us
alternately in fifteen more or less elaborated criti-
cisms, we would now direct attention, however
briefly, to the distinguishing peculiarities observable
in some lew at least among the more remarkable of
the literary articles grouped together in these two
instalments. A rapid summarising of the contents
of the two numbers will perhaps tend the most
vividly to indicate, by indicating the mere diversity
of the subjects treated upon by the Dublin
Reviewers, the energy with which this new
series has at once been opened up. Popular
Devotion in Spain, the Schism in Abyssinia,
the life and good works of Rosa Ferrucci,
the wants and labours of the Catholic Church
in the United Kingdom, a thoroughly inde-
pendent survey of the recent conduct and
general results of the French Elections, together
with a philosophic inquiry into a treatise upon the
vitally important question of the intrinsic end of
Civil Government ! These, with the fist instalment
of a paper continued in number two—a paper upon
the value of which we shall take occasion to remark
more particularly almost immediately—constitute
the bulk of the introductory or inaugural number
published in July. Its successor, number two, but
just now issued simultaneously with the magazines
for October, consists for the most part of the fol-
lowing. A trenchant and uncompromising criticism
upon Dr. Hook's Lives of the Archbishops of Can-
terbury. A charming paper upon the Cure of Ars.
A political chapter, in the form of an examination
into the bearing of the Prison Ministers Act. A very
attractive, and even it may be said (certainly to
all ecclesiastical archaeologists) enthralling record
of divers notable particulars brought to light
recently at Rome, upon the excavation of the newly
discoeered Jewish catacomb. A paper on the Letters
of St. Theresa. One on the Dogmatic Principle. A
brief but telling article upon the Congress held
but a few weeks back at Alalines. And to crown
all, Part. 11. of the series of papers already referred
having as yet been specified,
to, without its nature
a series simply entitled by the writer of them, who
is no other than the Very Rev. Frederick Oakeley,
,‘ Historical Notes of the Tractarian Movement."
It should be remarked, however, before passing on
from the more generalised summary of these two
new numbers of the Dublin Review, that the principal
criticisms contained in each, are followed by a cluster
of minor ones of a very miscellaneous character :
relating not only to a great variety of recent works,
both English and foreign, books published both
here and upon the Continent: but, besides that,
taking a comprehensive survey of Foreign
Periodical Literature : a survey having espe-
cial regard, under that head, to Les Etudes
Religieuses, Ilistoriquesi et -Litteraires, to La
Ciciltit Cattolica, but above all, as it well deserves,
to Le Correspondant. The October number sup-
pliments, even to this ample table of contents, yet
another cluster of politico-religious criticisms relat-
ing to Foreign Events—to such Foreign Events of
Catholic interest as those having reference to Pied.
mont and Italy, to the condition of the Neapolitan
States, to the Fausti Trial, to the Procession of the
Santissimo Salvatore,rand to Use theme just now of
European solicitude, the Polish insurrection.
Turning, however, from the general to particulars,we
would here confess at once to having experienced some
disappointment in respect to the one paper exa-
mined by us among the very first, as we conjecture
it will certainly be examined among the very first by
almost everyone else, on taking up the number of the
Dublin for October. The article, we mean, upon
l‘f al ines We had looked here in the Dublin for some-
thing more like a pronnneiamento regarding the in-
trinsic value, and the probable influence hereafter, of
the Congress lately holden in the old Flemish City of
Mechlin. Possibly there may not have elapsed
sufficient time, between the close of the sitting of
that Congress and the passing of this new number
of the Catholic Quarterly through the press, to
allow of any carefully-considered estimate of the
meeting being prepared. Even supposing
that, however, to be actually the case, just as we
have stated--that it has so happened is a matter to