The Sun.
London, England, 1830-09-10 00:00:00

(FROM' A THIRD CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, SIMI'. 7.
The Chamber of Deputies, possessing still the
confidence of the nation, and exaggerating the
danger of its situation, pronounced the forfeiture of
the old dynasty in the space of five hours, and
called a new one to the throne, discussed and ap-
proved a Constitution, all which was accomplished
in one sitting, without keeping even these gentle-
men beyond their usual dinner hour. I have now
to point out to you the real dangers of a conduct so
unworthy and so incautious. The same objects
might have been secured with the like success, if
the Chamber had displayed more dignity, and acted
upon higher views in so critical a period. You did
not fall in with my ideas then ; you thought me
exalted, and one of your writers has even gone so
far as to suppose me to be a republican ut heart.
];,vents, however, have justified me. Both the
Chamber of Deputies, and the Ministry, who are an
emanation from them, have now fallen from their
eminence, for, being abandoned by public opinion,
they are now incapable of checking that distress,
rind those convulsions, which we see making such
dreadful progress.
The last few days have shown that the capacity
of Ministers is not equal to existing circumstances.
Both at' Paris and in the departments, they are far
toe timid to place themselves in a position to master
turbulent minds by captivating confidence, and their
experiments will not do. ruin not deny but that
theirs is a very difficult situation, and one of impe-
rious necessity. On the one hand they are obliged
to satisfy and to restrain a population still intoxicated
with their triumph, infatuated with liberty, and
tired of the restraint which it was formerly subject
to. Having been governed for fifteen years by an
oppressive minority, which usurped all public fune-
sloes, this population is now very imperious, and
determined to free itself of the Wiens, who, in every
town and village of France, monopolised all the
plates of administration, of justice, and of municipal
offices. From this circumstance arises the clamour
for change of the majority of functionaries. The
Ministers are principally found fault with for their
deference, which went even to weakness, in giving
way to influences which, however respectable in
themselves, prove now fatal to the public interests.
Guizot compounds two much with the ideas of
men of the old regime ; the conversations of drawing-''
rooms have too much influence over him. By these
means he ruins himself in public opinion. Modems
tion consists now in firmness, and in the execution
of wise and practical measures. The management
of public affairs has been transferred from the
" Salon" to the squares and public streets. In order
to overawe, tribunes are now wanted instead of di-
plomatists with embroidered Court dresses on their
bscks. During these political tempests statesmen
must take the helm, and guide it with the steadi-
ness of a seaman; when calm is restored, every one
may resume his post. Apropos of M. Guizot : Ma-
dame Guizot has lately added much to her celebrity.
Hearing that a certain number of tickets to the
theatre were always at the disposal of the Minister,
she ordered them to be brought to her, and distri-
buted them, with the addition of her feminine sig-
nature, to such of her friends whom she wished to
oblige. This has given rise to much clacking on
the part of our wits, at the expellee of Madame and
Monseigneur...,
M. Dupin tie Muse acquits himself creditably.
Count Gerard, though an excellent General, makes
hut un indifferent Minister of War. In his departs
meta it is easy to shut the doors against re-appoint-
ments, by selecting persons known for their former
services, as nothing has been settled yet. How-
ever,
!roost of the corps of the army complain that
they have old Ultras at the head, who mislead the
minds of the non-commissioned officers, which corn-
promises the regiments. In most of the regiments
a spirit of insubordination shows itself, which origi-
nates entirely in the distrust inspired by the com-
manders. At. Arras and at Lille the officers demand
loudly the dismissal of the Colonels of several corps.
These symptoms of disorganisation have, however,
nothing alarming in them,
With a few exceptionS, our Ministry is composed
of men of the Cot 6 Gauche, To render this situa-
tion natural, the Cott; Oftneheought to represent
the victorious majority. is tide the case ? If the
°Minuet:es of July last had never appeared, and if
Charles X. had not deviated from the Constitu-
tines! line, but, tneetieg the consequences of a Res
presentative Government, had yielded to the in-
fluence of the Chambers, and changed the Polionac
Ministry, the Centre Gauche would probably have
got into power. A Ministry of the Left Centre
was therefore the natural consequence of the Parlia-
mentary triumph under the old dynasty. Does the
present situation render the same Ministry capable
of governing? 'Certainly the men of the Left
Centre are estimable patriots, end eomprivi first-
rate talent's amongst them. Hut the luestion does
not turn upon merit. Have they the strength to
eeforee their doctrines? Do they -inspire sufficient
coofideneir to -prevent public opinion thwarting them
in their system of Government ? It is pot suffirdent
ST Ise good, but It requires energy to eottottand °Om.
exereise a dominion over public opinion,
!'.",,;l4l*quite men lotheiently 'popular to pass
fcir'" "1"46%164 a- Abe 'Wlibe-* of the it-lotat

exalted, and at the same time sufficiently firm and
wise not to commit the future fate of the country.
There are in the Cabinet two Ministers, without
portfeuilles, Messrs. Casimir Perier and Jaquei La-
flue, both men of capacity and great citizens. If
the health of the former would allow him to take a
more active share in the labours of Administration,
they and their colleagues, Dupin de l'Eure and M.
Molts, would constitute an efficient and complete
Ministry. M. Guizot, an excellent Professor, but a
very indifferent Minister, ought to be quickly super-
seded before the changes of the Prefectahips are
spoiled in his hands. The local Authorities enjoy
public confidence more than ever; they are there-
fore perfectly capable to check the disorder that
might be occasioned by the ferment of the public
mind. A clever Administration would derive from
this circumstance that strength, which the relaxation
of the ties of obedience, inseparably connected with
our present situation, might deprive it of. At ell
events liberty is not endangered, the country being
too enlightened, and freedom being too much inter-
woven with its manners and habits. Still some con-
flicts and shocks must be naturally expected,
You will hardly conceive that, in the relations
which our revolution has established with the Spa-
nish Constitutionalists, the French Journals should
scarce have adverted to the affairs of the Peninsula.
Three causes produced this effect. The most simple
consists in our internal affairs absorbing the interest
of the public; besides, want of space, and the still
backward state of the Press amongst us. However
great and indisputable the merit of our writers may
be as editors, it is, nevertheless, true that our Jour-
nals are badly contrived, as far as the editing pad
is concerned; they are behind the English Press in
handling questions of general politics. As the af-
fairs of the Peninsula excite much interest with
you, I can tell you that the number pf Spanish
refugees on the frontiers -becomes daily more formi..-
[fable, and that we probably shall soon hear of dis-
turbances having broken out on the borders and in
the interior. Mina, attended by several officers,
has set out for the frontiers. Still this matter will
require great developement, which I shall transmit
in my next communication.

- - - - - -
LITERATURE.

(ALT'S LIFE OF 13YR0N...-LONDON, 1880.

We have just finished the perusal of this
work, which forms the first volume of a new
monthly miscellany to be entitled the " National
Library." In point of interest arising from the
variety of its incidents, and the exceeding good
sense and vigour of many of the reflections
which are scattered throughout it, Mr. Galt's
volume possesses strong claims on public atten-
tion, though we cannot but think that he ha:
drawn rather too unfavourable a likeness of the
Noble poet. It was the misfortune of Lord
Byron during life to have enthusiastic friends
and equally enthusiastic enemies. There seems
to have been no medium in the feelings of either
towards him. The one party were as unbounded
in their admiration as the other in their rancour,
From the moment of his death up the present
period the same prejudices, with slight modifi-
cations, have existed, and evince themselves
abundantly in Moore's Life, and in the one be-
fore us. If Mr. Moore has leaned too much
to the favourable side, which we doubt, in his
notices of Lord Byron, Mr. Galt has adopted
the opposite one, with equal readiness. Ile has
treated his subject in a cold, caustic, and re-
pulsive spirit, and will inevitably lead his readers
to infer that the author of " Childe Harold"
was, as a man, a creature of mere whim and
caprice, a shuttlecock, to be bandied about by
any one who chose to contest a point with him ;
vacillating in his religion, vacillating in his
politics ; a demagogue to-day, an aristocrat to-
morrow, and an evident Quixote in his attempt
to regenerate Greece. But if Mr. Galt has
undervalued Lord Byron as a man, as a poet he
has done him splendid justice. Nothing can be
truer than many of his passing criticisms on his
works—that in particular on Manfred, though
in one or two points it is pushed to extreme, is
finely discriminative :

" The delineation of that Pranethean fortitude which
defied conscience, as lie ham shown it in Manfred, is his
greatest achievement. The terrific fables of Marlowe,
and of Goi;the, M their respective versions of the legend of
Faustus,' had disclosed the utmost writhings which
remorse, in the fiercest of its torments, can express ; but
what are those Laocoon agonies to the sublime serenity of
Manfred. In the power, the originality, and the genius
co►nbined, of that unexampled performance, Lord Byron
has placed himself on an equality with Milton. The
Satan of Paradise Lost' it animated by motives, and
dignified by an eternal enterprise. Ile bath purposes of
infinite prospect to perform, and an immeasurable ambi-
tion to satisfy. Manfred bath neither purpose, nor am-
bition, nor any desire that seeks gratification.... Ile bath
done a deed which severs him from hope, as everlastingly
as the apostacy with the angels has done Satan. Ile ac-
knowledges no contrition to bespeak commiseration, he
complains of no wrong to justify revenge, for lie feels
none ; he despises sympathy, and almost glories in his
perdition. The creation of such a character is in the
sublimest degree of originality ; to give it appropriate
thoughts and feelings required powers worthy of the con-
ception ; and to make it susceptible-uf being contemplated
within the scope and range of human sympathy, places
Byron above all his contemporaries and antecedents.--
Milton has described in Satan the greatest of human pas-
sion, supernatural attributes, directed to immortal intents,
and stung with inextinguishable revenge ; but Satan is
only a dilatation of man. Manfred is loftier, and worse
than Satan; he has conquered punishment, having within
himself a greater than hell can inflict. There is a fearful
mystery in this conception ; it is only by solemnly ques-
tioning the spirits that lurk witlri►t the dark metaphors in
which Manfred expresses himself, that the hideous eterets
of the character can be conjectured."

As a work full of interest, which never flags,
and spiced with terse and epigrammatic and
occasionally satirical reflections—especially where
women are tint subjects of remark—we know of
few biographies superior to this—an excellence
which only makes us regret more deeply that it
had not leaned less pertinaciously, tl►ouglt in-
sidiously, to the unflattering side of the pies-
tint]. The portraits that accompany the work,
of Lord Byron and the Countess Guiceloli, are
excellent, first, as engravings ; secondly (80 we
are informed by a gentleman who has seen both
parties) as likenesses.

. _
Extract of a letter from a gentleman near
Dunbar :_tg On Saturday, the 2ritli ultjtnu, during the
violent gale on that part of the coast, a sloop was driven
on the sands, about two miles west of the port of Dunbar.
Captain MA ner'4 life apparatus, in charge, of the pre-
ventive coast guard, was proMptly brought to the spot,
hut from the great distance, the vessel' laying 200 yards
from the shore, It was nutdistil seven unstiecessfill though
well-directed shot, not being able to reach the yew!, that
m and. the crew, consisting of
et°hrenitillel!enfttand a as4dhay,teveette.e' brought to the land in a most
exhausted state. Never perhaps has the utility of the plan
been so strongly confirmed, as every ether attempt to pre-
vent the inevitable loss of the crew had failed. 10.9
persons have now to date their preservation to it."
Galignani's Meoenger states that Mr. SWAN,
the American citizen, Who has been confined in the „.i„„
of St Pelagic since the year 1807, will nOw obtain his
mew, as ibe inexorable creditor, who, under the in..
famous French law,. which etiAblew a er,ditor to keep a
foreign debtor in prison for life, 44 enramea mt. Swett
for 23 years in one. of the worst prisons of the world, is
deaf!.