The Sun.
London, England, 1839-03-21 00:00:00

EVEN ENG EDITION

LITERATURE.

chioiLsnE,".H. 'To:
kn/rilyVv
ecrioTibAurL i,
collected,ll.
By the COUNTESS Op BLESSINGTON.
The
materials-°Tlsl: I EfLo roinDt
and though sunny Italy, the works
have been described in these days by hundreds of tou-
rists, and become familiar to every English reader, this
agreeable and intelligent writer brings them anew before
the public, with a freshness and vigour to be found only
in Eustace's Tour, the first and also the best since the
poetry and wine) ; 1839.
39seventeen
Years ago (nearly twice the period required to ripen
of art it contains, and the great men it has produced,
Peace. It is true she had many advantages. She mixed
in the first society—enjoyed the company of Kings and
Queens—had familiar intercourse with the mother of
Napoleon and different members of his family—was
visited by Lord Byron, and lords and ladies, and
Poets and artists out of number, and had means of
"'Piling information which hardly any modern
tourist now possesses. The work is not elaborate,
as we may infer from the title, it is in the form of a diary,
,
and expresses the opinions of the writer in an easy and
chaste style
describing works of art, but still more men
and manners, with great truth, judgment, and impar-
tiality. If in the latter quality she is ever defective,
her faults lean to the right side, and can offend only
one class whom nobody cares to please—the morose,
malignant disappointed, and envious. Her praise, how-
ever, is not without discrimination ; one instance will
serve, and this instance proves how correctly 17 years ago
she estimated the character of the present leader of the
aHouse of Commons, who sacrifices the friendship of
ils Partisans for a trifle, and prefers the ghostly advice
ef a political enemy to the solicitation and counsel of
those who have been so long his faithful allies. His
praises are these____,, Good sense, a considerable power
equality
of discrimination, a highly cultivated mind and great
temper, are the characteristics of
l'or of d John Russell, and these peculiarly fit him
or taking a distinguished part in public lire
But then comes the discrimination—the drawback, as
tcorrectly given as if it had been written on that unfor-
!nate evening when Lord John made such a display in
44voi
Lent.n• of the ridicnlous Catholic custom of eschewing
In
Plll„Sie, and eating salt fish on Wednesdays and Fridays
" The only obstacle to his success seems to
file to be the natural reserve of his manners, which, by
:MingPeople to think him cold and proud, may pre-
- :Ming
SgLhim from exciting that warm sentiment and per-
oattachment rarely accorded, except to those whose
it,rnt friendly demeanour excites and strengthens
nOt "d
without this attraction it is difficult, if
be , impossible, for a statesman, whatever may
ter tee degree of esteem entertained for his charac-
, t o
have devoted friends and partisans, accessories
rlindispensable for one who would fill a distinguished
Years"e'' in Public life. . . He should stay two or three
; among his Italian friends to wear off for ever the
rears among
that shrouds many good qualities, but he will
return to
England—become as cold and distant as tor-
reerlY, and people will exclaim at his want of cordiality,
and draw back from what they consider to he his haughty
reserve!,
The character of Byron is drawn with the
game candour and judgment, but that with some
Others we may pass by for the present. " How
~,e Louvre sinks into insignificance," says Lady
essington, " when compared with the Vatican ! The
tblue skies and pure air seem to respect its treasures,
hd they- borrow fresh charms from the clear atmosphere
at surrounds them." The same expression fitly ap-
plies to France and Italy, and we therefore regret that
her Ladyshidevoted so much of the work to a
ceuntrY so monotonous, and so devoid of objects
of interest, compared with the native land of Boc-
eaeio, and Tasso, and Michael Angelo, and Raffaele,
with its unrivalled treasures at Florence and Rome,
and Naples and Pompeii. We shall not, therefore,
iiiiitate her example, but press on to Italy, touching at
Geneva, and " Fair Leman's Lake, where she met an
e..ld friend of Byron, and a still greater friend of the ca-
'Militated, unfortunate Shelley, Maurice, the boatman,
ho accompanied his Lordship in his excursions on the
rke. The character which this honest-hearted Swiss
e or Shelley, will be read with corresponding feeling
7 all but that class who would shut the doors of West-
Minster Abbey, against a monument to the poet of the
ag,e, who have no pity for the aberrations of genius, and
ado act as if it were their first duty to promote bigotry
nd uncharitableness :-
6' Poor Mr. Shelly," said Maurice, " all I we wore all
sorry for him ! He was a different sort of man : so
gentle, so affectionate, so generous ; he looked as if he
ed the sky over his head, 1 (the water on which his
boat floated. He would not hurt a fly ; nay, he would
tsave everything that had life, so tender and merciful was
nis nature. He was too good for this world ; and yet,
Lady, would you believe it, some of his countrymen, whom
I have rowed in this very boat, have tried to make me
think ill of him ; but they never could succeed, for we
poor people judge by what we see, and not by what we
hear."

Prom Genera she proceeded to Italy. Her descrip-
tion of the country—of the manners of the people—
tile works of art—and also the striking pictures she has
dl of many of her countrymen, since become public
erecters, will be read with interest. We have given
°Lie sPecireen of her discrimination in this respect, and
eo •
bile give twenty more. Her portraits of Lord
utt,,Y, Lord Morpeth, Lord Howick, and some
aittii—re'Aere indeed so truly given that people less good
Blew: and more inclined to suspicion than Lady
--ItQl) would infer they have been retouched
ally 3,e ,
ever, ars after they were drawn. We must, how-
e" ellt short our remarks, and conclude... with two
grltets, both of a melancholy description ,l the one
tieing an account of Byron's presentiment that he should
niver return from Greece, and his anticipation that the_n
iii;.ergy would
not object to his ashes resting in peace i
°the:Minster Abbey—he little knew them—and the
Ter a description of Napoleon's mother when on the
verge of eighty :—.
6,
rit ...May 16---Took a ride with Byron. He was in low spi-
-11:h sic'ke with sadness of his future prospects—and said
, t.-4. a conviction he should never return from Greece.
hying‘ 'le bad dreamt more tham once, he assured me, of
tsutilLero ; arid continually entertained a presentiment
ell would be the case.
Th
" D en' why go?' asked I.
Irreyi ' recisely because I yield myself to the dictates. ofa
cometeable
fate, and should wish to rest my bones inth,
arid dreamshallwed to me by the recollections of my you
Ild irG, ef happiness never realised. Yes I a grassy
pieNie •eee, and a grey stone to mark the. spot, would
-....an ho /Ile retire than a marble tomb in Westminster Abbey
Pose „,.,11,°,11nohich, if I were to die in England, I sup-
is tbe refused to me ; for though my compao-f
ray faw„ere unwilling to let me live in peace in the land m
hex .ruers they
e ' sti„"`LeY would not, kind souls ! object to y
ry
~ 1.
'434A4t e ---g in peace among those of the poets of my
ii
fly
genii, 1, toe Letitia Bonaparte is tall and slight, her figure
,f4l. jqe7fed b3.' age, but, nevertheless, dignifedmaend gra.ce-
'"r'or of th ace Is, even still, remarkably hanaso , bearing
tuti a An"',e acourac of Canova's admirable statue of her;
vial"°foun(l. her p'
of a Roman matron could not
dYna'stt -4" is presented by this Hecuba of the impe-
colinterlaneY' She is pale, and the expression of her
uP bY some i 3 pensive, unless when occasionally lighted
nloineat —!,ahservation, when her dark eye glances for a
e 1101,,,
_, With
animation, but quickly resumes its melan-
tier Ireutnalraeter again ; yet even when animated,
hBeeins b "8 its natural dignity and composure,and
.s e
de 140., o_rn to represent the mother of kings. The Prince
fel all"dtlert, and his excellent wife, treat her with a watc 7
suitedsPectful tenderness ; each sißpolted h. er, and
atte,it.sueir pace to her feeble steps, listening w.ith deep
of ricill°ll to her observations. She was dressed in a robe
rast • dark grey Levantine silk, and a bonnet of the same
.
14 "la! u,
with a black blonde veil.
-Ler hair -ern over a lace cap,
glieqi., was divided a la Madonna (her own white hair)
ore, Ile a high and pale forehead, marked_ by the furrows
fre,:re A superb Cashmere shawl, that looked like a tribute
der; me barbaric sovereign, fell gracefully over her shoal_
behe,iikrid completed ^ one or the most intt ictures I ever
and d• I must not omit recording hatber feet are small,
i, 10 tiely formed, and her hands admirable. Her voice
tietl_W, and sweet, w.ith.a certain tremulousness in it that
leapotes a deep sensibility. She spoke of the Emperor
,leon • and her lip quivered and her eyes filled with
'

...-
-
tear` I shall soon join him in that better world, where no
I,
t4e, are shed,' said she, wiping away those that chased
doge so, other down her cheeks; ' I thought I should have
long ago, but God sees whet is best us.' "

THE FALL OF WARSA TV.
A l'44i°tipo Rolfe, London, 1839.
t/larl eril Penned in a simple, unassuming spirit, not
44t1 for its vigour ; but full of the most amiable
sentiments.

J
1714 CABINET MINISTER. 3 VoLs.
l'or this Bentley, London, 1839.
thee'Gor t..°44 tale we are indebted to the pen of Mrs.
(1." t the liveliest and most. .ysebrseartibleeszowvebleisntswoef
reinernb "0 cannot say that it i
D er her ..
h a!lghters ~, , Mary Raymond"
"raise of 13'; out, at any rate, i,ve and
I\alcoctohredrsit and
ItaY attern be
gracefully and naturally told, without.n
Point r Pt to produce effect by startling surprizes i
r°4l its title
f or incident or character. As may. be surmised
that i, it
4 deals somewhat in political matters-
4ge thsal.B4Y, Many of the eminent politicians ofitt_he
such a" nas just passed away, are introduced into
who% lie Sheridan, the Regent, and the Whig friends by
tiog,a was surrounded, in his better days, at.Carlton-
vidtiais; and the scenes wherein these celebrated "ndi-
anilbatjlPPear, are among the most interesting I and
ticular • .
Thee:l:el. The sketch of Sheridan,. in par.-
air 18 hit off with much skill and spirit, and his
chat,iS pretty much as we should
par-
ry' ds :Quilt::
co tiPposed he would have indulged in, when in the
triPan
Seri e 3' of those whom he liked. The brief, rapid de-
eaton his latter days, and more especially of his
pkth_ bed scene, evinces all that touching, unaffected
4 as, which we admire in " Mary Raymond." We
a glad
"eQ'th t to see that Mrs. Gore is bold and honest
the °/, 0 sPeak out the strict truth respecting George
sketch 'orth, and, hasty and imperfect as is her
ali,. to draw hire
n-
just as he was, selfish, vainf, ore
but7.B:,.capricious, not naturally devoid of good Fe ?rigs,
gut us,
to sacrifice them all on the altar of his mor
ft_ gto selfishness. We would gladly make extracts
toarti.,? this portiou of her tale, but space and time alike
tlo,ll' We roust, therefore, bring our hasty notice to a
e. with the remark, that the . Cabinet Minister"