The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-09 00:00:00

MORAL DEVELOPMENT.

The kind of blasdd indifference which she evinces is a
bad symptom in the human soul. It is one of the surest
evidences of deterioration. We ought to become happier as
we grow old. I mean, we ought to have learnt to derive
more and more pleasure from everything; for appreciation
of what is good and beautiful must year after year become
more fully developed if we have lived to any purpose; and
though the peculiar enjoyment which physical vigour com-
municates to all sensation may, perhaps must be diminished,
yet the training and cultivation which the bodily senses
have received increase their appreciative capacity, and we,
consequently, derive more pleasure from all we see, feel,
think of, or imagine. In fact, to be really fitted for Heaven,
we should (I think) become happier oven in this world as
we grow old.
Our natural instinct, too, induces us to improve. Most
people hope and long to improve. We all look forward to
something more, though perhaps few are conscious of wish-
ing to become better. But, at any rate, we all expect or
hope to become happier, and I verily believe that, the older
we grow, this expectation or hope is ever strengthening
instead of diminishing, in spite of endless disappointments
and bitter sufferings. I have the strongest faith in the
capacity we all possess to improve. I believe most firmly
in our powers of individual development, while I as firmly
disbelieve in the modern theory, which is now becoming so
fatally common—the progressive development of the human
race in this world.

Jere again is an example of practical philosophy :

AUNT MARY'S ART OF HAPPINESS.

Most of our unhappiness (not our misfortunes, femember,
for these are often blessings in disguise, as I think, Richterlkea
says), but the unhappiness which often cling to us
wet blanket, and seems to smother with its cold weight: our
daily and hourly well-being—most of this unhappiness
pinewishes
pro-
ceeds from allowing ourselves to expect too much.
ma-
and hopes become an amusement, and iff
ns
o of
ma-
naged,
life.
I pleasantfeelg retefol distraction
many o
f rom somef
theods
(p
wishes and hopes that have buoyed me at t
probably
will be, fulfilled. Like the pleasantnever
of my life, although they never were
and ot
ste judiciouslyhereh
of which
d auplsl
hCapp
h rfeo aolli
different peri itsi he
times visit our sleep, they leavew they an aft
never can be repeated
or fulfilled—that they are but dreamser_ta NhiSiOnMees;
on the mind, although we knewefteeting
visions of the night.
Bewar sofa allowing ourselves
But beware of expectations
and who value it
to think we deserve—otehoaptiewwehoougdheteetrov,h.vesuch and such
a thing; that other
touch less have attained in a muchhigher degree es.actly
what we want-
To
those
who can become convinced of the dire conse-
quences efnot attaining a constant spirit of cheerful resig-
notion—to those who can learn from Scripture that self-
knowledge which almost imparts a proficiency in the art of
happiness—any lot may be made comparatively enjoyable.
These is one thing, however, which I, and I trust only a
few others suffer from, which is the most difficult of all to
counteract—that is, natural and inherited low spirits. It is,
however, this very suffering which has tended to impress
on mymind the necessity of cultivating cheerfulness, and
looking out for enj,,yment and innocent distraction among
all the little daily concerns and sights of every-day life.
Although the condemnation is too sweeping in its
character, there is much truth in the following :

OBJECTIONS TO PHOTOGRAPIIY•
I am afraid that photography used in portraits tends to
cultivate a tsste for ugliness. They induce people to be

satie:

_ peopw
,fled with their worst looks, and to be reconciled to

gracelessness, harshness, and caricature. It is almost im
possible that a photograph can give the likeness of a people
at their best moments. And best moments, when we wear
the harmonious expression, which inward contentment and
good feeling gives, ought to be encouraged, multiplied, and
coaxed out in every possible way. It should be our con-
stant endeavour to attain permanently the best expression
of our best moments, the outward indication of that cha •
racter of mind arid disposition which we would like to trans-
mit to a portrait, and to be known in by those whose opi-
nions we value most. Many people take quite a different
view of the case, and imagine that it is an indication of
honesty and an absence of vanity to be satisfied with their
ugliest expression. But lam afraid the satisfaction they
derive from it proceeds more from the besetting sin of these
times—self-sufficiency, and an absence of any wish or hope
to become better."

These passages, which we have quoted at ran-
dom, are bnt inadequate specimens of the
thoughtful, speculative character of the work under
notice—a work i❑ many respects deserving a very
attentive perusal, grievously flawed though it is by
the unfortunate character of the plot.

The Gallery of Geography. Pictorial and Descrip-
tive. By the Rev. Thos. Milner, M.A. Part 1.,
pp. 64. William and Robert Chambers, of Lon-
don and Edinburgh.

Those eminent volunteer promoters of Popular
Education, the Messrs. IN illiam and Robert Cham-
bers, of London and Edinburgh, have, without
doubt, in this beautiful serial, adventured upon one of
their most remarkable enterprises. That fact is al-
ready evident upon an examination of this first part,
or initial number. According to the announcement
of the prospectus, we observe, that the work will be
completed in either sixteen or seventeen of these in-
stalments. The result being, when the periodical issue
has been brought, in about a couple of years' time,
to a close, the gradual accumulation in the hands of
the subscriber of a very handsome volume in-
deed—a volume remarkable in every particular
for the beauty of the letterpress and of
the illustrations, and for the general excel-
lence of the mere " getting up" as well as of the
typography. Capital paper, large, readable type,
ample pages (ample, that is, remembering what is
likely to be the thickness of the volume when
finished)—pages, moreover, not double-columned--
and, added to all this, a variety of elegant and ap-
propriate embellishments scattered plentifully
through the text, elegant little drawings (crisply
cut on the box by the cunning implements of skilled
engravers) from pencils as well known and as widely
appreciated as those of Harrison Weir, of J. F.
Sargent, of Daniel, and of Clark Stanton. Those are
among the principal attractions combined in this new
serial by theMessrs.Chamoera—,-as fitting accessories,
that is, to the attraction stamped upon the very face
of it at its commencement, by the intimation that the
whole of this elaborate production is to emanate
from the hand of the rev. and learned author of The
Gallery of Na'ure, as well of many other compila-
tions of almost equal celebrity. The fact of this
simple announcement that the Rev. Thomas Milner
is to write this Gallery of Geography, a Gallery which
is to be
.in point of fact a descriptive tour of the
world, will be suffi-.tient to inspire confidence in the
probable merit of the book as a whole. Precisely as
would be the case were a now serial upon ornithology
announced as forthcoming by the Messrs. Rout-
ledge, under the supervision of that able and popu-
lar naturalist, the Rev. Mr. Wood. An admirably
well engraved vignette title-page, representing St.
Paul's Cathedral as seen from St. Ann's Church,
opens " part one" of this Gallery of Geography. As
a matter of course, as a matter of sheer necessity,
indeed—as " part one," the instalment before us is
purely introductory. It relates, in effect, in the
first instance, to the modes of travel and navigation
among the ancients. It defines then succinctly the
geographical knowledge of those same Ancients.
Coining further down towards our own time, the
author afterwards depicts the extent of the geo-
graphical knowledge in the Middle Ages—ages that
any rational man ought to blush to call "Dark,
if only it be borne in mind that during these
,riddle ages all profane literature, all the classic
authors of Greece and Rome, as well as the divine
records of the Holy ScTiptures themselves, were ten-
ierly treasured up by those venerable and learned
ministers of the Church to whose sublime genius
indsublimer pietyEurepe is indebted for those grand
and glorious old Gothic Cathedrals, "petrified music,',
or " dreams in stone," that are, we might almost
venture to say it, the despair of modern architec-
ture. A fourth chapter of the work relates not
)131y the history of the Passage of the Cape of Good
Elope, and of the crossing of the Atlantic, but ac-
quaints the reader with all that is known in regard
to the earliest circumnavigation of the globe. A
fifth chapter acquaints us with various particulars
in regard to the remotest records of north-eastern,
north.-western, and north-polar voyages. The
sixth, and last chapter in the number, being
devoted to the commemoration of the famous
English and Dutch circumnavigators of the
seventeenth century. So that, even in this first
cumber of the new serial it will be seen the ground
is fairly cleared for what is to constitute, or we are
much mistaken, a very noble superstructure. The
body of the work, we are already apprized, will be
spportioned into five divisions—l. Europe, 11.
Asia, 111. Africa, IV. America, V. Oceania. Each
of these comprehensive divisions, of course, being
subdivided into a series of chapters. By this
means the work, as a whole, in spite of
its almost bewildering magnitude, will
be, readily enough, systemized. Many of the
embellishments have the additional interest and
attraction of being taken from original sketches,
A large number of them even from photographs !
So far as we can possibly judge of a work of such un-
usually large dimensions and of such extraordinary
diversity—relating, as it must do, to matters not only
geographical and topographical, but to the annals
of the human race, to the rise and fall of empires,
to the commemoration of famous men, to the distri-
bution of the animal and vegetable kingdoms in all
parts of the habitable globe—it gives promise even
now of reflecting the highest honour upon all par-
ties engaged in its production, from the pub-
lishers, the author, and the illustrators downwards,
through all the mere mechanical departments called
into play by the commencement of so important en
undertaking as the publication of this noble "
Gal-
tery of Geography."

Dietrichsen and Ilannay's Royal Alnzanock for

1864. pp. 166. Edward Cleaver.
As usual, this nothing less than marvellous
Almanaok appears betimes early in November:
Considering the price of it, the scope of it, and the
whole excellence of the getting up of it, bearing in
mind, its accuracy, its diversity, its enormous multi.
plicity of names and statistics—it is surely, eves
nowadays, in this age of cheap and admirable
printing, nothing less, as we have just said, than
leape
lai
tyioe
nar,
Victoria,o tf hr
is
sew: erhinect
ityw:
eeeni
thaytn. isdev yearlle
nat
nhonfya theneya,sr
marvellous. The present issue for 1864, being hise-
sheaxptpilye' aonrd glorious reign of her Most Gracious
clAti.lamitheasentaYpekQu.bulSeii that it has been coming out year after
year, and literally astonishing the natives while so
doing, very nearly as long as
our beloved Sovereign
has been seated upon the throne. The almanack is
an old favourite. But it does not by any means pre-
sume upon the reputation it has won. It is in its
every arrangement as thoroughly and carefully
compiled as it hus ever been : comprising with it
—still—besides—the royal genealogy of England'
the Peerage ; Parliamentary, Court, County, and
Colonial Calendar ; Army and Navy, in
lists alphabetically arranged; a Register e'
Remarkable Occurrences during the preceti-
ing twelvemonth ; a L :ndon, Provincial, Colonial
and Foreign Banking Directory ; fair lists for Tang"
land, Scotland, and Ireland; besides a really enor-
mous mass of other useful and interesting infornoi
tion. Among these, Acts of Parliament, posta
regulations, and so forth—to say nothing of dailf
tide table 3 for Loudon, Bristol, Hull, Liver:
pool,:and 238 other seaports ! Certainly, enough:
for the money and to spare, seeing that the 'Whole
is purchaseable for a mere sixpence.

Saunders 01ley and Morgan's British Army
Review. November, 1863.
So far ss we can comprehend it, this little publi-
cation is issued under the timbre of the new firm of
Army, India, and Colonial Agents of 9, Waterloo-
place—not under that of the old firm of Sounder°,