The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-01 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, IVIARCII 1, 1865.

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MAGAZINE DAY.

BLACKWOOD.—The Right Honourable William
Gladstone, M.P., is the subject of the first article
in this number, and it is continued from the account
furnished last month. This essay is written in a
first-rate style, and while it renders ample justice to
Mr. Gladstone's brilliant powers as a debater, and great
talent in many ways, it expresses genuine regret at the in-
consistency of his conduct, and the confused nature of his
politics, now allying himself to the Church and State party,
under whose auspices he made his entry into public life,
and again appearing to conform in words and theories to
those of the extreme opposite in political tenets. Many
readers will be glad of this opportunity of acquainting
themselves with the retrospective career of one who must
undeniably be regarded as one of the leading men of the
age, both in abilities and position. There is nothing to
wonder at that a periodical of such a class as this should

regret and feel indignant at the contemplation of Mr. Glad
stone's career. He has twice refused the offer of the Con-

servative leader to enter into office with the party with
which he has professed a common sympathy, and which his
influence might have supported to its own advancement,
and the welfare of the country, since nothing is so destruc-
tive as abandoning all things to the domination of one par-
ticular clique. The concluding remarks of this article are
forcible, if not flattering. "Isheto be Lord Palmerston's
successor? We should think not. No Tory will support
him, not one old Whig family will follow him.
The House of Commons, if at all constituted as it
now is, would not tolerate his want of temper
for a day. He has nothing to look to but the extreme
Radicals, and they are not as yet strong enough to give
either a policy or a Prime Minister to this great country."
" William Blake" is the title of the second subject ; it is
well worthy of perusal, presenting us, as it does, with a
graphic sketch of a man who was decidedly out of the
common, and whose peculiarities are well worth observing.
Of him, it is truly observed, that "he was a good man,
and had some of the elements of greatness in him ; he is
better deserving, perhaps, of being held in memory than
some others of world-wide reputation." " Miss Majori-
banks," is continued at some length, and we meet with a
very descriptive account of the difficulties with which that
ambitious young lady had to contend in her efforts to obtain
a high place in the circle at Carlingford. The deep contriv-
ances to which she resorts are most cleverly told, and the
scene in which she confounds Mr. Bury by her dexterous
movement is capitally told;- and forms an entertaining
episode in the narrative. There is great skill displayed in
the description given of this heroine's manoeuvres from the
outset, and her plan of engaging the fine contralto to sing
duets with her, shows a descrimination that soars far above
the petty jealousy and mean prejudices that often interfere
to spoil the effects of female performances. The paper on
" Sir E. Bulwer Lytton's Poems" will doubtless be read
with interest, and it deserves to be so, for it is written with
care and discernment. The concluding observations_ are
well worthy of attention by the author to whom they refer.
"Why," it is asked, "should Sir E.B. Lytton be dolorous?"
The former poets of England and Scotland were joyous
in the extreme, and "he should not now, unless
his ambition is altogether satiated, proclaim that
all is vanity." " Etoniana, Ancient and Modern,"
continues the superior sketches before met with of this
time-honoured institution; and in this instalment we find
an account of the last Montem which was held in 1844,
when Prince Albert's carriage was stopped at Windsor
bridge, and he gave the royal donation of £lOO. Some of the
accounts here given are most interesting, and will serve to
refresh the memory of many concerning this popular public
school. "Piccadilly" is the title of the last sketch; it is
very amusingly told ; and its continuance will doubtless
afford amusement to many. We meet, besides, with
" Guy Neville's Ghost," an entertaining reminiscence, which
may well serve to beguile an hour ; so that no ono can
complain of dullness or want of interesting contents in this
month's number of Maga.

TEMPLE BAR.—" Sir Jasper's Tenant" is not
very important in this number ; but the adventures
of " Dorothy" are amusing, so is the account of the
stranger's visit to the abbey, and his subsequent re-
turn to his hermitage more a hermit than ever.
" The Red Hat" is a curious sketch of the time of
Richelieu, and relates the hair-breadth escape of a man
whose life hung in the balance. It is told in a very inge-
nious manner, and is an exciting episode of old times.
"Royal Marriages with Subjects" is a very sensible article,
that contains some well-deserved strictures upon the pre-
sent absurd custom of making no marriages for the royal
family except with Germans. It is truly said that
the " royal marriage law is, in the opinion of many, open
to grave criticism ; not a few people consider it an
outrage on nature, and would gladly welcome the very re-
sults to prevent which it was devised. "David Chantrey"
is continued in an interesting style, and in this part David
seeks an acquaintance that will evidently have a considerable
effect upon his future career. " Paid in Full" is concluded
in a powerful manner, bnt as mysteriously as might have
been expected. The most pleasing sketch met with in this
story is honest Sir Charles, who is quite a relief after the
plots and machinations of tho others. There are some read-
able papers met with here. " Our Navy of the Future" is
a suggestive sketch, deserving notice; and "In State" and
"Vampires," at least, form an agreeable variety to the other
more solid subjects met with_ Thera are also some verses
that enliven the perusal of the magazine, and complete the
uniformity of its contents.

CORNIIILL.—" Armadale" is continued at length,
and becomes very exciting as it proceeds. The
plots of Mrs. Aldershaw and her friend Miss Givild
are very skilful, and one feels puzzled to make out
how so simple a young man as Allan will manage to
escape their machinations. At any rate, it is satis-
factory to find out that Allan has got the start of them,
and arrived at Thorpe Ambrose before they think he has
left the Continent. Allan's debut is very amusingly told,
and his introduction to Miss Mibraw is quite original in its
way. Certainly this account of a man coming unexpectedly
into a large fortune and a good estate is curious from its
novelty. "Monsieur Baton" is a very melancholy little
pointl i t
oi el
lsy. that h
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interest
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n eennvt
sketch, that is touchingly told, and this little pic-
ture of simple life illustrates many of the qua-
" Wives and Daughters" also progresses satisfactorily in
Rogerbs
yo r
difficulties,rfollowsws
gene-
ralm example in paying homage to Cynthia to the neglect of
Osborne does his r oa nnedd
best to get him into worse troubles. The
contrast between the brothers is very great, and well de-
picted. Mrs. Gibson is as displeasing as usual in her dic-
tatorial style and affectation of simplicity. After the
stormy weather that we have experienced for some time
past, some readers will very likely be glad to peruse an
account of " The Winds" which is here given. This
learned treatise is well 'worthy of perusal, presenting us as
it does with a very detailed description
of a subject little
understood by the generality ; at the same time the writer
does not encourage us to expect too much in this study, as
yet, for he says that "Meteorology is a very young science,
if it deserves the title of science at all ; and until observa-
tions for a long series of years shall have been made at
many stations, we shall not be in the possession of trust-
worthy facts on which to ground our reasoning." "Willie
Baird," a Winter Idyll, i
-s a plaintive sketch, that attracts
by its simplicity and mournful pathos. " Isernia L'Addio''
is another of the Italian sketches of which so many
have appeared in this periodical. "Position of Landscape
theoflife.ud
Painting in England" is an article that makes some good
suggestions upon this interesting thorns, and ably dis-
courses upon the prevalent errors of its management re-
specting "exhibitions," &c. " A Midsummer Ride in
South China" is an entertaining sketch, that presents a
good contrast to the other subjects here met with.
LONDON SOCIETY.—The usual liberal allowance of
tales, sketches, poems, and pictures meet us in this
lively magazine—always one of the pleasantest and
best written of the lighter serials. The illustrations
are plentiful, and of a sort to catch the reader's eye
and attract the popular taste, giving a really life-like
representation of the beaux and belles who form, for the
most part, the dramatis persoim of its contests. One of the
most lively and agreeable papers in this number is the
article on "Mummeries and Drolls." The forgotten
characters of ancient pantamime, and the sketches
of the Serio-comic figures, can hardly fail to
provoke a smile from the gravest reader. " The
Merchant Princes of England," an interesting series,
is continued with spirit, and the achievements of Josiah
Child, of London, shows of what stuff our nation of
is shop-
keepers
made. " The Greek Ambassador" is a sketch
of a not very clever or courteous practical joke, and " Try
a Tutorship" is a light story of the troubles of a private
tutor, who escapes from his perplexities better, perhaps, on
the whole, than he deserves. " A Miss in her Teens
Keeping House," recounts the ill success of an adventurous
damsel of fifteen, who, in her mother's absence, rashly at
tempted to guide the reins- of domestic government, and
who was in turn the "martyr to the cook's extravagance,
the housemaid's insolence, and the man-servant's supreme
contempt," until a substantial unfashionable country friend
came valiantly to the rescue. " Drawing-room Poetry" is
the title of a review of the poems of the late W. M. Praed,
who gives a brief outline of his career, and copious extracts
from his very clever and charming verses. The story of
" The Lady in Muslin" proceeds with interest, though the
fair heroine is still involved in unapproachable mystery.
TIIE ST. JAMES'S MAGAZINE.—MiSS Braddon's
story of " Only a Clod" still retains its prominent
Position in this serial, and it loses nothing in interest,
though that interest grows of a painful character.
Mephistopheles advances rapidly in his task of
sowing disunion between the husband and
wife. Maude is again the fashionable but-
terfly that she was when we first knew her, before the
knowledge of her father's difficulties brought out her better
qualities. The reader loses patience with her, thoug4,
when she so far forgets her principles as to associate con-
stantly with her quondam lover, Harcourt Lowther,
the evil genius of the piece. It is to be hoped
that justice will be satisfied by the identification
of that modern Apollo with the undiscoverable
Robert Lesley. Two missing ones are found in this

number. Maude unexpectedly meets Julia Desmond, and
Francis Tredetthyn catches a glimpse of Susan, with what
result remains to be seen hereafter. The second part of "My
Uncle's Honeymoon" ends the narrative of its hero's adven-
tures much as we expected, so that the reader is not bound
to sympathise too deeply in his sorrows. A sketch of the
career of Machiavelli is worth reading, and so is an article
on "Gold Worship in America," more trenchant than com-
plimentary to our transatlantic cousins. A paper on
" Charqui," the original name of jerked beef, describes
the whole method of preparation. It is justly remarked,
after a dissertation on the exclusive naturo of English
cookery, and the benefits our poorer classes lose thereby,
that it is useless to recommend articles of food and drink on
the strength of their chemical properties. Food against which
there is a kind of prejudice, from lack of use, rather than from
any actual reason, may be bettor introduced to the multi-
tude through the agency of cookshops and soup kitchens.
There is nothing unpleasant in the idea of the dried
American beef, which is veritable beef from the wild
healthy cattle of the boundless prairies, and has nothing to
'le with horseflesh, which there, as here, is more scarce and
more valuable, and a little practice would soon render it
popular enough among a people who eat dried cod from
Newfoundland, and salted herrings from Australia with
relish and satisfaction.

THE SIXPENNY MAGAZINE.—The wild and singu-
lar story of " The Fate of Thorsghyll," is continued
with some interest. Felicia recovers the use of
speech, and promises eventually to recover her
memory likewise, when she will be able to unravel
the mystery of her father's death. A sensible paper
on the " Education of the Young," contains some excellent
remarks on that difficult question. We have two bio-
graphical papers on Royal ladies of very opposite characters
—Margaret of Navarre, wife of Henry the Fourth of
France, and Christina of Sweden, the eccentric daughter
of Gustavus Adolphus. Ladies who wish to study the pretty
art of Diaphaine will find full directions for doing so under
the head.of Parlour Occupations.

THE VICTORIA MAGAZINE.—A paper on " Mid-
dle Class Education opens this number, which is
well written, and dwells a little upon the grievances
of the schoolmasters as well as of the scholars. The
writer favours the suggestion of a scheme of scho-
lastic registration, similar to that provided for the
medical profession under the Medical Registration Act.
The great object of this plan is the exclusion of unquali-
fied persons from the profession, and it is hoped that it
would conduce to the improvement of education and the
elevation of the schoolmaster. The writer of this paper is
likewise indignant at the custom of reserving the best gifts
in the profession for the clergy, which he considers unjust
to the whole body of lay teachers. We have two stories
which, in true magazine fashion, are continued from num-
ber to number. One, "The Warden of Saint Briavelis,"
is a romance of olden days, while the other, " Trouble at
Thornhill," is a domestic story of our own time. "Among
the Black Bogs," by Lucy Edgar, gives an interesting ac-
count of an attempt to train and civilise some of the young
Australian aborigines. Mr. Herbert Graham enters very
fully into the consideration of " English and Scotch Cri-
minal Verdicts," and the usual comments on the literature
and social science of the day are found at the conclusion.

THE ENGLISHMAN'S MAGAZINE. No. 111. Riving-
tons.—Clerical elocution has lately been so much dis-
cussed that we are not surprised to find the subject
of the first paper in this semi-ecclesiastical serial to
be Reading and Chanting." The author of it,
the Dean of Ely, concludes his remarks by the very
sensible observation that first-rate reading must be based
upon first-rate education, and with that foundation formal
rules may be chiefly dispensed with. He gives, however,
three rules for the guidance of the reader, which are : 1.
To finish each word. 2. Not to drop the voice at the end
of a sentence. And 3. Always to read from a full chest.
There is no doubt that the observance of these simple rules
would be a great blessing to many readers and hearers. A
sketch of the vivid and interesting life of Madame Guyon
will attract the reader, and the lover of fiction will find
himself amply supplied in " A Sailor's Yarn," " The New
Patent Safety Fireproof Chest," and a mystical legend of
the middle ages. One of the most interesting articles in
the number is the sketch of the career of General Oglethorpe,
the founder of Georgia. At a time when that State has
been the theatre of the war it will be read with special
curiosity. It records " the singular, and as we believe
unparalleled fact concerning Georgia that it was founded
by an individual from purely benevolent motives, and that
he lived to see it a free commonwealth. General Oglethorpe
died at the age of upwards of 100 years, retaining his
faculties to the last, and deeply venerated by his country-
men." There are several poetical contributions of a
superior character. One of them, " The Battle of Varna,'
is full of fire and spirit, and teaches a stern moral.
THE ENGLISHWOMAN'S DOMESTIC MAGAZINE,
Beeton, Strand.—Of all the marvels of cheap serial
publications, the " Englishwoman's Domestic Maga-
zine is certainly the greatest. Besides the literary contents,
which is fully equal to the average, there is a perfect mine
of feminine treasures contained in its unpretending cover.
Sheets and plates, coloured and plain, spread before the
astonished gazer their apparently inexhaustible stores.
Fashidnable toilette designs and instructions for the manu-
facture of all the component parts of a lady's attire for the
boudoir, the promenade, or the ball-room; patterns for
fancy work, prettily printed in colours, and looking charm-
ing enough to engage the fingers of Queen Titania herself ;
and finally, an original song, printed separately in very
good type and style. If the fair dame who obtains all
these treasures for the moderate sum of one shilling be not
satisfied with her bargain she must certainly be very hard
to please.

THE YOUNG ENGLISHWOMAN. Beeton. Price
Sixpence.—This is another of Mr. Beeton's multuni
in parvo publications, being, however, more of a literary
miscellany than its companion, and thus better adapted to
the younger members of the household. It has also a
number of patterns for useful and ornamental needlework,
and a touching engraving called, " The Empty Cradle."
LE FOLLET.—This recognised standard of Parisian
fashion shows us some rather startling toilettes for the
month of March, and gives us in its printed matter an
amusing " Valentine to a Dressmaker."
THE ECLECTIC.—The Eclectic for March has
several well written papers, mostly, however, ad-
dressed to members of Dissenting chapels.