The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-23 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

THE QUAIITERLIES.
The Edinburgh Review. No. CXCVIII.
Having already commented at some length on the
vulgarity and coarseness of the attacks made this
month by the great Whig Quarterly—one on " Ali-
-80 L's History of Europe since 1815," and the other
°ll " Mr. Disraeli, his Character and Career," we
shall do no more here than reiterate the expression
of our really heartfelt indignation. Anything
comparable to these two articles in either spite or
indecorum has not for many years past disgraced
one of the more important organs of criticism in
the "whole range of periodical literature. Enough
of this, however, and rather more than enough.
apapers ix question—apart from their humorous
u.isplays of mingled wit and personality—would, in
ablele unfairness of criticism, have been discredit-
, to any, even the lowest class of publication.
degree
are, consequently, disgraceful to the last
ucigree a periodical like the Edinburgh, enjoying
a
high and deservedly high reputation. Turning
to the other review contained in the current num-
• Nve find the difficult question of " Marriage
Nitha deceased Wife's Sister" considered in all its
vbearings,, especially in reference to the views enter-
rued upon this subject by Lord Denman, as well
by Messrs. Binney, Denison, and Campbell-
Foster. curious essay entitled " The Church of
England in the Mountains" has regard to the
position of Wales and the Welsh in reference
I:0 Education and Christianity. During the
111.8° of a pleasant but rather superficial and
discursive,i chat about " Recent Novels" cor-
dial Words of encouragement are addressed to
• author of the four stories —" The Ogil-
e,s, : Olive"—" The Head of a Family"—
et`t. " Agatha's Husband." Of the first of these
e the reviewer observes sententiously that
the style was careful, the narrative interesting,
sad, the characters on the whole attractive,
and well sustained ; but it differed from the
Bettr sort of ordinary novels chiefly by a fresher
he says,
and a more thoughtful tone." Of the second
says, that it " was similar in character, and
nearlyd equal in execution, but marked by a ten-
e6cY to dwell, with too prolonged minuteness, on
details of severe mental struggles—always
critic
a morbid symptom." Of the third the
tatnlo observes, " This tale was a marked improve-
ment upon its predecessors ; altogether it appeared
11,-,,114.8, One of the most pleasing and beautiful do-
mestic fictions we had ever read"—while,
.of the
jijiajt,b) he writes " Agatha's Husband,' which has
"eell published, is equal in interest, and. su-
perior in artistic merit ; the author treads with a
*Da
step, handles the pencil with the conscious-
-1:4;• 13f more assured power, and in her pictures
a reflections displays the resources of a richer
ad niaturer mind." We have transcribed these
tiTlegiums into our columns not simply because.
they happen happen to accord wonderfully well with
"sewsj_ already expressed by ourselves as to the
th;rl, is of the four fictions particularised, but
and We deem it but fair to the youthful
We " promising author of those fictions that
tp,„Sliould afford every additional publicity to
rallY valuable, because authoritative, encou-
Oeulent. Such, therefore, are the opinions pro-
anted by the Edinburgh upon " The og,ilvies,"
yPon " Olive," upon " The Head of a Family," and
01°11 " Agatha's Husband." It must do a world
good, moreover, to another writer to learn that
the Whig Quarterly, in the same article, declares
at '" about the most exquisitely beautiful and
L„Werful tale of the last thirty years," is " The
",tuiral's Daughter." Speaking of the great nove-
-6'..0f the present age—and, of course, particu-
-1)11_111g especially Bulwer Lytton and Charles
he c'''-eus—the reviewer remarks of the former, that
a " has now been before the world for a quarter of
century ; has tried first the fashionable, then the
tenlantie and incidental, then the sentimental, then
the historical, then the humoristic novel ; has been
iZtnently successful in every line, and immeasurably
most successful in his latest phase." True in every
fetter—so true that we shall look with some curiosity
Zr that elaborate criticism on " My Novel," which
er,e Work ought, by its extraordinary merits, to
contributions
from the Edinburgh. To another of the
referred
in the present number we have already
etred in our leading columns—we allude here to
10„6. ingenious paper on " The National Gallery,"
}Zell, by an amusing coincidence, appeared s.inaul-
i'4eously with Mr. Dyce's pamphlet. Besides a
R...°BBll)Pingiseview of " Marcellus's Memoirs of the
ostoration," the Edinburgh contains a dull and
derarticle on " The ncoe Tax," a. nd,,one yet
'er and heavier on " "Public Education.

The Quarterly Review. No. CLXXXIV.
4. Perhaps we should the most accurately charac-
nse the majority of the articles in the current
Zunber of the Quarterly by designating them mere
al/Plerneutary curiosities of literature. This is
ffieiently apparent from the titles of the
reference to
contributors. One of them, for example, has
07erence to Mr. Scrope's memoirs of the Families
"Unstanville, Tiptoft, Scrope, Fastolf, and Bad-
legniere, given by the biographer in his history of
b? ancient barony of " Castle Combo," in Wilt-
t,,lCte. Another gives a gossipping account of " Hu-
-7 Hair," in all its manifold peculiarities. An-
t:er tells us all about " the Old Countess of Des-
11'1"—a chapter of family romance, attractive to
tllveerY lettered genEeologist. This paper refers to
" Hungarian Campaigns," with especial re-
ftenee to the rivalry of " Kossuth and Gorgei,"
and
ethat relates i.to
,the long-prosecuted, but as yet
141 44Y. ineffectual, , Search for Sir John Frank-
Heref we meet with a cold-blooded analysis
lethe "Buckingham Papers," in which the re-
tic" insists upon the absolute impossibility of
kaPers in question having ever been edited by
Ite4 '`,race the present Duke of Buckingham. There
Docents
a delightful anecdotal description of the
of " Apsley House," lately the scene of a
411)1-liar pilgrimage. Finally, we have on one hand
litiniry into " The Two Systems at Penton-
%
pil
lei,' and on the other a criticism upon " Maurel
14(),Te Duke of Wellington." Are not these, we ask,
th,Z3f them, in subject, curiosities of literature ? And
are' are not only so in subject, but several of them
ruereover, in treatment. Take the contribu-
ih2' about " Human Hair" in illustration. Speak-
vis4,9' the melancholy situation of any unfortunate
tilt -74 undergoing the misery of having his hair
taaie° "le writer says—" Swathed in wrappers of
a ba, the head fixed by a neckfull of short hairs,
bulylll, is planted like an unfortunate wicket, and
Dots ed at by the abhorred barber, with pomatum
the essences, tinctures, and small talk." And
lown,•ellPen. he quotes for general delectation the fol-
laapg humorous scene from Punch, who, says he,
(cr-,„'E evidently suffered from this martyrdom,
of mends a very neat style of batting, or rather
`Setv()e4lng the balls, as thus
Barber's Shop. Barber's men engaged in
• PBra ti "ing hair, making wigs, and other barbaresque
e ns.
Jones Enter Jones, meeting Oily the barber.
Oily 'I wish my hair cut.
Pray, Sir, take a seat.
[Oil Pray,
puts chair for Jones, who sits. During the
Oil
'l,°.l.l°lvireg dialogue Oily continues cutting Jones's
Jors-We'Te had much wet, Sir.
Oil s~Very much indeed.
Jooe And yet November's early days were fine.
They were.
'ttif tsci I hoped fair weather might have lasted us
Joue e end.
4311 y 370, At one time—so did I.
Jo we have had it very wet.
We have.
• 11 [A pause of some minutes.
~„bt th. know not, Sir, who cut your hair last time ;
lg
doubt ,
Sir,
it was badly cut :
aone t was in the country.
Oil s_ No ! in town !
areo"e; 10,deea'
in ! I should have fancied otherwise.
134 lwas cut town, and in this very room.
keOily
b well had
an zeraent !—but I now remem er w .
awkward new provincial hand,
orTs da fromt the country. Sir, he did
saage my businessweek
-.(e4ones4l.4B4%lie.Yvsekill can in a year repair.
%).
.cut your lair.
Oil y_ (looking king at him). No—'twas yourself.
Jo yself ! Impossible ! You must mistake.
[4- leo don't mistake—'twas you that cut my hair.
0. the ,fePause, interrupted only by the clipping o
eissors.
r hair is very dry, Sir.
v oh! indeed.
,one__lr • egetable Extract moistens it.
1,4'11Y-_l3„:ike it dry.
pis qun",? Sir, the hair when dry
,orkes__ grey.
h„„.• That colour I prefer.
baid-ne, 'when grey, will rapidly fall off,
ones` will will ensue.
11,0i1
"e' Y.-Per I would be bald.
ve wigs 89 aPS you mean to say you'd like a wig.—
'lora natural they can't be told
Jo real al hair
•
[Another Deception I detest.
down Pause ensues, during which Oily blows
lineo °fles's neck, and relieves him from the
d_upingwrthaPper in which he has been enveloped
e process of hair cutting.
acs brushes, soaps and scent of every kind.
011y~(Pays 6d.) I think you'll
,
[find that right.
I can show you, Sir.
Tll4•Qtil Yel.°Blinhotahvier:g
Yet—there may be some-
y` .1-Low rue.
[thing too
Name, it Sir.
Oily (4
- ,13 1,• The door.
SoWI cut "hlisinnlaasbe)h--;Tht
as
a rum customer[aEtxaint any rate.
le cut me,
littl
ad would be !
Weltila&Srls.lifariirenlidpsownihllisaallielour pains requite,
15e for better luck another night.
[Shop-bell rings and curtain falls.'
44341Yais
14aCle by Baron Justus Liebig, show.