The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-06 00:00:00

THE MAGAZINES.

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DIIBLIN.-" Roscius in Dublin" is a very enter-
taining sketch, that brings before us a vivid picture
of Garrick's visits to Dublin. It is very interesting
to notice the peculiar style of the manners and
customs that then prevailed in the gay city of the
Emerald Isle. The absurd airs and graces which

the popular favourite, Miss Bellamy, gave herself are very
ludicrous to contemplate, and the trick she played off on
Garrick showed a degree of ingenuity worthy of a better
cause. It also shows that the most important personages
need not despise the efforts of those beneath them, for it is
quite possible for these minor individuals to inflict serious
injury. A very flattering opinion is passed on Garrick's

character for his moderation. "Indeed, at every period of
his career, whether we look back to his apprenticeship or
to his full maturity, we find the same calm, temperate, and

modest state of mind, and the same generous self-abnega-
tion. No wonder that, with such a nature, he won re-

spect and faith, friendship and admiration, besides fame."

"Who is the Heir" is continued, and is very interesting

in this portion of the story. The characters are beginning
to display their peculiarities, and the plot is rapidly be-

coming developed. Mrs. Fitzmaurice and Mrs. Herbert
become involved in some mysterious proceeding, to suit
the fancies of the former ; and Harry Maulever is more
foolish than ever in his infatuation for the dashing widow.

The election scene is a stirring picture, ably depicted, and
the schemes of Louis Chartier impart a mystery to the tale
that partakes of a dramatic character. There is a dashing

spirited style about this story that distinguishes it from

he common run of serial sketches, and it will doubtless

prove a favourite with its readers. " The Ethics of
Macbeth" form the subject of an admirable article, which

must attract many, and which serves to throw a new light
over this masterly production. The conclusion arrived at

by this critic is that the real object of Shakspere in this im-
mortal drama was not to establish the well-known fact that
murder must meet with retribution so much as to " present

:o our mind's eye the working of a bad but strong-minded

woman upon an irresolute indifferent man. True, the retri

bution comes, but it comes simply as a necessary conse.
. .

quenee." Viewed in this light it must appear that an im-
portant meaning is given to this drama, and the moral
lesson thus affixed to it is one of the highest,while the most

practical that can be given to mortals. It is truly stated
here that " the general want of humanity is power to resist
evil." This is certainly strongly exemplified in Macbeth,
and the tragedy assumes a fuller and more significant form
when thus looked at. "Guy Deverell" in its many chapters
is more exciting and eventful than ordinarily so, and the
disputes between Lady Jane and Lady Alice form a guer-
rilla war, and are most entertaining to contemplate. The
projects of M. Barbarriere are also beginning to unfold
themselves, and great excitement is thus imparted to the
narrative. " A Group of New Books" brings before us a
criticism that will give a fair idea of the merits of some of

the striking productions of the day in the way of fiction.

' La Mort d'Arthur and its Celtic Scenes" enters fully into
he theme. " Studies in Biography," &c., complete the

contents of this number, which is more than usually at-
tractive on account of the superiority and interest of some

of its sketches.

FRASER.—The current number of Fraser is a little
heavy. The articles are long and somewhat weighty
in character ; nevertheless, some of them are well
worth reading. " Virginia, First and Last," is one
of the most interesting. The writer belongs appa-
rently rather to the Federal than to the Confederate
cause ; but, in truth, he says very little of the war,
giving us rather the anterior history of the State from the
days of Pocahontas down to the days immediately preced-
ing the outbreak of hostilities. His account of the people
is especially valuable from his being a Virginian. He is
not blind to the faults of his countrymen, and consoles
himself for the present desolation by anticipating future
benefits. "Mourning over the many desolations which now
afflict that State, I must acknowledge to myself that war
may prove just the terrible ploughshare that must precede
the grand harvest which I know the State with its untold
resources, locked hitherto in impenetrable barriers, is pre-
destined to bear." Already he believes the Virginians
have made an upward step, for they have now a purpoSe,
and one emerging out of that cloud of indolence and inac-
tion which slavery brought upon them. "Too much idle-
ness, thinning the blood with toddy and tournaments,
came to Virginia in that Dutch ship which brought 20
negroes to Jamestown in 1620: in it came also the 100,000
free adults who cannot read nor write, and the 40,000 square
miles of unimproved lands in that State. The high sense
of honour among the people is instanced by an anecdote of
a young Virginian who, just before the outbreak of the
war, offered his note to a Philadelphia trader for some
goods which he had purchased. The trader demurred on
the ground of the threatened rupture, but on the Southerner
saying he had not the cash, he said he should have the
things if he would give him his word of honour. " No,
sir," replied the Virginian ; " I will give you my note, but
not my word of honour." The following paragraph is
interesting to the English reader :—" Passing once in a
stage coach near the Military Institute at Lexington,
Virginia (the only well-ordered education establishment in
the State), I remembered to have the name of a quiet,
Jehu-looking gentleman walking towards the door,
and was told that it was Professor Jackson. He was in
that neighbourhood known only as a soft-voiced, modest,
unpretending gentleman, thought to be of no brilliant
Powers, but loved by the students for a certain mild piety
and childlike manner. One told me that he was very im-
practical. Nevertheless, under the touch of an emergency,
this idealist came forth as "Stonewall" Jackson, for whose
heroism friend and foe had only tributes of admiration. I
am not sure that the Virginians have not the right to claim
him as their representative man. The condition of the
sister country has lately occupied so much attention that
an article by Mr. Fronde, entitled "How Ireland was
Governed in the Sixteenth Century," will be read with
some curiosity. The quotations from the reports and
despatches of that day are somewhat startling. It is ob-
served, in conclusion, that "In the stately days of great
Elizabeth the murder of women and children appears to
have been the every-day occupation of the English police
in Ireland ; and accounts of atrocities to the full as bad as
that of Glencoe were sent in on half a sheet of paper, and
endorsed like any other document with a brevity which
shows that such things were too common to deserve criti-
cism or attract attention." " The Law of Honour" is a
paper on duelling, in which, strange to say, the author
seems to regret the decadence of that ridiculous as well as
un-Christian practice, although he cites instances enough
of a character to disgust any rational man with a system
which virtually gave any bully who happened to be a good
shot the right to behave as he liked with impunity. Miss
Cobbe's somewhat formidable article on "The Hierarchy
of Art" is concluded, and there are also papers on " Merl-
vale's Roman Empire," "Working Men's Clubs," and
" Law Reporting." The story of "Gilbert Rugge" proceeds
with interest. The hero's fortunes look threatening, and
the evil genius, Captain Hunsward, succeeds better than
ho deserves.

BENTLEY'S MISCELLANY.—This instalment of the
editor's story of
." The House of Seven Chimneys"
—upon which we have already commented repeatedly
—shows us the progress of the travellers' adventures
in Spain, and records their visit to the Cardinal
Duke de Lerma. " The Last Days of Charles Albert',
brings us to royal life nearer our own day, and shows us,
in the vicissitudes of the Sardinian King, the uneasiness of
crowned heads. The romantic story of " Catharine
Comaro, Queen of Cyprus," is concluded in this part.
Francis Jacob considers. "Matthew Bramble" as a type of
rough diamonds generally. The short and not altogether
satisfactory career of the brilliant Watteau is sketched in
a brief paper, and there are other topics of interest duly
considered.
THE UNITED SERVICE continues the discussion on
" Cavalry Drill" in the same professional spirit as
it began. " Petroleum as a substitute for Coal for
Steamships," enters into a practical consideration of
the value of that oil for the use of our ships of war,
their being thereby enabled to remain twice or
perhaps three times as long at sea, which would increase
their services greatly in case of war, and the supply of this
new-found substance is said to be inexhaustible. " The
Campaign of 1805 and the Battle of Austerlitz" is most in-
teresting both to the soldier and the civilian. It recalls
the memories of the greatest battle that the greatest cap-
tain of any age ever achieved. Its consequences were
magnificent. We have two more chapters of " Oswald
Hastings," by the indefatigable Captain Knellys, who has
carried his hero with despatches to the Governor of Sills-
tria. The article on the "Private Correspondence of Mar-
shal de St. Arnaud" gives a brief but interesting account
of the principal events referred to in his career, which have
never been published before in this country. The number
closes with the " Loss of the Bombay," the " West Coast
of Africa," and other military matters.
THE NEW MONTHLY.—The opening paper in this
number carries us far away from railroads and
telegraphs, from modern politics and modern civilisa-
tion, to the long-forgotten cities of the far north-
east. M. Mouhat's interesting account of the cen-
tral parts of Indo-China, of Siam, Cambodia, and
Laos, has already given rise to an article in a former num-
ber of this magazine, in which the writer promised to
refer again to the narrative of the enterprising traveller
who unfortunately fell a victim to the pestilential climate.
That promise is now fulfilled, and the reader will gain
much information from this description of the " newly dis-
covered centre of olden civilisation," as it is styled. Fran-
cis Jacox, the indefatigable, contributes an essay on
Wordsworth's famous line, "The child is fathbr to the
man," with sundry illustrations of the sentiment. His
writings are never original, but display a wide acquaint-
ance with authors ancient and modern. Alexander
Andrews continues his papers on cotton possibilities, and
his remarks upon the cultivation in Australia are very
striking. It seems that samples of cotton have been pro-
duced from Western Australia which a Manchester man,
who is a good judge, pronounced to be the best cotton he
had ever known. What a testimony to the neglect and
mismanagement which left 00 rich a source of supply un-