The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-01 00:00:00

ing Allan upon the goodwill of his surroundings, rather
than furthering it. Allan was in his turn very uncertain,
so that the style of the new corners at Thorpe Ambrose was
most peculiar, and calculated to gain the distrust of the
neighbours. " Machinery and the Passions" is a paper
that carries out its theory very accurately. There is great
truth in the remarks here made as to the general adoption
of machines proving a restriction to the vehement demon-
strations in which people were wont to indulge in when
their labours were manual. It is thus put :—" You could
not be angry at carbonic acid gas, no matter what injury it
did ; nor could you cherish much hatred against a default-
ing confederation if you had no knowledge of its members.''
The conclusion which is arrived at is, that as mechanical
causes operate more strongly in society, the passions will
fade, and life become more and more an " intellectual pro-
cess." There are already not wanting evidences to show the
correctness of, these observations in important particulars.
"The Romances of Country Life " is both amusing and in-
structive to peruse ; it furnishes &variety of information
in an agreeable manner, and brings before the notice of
the reader some curious facts relating to country existence,
at which the uninitiated will be amazed at the manner in
which bho victimised citizen sets about becoming inde-
pendent of cheating " swains " and deceptive " nymphs'
is very entertaining ; and his horses and cows are intro-,
duced on the scene in an effective manner—not to speak
of the " jintleman who pays the rint "—the pig. Many
may derive some useful hints from these lively sketches.
" Wives and Daughters " is rather lugubrious in this num-
ber. Mrs. Gibson makes herself most disagreeable, and
shows such unmistakeable efforts to pay court to the elder
son that she becomes quite insufferable. Osborne's secret
marriage made him quite wretched, and Roger threw away
his chance by his devoted partiality to Cynthia, who, in
her turn, seems drooping and desponding. This every-
day story is altogether merging on those sad subjects
what make it too like its title not to be likely and natural.
" Plague and Pestilence " is a sketch that is sure just now
to meet with attention and excite interest. It furnishes us
with some graphic accounts of these dreaded visitants,
and it tends to relieve anxiety respecting the enemy now
so feared, which is advancing from Vienna towards us. It
is stated that we need not dread any new form of this
fever in this country, for it is here already. Typhus
has been increasing for the last two years, both
in the metropolis and the large provincial cities.
Great stress is laid upon the necssity that exists for the re-
moval of the sick to proper receptacles, and this excellent
advice cannot be too strongly insisted on, nor too widely
followed. " The Essence of Christianity," it is well and
wisely said, is relief to the poor, the sick, and the helpless,
there is wealth in abundance, and charity enough, if it
were directed into the right channels to meet any emergency,
and the kindness and genuine philanthropy will, as usual,
be found on the side of sound knowledge. "The English
Drama," is an entertaining sketch, that puts before the
reader a good definition of its theme. It is forcibly declared
that "at all periods of history, the stage has been the mir-
ror of the spirit of the century in which it has arisen."
" Modern Falconry" will suit those of a sporting tendency.
" Heroines and their Grandmothers" is a sketch that con-
tains some very just strictures on the extravagant
theories and extreme notions that obtain credence and im-
press the individuals of the present day, in too many in-
stances, and contrasts unfavourably with the simpler style
of earlier days. Nothing is truer than the remark hero
made as to the worldliness in which some are prone to in-
dulge, to the detriment of their truest and noblest feelings.
Our heroines are indeed too often calculated to justify the
description here given of them as being " morbid con-
stantly occupied with themselves, one-sided and ungrateful
to the wonders and blessing of a world which is not less
beautiful now than it was a hundred years ago."

THE WATCH TOWER, No. 2.—The second num-
ber of this new magazine fully keeps up its promise.
It contains many excellent articles, and is written
and edited in a style which is likely to secure a
standard position. The first paper, " After Work,"
give us the pleasantly discursive reflections natural
to the easy chair and the evening leisure. "May Day "is
an excellent paper, pointing out the wonderful sermon
annually preached to us by the seed and the flower, and
the impressive lessons taught by those inexhaustible
moralists whose teachings we are too blind to read, too
deaf to hear. The writer observes that once going to a
village church to preach when Easter Sunday fell in May-
time, and the church was arrayed in flowers, he felt un-
willing to disturb the silent eloquence with which they
preached of the resurrection, by his own less emphatic
words. " Our Navvies" is a brief but interesting paper,
showing how much was effected among a rough untrained
set of labourers by kindly, conscientious efforts. The suc-
cess which followed the benevolent endeavour to give
these poor men some better amusement than the gin
palace, which was their ruin, surpassed all expectations,
and proves how much may be done in the least hopeful
quarters. Martin F. Tupper contributes one of the princi,-
pal articles in the number, and one, too, which is very well
worth reading. It is on "Rhyme and Rhythm," and gives
many admirable examples of the charms and grace
of rhyme, the writer remarking that notwithstanding
the inherent difficulties presented by the nature
of our language, which has no terminal cases or tenses,
the English tongue is especially rich in rhymed poetry.
He marvels greatly that rhyme was so entirely neglected
among the ancients. Were they ignorant of its charms
or insensible to them ? " How could it come to pass that
never once in nearly 5,000 years did our world in her poets
think of rhyming ? that love managed to warble without
its music, wit to sparkle without its sprightliness, hate to
satirise without its point, piety to praise without its
beauty ? Somehow or other everybody for five millena-
ries poetised in blank verse—blank verso in every sort of
rhythm, elaborate as well as simple, from the strophed
and anti-strophed chorus to the plain iambics of an
Angelus, but in no one instance intentionally (barely
in one accidentally) breaking into rhyme. Furthermore,
if intentionally disavowed, how should Horace in an ode
especially built for immortality have only just that once
stumbled into the great fault all seem to have eschewed ?
How is it that till the mediaeval monks filled their choirs
with music, till Gregory chanted, and A'Kempis sung, the
dignity and beauty of the rhymed Latin ode were never
even suspected? and that till troubadours arose in the
crusading -era, the ballad or the serenades, or the joyous
outburst of song—otherwise bacchanalian or military—
seems in all countries to have escaped the terminal en-
chantment of rhyme ?" The writer enters, as few pro-
fessedly critical writers do, into the spirit of the sub-
ject, not regarding it as a mere matter of dactyls
and trochaics, but as the intuitive melody of
an inspired singer. The story of " Through the Furnace"
continues with interest. Well-meaning but shortsighted
Patty is powerless to change the course of events, and a
great catastrophe occurs just as the wedding preparations
are complete. "Under the Limes" is a pleasant story
pleasantly told, complete in the number ; an advantage
that is becoming more and more rare. D. W., by Mary
Brotherton, gives a life-like sketch of a literary ephemera.
There are two earnest-minded poems, and altogether the
number may bear comparison with its old and tried con-
temporaries.

TEMPLE BAR.—" Sir Jasper's Tenant" is con-
tinued, and the instalment here presented is rather
an inviting one, for the " florid widow" makes her-
self most obnoxious, and the baronet is absurd
enough to listen to her. Mr. Pauncefort performs
his task very badly, for it is always a mistake when
a' man runs , away from a difficult affair, and trusts to
writing letters, instead of transacting business personally.
Maria possesses nearly all the sense of the pal ty. What
with the designs of one, and the sluggishness and the un-
kindness of the others, this dangerous widow is doubtless
destined to play an important part in the future pages of
this story, and will become one of those graphic sketches
which have already contributed so largely to the fame of
this author. "The Streets of the World". has for subject
this time "Broadway itself," which just now is certainly
most appropriate. It is given with the usual lively style
and descriptive manner that has long characterised the
sketches of this writer, whose labours have placed before
the public a panorama of the chief cities of the world. The
accounts given of the female "helps," or rather hindrances
is amusing. The sharpwitted among employers seek to
obtain the services of foreigners, but after a time the per-
nicious influences of the place infects them, and they, too,
turn defaulters. They awake to the conviction that they
are as good as rare, and as it is aptly put here, when this
persuasion comes in at the door, discipline, deference,
obedience fly out at the window." Cunning coiffeurs and
accomplished dentists are greatly in demand in New York,
for the ladies are most unfortunate in losing their hair and
spoiling their teeth. The manner in which they age
prematurely is also most astonishing. "At twenty-
six she is middle-aged, at thirty she is elderly,
at forty ne rien parley pas." The men get rid of themselves
at an early ago by their fast style of procedure; "they
work, fret, smoke, speculate, cheer, or drink themselves to
death at a comparatively early age." They appear to be
jealous of others eclipsing them in longevity, for it is a
common thing to hear an old lawgiver or statesman called
"a worn-out cuss." "Knots and Coils" is a suggestive
sketch that presents some noticeable remarks to the reader.
It is truly said that "every one has knots and coils of some
kind, differing only as to size and name." Many ingenious
descriptions are given of the various events and numerous
incidents, which combine to make up the tangled thread of
life, of which it is affirmed, in conclusion, that they are
" scarcely to be opened now, I think, until the great day
of unravelling comes, when we shall know all things, and
all things be known to us. May each of us keep our threads
of life smooth, white and ungnarled, for that time of final
inspection, and may we find our last coil flung heaven-
ward, with the Christian virtues for the pulleys." "Land
at Last" is continued, and some eventful passages occur.
The interesting story of "David Chantrey" is also pro-
ceeded with. " Masters, Servants, and Tradesmen" is a
sketch that is welcome just now, when so much is being
said and written on the topic. It is very truly said that
the extra sum paid to a good servant is but a premium of
insurance against the loss of large sums. "By the Sea"
is a gloomy dirge that tells of a sad story of love and
death. " Sunshine and Shadow" is a pleasant sketch, and
there are other articles met with of interest and importance,
among which may be mentioned " Our Dockyards," which
is very cleverly written.