The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-05 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

COLBURN'S UNITED SERVICE MAGAZINE.—" The
Past and Future of Cavalry " is an excellent article,
which treats of a very important subject. "The Siege of
Charleston" is the title of a paper which is instructive, but
bears a melancholy interest from the recent fall of the gal-
lant little city. The transport of our troops to India is
discussed at NOM length. At last we haVe decided on a
reasonable plan for the conveyance of troops to our Eastern
Empire, by means of large transports from England to
Alexandria, and from Suez to India, by which £7 3s. per
man can be saved, and the rate of progress will be expedi-
tious, too, being 14 miles an hour. " How they Make our
Marksmen" is a practical article on rifle-shooting, and the
best methods of securing good shots. Among other papers
is one "Military Devices," interesting from its variety and
details, and " Oswald Hastings," by Captain Knollys,
which has reached its 23d chapter, with still increasing
attraction.

COLBURN'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.—An
article on India in its relations to Europe is the
first in the table of contents. It examines into our
position and prospects in the East, and discusses
very fully the universal difficulties which lie in the way
of Christianising and civilising India. The writer takes a
somewhat gloomy view of his subject, but he must remem-
ber that wo are not bound to measure the progress of the
future by the past, since the physical and material advance
of India within the last eight years has been double or
treble that of the twenty years before, and we may therefore
hope that the moral march may at least be equally rapid.
Francis Jacob contributes one of his discursive essays on
Joseph Paice and the various forms of courtesy and gal-
lantry. A sketch of the life of the great painter Poussin is
not without interest. " The Secret of the Temple" is the
title of a paper which will interest the historical student,
since it undertakes to prove that the unhappy little Louis
XVII. did not die in prison, as was popularly supposed.
But the writer himself abandons the attempt to discover
what became of the missing Prince. He declares it would
be "a tedious, difficult, and unrefreshing task, which only
an historian who had nothing to do would undertake. For,
even if he succeeded, what would be the result ?" We
have fictions in pienty, the most prominent among them
being "Idalia," by the author of " Granville de Vigne," a
writer who, despite a tendency to exaggeration and diffuse-
ness, shows considerable power. But such a sentence as
the following does not say much for his knowledge of life
or history, to say nothing of deeper learning. lie speaks of
" those religious wars of blood and of brutality which
are the chief fruit the Gospel and its teachers have
ever sown amongst men." But perhaps we need not
wonder at such adictum from a writer who considers half
the troubles of life to spring from the marriage hour, and
whose ideal of virtue consists of pride,selfishness, and vin-
dictiveness, disguised under a stately reserve and lofty
bearing, but, nevertheless, taking very good care to subju-
gate the feelings and interests of every body concerned to
the supremo will and pleasure of number one.

BENTLEY'S MISCELLANY.—The principal feature
in Bentley is as usual the editor's historical romance
of the "House of Seven Chimneys," but there are besides
several other tales and sketches, interspersed with more
solid and reflective papers.

C ORNH ILL.--' Armadale" is continued at some
length, and affairs are approaching a climax since
the redoubtable Miss Gwilt appears on the scene,
and is evidently prepared to play her part with
might and main. The description of the picnic is
very amusing, and the whole affair turned out one
of those lugubrious things which such matters often prove
to be. Of all wretched failures a pleasure party without
pleasure must be ranked first and foremost, and the device
to which the unlucky owner of Thorpe-Ambrose resorted
was on a par with all his other performances since he took
possession of his property. The last passage developes
another phase of the wonderful dream which is evidently
the text of the narrative. An amusing article is that enti-
tled "Provincialism." It enters into various details, and
its general definition of the term is very good. It is truly
said in conclusion that English life will change in many
of these secondary aspects ; and " while the Londoner be-
comes more a man of the country, and the man of
the country more a Londoner, cockneyism and
provincialism may be expected to recede toge-
ther into the past." "Wives and Daughters" pro-
ceeds in its course, and all parties seem verging upon sad
days with one mischance and another. Osborne's marriage
is not satisfactorily proved, and Roger is going far away on
a scientific expedition. Mrs. Gibson, by her foolish tricks
and treacheries, contrives to make the family uncomfort-
able in the extreme. A second part appears of " The Eng-
lish Drama during the Reigns of Elizabeth and James."
It is observed that the great dramatic poets who surrounded
Shakspere are generally passed over, and yet with him
" they exerted a powerful influence over the formation of
our language and literature." " How we did Mont
Blanc" is an appropriate sketch at this period when so
many are planning similar excursions. " Thomas Horton"
gives us a sketch of a peculiar man who was distinguished
in his generation. "Ralph Grueby's Ghost" is a most
ghastly tale, and the conduct of those whom the ghost
visited seems very inconsistent. " Vidocq and the San-
sons" gives some criminal anecdotes that are strange and
startling.
NEWTON'S " LONDON JOURNAL" continues its
useful career, and furnishes the public with its usual
comprehensive record of the progress of invention as ap-
plied to the arts. A plate is prefixed to the magazine
which furnishes the reader with excellent illustrations of
various inventions of the day. Few of the periodicals,
which abound at present present more useful information
than this well got-up and assiduously arranged serial of
the arts and sciences.

" THE SHILLING MAGAZINE" is what it purports
to be, a miscellany of literature, social science,
fiction, poetry, and art. " Phemie Keller" is continued,
and a marriage is all but agreed upon between Phemie and
Captain Stonor, which is not a very promising arrange-
ment. "Horse Racing" is an entertaining article, and it is
suggested that the Derby day might be made a dies non by
Act of Parliament, as it is by general practice. " The
Wild Fower of Ravensworth" is a story of domestic life in
the present day.

THE DAY OF REST.—This serial has ceased its
weekly issue, and will henceforth appear in
monthlyparts. It presents considerable variety in its pages
and will prove attractive to those who like exciting and
entertaining subjects for perusal. " The Whispering
Gallery" is a good feature in this production, and puts the
reader au (=mut with all the chief events of interest and
importance that occur during the month. Many amusing
sketches and quaint anecdotes are met with in these pages.

THE ALEXANDRA MAGAZINE.—This serial -
con-
tains some readable articles. " The Parson's Wife"
is a sad sketch, which is told in an effective and interesting
manner. The descriptions of the country and the account
of the church music are feelingly given. "Conversation"
furnishes some hints that may be useful to talkers. A
great deal is written on "The First School of Medicine for
Women." Much is true in the abstract, but the idea is
carried too far, and the plan could never be put into prac-
tice to the extent here advocated.

THE VICTORIA MAGAZINE.—A pleasant article
on Mrs. Palliser's " History of Lace" opens this
number, and deals with a subject more exclusively
feminine than the Victoria often condescends to notice.
The Royal Academy is criticised at some length, and we
have also " A Picture of German Life," and an entertaining
account of the history and origin of the Fan, and the im-
portant part which it has played in the attractions of
coquettes and the epigrams of satirists. Miss Parke's
recent volume of " Essays on Woman's Work" forms the
subject of a careful paper, entering very fully into some of
the vexed questions of our social routine.
THE BRITISH ARMY AND NAVY REVIEW.—We
have in this number several topics of professional
interest, handled with the customary skill of the
serial. Mr. Burke's Celebrated Trials are thi s
month devoted to Jack the Painter, the Dockyard
Incendiary. There is a memoir of General Sheridan
by Captain Chesney, which just at this crisis is
especially interesting. A paper on Forification and its uses
is specially addressed to our Volunteers, who, it is to be
hoped, may profit by its hints. There are many other
articles well worth reading, from which many useful hints
may be derived.

THE ECLECTIC.—We have several interesting
papers in the June number, prominent among them
being an essay on Moliere, and another on Art Biographies.
Our historical sceptics have, according to a criticism on
Mr. Chadwick's King John, decided as their last discovery
that the Magna Charts was a farce, and utterly worthless
as a legal document. It is lucky that King John did not
make the same discovery.

THE LONDON CITY MISSION MAGAZINE gives all
interesting record of the good work going on in
our midst in the endeavours to enlighten the ignorant, to
reclaim the depraved, and to give our poor little street
Arabs a chance of better things.
THE SUNDAY MAGAZINE.—This number has a
good deal of interesting reading, both religious and
secular. The position of aged women in the early
church, the Latin hymns, and the death of Saul are among
the best of the former, while "Joshua. Taylor's Passion" is
a favourable example of the latter. One of the most in-
teresting articles in the number is the account of a visit
to Mr. Bost's Charities at Laforce. This energetic Chris-
tian has succeeded in establishing no less than five asylums
for poor afflicted children. They are watched and tended
with such loving care that even the most hopeless cases,
the insane patients, show some traces of the good done.
LE FOLLET._The fair dames in Le Follet's Gal-
lery are as gay and captivating as ever, and the number is
enriched with an additional sheet of illustrations.
MISCELLANEOUS.—CasseII's Library Edition of
"Don Quixote" this month is profusely illustrated
by Gustave Dore. When completed it will form an
elegant and attractive volume. The other illustrated
cheap publications issued by the firm—" Shakespeare,"
" Gulliver's Travels," " Natural History," " Quiver," &c.—
well deserve the extensive patronage they have met with,
"The Young Englishwoman" is a very useful and highly-
instructive publication. The contributions of prose, poetry,
music, and needlework aro all worthy of unstinted com-
mendation. "Chambers's Journal," as usual, is made up
with articles of the greatest interest.