The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-01 00:00:00

MAGAZINg E

Blackwood.—The principal attraction of the
August number of Blackwood, to our thinking, is
the gossipping letter to " Dcar Ebony," written
from Madrid, by Vedette. This communication is
I evidently more authentic than many a communica-
tion dated from one foreign capital or another by
that übiquitous gentleman " Our Own Corres-
pondent." A personage, by the way, this last-
nien-ioned individual, who may frequently write
from a first floor in Bloomsbury, or frOm the cool.
recesses of a Temple chamber, as an eye-witness of
events then taking place at Vienna or St. Peters-
burg.
But this merely en passant. Vedette is
evidently a veritable sojourner in the city, of the
occurrences takingc, place in which he is the ani-
mated narrator. His present missive contains an
account of the recent military insurrection—the
risinc, of the now famous 28th of June—the won-
derful movement by means of which General
Leopold O'Donnell has carried a rival to supreme
authority by means of the cards adroitly, or
maladroitly, played by him into the hands of the
Duke of Victory, Espartero. The writer of this
entertaining and timely article on the new Spanish
Revolution is obviously one well acquainted with
the internal politics of the Peninsula. He evi-
dences this, not only by his strictures on the
Madrid journals from the organs of the Moderados,
such as the Epoca and the Diaro Espanol, or from
the organs of the Progressistas, such as the Nacion
and the Clamor Publico, down to the hireling
Heraldo, the mouthpiece of whoever is uppermost,
and as such the begair of the' detested Sartorius
Government. Not only does Vedette show his
acquaintance with Spanish politics through his
evident familiarity with the character of the
Madrid newspapers, but still more plainly by his
obvious personal cognisance of the different per-
sons whose names are now becoming "familiar in
our mouths as household words," in consequence
of this astounding insurrection. Here is a sketch
of the distinguished officer who first gave the signal
for the Revolution :
DON DOMINGO DULCE.

" One of the most important persons concerned in the
conspiracy was the Director of Cavalry, Major-General
Domingo Dulce, reputed one of the best and bravest
officers in the Spanish army, and who had won his high
rank and many honours, not by political intrigue, as is
so frequently the case in this country, but at the point
of his good sword. He passed for a Progressista, and
most of his friends were of that party ; but in fact lie
had never mixed much in pchtics, and, as a military
man, had served undergovernments of various principles.
It is evident, however, that whilst confining himself to
the duties of his profession—which is rarely the case
with Spanish genet at officers—he cherished in his heart
the love of liberty, and a sti ong, detestation of the
tyranny tinder which Spain has fir some time groaned.
Au intimate friend of his, a well-known and distinguished
Liberal, was the immediate means of his joining the
conspiracy. It was an immense acquisition to the cause
he agreed to assist. Chief of the whale of the Spanish
cavalry, respected and beloved by the men and officers
under his command, he could bring a large force to the
insrrgent banner, and his own presence beneath it was
of itself of great value, for he is a daring and decided
officer. He it was who, by his obstinate resistance in
the palace, at the head of a handful of halberdiers, de-
felted the designs of the conspirators in the year IS4I.
Dulce is a slightly-made, active, wiry man, rather below
the middle height, of bilious temperament, and taciturn
' mood, extremely reserved, even with his friends, not
calculated to cut a great figure in the council, but a man
of action, precious in toe field."
Another insurrection is commented upon by an-
other contributor to Maga in the politico-critical
paper, comparing " Tricoupi and Alison on the
Greek Revolution." An agreeable chapter, descrip-
tive of "Student Life in Scotland," is followed by
the letter from Vedette, already mentioned, and
this in its turn is succeeded by a learned and
carefully-written essay on " The Ethnology of
Europe"—an article likely to prove especially in-
teresting to those who have either visited, or who are
going to visit, the people's Crystal Palace at Syden-
ham. A comprehensive argument, headed " The
Gangetic Provinces of British India," passes under
review in succession the recent pamphlets and
volumes of Messrs. Robinson, Campbell, Kaye,
Marshman, and Cameron, and with these the re-
cord of the " Mission, the Camp, and the Zenaua,"
by Mrs. H. Colin Mackenzie, and the late lamented
Sir Charles James Napier's withering onslaught
upon the magnates of Leadeiahall-street, in his
posthumous work on the " Defects, Civil and Mi-
litary, of the Indian Government." A third instal-
ment of the new story in _Blackwood, the family
history about " The Secret of Stoke Manor," is
followed by the concluding article in the number of
Maga for August, the "Political' Article" of the
month—" Conservative Reascendancy considered"
—rather hopeful in its deductions in reference to
the probable future of her Majesty's Opposition.

Fraser.--Another of those remarkable papers
illustrative of the strength and weakness of Russia
now that she is opposed to the rest of the chief
powers of Christendom, another of those curious
disclosures with which Regina has recently startled
the reading pu•dic of England, leads off the new
number of Fraser's Magazine. It is the most re-
markable paper of all, and one containing the most
curious disclosures, perhaps, of any yet published
in reference to the Czar and his empire, even in the
pages of our contemporary. It describes the ex-
tent of the " Russian Army," the manner of its
distribution, and the general system upon which it
has been organised. It carries the inquisitive in
such matters (mid to whom just now are they not
interesting ?) through detail after detail up to the
grand total of the forces at the disposal of the
Emperor Nicholas, including 283,000 infantry,
and 40,000 cavalry, and 22,000 artillery
having 1,100 guns)---in all 345,000 altogether.
The tabular pages following this from page 136 to
page 153 inclusively, are worthy of very careful
examination, and may henceforth be set aside fur
purposes of reference. We doubt not but that the
Messrs. Parker and Son will find it worth while to

ye the article here mentioned the benefit of a
wider circulation by means, of course, of separate
publication in a form rendering the essay accessible
to the community at large. A brief paper relating
to the subject of " Haydou's Picture of ' Napoleon
Musing' " follows this very notable contribution.
The art-critic traces the idea of Haydon to the
following half-dozen lines iu the noble ode (Cinque
di Maggio), written by Manzoni on the Death of
Napoleon :

"Oh ! quante volte al tacito
Morir d'un giorno inerte,
Chinati i rai fulminei,
Le braccia.al sen conserte
Stette, e dei clie furono
L'assalse it souvenir,"

The coincidence (to say the least of it) is extraor-
dinary. Those six lines of Manzoni exactly de-
scribing the celebrated picture first painted by
Haydon long after the exquisite "Ode" of the
poet had been printed and in world-wide circula-
tion ! A capital criticism upon Dryden under
Claude Halcro's pet soubriquet for him of
" Glorious John," is succeeded by three additional
chapters of " General Bounce ; or, the Lady and
the Locusts." Besides six other articles of various
merit, which we have neither leisure nor space to
particularise conveniently, Fraser contains this
month a sensible argument in regard to the once
more attractive theme of Spanish Pclitics and
Prouunciamentos.

Colburn's New Monthly.—The New Monthly
opens with a paper on the last days of Charles the
Fifth. Perhaps it is not generally known that
although so much has been said about the monastic
retirement in which the Emperor ended his days,
that he had abdicated little more than a year and
a half when he died. He took formal leave of
his Court in February, 1557, and died on the 21st
of September, 1558. " A Trip to Boulogne," by
Dudley Costello, gives a comic account of the mis-
fortunes of an adventurous stockbroker and his
family in a summer excursion. The " Diary of a
First Winter at Rome" presents us with some
astonishing glimpses of Italian domestic life. It is
followed by a criticism of Mr. Ruskin's recent lec-
tures. A sketch, entitled " A Royal Family in
Distress," relates the events immediately preceding
the downlal of Charles X. A very interesting
article on earthquakes gives many curious anec-
dotes respecting those catastrophes ; one which
took place in the 17th year of Christianity
destroyed twelve cities of Asia Minor. In
more modern times, by an earthquake in Syria,
twenty thousand persons are said to have perished
at Balbaee alone. Some incidents are related
of an earthquake in North America in 1812, which
the author witnessed. A negro girl, frightened by
the sound of the approaching tornado, t'ok refuge
under her mistress's bed. The roof of the house
fell in, but the lady who was nearest it remained
unhurt, while the negress was crushed. Most peo-
ple are acquainted with the details of
.the fearful
earthquake at Lisbon, in 1755. Similar horrors
occurred at Caraccas in 1812, when 9,000 people
perished. The effect of these catastrophes appears
to vary as on this occasion we are told that resti-
tutions were made by those never suspected of
fraud; enemies were reconciled, and sins confessed ;
but in Sicily, a very different result took Place, for
murder and rapine " reigned amid the smoking
ruins," and at Chili, on a similar occasion, " thieves
prowled about, and at any trembling of the ground
they would cry Misericordia, aud, beating their
breasts with one hand, filch what they could from
the ruins with the other. The paper concludes
with a sentiment, quoted from an historian, which
is worthy of Lord Aberdeen. " The mischievous
effeots of an earthquake or deluge, a hurricane, or
the eruption of a volcano, bear a very inconsider-
able proportion to the horrors of war." The twenty-

$4.

ti tins-tie? Of '"-Liter a Levtiete- gi-ves `a.
criticism ou T Lifonisl's last poetry and prose, viz. :
" The. Casti fan," and the supplement to his vaca-
tion rasiihles. The following extract is from some
verses on Constantinople, by Nicholas Michell :
" Day bids farewell to Asia, and hi eye
Rests on broad Europe tired, yet loviegly ;
Behind Olympus snow-hrowed height,
That glows Kith richest ruby light,
As eat th had all its roses spread,
To make a perfumed gorgeous bed,
He slowly sinks upon his evening pillow ;
But ere he folds his golden limbs in sleep,
He looks from wood to wood, and steep to steep,
Far o'er the Euxine, o'er the zEgean billow,
Views Grzecia's shores of never-dying fame,
And tips Parnassus' cloven mount with flame,
Views Troy's wide plain, and sillWthe marble Isles,
Purpling the earth, the wave, with well-pleased smiles ;
Yet nothing sees he there,
So gorgeous, glowing, fair ;
So lovely from afar,
Each mosque a golden star ;
So calm, the cypress weeping
O'er walls flushed waves are steeping ;
So picturesque, yet grand,
Adorning sea and land,
As Stamboul, city of the = sweet green waters,'
Shining like Venus 'mid Earth's dimmer daughters.
"City! since Constantine upreared they towers
And Venice stormed thee, and from Asian plain'
The Othman Caine, and seized thy beauteous bowers,
Nature rich gifts bath showered, yet half in vain;
Thou sittest in an Eden bright and blest,
Holding the Envied keys of East and West;
Two inland Oceans kiss thy queenly feet,
And wealth, power, glory, in thy halls might meet.
Each nation would thy lord be, would caress thee,
But, jealous, dares the other to possess thee. '
E'en now the aggressor of the North,
Sending his lawless Vandals forth,
All robber-like, would seize thy charms,
But never shalt thou grace his arms ;
No, while Gaul hath a sword, and we
A white-wing'd thunderer of the sea !
Yet come what may, 0 city, pearl of earth !
Lying in sunset splendour sleeping here,
Fair as some creature of celestial birth,
Her breast soft heaving, on her cheek a tear.
If Moslems must depart at some far hour,
Yield ng to Western progress, art, and power,
May Gorgon War her hand lay light on thee,
And none thy ruin, desolation see ;
But ever mayst thou smile with tranquil brow,
A thing of beauty, as thou smilest now."

Colburn's United Service.—The first article in
the United Service asks the important question
" What is to be done with the Crimea ?" It traces
the history of the unfortunate Taotars, the rightful
owners, who, during their long wars with Russia,
have almost all been destroyed, or have emigrated.
The sketch of their subjugation does not tend to
elevate the Russian character. Some considera-
tions, on promotion in the army, conclude by dif-
fering entirely from present arrangements. " The
Journal of the late Major Macready" is continued.
" A Story of Barking Creek" is a tale of wild ad-
venture. " A Scramble through Scinde" presents
us with some variety in the district described, as it
has become something refreshing to meet with
travels or histories not about Russia or Turkey.
" Tire Topographical Sketch of Russia" is continued,
and relates to the Steppe district, which extends
from the mouth of the Danube to the territories in
central Asia. "Tlae, Azounts •of the Fortunate
Islands" (the Canaries) are concluded in this num-
ber. There is a great variety of information con-
nected with naval and military science to be met
with in this magazine, as well as many subjects of
general interest. The subjoined is from a paper on
Sir John Franklin :
" The object of these remarks upon the tides and cur-
rents of the Polar Sea, is to urge the expediency of fit-
ting out an expedition with the aid of steam, which,
when spring is suffiliently advanced, would no' doulit
find a passage into the Polar Sea between Nor way and
Spitzbergen. It is probable that by keeping along the
Siberian coast, but not very close, a communication
might be effected with Behring's Strait. It by this
means a shorter route to China should be discovered,
the commercial advantages arising to us must be evident.
But therettre other objects that might be obtained by
this voyage far greater than any that commercial gain
can offer. Let ui not forget our long absent country.
men. No vestige of a wreck has yet been found that
could lead us to say with certainty that further search
for Sir John Franklin would be useless. We know that
these dreary regions of the north, though barren of vege-
table productions, abound in animal life, and can there-
fore supply subsistence to travellers detained there. If,
therefore, Sir John Franklin has proceeded with his
ships, as is very probable, a long way up Victoria Chan-
nel, lie may have been ice-bound, and not wishing to
abandon his ships, and undertake a journey of nearly
nine hundred miles, is perhaps waiting for a favourable
season, or help from hone. Shall these hopes be dis-
appointed ! How painful would be the feeling which
would, no doubt, touch the heart of every honest Eng-
lishman, if, in years hence, some travellers passing
through the Polar tracts, should find a cairn—a little
heap of stories—or some other humble monument, bear-
big the names of Sir John Franklin and some of his fel-
low sailors. These names could nut be read, nor could
the story be narrated without ex,itinir profound emotion,
but should that monumental stone bear a date, showing
that aid might have come in time if a little exertion had
been made, how great would be our regret, how bitter
our self-reproach. Let us picture to ourselves our poor
countrymen embayed in ice, and trusting confidently in
our sympathies.

" Ungrateful Florence ! Dante sleeps afar,'"
was the expression of one whose faults and whose follies
had not been kindly dealt with by his own countrymen.
If the Italian poet slept far from the city that he loved,
it was because he had been banished by the party opposed
to his own. But against Sir John Franklin no political
ban has been uttered. He was sent forth a messenger
over the wide waste of waters, and if he has not returned
with an olive branch, it is because no olive blooms in
those regions whether lie was obliged to direct his course.
Shall he be abandoned whilst there remains a possibility
that aid ru4y come in time ? Where so many means of
succour are suggested, will no kindly voice be raised in
his favour, no generous hand be stretched forth to save ?"'

Ainsworth.—" Nicholas Flamel " continues, and
has reached the thirty-seventh chapter. " A Vil-
lage Tale " terminates very happily, rescuing the
unfortunate miners from their living grave, and
restoring the worthy schoolmaster to his former
dignities. A paper on " Dublin Punning" con-
tains some very ludicrous examples. The tales of
" Hereward of Brunne" and "Expiation" are con-
tinued. No. 3 of " Chapters on the Working.
Classes " treats of the important subject of recrea-
tion, of which it takes a sensible view. " The
Coming Man" is George Owen, a provincial actor,
who, according to this account, equals Macready in
Richelieu. The disadvantages of a quiet street are
amusingly portrayed under the name of " Musical
Miseries." Some pleasing verses by Mary Monck,
entitled " What is- Fame ?" and " Rhyme v.
Reason," by G. Thornbury, form the poetical con-
tributions.

Bentley's Miscellany.—Bentley commences with
an article entitled " The Campaign against Russia
and the Negotiations Pending." It concludes by
observing that despotic governments must laugh at
the unfitness of constitutional governments for war
with forces so slow to move, and such imperfect
plans of campaigns. The lively tale of " Clouds
and Sunshine," by Charles Reade, shows us in the
present instalment mostly clouds. " The History
of the Theatres of London " traces this month the
fortunes of Drury-lane, where Charles Kemble made
his first appearance in 1794. " Haps and Mishaps
of a Tour in Europe " conduct the authoress to
France, and leave her at Pere la Chaise. A criti-
cism of Mr. Van do Velde's new work reminds the
writer of a remark made by George the Third on a
literary quarrel—" When people begin to call
names, I think the reasoning is pretty well at an
end." " A History of Cricket," by Edward Jesse,
will prove entertaining to the lovers of that famous
old sport—the name of which is taken from a Saxon
word, meaning stick. Among numerous other ar-
ticles we may mention a notice of " Lamartine's
Historical Characters," and "Sketches of Religious
Life in the East."

The Gentleman's.—The present number com-
mences with a criticism on M. Guizot' s History of
Oliver Cromwell and the English Commonwealth.
It is followed by the continuation of the article on
the political constitution of Finland. The writer
is desirous that Nor way, Sweden, Denmark, and
Finland should, form a great Scandinavian union
of independent states, governed by one hereditary
chief. " This armed northern confederation," says
the writer, ‘! will then present the bristling front
of eight millions of hardy freemen, and will hold a
country almost impregnable. A sweep of coast
stretching from the North Cape to Petersburg and
Heligolai,d will command the Baltic and all its har-
bours, will grasp in hands of iron the keys of the Sound-
and the power to defend them, and will mount and
man a navy that shall hold even that of Russia
in the most perfect awe." An account of the cata-
logue of Mr. Roach Smith's Museum of London
Antiquities has some curious illustrations ; among
them a Roman sandal and a medieval saddle,
which is very singularly embossed. The first part
of a sketch of the early history of the Jews is given,
which is derived exclusively from heathen authors.
A paper entitled " Our Ladies of St. Cyr," gives a
very interesting description of one of the most
,cre-
ditable acts of the reign of the " Grand Monarque.,
The Correspondence of Sylvanus Urban and the
Antiquarian Researches are continued. The "Obi-
tuary," as usual, gives short memoirs of the cele-
brities who have died in the month; among whom is
the lamented Madame Sontag.

University.—Some remarks are made in
the first article on the question " Who is to carry
on the Queen's Government I" which do not offer
any very wino suggestions, or make any sage

decbterst-itotts---Lw-priaci,p4l.4rgil, n.-.OA.3:;eIXLS.. 10
that these Ministers must reuptin, bees ise no one
Fan succeed them. " Mosses upon Gr,.ve Stones"
is continued, and is very well described. Th•
story is retrospective this time, and the sorrows o
the beautiful and departed Geraldine, the sister of
Morton's wife, are touchingly shown forth. A
dreary melancholy pervades the narrative, which
is in keeping with the style and teuour of the
events. -My " Brooch " is a graceful little sketch,
that is most pleasingly given to the reader. "A Vase
of Lilies" contains much interesting information
concerning those lovely flowers, and here and there
the prose part is interspersed with poetical select
tions, in general appropriate and elegant. The
concluding passage, in verse, is the summing up
of the whole species of the flowers. Some of it is
here given :
" Enjoy, in your innocent sweetness, dear flowers,
The light and the life of the brief genial hours.
Look gratefully up to your calm azure heaven,
For the dew and the sunshine to cherish ye given—.
With a smile for the happy, a tear for the sad,
Live bl essing and blest, and make human hearts glad;
Live lovely and lov'd, live bright while ye may,
For your season of blooming is passing away.
Yes ! summer will wane, and when winter draws nigh,
Then, flowers of the world, ye must wither and die.
Ah ! dear as ye are to the suul and the eye,
Beautiful flowers, ye must die—ye must die !
" E'en so let it be ! —though our forms must decay,
And leaflet by leaflet our charms drop away,
We shall die unrepining, and lie down to rest
On the spot that we sprang from,—our Mother Earth
breast.
'Tis but for a time that we pass from the view--
It is not for ever we bid you adieu :
We die in the light that Hope's sunbeams can give,
For we know that-again-Ate.shalLrise—we shall UT. 1'

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