The Sun.
London, England, 1838-06-01 00:00:00

MAGAZINE DAY.

BLACK-7-11TO OD.
The only fault we find with this otherwise excellent Num-
ber is that it is of too political a character. Not less than
three diatribes are launched at the heads of the unfortunate
Whig p rty, who are treated with that remorseless severity
which is stern, high Tory periodical is so much in the
habit of using towards its political opponents. The " Port-
folio"—as far as mere style is concerned--is the best written
and the most spirited of these diatribes, but it contains more
than one palpable mis-statement respecting the " appropria-
tion clause," the present position of which the writer clearly
does not understand. " Our Two Panniers" is—there can
be no doubt—from the pen of Christopher North, It is a
piquant oinnium galherunt, comprising all sorts of styles, the
familiar, the eloquent, the impassioned, the descriptive, the
sentimental, and diverging from one to the other, whether
in prose or verse, with .equal grace and facility. The
" King's German Legion" is a notice—and a most interest-
ing one, by the bye, inasmuch as it abounds in incident—of
a voume which has lately been published under this title.
" The Picture Gallery" is a continuation of a series of
tales under this head, which have recently appeared in
Blackwood. The idea is an ingenious one, and, if well
followed up, likely to become -popular. The present talc is
the best we have yet seen of the series. An " Introduc-
tion to the Philosophy of Consciousness" is a metaphysical
essay, on a most complex theme, reasoned with an acute-
ness and subtlety worthy of a Stewart or a Reid. We sub-
jo'n an amusing extract from Christopher North's " Two
Panniers :"

" The Highlands were, in our memory, overspread with a too dreary
gloom. Vast tracts there were in which Nature herself seemed misc.
cable; and if the heart find no human happiness to repose on, Imagi-
nation will fold her wings, or flee away to other regions, where in her
own visionary world she may soar at will, and at will stoop down to the
homes of this real earth. Assuredly the inhabitants are happier than
they then were —befter dr—and therefore the change, whatever loss it n
comprehend, has been a gain to good. Alas, poverty—penury—want
—even of the necessaries of life—never absent—are too often there
still rife but patience and endurance dwell there, heroic and better far,
Christian—nor has Charity been slow to succour regions remote but not
inaccessible, Charity acting in power delegated by Heaven to our Na-
tional Councils. And thus we can think, not only without sadness, but
with an elevation of soul inspired by such example of highest virtue in
humblest estate, and in our own sphere exposed to other trials, be in-
duced to follow it, on many " a virtuous household, though exceeding
poor." What are all the poetical fancies about " mountain scenery,"
that ever fluttered on the leaves of albums, in comparison with ally
scheme however prosaic, that tends in any way to increase human com-
forts. The best Sonnet that ever was written by a versifier from the
South to the Crown of Benlomond, is not worth the worst pair of worsted
stockings trotted in by a small Celt going with his dad to stek
for a lost sheep among the snow-wreaths round his bise.
As for eagles, and ravens, and red deer, those magnificent creatures so
stately and bright,' let them shift for themselves—and the fewer of them
the better—but among geese, and turkeys, and poultry, let propagation
flourish—the fleecy folk baa—and the hairy hordes bellow on a thousand
hills. Let the people eat—let them have food for their bodies, and then
they will have heart to care for their souls; and the good and the wise
will look after their souls, with sure and certain hope of elevating them
from their hovels to heaven, while prigs, with their eyes in a fine frenzy
rolling, rail at railroads, and all the other vile inventions of an utilitarian
age to open up and expedite communications between the Children of
the Mist and the Sons and Daughters of the Sunshine, to the utter an.
nihilation of the sublime Spirit of Solitude and—but that is an evil to
be indeed deplored—of S,na' Stills. Be under no sort of alarm for
Nature. There is some talk, it is true, of a tunnel through Cruachan to
the Black Mount, but the general impression seems to be that it will be
a great bore. A joint-stock company that undertook to remove Ben
Nevis, is beginning to find unexpected obstructions. Feasible as we
confess it appeared, the idea of draining Loch Lomond has been relin-
quished for the easier and more useful scheme of converting the Clyde
from below Stonebyres, to above the Bannatyne Fall, into a canal—the
chief lock being, in the opinion of the most ingenious speculators, almost
ready-made at Corra Linn."

ASIATIC JOURNAL.
The article entitled " The Plague Ship," which would
appear to be founded on fact, is very impressively written,
and highly coloured, though without degenerating into
exaggeration. Next to this, in point of interest, is the
desuhory little essay, "Selections and Reflections," in which
occur many sound thoughts. The remaining part of the
Magazine is made up of matters chiefly interesting to Anglo-
Indian readers.

rAY MAGAZINE.

The " Railway Magazine" contains a number of useful
articles and interesting suggestions. One of the latter is to
lay down railways on the banks of canals, and to drag
vessels through the water by locomotive engines. This
might probably be very useful where great burdens are to
be conveyed, and it might unite the now conflicting in-
terests of railways and canals. The Magazine contains a very
neat and clear map of the proposed Thames Haven Dock and
Railway, for which an Act of Parliament has been obtained,
and which promises to be of much advantage to the Me-
tropolis. The site of this great undertaking is beyond
Stratford-le-Hope, 3G miles from London Bridge, 9 from
Southend, and 12 from Sheerness, and the expence of con-
structing the docks, without the buildinffs, is estimated at
200,0001. Tenders to complete the work hue been ad-
vertised for, and we may soon expect to see it in progress.
It will, like several other projected improvements, keep the
River clear, and prevent. the loss of property and life.
That there should be a Magazine devoted to Railways is
a striking proof of their vast utility, and the interest they
excite,