The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-06 00:00:00

LITERAT U.RE.

Blackwood.—Although Maga is, this month,
more than ever political, and, therefore, consider-
ing the war and the consequent crisis, more than
usually attrac ive, we can scarcely examine its
contents fur April with a'iy degree of unalloyed
pleasure or equanimity. We cannot turn over a
Page of it without thinking, painfully, because so
regretfully, of the disappearance of that giant-spirit
who was so long the glory of the chief of the ma-
gazines. The death of Professor Wilson will sadden
the hearts of the readers of Blackwood, readers
Who are to be numbered by thousands upon thou-
sands. They have not so soon forgotten the wit,
and the eloquence, and the poetic enthusiasm, and
the exquisite taste, and the sweet and wise philoso-
phy by which the golden pages of tin Nodes Am-
brosiance, were from the first to the last distin-
guished. Peace to the large heart, and the warm
hand, and the ample intellect from which modern
literature has received so many, and some of them
such priceless, benefactions. Peace to the manes of the
royal dead—to the solemn hut gentle shade of King
Christopher !
• Turning our attention for a moment, perforce,
to the contents of the April number of Blackwood
We would here at least constrain ourselves to glance
cursorily over the nature of the eight contributions.
Pour of these are political—each with its peculiar
excellence. " The Commercial Results of a War with
Russia"—p enned we cannot but conjecture, by
the hand of the European Annalist—impresses the
mind with a sense of the vast importance of the
great struggle upon which England, in union with
Prance, has just adventured. " The Reform Bills
of 1852 and 1854," interesting to the electors at
any other time, will be regarded as somewhat un-
attractive just now in the presence of events of such
wonderfully larger importance. " The Blue Books
and the Eastern Question" is a paper penned by one
Manifestly in no way deterred from pottering over
those "Azure tomes," the examination of which
Was deprecated at the opening of the session by the
First Lord of the Admiralty. " The Cost of the
Coalition Ministry," moreover, is no other than au
analysis of the Secret and Con hde ti:d Correspon-
dence. A chapter on " Chronological Cirri-
esities," is nothing else than a fine arts' ethi-
cist'? • In ano.her sketch from one of Maga's
reviewers we are introduc,d to "The Puppets
of all Nations," and in another are carried
pleasantly through a readable outline of " Life in
the &hard.' The ',harm of the number, however,
'lke that of its four predecessors, is the fifth instal-
bient of " Tue Quiet Heart," as charming a tale as
Was ever pe uned by the hand of a Scottish romancist.
But ch,,e we the number with a sigh for the
memory of dear old Christopher North—the sage
of the oct( 8, the Poet of the Isle of Palms, the
critic, the minstrel, the genial, the wise, the stal-
wart and gentle King Christopher I

Strategic Map of the Baltic. Gover. 1854.—A
Z,(3Uveniently arranged pocket map of the character
indicated has within the last few days been
Published—a strategic map of the shores and islands
.11 the Baltic. In it are luc;dly marked down
'l'l the fortified and important places, harbours,
isea
,Ports, naval stations, and the like notable lo-
Zuties—with the names of many of which the
h public ate likely Letore very long to become
-!Atutliarised. The chart before us, it is but
31Istiee to observe, has been compiled with
!!Pecial reference to the Prussian and Danish
‘.4..tt.natice maps, with particular regard to the
and maps used by the late Sir George Murray,
'Llu not without minute attention to the guidance
of colonel Jackson's Strategic Topography.