The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-05 00:00:00

MAGAZINES FOR TIIE MONTH.

Blackwood.--A fair contributor, to whom Maga
is already indebted for the graceful tale of "John
Rintoul," and for the still more charming story of
" Katie Stewart," has—we are delighted to per-
ceive—commenced a new fiction in the current
number of Blackwood for December. It is impos-
sible not to detect the identity of the writer of
these three sweet and natural delineations of do-
mestic life in Scotland-4, Katie Stewart," and
" John Rintoul," and now the new historiette upon
which the author has adventured, called, by a ten-
der conceit, " The Quiet Heart." Everywhere in
the chapters before us the hand of the now familiar
'• • '

limner is traceable—traceable in a- ;Tyle--"Estin-
gt
ruaies
ehaebdl e bywe
repeat,
p es
auta,vti thyr u
gqhuoaui nt nf er
from
sm,
mooffaßnititoelenrnksNivdeeeriyityo
Pantos tahnedskeatncil
to C rtohfat
that of
fl ,
the fromi
indignant
ghne
apni
tc picture
t ari wincingtto if and delightful. It is
" fuffino• " Jenny Durward, from the very rain-
drops that "glittering in the sunshine, hung upon
flowers and branches, and fell now and then in a
gleam from the shaken hedge or garden fruit-trees"
to the little bouquet of daffodils and wall-flowers
on the side-table of the darkened parlour of the
farmhouse, hanging their heads with languid
melancholy ! Let us confess it at . once,
the very mannerisms of this writer have for
us the charm of fascination. After the intro-
ductory instalment of " The Quiet Heart," the
principal attractions of the new number of Black-
wood are two papers of a purely artistic character,
a clever essay upon " The National Gallery,"
and a masterly criticism entitled " Real and Ideal
Beauty," in which latter the treatises of Mr. D.
R. Hay receive their deserved meed of commenda-
tion. A third and concluding paper is given on
" The Narcotics we indulge in"—the contributor
in this instance being Professor James F. W.
Johnston. " A few more Words on University
Reform" brings that question also to a conclusion.
Added to these we have a pleasant gossipping
" Letter from the Boulevards," signed Vedette—
a facetious tale of modern magic, suggestively
headed " Rappin., the Question"—and, winding
up the last number of the year, a political paper
on the everlasting subject of dispute befweon
" Russia and Turkey," in which paper Blackwood ex-
presses a desire that if France and England be com-
pelled reluctantly to draw the sword, "It is to be
hoped they will not sheath it until they have
obtained solid guarantees that Europe shall
not again have her tranquillity disturbed on flimsy
pretexts, and for the gratification of a despot's
ambition." A very different suggestion from that
advanced in the Times of this morning, to the
effect that the troops of the Czar shall merely be
compelled to withdraw from the Principalities.
Cordially and earnestly do we accede to the
reasonableness of the retribution demanded by our
Edinburgh contemporary.

Fraser. Following rapidly in the wake of
two or three recent serials in Fraser, " Emily
Orford" is this month brought to a conclusion.
Another fiction, however, is already announced as
about to appear by instalments in the pages of
Regina—January promising to bring forth, among
other agreeable novelties, the first part of " Gene-
ral Bounce ; or, the Lady and the Locusts," by the
author of " Digby Grand." Another protracted
series of contributions, besides the chapters making
up the history of " Emily Orford," is terminated
satisfactorily enough in the number of Fraser
for December—a " Finis of the Fins" intro-
ducing us to (among other marvels of the "vasty
deep") the cod, the sole, the turbot, and the floun-
der. Several beauties scattered' through the " Har-
vest Home" of Frederick Tennyson, induce us to
look with pleasureable curiosity to the volume of
" Poems" from his hand, announced as on the eve
of publication. Fraser contains, besides the fore-
going, two contributions in reference to " Turkey,"
together with a " History of the War of the Sici-
lian Vespers," a schoolboy chapter on " Greek and
Roman Philology," and a really enthralling ac-
count of the progress made in that modern wonder
of the world, the New Crystal Palace at Syden-
ham.

Bentley's Miscellany.—The readers of " Bentley"
will this month be disappointed to find instead of
"Aspen Court," a paragraph stating that in con-
sequence of the late arrival of the manuscript it
has been found necessary to supply its place. The
author of " Christie Johnstone" contributes a
dramatic tale entitled "Art," and there is a romantic
tale called " Marguerite Devereux." "Random
Recollections of Campaigns under the Duke of
Wellington" are continued ; and there is another
instalment of "An Incident of Australian Life
Twenty Years ago." There is an instructive paper
on " The Darien Ship Canal." The poetical con •
tributions are numerous. There is a " Tyrolese
Legend of Barbarossa." "A qui la faute ?" a lively
song. " The Churchyard at Cambridge," by H.
W. Longfellow, and a sketch in blank verse, entitled
" Lord Byron at Venice."

The Art Journal.—The first engraving in the
Art Journal is one of Raphael's Madonnas, from
the picture in the Berlin Museum. The others are
of " The Dead Robin," and "The Negro." The
first of these is graceful and touching, showing the
sorrow of two little girls over their dead favourite;
but, however interesting the African race may be
in the pages of Mrs. Stowe, their portraits are not
particularly charming. The articles on " The Irish
Exhibition," " Art in Continental States," &c.,
are continued, with a variety of subjects of artistic
interest.

The National Miscellany. Vol. I. Published
at the Office, Exeter-street.—This magazine, which
is decidedly of a superior clam to the generality of
cheap publications, has been bound in a handsome
volume. Many of the articles will bear a re-perusal,
which is certainly an unusual characteristic of serial
literature. Many of the papers are written with
undoubted ability on original subjects, and the re-
publication of them will be a source of gratification
to the readers. " Layard's Discoveries," " The
pre-Raphaelites," " The English Humourists,"
" Roman London," &c., are among the subjects.
The public will find this magazine well worthy of
encouragement and support.

The Newcomes. No. 111. By W. M. Tilackeray.
An admirable number altogether being a
marked improvement upon its immediate prede-
cessor. It justifies in a great measure—as far as
an additional instalment is concerned—our antici-
pations of success arising out of the promise of the
introductory chapters. Colonel Thomas Newcome
especially aids in the fulfilment of our predictions.
We are proud of him as one specified by us from
the first as our especial favourite. Already he has
won upon our affections so far that our partiality
threatens to become a sort of infatuation. We ac-
knowledge it, at once, and are rather satisfied with
than ashamed of ourselves as critics in making the
acknowledgment. We are beginning to regard
Colonel Newcome with somewhat of that affectionate
interest felt by us all before now in Honest
George Warrington, or in simple, good-hearted
Dobbin—the same kind of tender regard that
we feel in everything relating to excellent Parson
Adams, or to dear Tom Pinch—a mixture of senti-
ments arising out of a reverence for a goodness of
incorrigible,
selfish, or antithesis
wo rlworldly
.
character, which, at the same time, is intensely
provocative somehow of a sense of the ridiculous.
Colonel Newcome indeed is already fixed in our
memory as one of the happiest of the creations of
fulTh e direct antipodes
,
minded old sinner, Major Pendennis l Everything
connected with Colonel Newcome becomes invested
of Mr.
that a cdkeelir ag
delightful,
. t
to our mind with the charm of that really
loveable
association. Notwithstanding the sneers of
Mr. Barnes Newcome, that most
empty-
headed of coxcombs, in spite of
moured bantering of Mr. B. • inme, shrewdest
and pleasantest of travelling companions, we are
prepared to maintain the
of that blue swallow-tail with the " very high vel-
vet collar" on a level with the tips
of the Colonel's
ears, with the high waist
and the pair of buttons
high up the wearer's back I We agree heart and
soul with the gigantic S • mith, the cock of the school,
who, looking majestically out of window, was
pleased to say that he thou ht Newcome's GOVOTDor
a fine manly-lookine, fellg °wards
ow I We warm
That's
That's
Clive when the Colonel h •
having remarked, „.......the
a man : never be ashamed of your &Olin, up
boy cries, " Ashamed of my father !"—le° ea:ock.
to him, and walking on as proud,
"exillmations
Moreover, we exult in our authora
courtesy
after his mention of the Colonel'sfine lady with
towards that vulgar, slovenlir
Neweome, when
the dirty gloves, Mrs.
Hotlgsfihis hat, and bowed,
he stepped forward, and took . She surveyed. him
and stood bareheaded.. put forward one of
te gr. '"e
blandly, and with infiniin
one of the dirty gloves.
the pudgy little hatntvdos.pensy_kau.penny
baroness of
Can you fa.llo a' in,,, patronising Bayard ? Can
King Francis 1-•
n ,L 8: Guinever's lady's maid's lady's
you imagine v'''-ie to Sir Lancelot 7" We have
maid bang afia,
and have written so exclusively
thought
s° niue hero of Mr. Thackeray's new novel,
the elde
about
leftr little opportunity to refer in this
nlre the other features of the present instalment.
that
ilacetruld have delighted us, and charmed our
t w • ularised several passage 3
particularised
readers, had we
fraught -with a sour-sweet wisdom at the opening
of the eighth chapter, descriptive of Mrs. Newcome's
~ At Home." To these passages, however, as
they stand in the original, we cordially commend
the Attoutivia of the diecerawg. AA likowiN

to the closing chapter in this number, delineative
of Brighton in all its peculiarities, from the Steyne
to Mutton's, the confectioner's,—with particular
mention of consequential little Miss lioneyman,
and the economy of her lodging-house establish-
ment. Introduced cursorily in this portion of the
narrative will be found certain sage reflections,
eminently deserving of remembrance. As, for ex-
ample, those commendatory of the advantages
resulting from living with one's inferiors—whereby
at a very cheap rate you can obtain almost any
amount of adulation. Gratefully may the readers
of Mr. Thackery thank him for the tonic of his
amiable bitterness.