The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-03 00:00:00

MAGAZINES FOR THE MONTH.

Blackwood—A pleasant variety is the charac-
teristic of Blackwood for January. Delightful
themes for two really charming articles have been
found in the effusions of two travelled Frenchmen.
M. Eugene Flandin's Voyage en Perse has suggested
the paper entitled "A Painter in Persia"—while
Francis Wey's Les Anglais chez eux has suggested
the (to us) yet more interesting chapter, headed by
a comical antithesis, " The English at lome—by a
Frenchman Abroad." Abroad these agreeable
Frenchmen mostly are, indeed, when they take
up the pen to write one, or two, or three
volumes, as the case may be, about "England and
the English." Amusing, however, they al ways are,
if—perhaps we should rather say ecause—they are
always so Inexact. And amusing the chapter re-
lating to M. Wey will accordingly be found by the
readers of Blackwood—the subject matter of the
paper calling more forcibly than ever to mind the
significant fact that the French have no cor-
responding word to our dear old English word
of Home—Home ! It collapses, dwindles, freezes
down to chez nous among our neighbours. A second
instalment of " The Quiet Heart" adorns the num-
ber of Maga for January. A dismal little mystery
in verse, bight " Di ves," and signed with the initials
kl . G. K., initials gradually becoming familiar to
the pages of Blackwood, is this month the sole
poetical contribution. Then, besides a criticism
ou the last work of Walter Savage Laudor, prettily
called, as he himself calls it, " The Last Fruit off an
Old Tree," we have an account of " The Past and
Future of China," followed soon after, appropriately
enough, by a hapter on tea, a chapter entitled
" The Beverages we Infuse," another of
those exquisite little treatises on the Che-
mistry of Common Life, for which the pub-
lic has of late been indebted to the hand and
intellect of Professor James Johnston. Finally,
Maya has (for a wonder) this month a political con-
tribution—an estimate of "The Aberdeen Cabinet"
—a Derbyite estimate, of course, of due severity.
Laughing to scorn the coarse and sneering, and
withal vulgar allusion to Kossuth, where it is said
that he was rt ceived in this country " with almost
superhuqian honours by mayors, and aldermen,
and other civic idiots"—it is impossible for any
sane man to deny the justice of the strictures pro-
nounced by Maga upon the wretched, dilatory,
drivelling foreign policy of the Aberdeen Govern-
ment.

Fraser.—A brother of the Laureate again appears
in Fraser as one whose hand ventures to trifle with
the Lyre of Erato. This time, however, Frederick
Tennyson-is scarcely so successful as in his previous
contribution. His celebration of " The Birth of
the Year," is by no means so satisfactory as his
commemoration last month of the glories of " Har-
vest Home." The author of " Digby Grand" ful-
fils his promise by beginning with the beginning of
1854 another of his sprightly and facetious fictions
—this time a narrative oddly entitled " General
Bounce ; or, the Lady and the Locusts." The scene
opens on the sea shore, at a fashionable watering-
place. It promises well, as far as we can
judge from a first instalment. Among the
chief curiosities in the number of Fraser for
January is a critical essay on " Young Ger-
many"—a paper evidencing in every sentence that
it is from the hand of one who is perfect master
of his subject. Immediately before the essay on
" Young Germany," are some exquisite verses
signed G. W. M., an exemplar of the beauty of
which will be found in the subjoined quotation :

" AN ANGEL IN THE WAY.
" Fair the downward path is spread,
Love and Light thy coming greet,
Fruit is blushing o'er thy head,
Flowers are springing neath thy feet.
Mirth and Sin, with tossing hands,
Wate thee on, a willing prey ;
Yet an instant pause—there stands
An angel in the way.
" Heed the heavenly warning, know
Fairest flowers the feet may trip;
Fruits, that like the sunset glow,
Turn to ashes on the lip.
Though the joys be wild and free,
Though the paths be pleasant, stay !
Even mortal eye can see
An angel in the way.
" Wilt thou drown in worldly pleasure,
Wilt thou have, like him of old,
Length of days and store of treasure,
Wisdom, glory, power, and gold ?
Life and limb, shall sickness waste,
Want shall grind thee day by day,
Still to win thee, God hath placed
An angel in the way."

Dr. Veron is again reviewed—the renowned
Doctor Veron of the Constitutionnel. A bitter
and acrimonious attack is made in the political
article of Fraser on " Derbyism." Besides which,
and several other contributions exceedingly
miscellaneous in their character, the readers of
Regina will be interested to observe the commence-
ment of a series of papers on the " Decline and
Fall of the London Corporation."

Ainsworth.—Nicholas Flamel continues his mys-
terious adventures, which terminate for the pre-
sent in his perpetual imprisonment. Doubtless he
will soon be extricated from this unpleasant posi-
tion. A paper on " the Gastronomic Marvels of
Antiquity" will be attractive to all students of M.
Soyer. Among the romantic tales always to be
found in this periodical is a romance of Tottenham,
called " the Seven Sisters." The season of the year
is of course alluded to in two lyrics by T. West-
wood, " Grave Chimes and Cradle Chimes," and
" The Old Year Out and the New Year In," a
curious allegory_ by Basil May. There is a variety
of miscellaneous literature.

Colburn's .New Monthly. —This number com-
mences with a very interesting prologue to the
hundredth volume. Certainly the list of contri-
butors to the pages of the New Monthly since
Campbell first undertook the editorship is one of
striking variety and eminende. This chronicle is
followed by an account of " Campbell and the Lite-
rary Union," by Cyrus Redding. This will be in-
teresting to all admirers of the poet. " Literary
Leaflets" contains a criticism on the much-praised
work of Alexander Smith. It is written with im-
partiality. " The Felon's Reverie," translated from
the Danish by Mrs. Bushby, is pathetically written,
rendering forcibly the sensations experienced by
the wretched criminal while meditating on the last
words he had heard when enclosed in his gloomy
cell, that death should be his deliverer. No.
X. of " American Authorship" is devoted to
Donald G. Mitchell, who is better known as
Ik. Marvel. There is a curious paper on " Ger-
man Almanacks for 1854," and another on
" The Bourgeois of Paris." There are two articles
on the subject of gold. One is a notice of a work
which has recently appeared on the gold rocks of
Great Britain and Ireland. It is certainly for-
tunate that gold may be so easily obtained, if such
lamentable consequences are likely to result from
the pursuit of it in other countries as " A Record
of the Gold Fever," by the author of " The Un-
holy Wish," relates. There is something in the
sketches of domestic manners and incidents, that
always attracts and interests the reader in this
author's writings. " Chronicles of a Country Town"
is concluded, on the whole, unsatisfactorily. The
episode of Eleanor waiting in the cave while the
tide rises, beside the body of her early playmate, is
very awful. Everything in this story has been
ruined, and the happiness of all the deserving peo-
ple marred by the rencontre of Captain Howard,
with a designing character, who must have appeared
far more fascinating to him than she ever did to
the reader.

Bentley's Miscellany. The two chapters of
" Aspen Court which appear this month are
chiefly devoted to the description of theatrical
managers. Bernard Carlyon, the hero, being de-
sirous to assist a friend who is in difficulties, with-
out expense, remembers a Comedy he had once
written, and thinks that may be productive of
profit. He accordingly visits two managers, both
of whom are described, with their attendant curio-
sities. How his plan prospers we shall doubtless
hear more fully in the next number. At present
the appearances are suspicious, as, though accepted,
the play is doomed to undergo such numerous al-
terations that its ultimate withdrawal is probable.
A curious sea tale, from the narrative of an eye-
witness, edited by Angus Reach, follows. A
new story is commenced, entitled " Arthur
Arden, the Medical Student." The characters in-
troduced in it are not very attractive, and the hero
seems to possess more shrewdness than moderation.
" St. Januarius to St. Constantius" is continued,
and the Island of Capri is described. There is a
sketch of "An Elizabethan Pepys," namely,
Robert Cary, Earl of Monmouth, " a time server,
determined to achieve court preferment at what-
ever cost of dignity or self-respect." " Art," a
dramatic tale by the author of " Christie John-
stone," is an episode, whether true or fictitious
is not told, in the life of Mrs. Anne Oldfield.
It is entertaining and lively. There are several
other articles—among them one on " The Present
Sultan."

Dublin University.—The story of " Sir Jasper
Carew" increases in interest in the present num-
ber. In the first chapter, entitled " A Strange
Incident," the hero leaves his crossing business to
dine with Royalty. Some of the fashionables who
frequently passed by him took notice of him, and
invited him to their grand mansions. He, willing
to revisit for a brief period his real station, accepted,
hired a dress, and presented himself. It chanced
that the Prince Regent was there when he arrived.
Re attracted his attention by his amusing area-

dotes and varied information, and the climax was
that the adventurer received an invitation to Carl-
ton House. This he, however, did not accept ; but
under the influence of his evil star lie wandered to
an hotel crowded by needy foreigners, where he
became involved in a quarrel in which Carew
wounded a man, which catastrophe induced him to
return to the Continent. He is left starting for
Paris, to meet some lately-made friends there.
An article is devoted to " Children's Pleasure
Books," in which a great number are enumerated
and their merits set forth. It is remarked that in
no department of literature has the press been more
prolific than in juvenile works of late years. The
fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen are deserv-
edly highly praised, and some extracts are given
from the books. Tile one in which the mother
follows her child to death's conservatory is very
striking. " Blanche, a Poem," is well written, but
of a most melancholy hue. There are some
" Memoirs of Count de Lally." He was the leader
of the troops of Louis XV. in his wars in the East
Indies. " Among the many gallant Irishmen who
served in the armies of, France, I know of none
more brave and distinguished," remarks his bio-
grapher. An amusing account is given of "A
Voyage to Van Dieinen's Land," in which it is
related that a very enthusiastic young lady, who
was very anxious to see the island of Ma.leira, was
called up one night as they were passing the spot.
She hastily dressed herself, and came out of her
cabin with a lighted candle, in order to see it bet-
ter. " Our Winter Garden" is among the most
attractive of the contents. " The Lyrist's Death"
is a well-described piece ; but, on the whole, the
best is the " Dying Year," the first verses of which
are here given :
" Stretched en the Autumn's withered leaves,
Which the winds had heaped in play,
With the glittering shroud that the hoar-frost weaves
Cast o'er him as he lay,
With death within his heart,
And dimness in his gaze,
The dying Old Year saw depart
His last moon's pallid rays.

There was a dim light in the air,
A cold and ghastly gleam ;
The clashing boughs were stripped and bare,
The ice was on the stream.
Out from the frozen North
The winds rushed fiercely by;
And the stars of heaven came looking forth
To see the Old Year die.

And the old man's thoughts are wandering back,
As his hours approach their last,
With a vain remorse on the lengthened track
He hath left in the shadowy past.
His children, fair and brave,
All to their rest have gone ;
And on the threshold of the grave
The Old Year lies—alone.

He thinks of the days when his reign was young,
And his sun of life was high,
When tho early flow'rs from the green earth sprung,
And the hours flew laughing by ;
When the leaves came bursting out,
And from hill and grassy plain
The streams, released, with a joyous shout
Leaped on to the sparkling main."

George Cruikshank's Magazine. No. I. Bogue.
All hail to the prince of caricaturists ! and
yet, be it said, one nobler, and better, infinitely
nobler and better than a mere caricaturist. Janu-
ary comes to us, indeed, by no means empty-
handed, when he brings us the initial number of a
new magazine, edited by Frank E. Smedley, bet-
ter known by his nom de plume of " Frank Fair-
legh," and illustrated by the master-hand, and
called by the popular name, of George Cruikshank.
Everything secures to this new claimant of public
favour, even before its appearance, the most cor-
dib,l welcome—as everything in the first number of
it will be found to deserve that hearty reception.
First and foremost there is the grand opening illus-
tration. Such an illustration ! " Passing Events
—or the Tail of the Comet of 1853"—a Wonderful
pictorial skit upon the age, worthy' (can more be
said in panegyric ?—if so, tell us and we'll use it)
worthy of the artistic genius in its palmiest day of
our inexhaustible George Cruikshank. The em-
bellishment' contains a marvellous profusion of
figures—" figures of fun," drawn with infinite
humour—and the whole accompanied (this, from
the hand of the editor) with the liveliest of expla-
nations. By the way, the Tail of the Comet of
1853 will be regarded by the vast majority, we •
doubt not, as the " special wonder of the new
magazine—and wonderful it is, as we have said,
undoubtedly. Nevertheless, to our mini, the ela-
boration of the Tail is surpassed altogether by the
exquisite expression of the Head—an expression of
breathlessness) of surprise, of merriment, and of a
perfectly amazing consciousness of all the
astounding eccentricities that come flooding
afterwards. Such a face ! we have no word
fQr it—we look down amazed at the apparition—
dumbfoundered like our namesake with his hair
on end up in the corner of the illustration I
Besides the frontispiece--George Cruikshank con-
tributes to his new magazine a variety of other
comical cuts—such, for example, as the broadsheet
against tobacco. Frank Fairlegh has a rollicking
Ingoldsbyan Legend of Brabant, called " The For-
feit Hand"—but beyond this the letterpress admits
of considerable improvement. The glory of the new
magazine, however, radiates resplendently from the
illustrations. •

Colburn's United .service Magazine and Naval
and Military Journal.---The first article is " The
Black Sea," and an opinion is expressed, that as
the war raging between Russia and Turkey is
extending to those countries bordering on the
Black Sea, of which so little bac, hitherto been
known, that now, " new and almost unexplored
regions will be opened to inquiries." In conclusion,
it is said, that if the Sultan could be persuaded
to receive men of every class and distinction into
his army and navy, he would be more than a
match for his collossal antagonist. "If a well-
digested system of immigration from the civilised
West could be organised to a land at once
fertile and salubrious, intersected with the finest
rivers and straits, and having the advantage
of so many seas and ports, Turkey might
become as much to be admired for her 'social,
political, and religious institutions, as she now is
for her natural resources and geographical posi-
tion." A long memoir is given of " Radetzky,"
who, it is observed, offers in his career more in-
interest than is found in the annals of many great
military men. After a life of battles, in his 80th
year he still mounts his horse, and governs the
Austrian provinces in his master's name. It is
remarked further in that, as a statesman also,
" Radetzky" is entitled to a place in the historical
gallery. The sketcll is to be continued in the next
number, and will prove interesting to many it is
to be presumed. There are various other subjects
of importance here treated of, such as "De la Barre
Duparcy'sCommentaires on Clausenitz." Individual
Organisation of Prussian Regiments," " General Sir
Harry Calvert on National Defence," &c.• " A
Treatise on Small Arms," by Leon Parrot, contains
a great deal of information on the formation and
operations of arms and warlike instruments, &c.

The Zoist ; a Journal of Cerebral Physiology
and Mesmerism.—This is the forty-fourth num-
ber, and the eleventh volume of this quarterly
journal ; a fact which is a sufficient proof of its
success. To all believers in this popular science
the work will be highly interesting, and will, no
doubt, in time convince many who are now incre-
dulous of the curative powers of the mesmeric force.
One of the most remarkable cures is of a maniac,
who had been rendered insane by table-turning.
There are also accounts of cases of blindness,
rheumatism, dtc., which have been successfully
terminated by mesmeric agency. We shall shortly
quote an interesting paper, which Dr. Elliotson
has contributed to this number.

The Gentleman's Magazine and Historical Re-
view.—Among the objects of interest here pre-
sented, the accounts of " The Lady Elizabeth, a
prisoner at Woodstock," are worthy of being men-
tioned. Few probably are acquainted with the
details of the unfortunate lady's captivity, and it
will thus be generally instructive. The cause of
her being imprisoned was that Wyat, in his con-
fession, accused her of being accessory to the plot
in which he was engaged. In consequence of which
misrepresentations the Princess was sent to the
Tower, but she was subsequently removed to Wood-
stock, where she was placed under the care of Sir
Henry Bedingfield. From the letter book of the
latter many details are gathered relative to the
mode in which the detention of the Princess was
carried on. The chief vexation arose from her not
being free to select what books she thought fit, and
there were many communications held with the
council as to the propriety of her wishes being
granted. " On supposed Apparitions of Air Lady
at Salette," gives an account of the modern and
ancient superstitions of that place. The proceed-
ings of "Sir Walter Raleigh at Sherbourne" are
concluded from the November number of this Ma-
gazine. It will be remembered that he was left
disputing with Meere his steward, as to whether he
possessed the right of dismissing him from his
service. Meere was undoubtedly right in law, it
is observed, as he recovered the bailiwick. A plate
is given of the pulpit of Richard Baxter, author of
the " Saint's Rest." He was some time vicar of
Kidderminster. It instill preserved in that town,
but not in the church. The pulpit is of oak, octa-
gonal in its shape, and properly decorated with
flowers and architectural ornaments in the well-
known style of the reign of James I. " The Toxaris
of Lucian" is a very interesting sketch of the
ancients. Mnesippus, a Greek, argued with Toxaris,
a Scythian, as to which of their countries produced
the most eminent examples of friendship. The five

nstames which the Greek brings forward are here^
cited, and arc worthy of attention. The last given
story is the most pleasing. The one friend was cast
into prison, being innocent ; the other contrived to
be sent in after him. When released, a large sum
was presented to each by way of atonement. De-
metrius, the second-mentioned friend, observed to
Antipldtus (after having given up his money to
him), " I leave you now. I shall have no use for
this money, and you will stand in no need of a
friend in the good circumstances in which I leave
you."

MIS CE I_,LANEOUS.
Tait's Edinburgh Magazine opens with a paper
on France and her commercial relations. It is fol-
lowed by the concluding chapters of the American
tale of " Priest and People." The second chapter
of "St. Florian" is given. A satirical analysis of
the present biographical mania is certainly de-
served.—The National Miscellany maintains its
character. Its selection of subjects is very good. A
paper on "Saxon London" will be interesting to those
who perused the " Roman Loudon" of a number
which appeared a few months ago. "Street Names"
is another curious and entertaining article. This
magazine is written with considerable ability.—
The British Journal contains a variety of tales
and sketches of general interest. Newton's
London Journal gives an account of fourteen
recent patents, with descriptive illustrations, and
the usual reports of engineering institutions.—
Le Follet possesses an additional attraction this
month in the shape of a fourth plate, with bonnets,
caps, &c. in every variety.—The ife and Adven-
tures of :Dick Diminy the Jockey, has reached the
fourth number, and will be found still to afford its
readers infinite amusement.