The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-22 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 22, 185 4,

ALLEGED CASE OF CRILD-MURDER
AT STEPNEY.

MARKET .NEWS-(THIS DAY.)

LITERATURE.

CORN EXCHANGE.
Most of the country markets held on Saturday were
very scantily supplied with home-grown wheats, in which
a steady business was transacted, at an advance in prices
of from is. to 2s. per quarter. Barley and malt were very
dull, but not cheaper. Oats, beans, peas, and flour com-
manded full currencies. _ _

Yesterday and to-day a rumour which unfortunately
turns out to be too true, has been circulated in Stepney
to the effect that a female named Mary Ann Coopers
had murdered her step-son, aged 7 years. It appears
that the woman and her husband occupied apartments
at 2, York-street, Philpot-street, Stepney, and had three
children. He was a jobbing bricklayer, but both of them
had led a life of great dissipation, neglecting their
family and home for days together, frequently quarrelling
and annoying their neighbours. Yesterday afternoon the
lodgers heard a great noise, and about 5 o'clock one
of the children was heard to cry for some minutes. The
husband was from home, but shortly before six o'clock
Mrs. Cooper was seen to leave the house with one of her
children in her arms, covered with a shawl, and another
child by her side. She then carried the deceased to the
accident ward of the London Hospital, where she stated
that the child had fallen down and struck its head against
a stool. Mr. Green wood, the house surgeon, immediately
examined the child, and pronounced life to be quite ex-
tinct, but the body was still warm. Stimulants and
other remedies were administered, but all efforts to restore
animation were entirely useless. The woie.an was not sober,
and appeared to be very little concerned about the death of
her child, which was very emaciated, and ofsicklya.ppear-

The French markets have exhibited increased firmness
of late, and the quotations have been on the advance. In
the Baltic and Mediterranean markets wheat has com-
manded extreme rates. In the United States the trans-
actions in flour have been very moderate.
The receipts of English grain up to our markets last
week were small. Tire imports of foreign wheat were
about 40,000 ; of barley, 5,000 ; and of oats, 50,000 quar-
ters. Those of flour were 5,000 sacks and barrels.
The arrivals of English wheat fresh up to our market to-
day coastwise were on a very limited scale ; whilst the
receipts by land carriage were comparatively small. The
show of samples of both red and white was trifling, owing
to which, and the steady advance in most of the country
markets, factors were firm in their demands. The amount
of business doing, however, WP9 by no means extensive.
In some instances, the finest white parcels were a shade
higher than on Monday last ; and the value of all other
qualities was well supported.
We were rather heavily supplied with foreign wheat.
Importers generally were very firm in their demands, but
dealers acted cautiously. Very fine wheats were the turn
dearer. Low and middling kinds realised extreme rates.
Very few floating cargoes have been reported off the
coast from Falmouth, and they were mostly held above
the views of buyers.
The show of barley was good. The sale for most de-
scriptions was rather inactive, at last week's currency.
There was very little business doing in malt, at the
advance consequent upon the rise in the duty.
Large supplies of oats were brought forward. A good
business was doing in them, on former terms.
We were but moderately supplied with beans, which
changed hands at full quotations.
Peas realised foil prices, but the demand was by no
means active.

ante.
Mr. Grirnwood made an examination of the deceased,
and found on one side of the head a large lacerated
wound of the scalp, five inches in depth, from which
blood had flowed copiously. There were also several
abrasions and bruises on the face and hands, and there
is no doubt the child died from external violence.
The woman was allowed to leave at first, but re-
turned again in an hour, with the little boy with her
which she represented as her eldest stepson. The
medical gentlemen then present asked the boy a few
questions, when he said, " Mother knocked William's
head against the box." The wound was of such an exten-
sive character that the medical officers sent for the police
and gave the woman into custody. She was accordingly
taken to the station-house, where she was charged on
suspicion of causing the death of her child.
The police of the K division have been busily occupied
in making strict inquiries, and it has been ascertained
that the woman seized the child by the legs and violently
struck its head against the sharp edge of a large box
several times.

The flour trade was steady, at extreme rates.
CURRENCY PER IMPERIAL MEASURE.
Wheat—Essex & Kent, Malt—Chevalier • • • • 75s to 76!
Red •• .. new 733 to 853 Oats Yorkshire and
Ditto.. • • ........ old 77s 893 Lineelnsh., Feed 30s 34s
Ditto, White new 77s 89s Potato
Ditt0........ old 80s 91s Youghal and Cork
Norfolk and Lin- Black. ...... 308 338
coin, Red, old 73s 843 Cork, White ..... 293 35s
Ditto new •• •• .. 74s 84s Scotch, Feed. .. • • 34s 36s
Rye—Old • • .......... 515 52s Beans—Tick ......... 45s 54s
New ............ 50s 51s Pigeons ...... .... 49, 66s
Barley—Grinding .• • • • 36s 38s Peas—urey
.......... 448 488
418 Map1e........... 48s 53s
White........... 56s C2B
Walt—Suffolkand Nor- Boilers .........56s 66s
folk., .......... 66s 718 Flour—Town-made... 66s 70s
CMhaelvt Malting i e . r ::
•• •• •: •
~.
603 628 Suffolk .......... 588 62s
3492: 44s
Kingston and Ware 73s 75s Stookta &Norfolk 588 64a

ry
The prisoner was brought up this morning before the
magistrate at the Thames police-court, Arbour-square,
and after several witnesses were examined, she was re•
manded for further evidence.

SPORTING NOTES.

BUSINESS AT BATH.

The close approach of the Epsom Meeting will doubt-
less militate materially against the complete success of
the gathering on Lansdowne, which will take place to-
morrow, and on the following day. Still, the appointed
sport is sufficiently attractive to command the attention
of turfites, and it is not unlikely to be marked by inci-
dents of much interest and importance. The programme
comprises eleven items, six for the first day, and five for
the second. Although, however, on paper, the supply
of sport appears to be ample, yet it is not improbable
that the fields will be numerically insignificant.
The proceedings will commence with the Lansdowne
Trial Stakes, which numbers seven nominations. The
Reiver's chance is certainly the most entitled to conside-
ration. St. Spiro may be capable of winning the Bien-
nial Stakes for three-yrs-old. Failing him, I shall take
a turn with Spinaway. The other horses worthy of
notice are Mishap and Diana. The Biennial Stakes for
two-yrs-old is likely to occasion an encounter of no ordi-
nary interest, and may "introduce" a formidable can
didate for next year's Derby. Oulston has already
been somewhat sp;ritedly backed for the Great Epsom
Event for 1855, and his performance on this occasion
hism a y f
ocr confirm fir
andm t
ah
be i
lgoi
t yo d
ono p i
hisn o nd we
bhui
tc
tI
se xa
Ipi rs eb sus
red y. as
His
most formidable antagonist will be Bessie.
The victory of Hercules at Shrewsbury on Friday
occasioned his rapid advance to the position of leading
favourite for the Somersetshire Stakes. Although that
performance was not remarkable for any extraordinary
display of racing power, yet it was justly calculated to
excite some expectations of his chance for this event.
Still the animals which he will encounter at Bath will be
somewhat superior to those which he met at Shrews-
bury. Among the entries too figure the names of Epam-
inondas, the winner of the Chester Cap, and Coup
d'Etat, the winner of the Newmarket Handicap, but
the 7lbs. penalty which they have incurred renders it
questionable whether either of them will be capable of
following up his success. Some doubts exist as to the
starting of Ilaco, doubts which the betting seemingly
indicates to be well founded. Lough Bawn has received
some support, and in consideration of his running at
York, I am induced to place some confidence in his
chance. Rataplan, too, should he go to the post, must
not be slightingly regarded. The animals, indeed, that
I am inclined to " stand on" against the field are Rata-
plan, Lough Bawn, Coup d'Etat, and Hercules.
With a fair start and no favour, I shall expect
Lough Bawn to prove the winner. Ireland's
Eye, Montague, and King Alfred, are my selec-
tions for the Members' Plate, but until the " numbers
are up" even a guess at the winner will be hazardous.
The events " set for decision" on Tuesday may be briefly
dismissed.
The result of the race for the Dyrham Plate will be ma-
terially influenced by the running on Tuesday. At pre-
sent the probabilities in favour of Orinoco, Ireland's Eye,
St. Faith, Lioness, and Hercules, seem strongest. Re-
port speaks favourably of the chance of William the
Third for the Weston Stakes. Garforth and Waterfall
may occupy the first and second place for the Aristocratic
Handicap. The " Cup" will perhaps be carried off by
Rataplan. Some expectations are, however, lam in-
formed, entertained of the success of Valeria, a mare
bred in France, and now trained by Sherwood, at Epsom.
John Scott's horses are already located at Leatherhead.
They, therefore, who have bad a recent opportunity of
seeing Dervish are loud in their expressions of admira-
tion as to his general appearance and condition. He
has recovered from the temporary "depression" under
which he laboured in the turf market, and is again as
•‘ buoyant" as ever. A heavy commission was, I
" out" to back him, and I am informed that at
present it is only partly executed. The highest offer
against him is 5 to 1 ; indeed, he seems likely to become
second favourite, vice Autocrat, who is gradually
receding in the betting. The cause of his down-
ward tendency is scarcely clear, for the facetious
"General " states that Lascelles goes into fits after
galloping a mile with him. The desire to " get
on " King Tom is apparently undiminished. Many
persons, however, still regard his pretensions with pre-
judice and suspicion, and significantly declare his trial,
the particulars of which I stated in The Sun on Thursday
last, to be " too good." The Trapper, who gave "signs
of coming" last week, is now in-little demand-1000 to
20 has been currently offered against him. "People
who go about saying things " assert that he " makes a
, noise " whilst galloping, and they who have laid against
• him shout in high glee the refrain of the old nursery
ditty about "he shall have music wherever he goes."
May 22. A FRESH MAN.
a

RES FOR 1854.

I North Herts 23
Liverpool Hunt Spring 24
I Harpenden 26
I Epsom 30
'NE.

Hampton 2l
Harrogate 23
Knighton 23
Carlisle 26
Beverley, Hull, and East
Riding 2B
Bibury 2B
Ludlow 28
Stockbridge ........ 2B
Winchester 3O
LY.

Samford 18
Newton 18
Knutsford... l9
NoAingham 2O
Great Grimsby 24
Goodwood 25
Radcliffe
Deritend Pool 3l
Ripon 31

IBER.
Cowbridge Hunt .

1853.

1650.

1854.

History of Europe : from the Fall of Napoleon in
1815 to the Accession of Louis Napoleon in 1852.
By Sir Archibald Alison, Bart., D.C.L. Vol.
111. Blackwood and Sons.
Our distinguished annalist is indeed indefatigable.
His daring design is now rapidly approaching the
term of its complete accomplishment. That extra-
ordinary and apparently most hazardous enterprise,
it will be remembered, was nothing less than the
continuation of his voluminous and brilliant nar-
rative of the History of Europe since the outbreak
of the French Revolution in 1789, from the period
at which it closed, namely, from 1815, the date of
the Battle of Waterloo, down to a time almost im-
mediately contemporary. In these supple-
mentary volumes Sir Archibald Alison pro-
posed to recount the different events of note
which have occurred in Europe during the
interval of nearly four decades, extending
back from the accession of Napoleon 111. to the
downfall of the mighty founder of his dynasty, the
Cesar of Gaul, the modern Charlemagne, the later
and greater Alexander, the Sesostris of civilisation.
It was an undertaking, the astonishing difficulties
of which might well have deterred any man
gifted even with a more than ordinary amount of
courage, industry, and determination. They were
altogether insufficient, however, to repel Sir
Archibald Alison from an enterprise so peculiarly
vast and adventurous. The intention of the his-
torian was scarcely intimated to the world through
advertisement when the first volume of his work
was announced for publication. It had barely
made its appearance when it was followed by
another more ample in theme and more mi-
nute in elaboration. The project was forth-
with recognised as at once making speedy
progress towards its satisfactory realisation. In-
somuch that we have already arrived at the
third instalment—five, if we recollect rightly, being
the proposed limit of the undertaking. In this
volume, a substantial book of 754 pages octavo,
divided into seven chapters, and these again sub-
divided into no less than 803 sections, each section
with an explanatory heading, the dates and autho-
rities throughout being given, moreover, with
scrupulous exactitude by marginal reference—in
this volume the annals of Europe are brought
down to the close of the first quarter of the present
century. The portion relating to Turkey, indeed,
is carried on as far as to 1829, namely, to the rati-
fication of the treaty of Adrianople. While that
referring to the domestic history of France, con-
ducts us even to the summer of 1830, to the final
expulsion of the elder branch of the House of
Bourbon by the Revolution. But, saving with
exceptions like these, the volume before us may
be said to be restricted on the whole in point of
time to the first five tustres of the nineteenth
century—the account here given of the progress
of events in England, for example, ending in 1825
with the monetary crisis of December. Perhaps
of all the volumes yet given to the public from
the pen of Alison, the one actually under consider-
ation is the most timely in regard to the coinci-
dence of the date of its original appearance. For
to it we are indebted at this wonderful juncture,
when the great nations of the earth are becoming
again embroiled with each other in a war that
threatens to be terrible beyond example, either in
its rapid violence or in its disastrous prolongation.
—to this sin -.ularly apposite addition to our his-
toric literature we are indebted for a timely record
of the last notable struggle between Russia and
Turkey. The fifteenth chapter, in fact, is alto-
gether so curious as a reference to scenes and
localities, with the names of which the masses
generally are just now becoming once more
strangely familiarised, that we cannot but think it
would be a boon to the community at large
if it were issued from the press by the Messrs.
Blackwood in the form of a separate pub-
lication. As a pamphlet printed at a cheap rate
it could not but be peculiarly acceptable to
the multitude. This would not, moreover, militate
in any way from the interest of the more costly
work from which the chapter here specified, would
be, for an occasion and a purpose, excerpted. Prof-
ferred to the reading public in the manner we have
indicated, it would acquaint the population with
matters especially interesting and especially in-
structive also, everything considered—the chief
incidents here recounted being discovered at this
critical moment to be in a most wonderful way re-
peating themselves. To understand this on the
instant, as it were, and at a merely superficial
glance, it is only necessary to revert for a while to
the description given by Sir A. Alison of the con-
temporary history of Russia and Turkey, from
1825 to 1829, from the accession of Nicholas to the
Peace of Adrianople. It will there be perceived
how the rupture between the Muscovites and
the Mussulmans began simultaneously with the
commencement of the reign of the brother and
successor of Alexander. Starting from the date of
that rupture and from the earlier successes gained
by Russia over the Persians immediately afterwards
it will be perceived how oddly the subsequent an-
nals read to a certain extent like th© annals of
events now transpiring in the same quarter of the
globe—along the banks of the Danube, between
the forces of the Sultan and the forces f the Au-
tocrat—with this immense difference, however,
that all the while, in the former war, for the most
part, England and France looked on from a dis-
tance as mere spectators, or interfered only be-
tween the belligerents diplomatically through their
plenipotentiaries. If the ruler of the Ottoman
Empire in 1828 and 1829 was other than the
one at present reigning over 35,350,000
souls, as Commander of the Faithful, if the
Sultan was then the father Mahmoud and not
the son Abd-ul-Medjid the Czar of all the
Russias was still the same daring and audacious
potentate, against whose lawless aggressions on his
weaker neighbours the chief nations of the earth
are rising from London to Ispahan. Examine the
narrative of his earlier and somewhat similar pro-
ceedings towards the Sublime Porte—turn over the
pages of this luminous and impartial record of the
former war adventured upon against Turkey by
the Emperor Nicholas—and the very cities and per-
sons, the very provinces and commanders men-
tioned in it, sound like echoes from the diurnal
annals of our current newspapers. Read this
fifteenth chapter in the third volume of the " His-
tory of Europe," penned by Sir Archibald Ali-
son in continuation of his former masterpiece,
and you might almost imagine at times—[we do not
' presume to arrogate the notion of any resemblance
in "style," but simply refer to an obvious similarity
in " fact"]—you might almost imagine that you are
reading the latest news in The 1 Sun, or in
La Patric, in the Times, or in the Moniteur,
and not of events long past and now inscribed upon
imperishable tablets with the fluent hand, but the
weighty authority, of the annalist of the Europeans.
Read—and you will hear of the passage of the
Pruth, p. 265 ; of the advance of the Russians
beyond the Danube, p. 270 ; of the fall of Kus-
tendji, p. 271 ; of the blockade of Schumla, p.
279 ; of the warlike measures adopted at Odessa,
p. 280 ; of the siege of Varna, p. 287 ; of the
operations before Widdin, p. 292 2 • of the retreat
from Silistria, p. 293 ; or, again, at p. 302, of the
plan of attack proposed by Prince Paskiewitch.
The whole of this portion of the narrative, in truth,
is a political curiosity—a curiosity which will be
found, particularly nowadays, at once instructive
and interesting.
Altogether Sir Archibald Alison's narrative fur-
nishes about the most lucid and dispassionate ac-
count yet given to the world of the campaigns of
1828 and 1829 in the principalities, and, beyond all
manner of doubt, gives, of it, an account the most
masterly in condensation.
Elsewhere, moreover, in the present volume, our
historian has recounted events scarcely less attrac-
tive than those we have just particularised, scarcely
less attractive, we repeat, during the momentous
period recently arrived at by his immediate contem-
poraries. Alison relates, for instance, in one chapter,
the nature of the progress made by Asia Minor and
Greece, socially, politically, and statistically, and,
in another, gives a detailed record of the Greek
Revolution, including a description of the battle of
Navarino, and a statement of the circumstances
under which Hellenic independence became estab-
lished under a quadruple protectorate. What is
here said by our historian, in especial reference to
the internal course of events in France, brings us
down to the fall of Charles X., as we have already
taken occasion to observe. It extends over the
16th and 17th chapters, the former dating from
the death of Louis XVIII. to the accession of the
Polignac Administration, the latter from the ac-
cession of the Polignac Ministry to the July Re-
volution. In one we read of the coronation of the
King at Rheims, in the other of his flight through
Cherbourg. It is, as ever with France during
the lives and reigns of the later Bourbons—a series
A most
of dazzling and affecting vicissitudes.
moving and attractive tale when told by. any one,
even by those least gifted with sensibility edorwiimth-
agination, but one which, as here u
all the pictorial vividness and oratorical eloquence
. of Alison, becomes invested with an irresistible and
pathetic fascination.
A subsequent chapter in the volume before us
should be particularly referred to as among the
most remarkable criticisms penned by Sir Archi-
bald Alison—a writer already almost as dis-
tinguished as an essayist as an ,
historian. It re-
lates to, and indeed is entitled, ' Literature of
France during and after the Restoration." Treat-
ing successively of annalists, military histo-
rians, memoir writers, travellers, philosophers,
poets, and novelists, Alison takes an ample and corn-
prehenaiye survey of the whole of moclorh French

The London Pulpit. By James Ewinc, Ritchie
Simpkin, Marshall, and Co.
Mr. Ritchie's pen-ana-ink sketches of the popular
preachers of London are as life-like as they are
brilliant and delightful—occasionally blotted with
personality and sometimes exaggerated into cari-
cature. The thought of producing them was a
happy one, and has been carried out, in the volume
before us, with much agreeable animation. The
collection of silhouettes herein presented to our
contemplation will bo especially acceptable, we
conjecture, to our country cousins as a guile among
the more generally known of the metropolitan
ecclesiastics. It will be perceived at a glance that
the writer has familiarised himself with the sub-
ject before undertaking its treatment. He has
sat at the feet of more than one Gamaliel. He has
drunk in the wisdom, and eloquence, and fervour,
and verbosity, and affectation of the Bosniets, and
Knoxes, and Irvings, and Praise-God-Bare-Bones,
of London and Westminster. And listening to
them one and all he has " taken down" each, not
in short-hand notes, as a stenographer, but rather
we might say in vivid profile, or full face, or three
quarters as a photographer. Chapter after chapter
brings the popular preachers of the capital before
our mind's eye in a sort of stately clerical proces-
sion. Here, for example, is
THE REV. THOMAS DALE.
"All eyes are turned in the direction of the pulpit. We
look there as well, and see a man rather below the average
height, with fresh complexion, mild grey eyes beneath
light-coloured eyebrows, with a common-place forehead,
and a figure presenting altogether rather a pedantic appear-
ance. This is the Rev. Thomas Dale, D.D. He looks as
if the world had gone easy with him ; and truly it has,
for he is a popular Evangelical preacher—perhaps, next
to Mr. Melville, the most popular preacher in the English
Church. He is a popular poet—he is Vicar of St. Pancras,
and Canon of St. Paul's."
Here, the expelled Professor of King's College—
THE REV. F. D. MAURICE.
" Mr. Maurice has the true appearance of the professor—
short dark hair, sallow face, precise manner ; all indicate
the man of study and thought. His voice is clear and
agreeable, though not strong. His reading is very rapid,
but, at the same time, emphatic. As to action, he has
none. Tie aims more at what he says, than how he says
it ; and, if you listen, you will find food for thought in
every phrase."
Here, one of the most popular pulpit orators of all
iu the metropolis—
THE REV. HENRY MELVILLE.
Tall, of dark complexion, with black hair and blue eyes,
with a face lit up with genius—the most brilliant preacher
in the English Church : such is Henry Melville. His action
is simple and singular. When he commences scarcely
any is observable. Then as he flies along, and warms
as he proceeds, the head is dropped with a convulsive jerk,
and the right hand is raised, and the climax is ejaculated
(for so rapid is his delivery it can scarcely be called preach-
ing) with a corresponding emphasis. NO sooner is the text
enunciated than he plunges at once into his subject, deve-
loping and illustrating his meaning with a brilliancy and
rapidity unparalleled in the pulpit at the present day. You
are kept in breathless attention."
The sketch, half critical, half biographical, given
immediately afterwards, of the Rev. Robert Mont-
gomery, is one of those portions of the volume
already alluded to as blurred by personality, and
distorted into caricature. The author depicts iu a
more genial and kindly spirit his next subject—
THE HON. AND REV. MR. VILLIERS.
" His figure is prepossessing—a great thing in a public
speaker. Weak, stunted, deformed, wretched-looking
men have no business iu the pulpit. A man should have
a portly presence there. He should also have a Sue voice, and
Mr. Villiers is singularly happy in this respect. In the
Church there is not a man who can read its stately service
with more effect. Anti that service, well read to the
bearer in a fitting mood, is a sermon itself. Nor does Mr.
Villiers' merit end here. He is no dull drone when the
service is over and the sermon has begun. With downcast
eye he reads no moral essay that touches no conscience and
fires no heart. On the contrary, he is exceedingly active
and energetic in the pulpit. He looks his congregation in
the face- —he directs his discourse to them. Ile takes care
that not a single word shall lose its aim."
After these five popular preachers of the Church
of England, come six of the Independent Denom
John
Campbell, the Rev. John Leifchild, the Rev.
Thomas Lynch, the Rev. Samuel Martin, and, last
of all, one from the delineation of whom we shall
indulge our readers with a brief extract—

EDWARD MIALL, ESQ., M.P.

" place Miall in the pulpit, and a (glance will tell you
the man. You can see he has been brought up in a divinity
lle e • he has all the prim and unfashionable air of youth
coaregd 'in such secluded spots. His pale face tolls of
rtehought. You see in his small clear eye that thought
crystallises in his brain. His clenched hand, his determined
teeth, his shrugged-up shoulders, prepare you for the tena-
city with which he clings to what thoughts come to him,
In the House of Commons and elsewhere, Miall is the
same—not elated when applauded, not depressed when re-
viled ; unbending, imperturbable, mild in demeanour, yet
inflexible in purpose."

Having thus depicted the editor of the Noncon-
formist, Mr. Ritchie " pencils off" three popular
preachers of the Baptist Denomination—the Rev.
William Brock, the Rev. J. Howard Hinton, and
thus also—

literature. Speaking of romance writers, it is amaz- lated ;of action he can be said scarcely to have any. Bap.
ing that he makes no adequate mention either of test Noel is a thorough Englishman in this respect.
Charles Paul de Kock, or of Alexandre Dumas the As a companion picture to this we give the fol-
voluminous and inexhaustible. Ref-rring to the lowing mention by our author of the " shining
philosophers renowned as scientific men-of-letters, light" of the Presbyterians
it is matter of astonishment that he dedicates not ,t
Dr.
CummingTHE
himself
JOHN CUMMING.
a page, not even a paragraph, to savans as illus-determined
man, with
fi
t looks
oo
good intellectual
a large
sturdy,cr
Scotchpo er
w, ande
trious as Arago and Leverrier. That he should that power well cultivated, but all in the
overlook Juste, or minor writers of that class, though so little does the Doctor's speechy betray him,Y
cannot, of course, be in any respect surprising. A. that you would scarcely notice that his pronuncia,
tion, was that of nativee_ of the ' Land of Cakes?
few mediocrities are (at all times and under all
circumstances) amply sufficient. OXtya aXtc TOT 11
e s y
io
su n
brown.looking,
shhe ishwaeirars spectacles,
and
01.1. is corn,
tarp/eq. apKEt. But with all their scarcely nu- plosioncan say nothing about his eyes; or, as
merable faults, neither Dumas nor De Kock gown and bands, asto the robustnessof his frame. He looksa
can assuredly be designated mediocrities. And agile and well set ; strong in the faith, and master of texts
assuredly, also, among the greatest of the great men innumerable wherewith to support that faith. A polished,
who have dedicated their genius to the most sub- ig3reseeful self-contained and self-satisfied man. H
' of large heart and sympathies, but he hasemaoy
lime of the physical sciences, may be ranked the appearance of one. He rather seems a man grestnint
those two glorious astronomers—Arago and Le- small things, tediously proper and scrupulously correct—
verrier. While, however, we may object to a great gun, I imagine, at an Evangelical tea-table—and,
sundry faults of omission in regard to this remark- with his ultra-Protestantism (he is a countrymen of Miss
able survey of French literature during and after Cunninghame's, and every Scotchman hates Popery as a
the Restoration, we could
.mention. among its certain personage does holy water), he is a tremendous
favourite at Exeter Hall. Indeed, Ido not know that
blemishes but few faults of commission. Gratefulfor there is at this time a more popular performer on those
the delight which the perusal of this masterly cri- boards, and he is a favourite with people whose favour
ticism has yielded us, wo can speak of it in terms P
only of unaffected admiration. It matters but little pecuniarily is worth something —with people who can afford
to buy his books. Hence, also, he is one of the most
in its regard—when weighing it in the balance of copious religious writers of our day."
judgment—it signifies comparatively nothingt,hat Another Presbyterian is described in the person
we find it remarked with more familarity ephratse of the Rev. James Hamilton, and then come sun-
than we should have thought befitting the dignity dry pages devoted respectively to Johannes Rouge,
of history, that Napoleon was always "on the the Re v. William Forster, and the Rev. Henry
look-out" for genius in any department. wee lerson, classed together under the vague head of
the miscellaneous. A curious supplement relating,
can pass by as of no account the casual straws
caught up in the flow of that rushing eloquence as its title intimates, to the cathedrals of the capi-
which time will solidify and eternize into the tal, introduces the reader successively to St. Paul's,
amber current of historic narrative. Closing the to St. Geor,e's, to the Irvingite, and to the old
Abb
volume after a perusal of this brilliant chap- Abbey at Westminster.
ter—a chapter in itself a masterpiece —we
can think, not of the occasional flaws in
the style, but of the exquisite taste every
sentence evidences, the rhetorical power of the
annalist, his extraordinary variety of knowledge, his
classic erudition, his wonderful familiarity with
every branch of modern literature, his eclectic en-
thusiasm, but, above all, his noble and splendid
magnanimity. This magnanimity he reveals at
the very outset of his criticism when be is consider-
ing the relative merits of contemporary historians,
as though he himself had no pretensions to the
name of annalist. With no unstinting hand, but
with words of panegyric, and with cordial fervour,
Alison awards the bay garland of Clio, with more
or less ample umbrage, according to their deserts,
to Guizot, Sismondi, Thierry, Michaud, Barante,
Salvandi, Tillers, Lamartine. It is worthy of him
—for the critic has no need of jealousy, even if
his nature could harbour so vile a feeling. Another
peculiarity scarcely less deserving attention may be
coupled with this same magnanimity. The flowing
periods, or rather the ample folds of his rhetoric, do
not preclude Alison from the sparkling point of sen-
tences eminently epigrammatic. He says (p. 559) of
Chateaubriand—" He was a man of the olden time
stranded by fate on the storm-beaten shore of the
Revolution." He writes magnificently of Thiers
(p. 621), particularly iu reference to his Histoire
au Consulate et de l'Enipire—" Not only is he in-
genious, dramatic, and eloquent, but his writings
abound in important, general, and often in just
generous appreciation of individual character."
He talks (p. 618) of Chateaubriand having visited
the Holy Sepulchere " with the mingled feelings
of a classic scholar and a devout pilgrim," and
Lamartine " with the highly-wrought imagination
of a poet and the brilliant conceptions of a painter,"
and Michaud " with the heroic spirit of a Crusader."
Throughout the whole of this elaborate criticism,
moreover, Alison continues to approve himself
alike earnest, discriminating, genial, and magnani-
mous—even to the close of the chapter, when
turning from letters he directs his attention to
actors, painting, and architecture. Altogether
his latest volume will in no way deteriorate his
reputation : on the contrary, we rest assured that
so far from in any respect derogating from his
fame as the historian of modern Europe, it will
constitute only an additional and important means
towards securing its perpetuation.

Murray's Rand-book to Turkey. Third edition.

Murray.
As timely a reissue of one of Mr. Murray'c; world-
famous hand-books as we have ever marked among
this class of publications. Doubtless, had the
volume appeared yet a little earlier, it would
have been advantageousit
for its circulation. But,
whoeverything
hav have
examined
underbe notice, obvious to
thatth theose
rapidity with which the
pages
the information contained
them, has been collected andl arranged together in
adaptedac-
cording tofo ther aff accustomedording facilitis a n
for
ainpstlaannt
admirablyrefeee
—is really, in a remarkable facilities
extraordinary.
Transmitted, as, we doubt not,e many
Hand-book will inevitably be by tahneyfrai
home) of our brave soldiers now encamped
Scu-
tari or Gallipoli, it cannot fail to be accepted
att dScu-
them with all eagerness as a more useful companionpeby
in Italy inn thein
than the travelling Englishman would find
France or Belgium in the courier,
cicerone, or in Turkey itself in the most skilled and
faithful dragoman. Accompanied with new maps
and plans, revised and greatly augmented, this the
third edition of the " Handbook to Turkey" will
be found on examination to supply the traveller
with a fund of valuable information in regard to
Constantinople, European Turkey, Asia Minor,
Armenia, and Mesopotamia. Sections relating to
passports, firmans, Turkish money, Turkish weights
and measures, the Mahommedan year, and a
Turkish Vocabulary, are comprised in a very read-
able and gossipping General Introduction. friends lefdf thista.t

OPENING OF CANNON-STREET W EST.

This day, at one o'clock, the entire line of the New
Cannon street, from the statue of King 'William, at
Eastcheap, to St. Paul's Churchyard, was formally
opened to the public for carriage traffic by the Improve-
ment Committee connected with the Corporation of the
City of Sondon.
The boarding round the plot of ground recently cleared
will be taken down, for the purpose of furnishing to the
Committee and the public a full opportunity of viewing
the south front of the cathedral, the object specially
being to determine what steps are to be taken ultimately
as to throwing the site into the public way. Mr. Tite,
the Chairman of the Royal Society of British Architects,
with several of the members, were in attendance at the
architect's view.
We understand that, in consequence of the movement
made in the matter by the press, and from other causes,
the improvement Committee have agreed to recommend
a plan which will give to the public a large portion of
the space. The suggestions made to-day by the Cor-
poration, to the Royal Society of Architects, we
hear to be as follows :—They propose to cover that por-
tion of the present street called " Old Change," lying
between the intersection of it by Cannon-street West
and Watling-street, on the north, by a rounded frontage,
facing St. Paul's church, and looking westward. By
doing this the ground now forming the roadway of that
part of the Old Change would be made available for
building purposes, a finish given to the new street, a
useless bit of thoroughfare profitably disposed of, and
the major part of the space now cleared thrown into the
public way. There is, we have moreover the satisfaction
of stating, but little doubt of these propositions meeting
with the approval of the Court of Common Council.
The chief objection to the proposition is the probable
money loss the Corporation would sustain, but this ob-
jection has been met by Mr. Alderman Lawrence, Al-
derman Muggeridde, Deputy Harrison, and other in-
fluential members of the Corporation, who argue that an
improvement of this character is not only of City, but of
metropolitan, and indeed of national, importance, and
that, if necessary, a general local rate in order to effect
it might justifiably be sought for. At all events it is to
be hoped that, now there is such a favourable oppor-
tunity of promoting so desirable a design, no paltry pe-
cuniary considerations may interfere to prevent its being
carried into execution.