The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-26 00:00:00

The Quarterly Review. No. CLXXXVIII.

Several articles of political interest appear as
usual among the contents of the old Quarterly. A
couple of these relate to the absorbing topic of
topics just now, that of the war—one descriptive, as
its title intimates, of "The Turks and Greeks," the
other delineative of " The Russian Emperor," the
latter being a remarkable chapter, of an interest at
once social, political, historical, and geographical.
Both of these opportune essays we can earnestly com-
mend to general consideration. Another political
contribution to the new number of the Quarterly
is rather after date just now, relating, as it does, to
that " New Reform Bill," which was prematurely
withdrawn from the Legislature by Lord John Rus-
sell almost simultaneously with the appearance of
the quarterly publications. Another paper of
public interest, referring to the important subject ,
of " Criminal Law Digest," takes into account (like
its Whig contemporary above mentioned) the im-
portant problem of systematic codification. Dr.
Waagen's recently published volumes, so entitled,
have suggested to another writer an agreeable
treatise on the " Treasures of Art in Great Britain."
Lord Holland's " Memoirs of the Whig Party"
will also be found criticised in the new number
of the Quarterly—rather, perhaps, we should have
said, abused and vilified, for the paper is less a
criticism than a vituperation. Only two other
papers remain now to be particularised one
on Lawrence Sterne," and the other on " Sacred
Geography." The article on Sterne is the " bright
particular star" of the number—one of those grace-
ful literary essays, half critical, half biographical. In
this clever contribution, it is wonderfully well said
by the reviewer, when speaking of the filth scat-
tered so abundantly through Sterne's writings—
" Too much of his wit is the phosphoric light
emitted by corruption." The following sentence,
in one of Sterne's letters, is thus severely com-
mented upon by the writer in the Quarterly :
" ' My Lydia helps to copy for me [Sterne by the
way is speaking of Tristram Shandy], and my wife
knits and listens as I read her chapters.' " Thus
writes Sterne to his correspondent. Whereupon
observes the Quarterly reviewer :

" My Lydia," his only child, was then a girl of fourteen,
and that he set her to copy Tristram Shandy, is a proof at
once that he believed it innocent, and that every feeling of
decorum was dead within him. Whoever is fresh from
the pet usal of the book and recalls the scene that was
passing in this country parsonage—the clergyman of the
parish composing the work, his daughter transcribing, his
wife hearing and applauding it—will at least agree that
the proceeding was neither clerical nor feminine."

The subjoined anecdote will be found abundantly
amusing, and is sufficiently characteristic

" That in his eagerness to sustain his character for hu-
mour he was not very scrupulous as to the means, is appa-
rent from an anecdote related by M. Dutens, who once sat
next him at the table of our ambassador, Lord Tavistock,
in Paris. The conversation turned upon Turin, where M.
Dutens, though a Frenchman, had recently been the
English chargé d'affaires. Sterne, ignorant whom he was
addressing, asked him if ho knew M. Dutens. The com-
pany laughed ; and Sterne, imagining that some ludicrous
associations connected with M. Dutens were the cause of
the hilarity, inquired if he was not rather odd. ' Quite an
original,' replied M. Dutens. I thought so,' said Sterne,
who immediately commenced telling several ridiculous
traits of the chargé d'affaires, all of which were the
coinage of his brain. The laughter which arose he mistook
for a tribute to tho comicality of his description, and en-
tertained the circle for the rest of the evening with the
absurdities of M. Dutens. When his butt retired, and
Sterne was admitted into the secret, the guests pretended
that the chargé d'affaires, though restrained at the moment
by respect for his host, was an irascible man, who would
demand reparation in the morning. Sterne sought him
out to avert his auger, begged his pardon, pleaded in ex-
cuse the desire he felt to amuse the company, embraced
him warmly, and requested the honour of his friendship.
If a scene was not otherwise very creditable to Sterne, the
praise of a fertile and ready invention, in extemporising
the imaginary eccentricities of M. Dutens, must at least be
conceded to him "