The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-06 00:00:00

FORBES' HUNTING DIARY.

A useful accompaniment to the above is Forbes
Hunting Diary, arranged so as to record the sport of
the season for the followers of foxhounds, stag-
hounds, and barriers. It is a blank book, ruled in
columns intended to contain memoranda, under the
following; heads :—" Hounds, Huntsmen, the Meet,
Horses, Stag, Fox, Harriers, Covers Drawn, Found
or Uncarted, Wind, Weather, Scent, Check, Killed
or Taken, Observations." A book of this kind when
filled up would afford an interesting summary of a
season's sport.

CLASSICAL SOURCES OF BRITISH
TOR Y. A Colonial Warning. By S
Bannister, formerly Attorney- General of New
South Wales.

The object' of this work, which, when completed,
will prove in the highest degree interesting to every
reader who can appreciate the production of a philan-
thropist and a scholar, rich in illustration, accurate
in research, and lucid in style, is to show, more
especially from the disasters of the Romans in Britain,
that conquests are adverse, and that a system of
humane policy is indispensable to the lasting progress
of civilization, but that British influence and terri-
tory may be securely and justly extended by the
steady introduction of good government, furnished
with means to civiliz3 the savage and to protect ail.
The published portion of the book comprises the
introduction, and a large collection of extracts from
the works of those classical authors who have made
allusion to ancient Britain. Tne idea of colh ctiog
from classical writers the passages concerning Britain
was conceived three centuries ago. In 1.530 the
Earl of Worcester published a little pamphlet
of this character, but only containing ex-
tracts from Cws.sr. Eichere s work applies
the same idea to the whole ancient world, but he
limits his extracts, as to Britain, to Cwiar and Ta-
citus. Petric's important vvo; k is perplexing, from
the arrangement adopted of the early known materials
of the history of this island, and the present work
bids fait to be an improvement upon these similar
productions. The range of authors quoted is very
extensive. Among the Greeks the principal are
Streik), iDiolorua Siculus, Polybius, Aristotls, and
the unknown composer of the Argonautics of Or-
pheus. Among the Latins, Cmsar, Cicero, Pliny ;
numerous peas of the Augustan age—Tacitus,
Juvenal, and Rufus Avienus. The heart of Mr.-
Bannister is set on the working out of one of the
great problems of humanity, namely—What system
will the more satisfactorily secure the safety and
civilization of the barbarous tribes with which we
have intercourse ? In other words,—How civilized
',miens can be best relieved from the dishonour of,
year after year, inflicting wrong, when, by due care,
they might confer benefits upon those tribes ? Tnii
problem, he conceives, is to be resolved by the im-
proved study of history, which, if studied
to its true spirit, as "philosophy teaching by
example," should, from the consideration ef the rela-

fi .rms of the eivilizcd iinciews with our rude and
earlier forefathers, aftbrd some lessons for our guid-
ance in the conduct of the like relations subsisting
between ourselves and the less civilized races of the
present day. The illustration of the maxim, that
little presprity can be enjoyed by the most success-
ful conquerors—as were the Romans in the British
isles, whose domination eri4el in a frightful ruin,
from their contemptuous disregard of justice and
conciliation towards the natives—is principally taken
from our calamitous ill-policy in Southern Africa.
Our limits preclude us from entering upon the several
inapir:arit considerations which a study of these
pages naturally cause to arise, and it would be
injustice to the erudite and clear-sighted author to
give a meagre outline of the topics which he adduces
with such high ability. To the completion 'of his
labours in this field we look forward with the
gre4est interest. in common wi h all who love to
pay its meed to literary merit, employed
in the development and elucidation of sound and
comprehensive views of A:des:unship. Would that
our rulers were thoroughly imbued with the noble
and politic sentiments of which the author of this
volume—no mawkish philanthropist, or inexperienced
theorist—is the energetic advocate. Tt.e brightest
sword will rust, and the greenest laurels fade, save in
the rare instance of a Washington, a Kossuth, and
the deathless brother-band of pure-souled patriots—
the blcol•cementel triumphs ! of the ancient Quen
of nations, and of many a conquering dynasty, are
crumbled into dust, but the extension of empire by
the pure and peaceful weapons of civilization and
conciliatory government, will rcdound to the uLdying
glory of its authors, and ensure solidity and .reVeren-