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

DECEMBER 6 1819

LITERATURE.
!THE ROMANCE OF THE PEERAGE; or,
Curiosities of Family History. Vol. 111. By G.
Lillie Craik.

The readers of the two preceding volumes of this
romantic history w ill require little recommendation
to induce them to take up the third and recently-
Lsued volume. it combines the interest of the novel
Vi it h the graver attractions of history. The subject
of duelling occupies a iyoininent place in this last
volume, the Wharton and Stuart duel, and the Bruce
and Saukville duel being the topics of two of the
historical romances which it contains. "Charles
Brandon's Widow and her Second Alan-Lige," "Bess
of Hardwick and the Talbots," " Thc Cavendislies
and the Stenhopes," " Lord Pembroke and Sir George
Wharton," "Lord Crichton of Sinqubar," and "The
Earldom of Menteith," are the subjects of the re-
maining historielles. In some respects the most in-
teres:ing article in the volume is the first, entitled
" The Ilireditary Principle." Its appearance is
certainly well-timed, now that so many hereditary
rights have been set aside, and the fact of their being
rights at all is called in question. We cannot :.ay
that we entirely agree with the opinions of Mr. Craik,
but the following arguments are eminently truthful in
practice, whatever they may be in theory :
" Thy thing that is of chief momeLt with r gard to
the place of high: at dignity in a well-old:40d common-
' wealth is, that it be fhl d. By whom it is fiat(' is eons-
p4rwivoly unimportant. It is impossible that any
considerable power of independent or self originating
c:inn can he lift to the individual occupying it. An
rx'raordivary crisis will cull forth a Luder, who shall
still) and wield all thet!authority of the State LS if
by a divine right ; but th4=re are no means of
s. curing an unbroken succeision of such heaven-
ci.mmissioned autocrats. - h the normal condi-
tion of national affairs a principal part of the
tutted:li to be performed by the cfliJial head of the
State is merely to occupy,hii position. The first necessity
of that prsition is, that it cannot be left empty. So 10E,
it would b,3 a gaih in the body politic. It will not re-
main empty. If there be no regular way of fling it pro-
vided, the thing will be -done by some &regular preces4
'f ho principle of hereditary succession, operating with
tl.e constancy of a law of n tare, seems to offer at once
a p-rtectly sufficient, and by far the most convenient and
least objectionable ago ney for meeting all the difficulties
of the case.

6' One of the most beautiful among the simplifications
of science is that by which. in the Arabic system of
arithmetical notatiou, the figure is made ;o derive the
greater part of its value from the place in with hit
stands. An analogous contrivance is (cruelly availalle
in a social or political system. Much of the force by
which any such system is to be sustained and kept is
motion, may be advantageously made to reside more in
the place than in the pers3n. Matters may ba so arranged
that it shall be not so much the individual as his posi-
tion that rules and influences. This force of the positioa
is an incident of social efficiency which discriminates it
from many other kinds of efficiency. A man cannot be made
a sounder mathematician by being appointed a professor
of mathematics. If his mathematical knowledge o:
genius ho hat small, his professorship will not m -ke it
more. But the sort of power that is required in the
members of a social or political system is often only a
power of weight or pressure. It is derived from their
position much more than from themselves. It Int Ates
itself felt not in directing or even in impelling the machine
of government, so much as in I.eeping its centre ofgravily in
the right place. It is neither the sail nor the rudder of
the veas‘l, but rather the ballast or the keel. All that
you have to do, therefore, to maintain in the machine a
force of any desired amount, which shall continue to act
in a direction that may be assigned, is to create certain
positions or circumstances in which a certain number of
individuals shall always stand. The fixed potitious will
correct any irregulatity of action that might when% is,:
be produced by the more variable or less determinable
ciaan:ity of the individual minds and characters."

The efficacy of this system is happily—exemplified by
the British Constitution.

FORBES' GUIDE TO THE FOXHOUNDS
AND STAGLIOUN DS OF ENGLAND.
By Gelert.
.‘ Fox-hunting," says the compiler cf this guide,
" has been the glory of England for the last century ;
no other nation of the earth comprehends either the
intensity of sport or manliness of character induced
by this noble pastime." To the devotees of this
" glory of England" Forbes' Guide will b.; an in
valuable acquisition. Its character will be best
exhibited by a Ppecimen of its contents. All the
" foxhounds and staghounds of England" are arranged
according to the following plan :
" BUCKS.—bTAGIIOUNDS.
" Name of county or hounds—The Barons Rothschild;
Masters—Barons Meyer and Lionel Rothschild; Hunts-
man—Tom Balls; Days of Hunting—Monday, Thurs-
day. (These details are arranged in separate columns,
in order to be easily referred to.) Favourite fixtures—
Hardwick, Adstock, Aston Abbott's, Winslow, Little
Iharwood, Liscombe Park, Oving, Rowsham, Broughton
Farm, Aston Clinton, Denham Hills, Hockliffe Grange.
" The Barons are doing the thing as they have always
done it, in tip-top form. They have thirty- one couple
of hounds in kennel, and after ten seasons ure beginning
to get them tolerably level. Their entry of puppies for
the coming season is magnificent—ten ancl a half couples,
three couples of which, in one litter, aro worth going
too miles to see. They have about fifteen hunt rs,
averaging 2501. each. Two deer aro always taken to
the meet ; and if they do not get twelve miles out of
the first, the second is uncarted. The gentlemen of the
hunt are generally hard goers, especially the Honourable
Robert Grimston ; and Tom Balls, as ho need be, is in-
vincible. The Barons rejoice in, the Vale of Aylesbury."

till lave until ti:ue shall bo no more. May sueh be
yet the policy, and such the reward of Imperial
Englal d !