The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-01 00:00:00

MAGAZINE-DAY.

BLACKWOOD' S' MAGAZINE.
Mr. Alison's History of the French Revolu-
tion—or rather the ninth volume of this elabo-
rate work—forms the subject of a spirited critical
notice in this Number. 'We find little to object
to in this notice, unless it be the Reviewer's esti-
Mate of Napoleon, whom, in one place, he styles
:` the prince of charlatans," and in another, an
incorrigibly heartless, innately perfidious, and
"leniorselessly bloody tyrant," who made the
nearest approach to a fiend of any man that
ever sate on a throne." Hard words these, so much
tso as to be quite ridiculous. Napoleon was no
Worse than other conquerors : indeed he was far su-
perior to many ; and, considering the prodigious
elevation he attained, the power he Nvielded, the
temptations to which he was subjected, and the
sanguinary and licentious period at which he
Coiiimenced his career, the wonder is, not that
be committed. so many crimes, but that he com-
mitted so few. As regards his charlatanism, this
charge
1-3
history.
's we think, sufficiently refuted by his
It was not charlatanism that gained
turn, at the tyre of twenty-six, his first laurels in
;telly ; still less was it charlatanism that won the
patties of Marengo and Austerlitz, and drew up
that famous code which extorted the admiration
of the first legislators and lawyers of the age.
" Sketches of Italy" are light, pleasant reading
en°llgll, dashed off at a heat, and evidently
While the impressions were yet strong in the
',niter's mind. . The comments on the " Report
irolll the Select Committee of Fine Arts" are
seasonable and, judicious, and we coincide with
ue •
„ 0h jections to Mr. Barry's proposal to increase
Le quantity of light to be let in through the
l'°°t. in "Westminster Hall. As these objections
are eloquently and forcibly urged, we cannot do
eettir than quote a portion of them :
irWhat ! increase the dormar windows in 'Westminster
11a11—make so material an alteration in the ancient
architect's design ! The quantum of light, and position
of it, is to architecture what chioroscuro is to painting.ls
O human being has a right to meddle in this great
i; —r ; and what could be worse than to let in any por-
-en of. present and garish day into that grey and misty
tiquity, the atmosphere of ages-Lthe shadowy hall,
Vioie aerial distances are as blended epochs of far-off
„lin° 1- The very beams and rafters are eloquent, im-
-s'rcgnated with the breath of hoary wisdom, throw-
ItZi,loff their EVE :4 inrEpovtra in echoy sounds, from
their recesses of mystic and oracular obscurity. Fit
e'en now, wherein the shade of Alfred may walk
in,raPottry majesty, and, like the great Achilles, rejoice
hhen he learns that his sons excel in glory. Here is
: ideal of architecture—the personification of a great
anclory : let it rest in its ori,inal intention. If pictures
h„ Statues must be there, let them be painted for the
loquirt,ing and not mutilate the building to make modern co-
the more conspicuous."
an Chapters of Turkish History", are devoted t:..1
ti„ account of the famous siege of Vienna
t:rlng the reign of Solyn'Ao.n the Magnificent-
-61,_ contemporary of Terancis Lowe trace n
.th arles the Fifth, alid the most prful p
detailschi
of this event, so glorious to the Christian
valry_;or the Turk here met with one of his
vi• st crushing defeats—are given with infinite
lap,°C. and minuteness. " Hebraistics," is an
hZ,lB,mg notice of an old drama, supposed to
11:° been written by a Jew. " Homer and the
,
iss,,llterid," is not so good this month as it was
It is too prolix and desultory, and as it
le have no beginning, so it comes to no
has • fusion. " Grandfathers and Grandchildren,"
ilb 'very much of a grandfather's prosiness
poet it. " Funcheon Woods," is an elegant
:e livbeYMr. Simmons; but we prefer quoting
iy quiz on Lord Palinerston's mode of
If 11" racing the Greek word Ilione (Hilli-onnee).
thee mistake not, his Lordship will be among
fit'st to laugh at its good-humoured archness:
HILLI-ONNEE.
The Whigs can boast of many a name,
Great Normanby and Little Johnny ;
But far their foremost child of fame
Is he that owns fleet Hilli-onnee.
•
'Hong lords and legs a contest rose
As fierce as e'er we fought with Bonny ;
From words it almost came to blows,
And still the theme was Hilli-onnee.
And some said this and some said that :
No want there was of caco-phony
•
With short and long, with sharp and flat,
They sore misnotner'd Hilli-onnee.
Then one bethought him of a way
To terminate this aeri-mony ;
He call'd as umpire of the fray,
The Lord that owns fleet Hilli-onnee.
His Lordship, though a scholar once,
At this appeal was much etonne ;
But loth to be' esteem 'd a dunce,
He search'd his books for Hilli-onne.
No doubt he well remember'd yet
Old Sophocles's Hanti-gonne ;
A clearer case he could not get,
Nor more in point for Hilli-onnee.
But firmer proofs he sought and found;
The Greeks, disliking mono-bonny,
Had accents to direct the sound,
And these show'd hero 'twas Hilli-onnee.
He wrote his answer, brief, yet bright
With claisic wit and keen i-ronny,
And having quash'd the Tories quite,
Ile taught us all 'twas Milli-onnee.
0, Peel ! your guilt what tongue can tell !
'Twas nothing less than rank fe-lonny,
To oust a Lord who talks so well
• Of heathen Greek and,Hilli-onnee.
Ilad I the might of Pindar's muse
To sing the praise of Palmer-stonny;
The deathless Prince of Syracuse
Should yield to him and Hilli-ennee.
Pindar, alas ! is in his grave ;
But this good page of old E-bonny,
dist:int days the names shall save
Of Palmer-ston and ounce.

Tl,, BENTLEY S MISCELLANY.
is the most spirited and entertaining
tieji `,)er We have read for many a month. The
tie "autastic _humour of Ingoldsby—the drama-
Zv.er of Whitehead—the quaint, cordial,
ters6'l4F..o eccentricity of George-Daniel—and the
• forin' -graphic vigour of Oilier—all combine to
the
.ha miscellany unsurpassed, if equalled, by
Piet "t of its periodical contemporaries. The
%keltsrial department is not less Clever ; and the
as fin of the " Auto-da-fe" by Leech, exhibits
desii.-e a specimen of mock horror as one could
Rite eto shake one's sides at. What an exqui-
thernsenee of all intelligence and sensibility is
01,;'11,the simpering countenance of the Spanish
Jew-i,reil) Who is coolly taking snuff, while a
Ittba;angs roasting before him, evidently much
h iraBrd by the novelty of his position !
`418.L-4.4 oaPpy counterpart of the royal phiz is
184,1' Gold Stick in Waiting, who stares at the
Nei? t 9, as if astonished at, his bad taste in
faciaelan' delighted with the opportunity of
• Gttng, Majesty ! The expressive mug of the
11%4:4 'lnquisitor, which indicates a benevolent
1111111 r that the Jew should be "done to a
111111,2';,is equally irresistible. Of the poem, thus
"tustrated, we cannot speak in warmer
4olonst,.°Praise than when we say that it is
Itia:llie best that Ingoldsby has produced..
proe,,--pot Savage" improves in interest as it
triui-cus. here is a description of his seizureby
fetes' despatched after him by order of his at
bus mother :
tile „,"." about-to knock at the door, when a man tapped
tbe Shoulder.
mg kell° word with you, if you please," he said, beckon-
'ls va few paces. I attended him.
°lir name Savage ?" he inquired.
1-64* What do you want ?
lendßill
'" wo'r,lremed, was alive to business ; for scarce were
Nwerf spoken, when my arms were pinioned by a
and I was thrust into a coach, the two
after me. In an instant, the door was
.
theln:-Mhe windows were drawn up, the blinds after
and the coach drove off at a rapid rate.
I,4rprias„s° confounded by this sudden seizure, that I was
4101,,,,..jett out Of my presence of mind. In a moment,
xitt, t'l", I regained my senses, and struggling violently
°f one le two fellows, attempted to get hold of the handle
doors.
IhTtule:4\ovrs—fitetil: hailyoung bones and muscles," cried ono of
4411, brutal oath. " This won't do. Down,with
aide or P°ll Bill dealt me a tremendous blow on the
thrust the head, and winding his hand into my cravat,
" I slz-leid°wo upon one of the seats.
41
x,al" be choked," I gasped. " Don't murder me."
chuckle this bout," cried the follow with a hoarse
Illy he Planting his knee upon my chest, and forcing
the rr,ftecl back with his hand. " Now, Watson, where's
eittftl ? Just tie up his pickers and stealers ; he
\vat° much harm after that.'
.!ikbtlv°ll was read with his rope which he bound
r(niad toy wrists. " Now get'up," said he, lend-
llo" a back-lianded slap upon the face, " and tell us
I 117:0411 find yourself time"
' Giver w Nvi MY privatefeelings of resentment. might be,
ceiv,d . enough to keep them very
.private. I per-
had beit,..lvas useless to remonstrate with men, whom,
"(I wh.,':l at perfect liberty I could not effectually resist,
were
.n:zdered me altogether powerless. They
41,4111,e1tm..g iluder orders ; and those, although in some
myself to discover.
or th. ntlemen,,,
I began, (what a shocking perversion
kit 113nucrd- circumstances compel us at times to c, om-
kistake.
_entlemen, I am sure there must be some
who shai cannot be the person you want."
wigs"just k the "gag useful ?" said the. fellow
Called make the that mouth of his will be opening.
n,t,c' fellow, ' cried the other "if you'll promise
the '4IT your throat, and to attempt no escape, Bill,
u re, 6411
f°-se or a se_te,P, his gag in his pocket: if you make a
Zip% wuenlhe, ' swearing horribly, "it shallte worse
14'
./01.4 and have got you; and we know what to do
•
what we choose to do with. you, nobody