The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-02 00:00:00

THE -SUN, LONDON, WEDNE,SDA Y, SEPTEMBER 2, 18401

MAGAZINES.-CONTINUED.

WESTMINSTER FEVIEW.—No
The new discovery 116bpa-, 18 Cr.
umber
of the " Electrotype and
Daguerreotype" is discussed with Much
this Minut-
eness in
are frequent, so
n t the
the e. ahav rie aftoi ad
larc,2)
given its so scientificthat
a manner, and the tedhiribsi
allusions -
little .1-c"
.„ unneulty in grappling with the Reviewer's de-
tails. In fact, the article is calculated sadly to
puzzle ignoramuses---and we must confess with
shame that we rank among theinthotteh scien-
tific men, and especially engravers, will, no doubt,
derive much useful instruction from it. "On the
early History of China" is introduced by some re-
marks on that period of the Chinese annals where
the historical is so intimately blended with the
fabulous, that it is impossible to discriminate be-
tween them. The closing portion of the article,
however, where the Reviewer treats of China as it
has existed for the last three or four centuries,
will repay an attentive perusal ; for here he stands
upon firmer ground, and having himself visited the
country, and made good use of his faculties of ob-
servation, he is fully competent to speak of the pre-
sent habits, habits, laws, institutions, &c., of the in-
habitants, so far at least as they can be known to a
European. He is far from thinking so slightingly
of the Chinese as Englishmen have long been in
the habit of doing. " Literature," he assures us,
" has been almost a national pursuit ; the works
of various kinds now existing in the Celestial Em-
pire, are probably much more numerous than those
of Europe ; and whatever merit they may possess,
the scholars have yet to be found by whom it can be
fairly appreciated, and by whom this mine can be
properly explored. Literary talent in China still ob-
tains the highest honours. The road to civil distinc-
tion is through public halls of examination, and the
common people are fond of reading. The system
of government pursued is, on the whole, favourable
to the industry. of the people, and the extent to
which it was once supposed population presses in
China upon the means of subsistence, is an entire
delusion. The working classes are contented, the
rights of property are respected, and there exists in
China, as in England, a wealthy middle class."
The Reviewer then proceeds to comment on the
conduct—misconduct rather—of the late Lord
Napier, and to expose the mictranslation of certain
Chinese documents of recent diplomatic manufac-
ture. " The French Drama" is an elaborate
essay, and evinces reading ; but it is of too ram-
bling and desultory a nature, and expatiates over
far too extensive a field of criticism. The Review-
er's remarks on the Homeric character of Achilles,
that he is " a fretful, savage, revengeful monster,"
satisfies us that he is but imperfectly read in the
" Iliad." The lengthy notice of " Hampton
Court" is a successful illustration of the old adage
" much ado about nothing." The generality of
readers will find in it much that they know already,
and almost as much that they do not care to know.
The live!iest portions of the article are the descrip-
tive, where the Reviewer details the particulars of
a steam-boat excursion from London-bridge to
Richmond. " Elevation of the Labouring Classes"
is chiefly interesting by reason of the profuse ex-
tracts which are given from Dr. Channing's im-
portant American lectures on this subject. Of
the criticism on " Rankes's History of Popes"—a
capital work, notwithstanding the abuse that has
been showered on it—we need say nothing, as the
subject has been already abundantly discussed in
all its bearings.

UNITED SERVICE JOURNAL.
In this Number there is an account of his " Per-
sonal adventures in Georgia, Circassia, and
Russia," written by Colonel Cameron, wherein he
describes the punishment inflicted on the Russian
soldiery, when guilty of acts of insubordination,
breaches of discipline, &c. Compared with the
punishments, our own
btandeseas it is—is a mere trifle,
hat must be the national
systemantorto ‘cs.i
worth
ruot stfleaosi'
gekrgi
gry,
go—off w
spirit of a country—what, its rulers' sense of jus-
tice and humanity, when practices like the follow-
ing arc not only tolerated, but encouraged? The
Colonel is describing the military punishment, en-
titled " running the gauntlet." The details are
enough to make one's blood boil :
A number of men, varying from a single squadron to
a whole regiment, according to the number of lashes to
be inflicted, arc formed in single ranks facing inwards,
each soldier being armed with a strong oaken rod about
four feet and the thickness of the middle finger.
The unhappy prisoner, stripped to the waist and hand-
cuffed, is then marched through, two soldiers holding
the points of their sabres, or bayonets, at his breast, to
prevent his advancing beyond a certain pace, and re-
ceiving from each man as he passes, a blow given with
his whole force. This continues till weary nature can
hold no longer, and he /sinks down unable to move ; his
senseless form is then placed upon a hurdle or wheel-
barrow, and in this manner he is dragged on, and receives
the rest of his punishment. It may reasonably be sup-
posed that not a few expire under its infliction on
the spot, while many more live but to writhe in the
most harrowing and excruciating tortures in the regi-
mental hospitals, till death happily terminates their suf-
ferings. But the worst is yet to bo mentioned : in the
event of the former occurring, the given number must
yet be inflicted, and horrible to relate, the hideous livid
mass of senseless, shapeless, human clay, is still drawn
through the ranks, the corpse resounding with the blows
rained upon it, till the sentence is rendered complete.
" Essay on the Past and present State of Forti-
fication in Europe" is a scientific paper, but we
must honestly confess our inability to understand
the nature of the terms employed in explanation of
the subject. " Recollections of an Old Soldier"
will be found generally amusing, for all readers are
fond of anecdotes, especially when neatly told, as is
the case in the present instance. But the most
important article in the number is the estimate of
he " Naval Forces of Great Britain and France."

MONTHLY MAGAZINE.
In the article headed " Mohammed Ali and the
Affairs of the East," the writer, we think,
entertains too flattering a notion of the pre-
sent prosperity of Egypt, and appears equally. dis-
posed to overate the genius of its ruler. Ali is by
no means the great regenerator of the county.
We grant that he has, in some respects, materially
improved its condition, and multiplied its com-
mercial resources ; but he is still the irresponsible
despot, whose caprice is law ; and who, if he affords
they
a certain sort of protection to trade, oppresses it
with a tremendous load, in the shape of imposts
and exactions. According to the. opinions of se-
veral recent travellers, Egypt is still
.an oppressed,
impoverished country, and the more distant villages
on the banks of the Nile are just as wretched, and
sacks of eyes,"
the inhabitants just as much enslaved, as
were in the days of the Beys and Mame'tikes.
" Present Aspects of Poetry" is an impartial no-
tice of Mr. Milne's recently published volume of
poems. The cruelties of the late Shah, who, when
" Love Song, by
he was displeased with the inhabitants of a city, laid
a contribution on them ':noef
Hsecntial
are forcibly exposed in ". Persian Reminiscences."
" Hopeless Love," by D. J. Osborne,
a a remindsn ou
fs
Quality."som e%'ht of
.Pepe s
It is very sugary and senti-
mental.

LONDON MAGAZINE.
A smart, satirical, periodical, in which there are
usually some light prose and verse sketches, illus-
trated by humourous plates. The Number before
us is the cleverest of the series.

SPORTING REVIEW --NEW SPORTING
MAGAZINE.
We class these two Periodicals together, because
Apperton—is embel-
lished
they both treat of the same class of subjects ; are
read for the most part by the same class of readers;
and both display a nearly equal amount of ability.
The Review—which is, we believe, under the ma-
of the most skilful of these
nbae gste) miesnw,t,
itoilf
entitled
two Nimrod,"
A Little
eiig r
ai M
ir.
iges ,
one of ‘vhich (the
13c11i1 1 d , , ,
and repre-
sents two dogs chasing a rabbit to his burrow ; and
the Magazine has the same number of plates.
I he literary contents of both
periodicals are of an average calibre.
lofty8:oo ,t Scott
whichistiles
mountain pass.v engravero% su s

THE cHRIST/AN REFoRNER.
'r he
elentiii 11 Ig the Doctrine of
the Trinity," ir y into the State
of the
Irelandiiitleedab"o Anr
reastilF and
es
'at
disqui-
sition by a lawyer, on a point which it is desirable
should be set at rest. The long and still unde-
cided cause, commonly called the .‘ Hewley cause,"
in which it is sought to exclude men of unblemishedcharacter, against whom no malversation can be
1
alleged, from a trust founded nearly a century and
a half ago, merely
because they deny the doctrine
of the Trinity, renders it a subject of considerable
interest to know exactly how far the law bears out