The Sun.
London, England, 1847-09-09 00:00:00

MAGAZINES-(CONTINUED.)

DOUGLAS JERROLD'S MAGAZINE.
The September number of Douglas Jerrold is
scarcely equal to its predecessors. " The Dreamer
and the Worker" is continued, but is somewhat
heavy ; and Paul Bell, in his dissertation on
" Pound and Penny Bribery," is positively
dull. The article which follows, however, on
" Demoeracy in 1847," is excellent. The argu-
ment in favour of the repeal of the laws of pri-
mogeniture and entail is unanswerable. The exclu-
sive policy which is at once the cause and the effect
of these laws, which concentrate property into a few
hands—

" Gives to a nation the appearance of splendour and
prosperity without the solid foundation of either opu-.
lence or internal peace—it is the policy of a slovenly
mother who washes her child's face and hands and leaves
the brat's body uncleansed. Indisputable facts demon-
strate most clearly that the concentration of wealth has
changed the relative strength of the different elements of
power, leaving the grand body of the people without any
other defence than the inevitable influence of a free
internal spirit. In 1815 the properties of 250,000 families
had, within the space of forty years, been concentrated
in the hands of 32,000 proprietors ; and so 218,000
families had in the above space of time lost their influ-
ence in the conduct of the State. This was aristocratic
policy worthy of its progenitors—it was endured silently.
" The land of France belongs to fifteen or twenty
millions of peasants who cultivate it ; the soil of England
is the exclusive property of thirty-two thousand aristo-
crats who hire men to cultivate it."
But happier days are dawning for England:—
"
The aristocracy of this country have long made a
good harvest : they have wrung the honey from the
vast hive, leaving little for the working bees ; but the
bees are now wide awake, and the drones must beware.
There is a spirit abroad that will not be hushed : it cries
for justice to all classes ; it demands universal suffrage ;
it demands a tax on property ; it will no longer consent
to bear the burden of the State alone ; it will have reli-
gious liberty.
" Soon a new Parliament will be assembled—a Parlia-
ment, chosen, it is said, by the people of England. How
many of these picked men owe their seats to their
monetary inflaenco or to aristocratic birth, we will not
here determine; but this we know, democracy is abroad.
it is the active principle acknowledged throughout Eng-
land ; it is making giant progress in France ; it is vital
in the spirit of Germany ; in Italy the Pope acknow-
ledges the sovereignty of the people. There is an un-
conquerable demand for radical reform • the people
have, in a measure, educated themselves; they now fully
understand their position; they know right from wrong,
and they will have right ;—in short, you should con
this attentively, new Members of Parliament the
people of England will not be contented if you
only cure their warts : you must root out the
ulcers. There is a mighty spirit at work through-
out the land, that calls for the destruction of the
ulcers which disfigure the British constitution : give
heed unto the just askings of this giant spirit, for it has
right on its side and it will not be hushed."
The interesting narrative of the escape of young
Watson is continued, and in the present number we
have the history of his concealment at the house of
Mr. Holl, at Camden-town (to whom be all honour
for his humanity) during the earlier months of the
year 1817. The " Philosophy of Facts" might al-
most be entitled a dissertation on the mystic powers
of the number 3, intended as it is to illustrate " the
law of the succession of ternary revolutions,
whether of worlds or of men, whether of prin-

ciples or of facts." We do not agree
with the writer in his conclusions, but "his cases in
point" are curious and interesting. There are some
other papers in the present number of average merit ;
but, alas ! we have no Juniper Hedgehog, neither
are their any signs of the novel, by the editor, which
was promised at the conclusion of the last volume.

THE BELLE ASSEMBLEE.
To a correspondent of Miss Camilla Toulmin, the
editress, we are indebted for a most interesting paper,"
being " A French Estimate of Alfred Tennyson.
It is pleasant to know the opinion entertained by our
neighbours of the first of our young poets—the most
popular of all the poets of the present age; but it is
particularly pleasant to learn that opinion from the
intelligent criticism of M. E. D. Forgues, in "La
Revue des Deux Mondes." Against the pert allusions
which marred the first edition of the " New Timon"
we may put the very significant sentence of the
French reviewer. " The charm," he says, "which is
owned by a whole generation, can do very
well without our homage." We cannot afford
space for quotations from the criticisms of
M. Forgues, but must present to our readers two
specimens of his prose translations from the verse of
Alfred Tennyson. The first_ we transcribe is the
apostrophe to Lilian.
" Oh I pleure, je t'en supplie, Lilian foliltre, Lilian de
mai. La gaiete sans eclipse est pour moi une fatigue. 11
arrive jusqu' a 'non cceur, et le traverse comme un stylet
aigu, le rire au jausset argentin qui vibre entres les kures
minces et vermeilles. Lilian de mai, pleure, je t'en prie."
How all the bloom has been brushed off in the act
of translation ! It is like the apple passing through
the cider press—mere pulp and juice; not the ripe,
rosy fruit it was before. What an abortive piece
of literalness, that " et le traverse comme un stylet
aigu," instead of " through my very heart it thril-
leth !" And, then, how bald and inane is "le rire au
vausset argentin qui vibre entre les licres minces et
fermeillee"—
" When from crimson-threaded lips
Silver-treble laughter trilleth
Take again this verson of a stanza from Mariana :
" Le jour durant, dans cette maison hantee par les
roves, lee portes cragnaient sun leurs gouds. La mouche
bleue bourdonnait contre les vitres ; le souris criait derriere
les lambris a demi ranges, appliquant a leers fentes son
cell curieux. Des figures d'autrefois se laissient entrevoir
derriere les portes entre' ouvertes, des pas d'autrefois fat-
saient craquer les paliers, des voi.r d'autrefois l'appelaient
au dehors. Le malheur est sun ma vie ! disait- elle toujours.
Il ne vient pas! disait-elle. Elle dissaitj aussi: Je suis
lasse, bien lasse, et voudrais fire morte."
Now read the original :
" All day within the dreamy house,
The doors upon their hinges creaked,
The blue-fly sung i' the pane; the mouse
Behind the mouldering wainscot shrieked,
Or from the crevice peered about.
Old faces glimmered through the doors,
Old footsteps trod the upper floors,
Old voices called her from without.
She only said, My life is dreary,
He cometh not,' she said;
She said, ' I am a-weary, a-weary,
I would that I were dead!'
What a difference! It is the Venus de Medicis by
the side of a skeleton. Besides this article, there are
other things in the Belle Assemblie very readable.

HOWITT'S JOURNAL.
A likeness of Mademoiselle Rachel is the most
agreeable illustration in this number, and a memoir
of Henry Clarke Wright the most agreeable contri-
bution. With all deference, however, to Mrs. Howitt,
we conceive the latter to be of an unconscionable
length.

SHARPE'S LONDON MAGAZINE.
Kenny Meadows has a droll cut, which he has
christened "My Mistress's Bonnet." Both the
" Maiden Aunt" and " Frank Fairleigh" are con-
tinued.

THE LAND WE LIVE IN.
Mr. Knight selects the materials for this admirable
serial with the most judicious discrimination. Strat-
ford upon-Avon, for example, is happily timed as an
illustrated essay upon the birthplace of Shakspere.
Portsmouth, Manchester, and the Wye, are the three
other subjects, showing the beauties of English
scenery, the enterprise of English manufacturers, and
the seats of the maritime strength of Great Britain.

THE FARMERS' MAGAZINE.
The nearer we approach to winter the more consi-
deration is due to this organ of the agriculturists.
Its anticipations as to the harvest are by no means
discouraging.
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