The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-03 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN MAGAZINE.

Mrs. Trollope's " Blue Belles of England,"
which appears monthly in detached portions in
this periodical, is unworthy of her undoubted abi-
lities. The tale bears evidence of exceeding slo-
venliness, and the incidents do not dovetail neatly
one into the other, but are strung loosely and
confusedly together. The truth is, this lady
writes too fast to write well, and spins her long
yarns as if she were desirous only to fill a certain
quantity of paper in a certain given time. The
present chapters of her Blue Belles possess but
little interest, for they are encumbered with
prolix dialogues which lead to no results, and
have no necessary connexion with the story. The
" Prize-Master" is a passable sea-talc by the au-
thor of " Rattlin, the Reefer." In the " Note-
Book of an Irish Barrister" we have a graphic
character of Lord Plunkett, as a lawyer and a
statesman, of whose famous speech in the House
of Commons in the year 1812, on the subject of
Catholic Emancipation, Sir James Mackintosh
observed, that it made a deeper impression than
any speech since Sheridan's, i n 1783, on the Begum
charge against Warren Hastings, adding, " it was
the only speech which has been known to deter-
mine the votes of several individuals." " Me-
mories of Gibralter" is a readable anecdotical ar-
ticle. " Fanny Fairfax" is a pretty story enough,
but it would have been more entertaining, if it
had been curtailed one-third. In the " Memoirs
of an Italian Exile" we meet with a translation
(which we subjoin) of the famous national war-
song, La Romagnola

To arms 1 to arms 1 The warlike sound
Revives our hopes, confirms our trust;
Our country's soil is hallowed ground,
The land we tread is hero's dust.
Arise I arise ! Our glorious land,
Too long has been the land of woe.
Arise, Italia, sword in hand
And strike against thy northern foe.
What though, like grass upon the glade,
Death mow the phalanx of the brave!
The laurel wreath doth never fade
That rests upon the patriot's grave.
An hour of strife has power to turn
A weary life to deathless fame,
The tears that bathe the patriot's urn
Wash off oblivion from his name.

THE DUBLIN UNIVERSITY MAGAZIAE.
"A Leaf from the Fortunes of Mordaunt Me-
rivale," records how a young English squire
baffled an old curmudgeon of a money-lender,
who, to revenge some old grudge, had taken a
fancy to Merivale Hall. and what semained of
the family patrimony. The main pncident is
rood, but it is no., so humourously worked out as
it might have been. The " Misfortunes of
Barney Branagan," are concluded this month.
The whole tale has been well told, and concludes
as happily as the most ardent lover of abstract
justice could desire. " Charles O'Malley," is
continued with great spirit, and promises to be
one of the most amusing of the amusing tales of
its clever author. Lieutenant-Colonel Blacker,
of the Battle of the Diamond and Orange-lodge
notoriety, figures in the portrait gallery. Col.
Blacker is represented as an excellent land-
lord, a good neighbour, a religiously tolerant
man to those around him, and what is more a
man of "infinite jest" and humour. So mane/
good qualities ought surely to soften in him some
of the harsh and ungenial asperities of political
rancour and sectarian exclusiveness.