The Sun.
London, England, 1848-05-02 00:00:00

second, the insufficiency of the constituency ; third,
the system of registration. O the franchise it was
only necessary to say that it was ambiguous ; and of
all the curses attending a political system he believed
the greatest was n.mbleuity. As to the Irish franchise,
the greatest I,:‘...yers of the dey were divided in opinion
as to its character; revising barristers were rarely agreed
as to it; and of course the peasantry under such cir•
cumstances could not be expected to understand it.
With regard to the constituency,
it was capable of proof
that the number of voters throughout Ireland was
gradually dwindling away, and that at no distant period,
if the Legislature did not interfere, the system of election
in Ireland would become a perfect farce. The Bill it
was proposed to introduce had for its object, first of all,
strictly to define the franchise, and for this purpose he
intended to fall back upon the rating under the poor
law.—(Hear, hear.) All the existing franchises requir-
ing occupation would be at once abolished, and in lieu
thereof, a simple rating to the poor, of the net annual
value of 8/. and upwards, would be substituted.. He
did not propose any change in the franchises
which did not require occupation ; but he pro-
posed that the 8/. franchise should extend in cases
of joint occupancy, provided rating of the property when
divided proved sufficient to qualify the parties. He also
proposed to give the franchise to owners of foes simple
of the value of 5/. He believed this alteration would
give an immense increase to the constituency of Ireland,
though by no means an increase which, looking at the
circumstances of the country, could be considered unfair
by England. Now as to the registration. He proposed
that clerks of poor-law unions should transmit to clerks
of the peace annually- complete lists of the parties rated
within the respective baronies. The clerk of the peace
having added the names of owners, the list, upon publi-
cation, would be the list of voters. With regard to
towns, it was not proposed that any change should take
place in the qualification; but great complaints having
been made as to the disqualifications arising from non-
payment of local rates, he proposed to abolish all such
qualifications except with respect to non-payment of
poor-rates. He should lay the Bill on the table in
order that its provisions might bo considered, and when
he proposed the second reading he should be prepared
to go further into the subject, and to justify the Bill, if
necessary, in its principle and different details.
Mr. FREWEN asked if ho understood aright that te-
nants at will rated at 81. per annum were to have a vote?
Sir W. SOMERVILLE replied in the affirmative.
Mr. C. E. LAW asked, was an occupier for six months
to have a vote, supposing he paid a single rate? A
party might have been in another part of the parish for
a long time and not have paid. Would he thereby be
disqualified?

Sir W. SOMERVILLE said the practice most pro.
bably would be that all arrears should be carried on.
Mr. HUME hoped the non payment of rates would
not be mixed up with the question of franchise in any
way whatever. There were proper modes of recovering
rates without disqualifying the voter. He should be glad
to know what was the Right Hon. Baronet's estimate of
the increase of the Irish constituency under this Bill.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE supposed the number of elec-
tors would be at least quadrupled.
Mr. HUME (sotto voce)—Oh! that's nothing.
Sir D. NORREYS expressed his great satisfaction at
the increase, and his conviction that it would be of the
greatest benefit to Ireland. He expressed his regret
that the Government had left the town franchise in Ire-
land untouched.

Leave was then given to bring in the Bill.
POLLING-PLACES (IRELAND).
Sir W. SOMERVILLE then obtained leave to bring
in a Bill for the establishment of additional polling-
places, for the purpose of Parliamentary elections in
Ireland, the object of the Bill being to limit the dura-
tion of county elections to two days, and to enable the
electors in towns to give their votes by wards.
%VEST INDIA ISLANDS.

The CHANCELLOR he EXCHEQUER obtained
leave to bring in a Bill to extend to five years the period
for the repayment of the hurricane loans to the West
India islands.

The House adjourned at a Quarter-past Eleven.

PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS.

(From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.)
MONDAY, MAY 1.
TOBAGO RELIEF, AND IMMIGRATION INTO
BRITISH GUIANA AND TRINIDAD.
(IN THE COMMITTEE.)
Motion made, and Question proposed, " That the said
Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury be authorised to
direct advances to be made, to an amount not exceeding
170,0001. on account, out of the said Consolidated Fund, or
by the issue of Exchequer-bills, under certain regulations
and restrictions, and upon due security being given for the
repayment thereof, in aid of Loans authorised by the Legis-
latures of British Guiana and Trinidad, for promoting im-
migration of Free Labourers into those Colonies:"—Amend-
ment proposed, to leaTe out from the words "That the" to
the end of the Question, in order to add the words " Chair-
man do report the Resolutions already agreed to by the Com-
inittee to the House," instead thereof:—Question put, "That
the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question."
The Committee divided ;
MAJORITY—AYES, 76.
Abdy, T. N. Grey, R. W. Pinney, William
Aclazzd, Sir T. Grosvenor, Lord R. Power,lNicholas
Armstrong, R. B. Parris, Captain Raphael, Alexander
Arundel, Earl of Hawes, Benjamin Repton, G. W. J.
Barkly, Henry Berries, J. C. Rich, henry
Baring, Thomas Hildyard, R. C. Richards, Richard
Bellew, It. M. Ilindley, C. Itornilly, John
Boyle, llobcrt E. lisps, henry T. Russell, Lord John
Busfeild, W. liorsman, Edward Sieymer, 11. K.
Campbell, W. F. Hudson, George Sheil, It.
Cardwell, Edward Inglis, Sir R. 11. Shelburne, Earl of
Charter's, Francis Labouchere, Henry Somerville. Sir W.
Christy, Samuel Langston, J. 11. Spooner, Richard
Clerk Sir G. Lewis, George C. Stafford, Augustus
Craig, W. G. Lincoln, Earl of Stanley, E. J.
Cripps, William Mackinnon, W. Towneley, Charles
Dalrymple, Captain Mahon, O'Gorman Townshend, Captain
Deedes, W. Martin, C. W. Urquhart, David
Denison, W. J. Miles, P. W. S. Wilson, James:
Denison, J. ,E. Monsell.:William Wood, Sir Charles
Disraeli, B. 1 Morison, General Wyvill, Marmaduke
Divett, Edward Newdegate, N. Yorke, H. R.
Evans, John Norreys, Sir D.
Evans, William O'Connell, M. J. TELLXItB.
Filmer, Sir E. Paget, Lord A. Tnfnell, Henry
th,ddard, A. L. Palmerston, Vis. Hill, Lord M.
Grey, Sir G. Parker, John

MINORITY—NOES, 21.
Bright, John Humphery, Ald. Thompson, Colonel
Brotherton,.J. Kershaw, James Thornely, T.
Brown, W. Lushington, C. Tuner, Edmund
Clifford, Henry M. Molesworth, Sir W. 'Walmsley, Sir J.
Cobden, R. Moore, G. H. Willoughby, Sir IL
Duncan, George Mowatt, Francis LTELLES.S.
Ewart, Wllllittu Sidney, Alderman Hume, Joseph
Fox, W. J. Tancred, li. W. Bowring, Dr.

LITERATURE.
AE IV NOVELS.
The Rival Beauties. By Miss Pardoe.
Rose. Blanche. and Violet. By G. ii. Locc,, author of
" Ranthoi i.e."
Savazdroog ; or the Queen of the Jungle. By Captain
Rafter.
The Adventures of a Medical Student. By H. Douglas.
James the Second. Edited by W. If. Ainsworth.
There is a " season" for all things, and hence, of
course, there is a peculiar season for fictitious litera-
ture. The beginning of the year—the Parliwientary
season and the fashionable season— is thharvest
time for the lovers of light literature, when
they may reap in abundance the fruits of the
yearly labours of the novelist and romancist.
In this particular year there is, perhaps, less than
ordinary occasion for the exercise of the ingenuity,
and the captivating powers of the romance- writer.
Truth we know is said to be stranger than fiction,
and if we doubted the accuracy of the aphorism our
doubts would just now be speedily dispelled. Our
own columns, and the columns of our contemporaries,
are daily filled with records of truthful occurrences
now transpiring all over the world of far more
amazing character, and formed of far more enthralling
interest, than could be devised by a skilful ingenuity,
or pourtrayed by a vivid imagination. Nevertheless,
however superior the present attractions of truth, the
writers offiction have been by no means idle. As usual
at this period of the year a multitude of three-volumed
romances solicit the favour of the public and claim
the consideration of the critic. Of those now before
us, for the sake of its attractive appellation and the
merits of its authoress, we must in common courtesy
speak first of the " Rivalßeauties"of Miss Pardoe. Miss
Pardoe is unquestionably a brilliant writer. The" City of
the Sultan" established her celebrity as a writer, a
celebrity which her admirable volumes on " Louis
XIV." tended greatly to enhance. To our thinking,
all her minor compositions are somewhat invested
with the colouring of those two great works. There
is much of the gorgeous and lavish embellishment of
the East in her descriptive details of European life.
g
Far example, in one of the chapters of this novel,
there is a picture of the interior of an Italian gaming-
house, which is like alim se of the City of the
Sultan, and again an Englishp lady's boudoir orna-
mented for a ball seems to resemble a chamber of a
harem, or rather, perhaps, a scene in the "Thousand and
One Nights." These peculiarities are likely to enhance
the attractions of a romance, while they diminish its
pretensions to actuality. But Miss Pardoe's Eastern
predilections are,by no means so conspicuous as is the
affinity of her social characters and scenes to the cha-
racters and scenes of the court of Louis XIV.
Society, as depicted in the "Rival Beauties," is all
dazzling and delusive, brilliant without and heartless
within ; and in pourtraying life of this character
Miss Pardoe's pen is quite au fait. To this kind of
portraiture we decidedly object. In the first place, it
is not true, and, in the second, it is not pleasing. The
brilliant, hollow-hearted characters that " basked in the
noon-tide ray" of the sunshine of the Grand Illonarque
are possessed of a certain degree of interest, because
they are historical and, moreover, because, heartless
and selfish as they for the most part were, good was
mingled with evil, some redeeming traits in the most
base claimed for them our interest and perhaps re-
spect; even Lauzun, despicable from his brutal treat-
ment of the devoted Mademoiselle, is in our minds
ennobled by his chivalrous conduct to the unfortunate
Queen of James 11., in her hour of danger andlribula-
tion. Miss Pardoe's pictures of society are, we
have said, not true. The colouring is brilliant, but
the grouping is unnatural. Her fashionable ladies
and gentlemen are finished with care; all the artifi-
cial adjuncts of their position are elaborately de-
picted, but they have not the expressive and easy
bearing of men and women. Sybil, for example, one
of the rival beauties of this tale, has, we dare
vouch for it, no parallel in real life, and :sappily so,
for were it not for something supine arid superficial
in her character her counterpart might, one would
think, be more successfully sought for in a lower
region. Sybil bears certainly no resemblance to an
actual woman; she may seem, as perhaps Miss
Pardue intended her, for an embodiment of selfish-
ness, and vanity, and worldly ambition ; but then an
embodiment of an abstract idea is not a reality, and
it is with realities that the novel-writer—the novel-
writer who rightly fulfills his mission—has to do.
Therefore, fully appreciating Miss Pardoe's
brilliant talents and vivid powers of descrip-
tion, we must utter our protest against her
portrait of Sybil, and of the state of
society of which Sybil is the heroine and type. The
other heroine, Gertrude, the "rival beauty," is a very
different character. She is of course a contrast to
her irredeemably wicked companion. She is the
good genius of the tale, and her character is invested
with a degree of softness and delicacy which (judging
from her other portraits) we should hardly have sup-
posed Miss Pardoe capable of depicting. The hero,
the weak and vacillating Mortimer—betrothed to
Gertrude, but deserting her, captivated by the
superior fascinations of Sybil, married to the latter,
and by her influence and conduct corrupted and im-
poverished, become a ruined and miserable gambler—
is portrayed with much ability, and, unfortunately, too
much truth. The effect of evil influence (far more
powerful than evil advice) upon a well-meaning, but
weak and yielding disposition, is without doubt
considerable and most unfortunate. The history
of Mortimer, as a warning, and the cha-
racter of Gertrude, as an example, constitute
the most beneficial and interesting portion of Miss
Pardoe's novel, while the character of Sybil and some
of her fashionable companions are, as we have
already said, deserving of nothing but censure. To
a less gifted writer we should be more lenient in our
criticism, but Miss Pardoe's abilities are well known,
and therefore it is that we, who now admire her so
much, desire in future to be enabled to admire her
more. " Rose, Blanche, and Violet "is a novel of a
very different style ; its chief merit lies not, like Miss
Pardoe's, in the brilliancy of its colouring and the
elaboration of its details, but in its vigorous and
truthful delineation of character. Mr. Lewes is
undoubtedly a writer of great power, as was evinced
by his former novel, "Ranthorpe." "Rose, Blanche,
and Violet" is dintinguished by the same attractions
and the same demerits as were observable in " Ran-
thorpe." Mr. Lewes's characters are natural, but he
Ranth
(occasionally) places them in unnatural positions.
I'he main idea of his narrative is truthful, but the
details areor e sometimes incongruous. So it was in
" p" and so it is in
"Rose, Blanche, and
Violet." The very name of this latter novel will
suggest to the experienced critic one great difficulty
and defect in the construction of the plot. Rose, and
Blanche, and Violet—three heroines—three centres of
attraction—three stories in one narrative—a pro-
ceeding by which the unity of the work is to a certain
extent destroyed, and its interest consequently
diminished. The three heroines are three sisters of
singularly different characters. Rose is vivacious
and spirituelle, Blanche amiable and affectionate,
while Violet, though full of feeling, is possessed of
a resolute self-command. A narrative with three
heroines is necessarily somewhat complicated, but with
three such heroines it is also necessarily very interest-
ing. And it is interesting, moreover, from the
truthfulness with which many of its characters
are pourtrayed, and from the natural, actual air
with which some portions of it are invested. Some
portions of it, we have said, for all, the narrative
certainly does not merit such commendation. There
are characters and scenes which are certainly not
natural, such as of George Maxwell and the portions in
which he figures; and there are others which are
certainly far from pleasing, and which detract con-
siderably
from
of thet h
e merits
same
of
Georgeth the work,
Maxwellsuc h
and Mrs.
, again, as
Vyner, and more especially the chapter entitled " The
Perils of one Night." In this chapter and in some
other passages, the manner of the author, which is in
the
general very bold and vigorous, and, consequently,
very effective, exhibits a want of that delicacy and
refinement which, without being hypercritical, we
must consider indispensable to. a good novel.
In this and in many minor parrticulars we have no
doubt, that with a littleh care,has M
already Lewesee' will greatly
improve. The abilitiesintnitered, lead us
something
to anticipate from
hisihned. We have neither better than
he has yet accomplihe
details of the story, time nor
space to enter into t
leaving its ry, and if we
had we should
prefer is by far the interest unspoiled
Blanche most attractive
by explanation.
and w
because the most natural womanly, of the '
fortunes are full of interest, three
heroines. Her fortu and the
Cecil Chamberlayne, the
character of sharer of those
of hergreat
fortunes, and the cause sorrow, is adrni•
sand conveys a warning lesson.
is depicted, .
most esson' Cecil
• ,in the unhappy
is a " genius
with -' 4 sense of
the word one gifted talents, but without
necessary to exert tl
the energy ne lam, with a
-but
d heart,no principle naturally good heart,
The character or Cecil to
pre-
serve its goodnes
to exemplify the is ill-
tended by the author _ fate' effects of
th of mind
a deficiency of strength and ever
ciency defi.
talents,
ciency for whichhoweverh brilliant, can
noon the contrary,
compensate, but,
'ln 3.' • become a misfor-
tuneportra
to their possessor: portraying the inertness
which were the
and love of reverie cause of all Cecil's
miseries and misdeed!,
Lthe writer of his his .
, , ho a hi• tory very
truthfully remarese:
rude suertme ne .
it is beneficence undcessity •
er a aspect. 8..,. „
so beneficent to man,u•) althoumb
it is radically antipathetic
his nature. Jul men are constrained
to
ambition are the inver'ellis, task work,
and or
dint of the . 1 --- masters,•
and it is only by
or the stronger dictates of indomitable will, w
human nature, vagabond as are its eeedeooiesill, that
made to persevere in the tasks set before it.' can
be
men. under all What
wonder, then, ifit.
seize upon e very occasion which enables savidly
moment to escape from the tyranny of them for a
work 2
wonder if this weak, wayward, work t. What
who had laboured cheerily under the .
p ible Cecil,
forgot the sweet der impulsion of
necessity, now _ .
ights of '
task, and relapsed into his old habit his daily
.s of -
dreaming

idleness?" Bat, not satisfied with teaching by example,
by the moving example of Cecil, Mr. Lewes proceeds to
give some very excellent practical advice to authors and
artists who like bins have worn away their lives
in inactivity, while their fancy is busy with dreams.
To these his advice may be summed up in one word,
" work !" He admits that unwritten poems and un-
painted pictures are perhaps far superior to those
actually produced; "but," he adds, "the world justly
takes no account of unaccomplished promises, of un-
fought victories. What it applauds is the actual
victory won in earnest struggle with difficulty ; the
heroes it crowns are those who have enriched them-
selves with trophies, not those who might have done
SO." Scattered over the pages of these volumes are
many truthful and beautiful refltctions, which, apart
from the history of the story, give a value to the work ;
as, for example, the advice to men of genius to which
we have already referred, and a very felicitous com-
parison between the rival merits of Talent and Will—
strength of will, that is. In one chapter the author
has devoted many paragraphs to an attempt at de-
fining that often-defined yet undefinable word, Love.
But he has, apparently with less of effort
and intention, given an infinitely better definition
in another place, where in a casual observation he
calls love " the most intense form of life." Our ob-
servations on Mr. Lewes's work have, however, ex-
tended to sufficient length, we therefore take leave of
him with the hope of receiving some yet better work
from him hereafter. " Savnidroog, or the Queen of
the Jungle," is, as its name implies, an Oriental
romance. Captain Rafter, in his preface, expresses
an. intention of following it up by other works of a
description,smilar founded on various legends which
he has collected during a residence in the East, so as
to form a series of " Oriental romance," a species of
literature almost unknown in this country—almost
unknown in prose, that is to say, for, save the admi-
rable compositions of the author of " Zohrab" and a
few others, our chief acquaintance with Eastern
legends has been hitherto
through the medium of our
poets. The inimitable tales of Moore and Byron have
depicted the gorgeouslwinoscenery and romantic narratives
g
of the East inßoogckolhvrs and most attractive
guise. In " Lallah
especiallyvivi
d portrayed, t h ev a i
andou s
peculiarities of Eastern life
are y
the Vale of Cashmere is invested with charms far ex-
ceeding those with which reality
published
has adorned it. After
such writings have been
on thet subn terj
feecre,
t
Oriental romance is a dangeroll,iasftseubject o
with. Nevertheless, Captain
hard and with infinite success. The
chi
eh.s essayed his
ief attraction
of his work consists in its very n
interesti g plot, and
the romantic adventures in which its
echaractersbe are
concerned. Thc.., Queen of the Jungle,
Lachema, is a worthy heroine of an Eastern romnautifu,
and her history is most marvellous and full of
The next work which claims our attention is of a
very different kind—" The Adventures of a Medical
Student." Prefixed to these " Adventures "is a brief
but interesting memoir of their author, Henry Dou-
glas, a surgeon of the Royal Navy, who died at an
early age, after displaying great abilities, and giving
promise of far greater. The " Adventures of a
Medical Student" consist of a series of sepa-
rate papers, which originally appeared in the
New Monthly Magazine. They are written with
great power, and possess a most enthralling
interest ; nevertheless, they are in many cases far
from pleasing. Surgical operations, for instance, are
occasionally detailed with a minuteness and emphasis
that have a most disagreeable effect. In one place,
for example, he describes an amputation in a most
theatrical manner, increasing the horrible interest of
the description by the help of italics and capital let-
ters, thus—" it is the knife !" "it is the SAW !" As
being written by one who has mingled in the seenes
he describes, the " Adventures of a Medical Student"
have necessarily a peculiar attraction, and as the
composition of one who has passed away, leaving only
this memorial of his great talents, they are invested
with an especial interest. " James II.," edited by
Harrison Ainsworth, makes its appearance at an ap-
propriate time, when other sovereigns are following
the example of its hero, and enduring similar, though
hardly so great, misfortunes. What has peculiarly-
gratified us in this work is the impartial spirit with
which it has been penned. On first taking it up we
feared to meet with errors of misrepresentation' either
on the one side or the other. It is difficult for the
historian to be just, but for the novelist
it is almost impossible—he must " extenuate" on the
one side, and consequently " set down in malice" on
the other. The history of James 11. is, on this
account, a very embarrassing subject. We antici-
pated to find the character and conduct of the exiled
sovereign described with a censure of which he was
not deserving, or else to hear him extenuated at the
expense of the liberty of conscience and rights of his
subjects. The author of this narrative has, however,
avoided both extremes. He has given us a most
interesting narrative of the downfal and exile of the
last Stuart king. The account of the escape of Mary
and the Prince of Wales is, perhaps, hardly detailed
in so interesting a manner as in Miss Pardoe s " Louis
XIV." Among the " new novels "we should
include the recent publications of Cooper and Mrs.
Maberly, and the indefatigable James ; but we must
necessarily reserve them for a separate consideration.

THE MAGAZINES.
BLACK WOOD.
Seldom have we seen a superior number of Maga.
It is worthy of the merry month of May, the month
of hope and greenness, the month of cowslips and
lupins, of promise to summer, of germination to
autumn, of defiance to winter, and of fervour to love.
Those who remember the beautiful paper on May as
the season of the heart in the " Spectator" will
revel in the pages of this number of Blackwood, not
because of any direct affinity between the
essay and the magazine, but because of
the mutual contrast afforded by the two effu-
sions, and because the last mentioned of the two
is a new testimony that all has not been said that can
be said in illustration of the charms of springtime.
In speaking of Les M'ois, by Roucher, we well re-
member that M. de Lamartine somewhere calls them
" those French Fasli !" So may we term the charm-
ing comments penned upon the spring, and especially
upon the month of May, by the writers of England,
from Gower to Spenser, from Spenser to Thomson,
from Thomson to Budgell, from Budgell to Allan
Cunningham, and from Allan Cunningham to
Blackwood. In the present instalment of Maga,
however, the principal excellence is the diver-
sity of the themes and moods upon which
and in which the different articles have been penned.
There is scarcely a single page that is exactly be-
fitting the month of love (as May is regarded in the
"t`Sn
Spectator"), and yet nearly every contribu-
i is in some sort appropriate, and even season-
able. There are two exceptions we will allow,
and those exceptions are the poetic fragments.
First, the little
a canzonet called " Heigh ho !"
dainty outbreak of naive passion : and, secondly,
" The Last Walk," by B. Simmons. A welcome,
thrice welcome to B. Simmons the sound of whose
lyre has been too long hushed. He would be wel-
, come, if only for that exquisite verse in the brief
poem before us.—
" Yes! far for ever from thy side,
Madonna, now for ever fair,
To death of DISTANCE I have died,
And all has perished, but—Despair."
The reiteration of the word ever (that articulate sigh
of despair !) and the beautiful alliteration in the third
line imparts to the verse a tone irresistibly plaintive.
Let us quote it again if only for its musical pathos :
" Yes ! far for ever from thy side,
Madonna, now for ever fair,
To death of DISTANCE I have died,
We
And all has perished, but—Despair."
would listen to the voice of B. Simmons more
frequently in the pages cf that magazine with which
his signature has become identified. The con-
tinuation of " The Cantons" (a serial which
we
controversy as to the orthography of Pisistratus or
Peisistratos is capital, and the letter of rebuke to his
son about the preference of the latter name, front the
pen of old Mr. Caxton, is admirable 'We commend
that letter to Mr. Grote, who, to our thinking, has
done as much mischief to Greek history by the pe-
dantic exactitude of his orthography in proper names,
as Mr. Lane had previously done in his new translation
of the "Arabian Nights Entertainments." Thoroughly
do We sympathise in that emphatic sentence of old
Mr. Caxton,--" I prefer my old acquaintances Thu-
cydides and Pisistratus to Thoukudides and Peisis-
tratros." So do we prefer them, heartily,—Mr. Grote
nevertheless notwithstanding. "Education in Wales"
is another enforcement of that report of the Com-
missioners of Inquiry, which we ourselves have already
noticed so repeatedly. Against the ignorance of the
Welch, the press must continue to utter its unanimous
and vociferous protest—until the evil has been dissi-
pated. Never mind the repetition of the same facts
and arguments—tautology is better than indifference !
" The Silver Cross--a Campaigning Sketch,"
is a story from the German of Ernest Koch,
a young German now living near Bareges,
in the Upper Pyrenees. It has all the fresh-
ness and fascination of novelty--and, if only
for that reason, will be relished. " Republican
Paris " is—of course—a caricature of democracy
such as the conservative predilections of old Christo-
pher must revel in. According to the opinion of the
contributor, the difference between the appearance of
Paris as it is now and as it was before the downfall
of the monarchy is, the difference between a lady and
a Bacchante. Need we say that our democratic
sympathies are not those of Ebony. No ; they
are, my the same with a difference. " The
Sp'aniard in Sicily " is an admirable review ,
on the book recently written by Count Alexis 1
de St. Priest, ex-Peer of France. Any contribution
would be delightful having reference toi
that Sicily " which Plato taught and T m on go-
verned—which Archimedes defended and Theocritus
sung !" And the rapture of the theme is immeasurably 14