The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-12 00:00:00

MAGAZINES, &c.—(CONTINUED).
TAIT.
Tait for October is scarcely worthy of its reputa-
tion. Besides an additional fragment of the Com-
munist tale of "The Counsellor,' we have, it is true,
the continuation of Mr. Percy St. John's clever story
of the French Revolution, " Miranda." Beyond this,
the magazine is more than merely indifferent. The
political chapters entitled, " Revolution in Europe,"
are remarkable for a bigotry of opinion, which, to
ourselves, is altogether inexplicable in a publication
pretending to the merit of liberality. The chapter on
Italy, for example, where the writer roars with the
fanaticism of a zealot as fierce as any who ever talked
evangelical fustian from the platform of Exeter-hall,
is a melancholy contrast to the Ministerial Act of the
last session for the renewal of our relations with the
Court of Rome. Had the present Pontiff been a
man of tyrannous and obsolete principles, the bigotry
might at the least have been comprehensible. But
with the great and good Pius IX. upon the throne of
the Roman States, the rabid tone of the article is
wholly pitiable and irredeemably wretched. The
other contributions, especially those which are dig-
nified with the title of " Poetry," are of a character
quite compatible with the foregoing as literary com-
positions.

THE UNITED SERVICE.
The present number is supplied with articles of
considerable interest. It opens with a sketch of the
military career of the present chief of the executive
power of France. Eugene Cavaignac was born at
Paris on the 15th of December, 1802, so that he was
40 years of age before he reaped those laurels in Al-
. geria which have given him a distinguished rank
among the numerous heroes of the French army. In
the number of this month, however, only the earlier
portion is described of his valiant services against the
legions of Abd-el-Kader. " Tristram " continues his
pungent annotations on the Algeria of Lamarche,
"the Parisian paper sailor." In the "Leaves from
the Tropics" Major O'Connor gives a sad ac-
count of the rank growth of slavery in Cuba. Its
bitter curse prevails universally in that magnificent
island. Upwards of half a million of wretched ne-
., groes drag out their existence within its confines, of
. Whom 115,000 are employed in sugar plantations,
and each slave, male and female, makes nearly three
hogsheads of sugar. In Cuba, the work is un-
ceasing throughout the crop season ; four
hours in the twenty-four of every consecu-
tive day, Sunday included, for eight months
of the year, can only be granted to the slaves for
meals, rest, the common wants of life ; us to the do-
mestic they are never dreamt of. 'We recommend
his observations on Cuban matters to the attention of
. the reader. " Shots from a Six-pounder " close with
the eleventh number. Portfire proclaims his ammu-
nition spent. The African cruiser recounts a slash-
ing night's engagement with a pirate schooner, which
goes to Davy Jones, with all hands on board. Did
our space permit, we would extract largely from
" The Adventures of a Swimmer," and " A Requiem
upon Duelling ;" the. latter furnishes some singular
instances of that once fashionable but now justly.
' exploded folly. Major R. Bennett's contribution, en-
. titled,." Army Education Professionally Exemplified,"
affords, however, the must interest in a professional
point of view. It is illustrated by simple, but most
useful diagrams, and in a small compass contains hints
and instructions well worthy of the consideration of
all commanding officers.

• THE SPURTING RE VIEW.
A well-executed portrait of the Hero, the winner
of the Emperor's Plate at Ascot, in '47 and '4B,
illustrates the October number, which is of an
average excellence. The editor very properly speaks
out like a man on behalf of Robinson, whom some
caitiffs sought to " make eat dirt " at Doncaster, but
signally failed in aspersing his character. He
peaks but the truth when he says, " Robin-
son i., and has long been at the head of
Ili% profession, both for unimpeachable honour
and the perfection of his horsemanship. In the
finish of his style he stands alone ; in the matter of
character he is second to none of his contemporaries."
Maxwell gives a fewelreland pa g s on woodcock shooting in
, a day of which is worth, in real sport, a
week of the battue butcheries so shamefully patronised
in this country by men who ought to be able to
appreciate the pleasures of genuine sport. There is
also a biography of the lamented Lord George Ben-
tinck, in whom the British turf has lost its right
band. He was zealous in striving to purge the
betting-ring of its scum and filth, and if his example
bad been followed more generally in refusing to
sanction the instalment system of paying bets (evi-
denced by his threatening to put on the defaulters'
list a loser to him of four thousand pounds, who made
an offer of ten shillings in the pound, with a promise
of the residue by instalments, remarking,
man has a right to bet if he cannot pay should he
lose"), there would have been fewer of those vermin
yclept " Levanters" found plotting at the Corner, and
in sundry other localities.

DUBLIN UN.IVERsITY.
The number of this magazine for the present month
is calculated to awaken feelings of deep melancholy
in those who feel as deeply interested in all that
affects the sister island as we do. We perceive with
sorrow the dearth of poetry in a periodical usually
overflowing with the richest and raciest, with poetry
worthy the pen of Moore, and which has hitherto
o
poetry
Place d the Dublin University at the h e
temporaries. Has the Gorgon of politicalad of i
discord ba-
nished the muses from the land of song ? Have the
sweet tones of the national lyre been drowned in_ the
wild sounds of the war tocsin from the southern
Mountains ? Have the sad realities now being enacted
there dried up the poet's fancy, and scared di-
vine Poesy and its " sweet amenities" from,
that lovely but unfortunate land ? Alas
Nee fear the causes we have hinted at have had much
to do with the want of which we complain. We
trust it is but for a season, and that we shall see it
fully supplied in the next number; we hope to see
the poetical contributions to this excellent magazine
occupy once again their usual space, delighting us
With their flowing numbers, and shedding lustre upon
their sweet island home. We are, however, in some
degree compensated for the dearth of poetry in the
present number by the many other interesting papers
" Hi
of which it is made U. The notice of Mr. Sharpe's
story of Egypt from the Earliest Times till the
Con to
by the Arabs, in 640," will be read with
intense interest. The manner in which the
reviewer treats this work is done with
Mr. Sha
a master hand ; the errors which he points
ooats, interpretation ofn rpe'
misi s work as arising from a
Burton's " xcerhica,"
are of the greatest importanceE to allpta whoHiero woguld be
critically acquainted with the historical facts of this
most interesting period and people. The reviewer
next turns to a work by Mrs. Osburn, designed to
present to the Christian reader a few examples of the
extent to which the Bible is susceptible of illustration
from the remains of ancient Egypt, now that the
Mode of interpreting hieroglyphic writings has been
discovered. The reviewer next notices a translation
isof the Chevalier Bunsen's work—" Egypt's
e in Universal History." The next paper
is short tale of fiction, entitled " Mary
DVAlister ; a Tale of the Antrim Glens,
which will be read with deep interest by the gentler
portion of creation. Under the head of " Recent
Tourists in Italy," we have two works from the pens
of Messrs. Geale and Whiteside, the latter the emi-
nent Irish advocate, at present defending Mr. O'Brien
against the charge of treason in Ireland, and whose
speech on the occasion, which we have just seen, pro-
duced such intense effect upon his auditory. Mr.
Whiteside's quick and nice conception, his strong
and clear intellect, peculiarly fit him to make any
tour interesting, but he is quite at home in describing
the sunny land of Italy. The other papers in this
number " The Pythonic and Demoniac Pos-
sessions in India and Judea " " Cotemporary
Writers," by Mr. Thackeray—"
of the The Bride of the
Piord"—tc A Day in the Hebrides," and the " History
Twentieth Century," are all excellent, and well
worthyr is perusal. On the whole, we are happy to see
the Ih
amongst the literary periodicals of the day.

BANKERS' MAGAZINE.
"Statistics of the Railway Expenditure; its Effects
~,, the Monetary and Commercial Affairs of the
Indom," the first paper for the present month, re-
lates to a subject of deep importance to the banking
and commercial interests generally, but still more so
to a large and influential body of our fellow-subjects,
who have invested a lay amount of capital in the
Countrythe is intersected .
Al:hough many projects of a
w;henu character were originated during the period
. almost every one dabbled in railway specula-
t and many _
anY persons suffered considerably from
g
avin incautiously meddled therewith, it affords
no reasonable ground for the absurd panic that has
recently prevailed, and which has led to the sacrifice
of shares in the very best lines, at little more than
half their real value. The subjects of the present
article (which is to be continued) are "Railway
Capital proposed to be raised," and " Railway Capital
authorised to be raised." A list of calls on Englhh
arid foreign lines in 1847 and 1848 is al,o given.
" The Irish Savings' Bank Act of 1848" gives a
short summary of the provisions of the recent statute,
which, although originally intended to apply to the
entire country, was at the last moment limited in its
o.yeration to Ireland. "The Bank of England Divi-
"'end" offers a few observations respecting the recent
Contest between the directors and the proprietors of Bank
'fork,,,, without taking any very decided part on either
aide, "Agricultural
Agricultural Statistics of Ireland" is a valuable
?oeurent compiled from a Parliamentary paper just
issued. " The Second Report of the Committee on
oramercial Distress" is also given, together with
the evidence of Mr. Donnell, the Governor of the
amk of Ireland, and Mr. Murray, the Managing