The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-07 00:00:00

MAL 7, 1846.

PILICE SD.

MAGAZINES-CONTINUED.
HOOD'S MAGAZINE.

ot
into
e h e eminentt
rlatgii se
....... __ _ _
After something like parade, in an announcement
contained in the April number of this magazine, the
in due course makes its appearance. For the millionth
time the Roman distich has been verified, the parturient
mountain has brought forth a very mouse of an article.
we opened its
In saying this, we must also observe that
promised dissertation on the " Antigone of Sophocles "
pages predisposed to be gratified—because, possibly, we
wished to be so. Nevertheless we must in all candour
trumpets only ushered in a very pigmy pageant.
title.
writer'sls
vvahpaptriencsi
acknowledge ourselves disappointed ; the fanfare of
scarcely so much an analytical notice of the "Antigone
of Sophocles " as an eulogium upon Mr. Vandenhoff
and his daughter. In this, however, there is but a
insight
appreciation
tt
hh
ee
article genius
giveof tihn
negative fault, as we cordially sympathise in the
ragiendians ; but what we would especially condemn is
the aptness, the falsity, the- actual hypocrisy of the
vigour of the Antigone? None. What new elucidations
of the characters ? None. What
illustrative
notes
upon this passage or that ? .
None. What corrections
version of Mr. Bartholomew's
w? None. Yet one at
least of these particulars
from the title of the paper ; were necessarily
"a
anticipated
pangyric upon modern actors," or ~
an
anonymous
at the English Opium-Eater," or " a second-handjeer
com-
pliment to Mendelsohn," but)--" TUE ANTIG
ONForSOPHOCLES." The attack, indeed, upon Mr. De Quincy
is deserving of the severest reprobation, as it is admi-
nistered under the mask of an anonymous scrivener,
besides being uttered in terms very nearly allied to the
scurrillous ; in proof whereof here are some random
epithets :—" prince of poppyaom "—" the realm of
Nod "—" all the Nid-Nid-Nodders in the world"—and
so forth. Alluding in another part to the same gentle.
man, our nameless would-be critic speaketh of him as
"our by nojneans wide-Awahs friend!" .. sow, first.of all„
the artificial adjective is tob remariable -for its elegance
to acquire much force with others, and secondly we
question whether the renowned opium-eater would not
repudiate such friendship in a very summary manner. i
It becomes, moreover, actually ludicrous to hear the 1
writer in Hood's Magazine remonstrating with Mr. De
Quincey on his want of knowledge in London doings,
and yet in that very remonstrance displaying his igno-
rance of Mr. De Quincey's name. So much for the
vaunted but inane article on the Antigone of the Gre-
cian Shakspere. We marvel when " The Bushranger
of Van Diemen's Land" will end ! Mr. Percy B. St.
John is indefatigable in his contributions, all of them
being neat, sparkling tales. " Nell Gwynne "is con-
tinued with its previous ' modicum of melodramatic
ability; and a delicious innovation in the miscellany is
made in the shape of a " May-garland for May-day"
—being choice cullings from the poets, from the mention
of

" The flow'ry May, who from her green lap throws
The yellow cowslip, and the pale primrose,"
of Milton, to the " Ravenna" of Leigh Hunt, and our
new-born favourite, " The New Tinaon." The author
of " Rural Sonnets" continues his " Sonars for the
Times" in a spirit and with an ability that can scarcely
fail to extend his popularity.