The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-05 00:00:00

SIMMONDS'S COLONIAL MAGAZINE.

Decidedly the most intelligent contribution in the
present autumnal number is the one entitled " Can-
not England's Colonies do more for their Mother
Country ?" What we glean from the writer as his
paramount recommendations are, first, " to encourage
our native fisheries with more liberality than here-
tofore ;" secondly, " to introduce a radical reform in
the treatment of internal pauperism ;" and thirdly,
to remodel our existing system of emigration, and to
afford greater encouragement to the colonisation of
distant and more fruitful regions of the globe. Many
sagacious hints are scattered through the article ;
and its general character is so eminently suggestive
of -good that we can award it our cordial commenda-
tion, though many of its arguments are in direct con-
tradiction to our own opinions. A singular poem,
entitled "Brotherly Love; written by Abd-el-Kader
on his separation from bis brothers," is here given
from the literal translation published in French.
The heart of the heroic Emir is warmed by the
domestic affections as well as elated by ambition.
Mr. Hooton's " Peregrinations in Texas," the paper
on the origin of basaltic columns, the continuation of
" Reminiscences of Cuba," and the contribution on
" Colonial Postage Reform," are all eminently de-
serving of consideration, as is the magazine generally.

THE OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE REVIEW.

We cannot possibly coincide in the strictures con-
tained in this monthly organ upon the very liberal
scheme of education for the people, propounded by Dr.
Hook, the clever and industrious Vicar of Leeds.
There are undoubtedly many incongruities in his 'pro-
position, but nevertheless they are such incongruities
as might be modified. It is not surprising, how-
ever, that an extraordinary diversity of opinion should
be entertained upon a matter so peculiarly difficult to
adjust to the satisfaction of all In a country where
there are so many varieties of religions as in Eng-
land, and in a country, where there is both a church
establishment, and a sincere yearning for the attain-
ment of civil and religious liberty, it is but natural
that an endeavour to concoct some universal plan of
education should be hampered by prejudices against
this point, and partialities in favour of that. How-
beit it is neither for a single pamphlet like that
written.by Dr. Walter Farquhar Hook, excellent as
that pamphlet is in itself, nor for an anonymous con-
tributor to a monthly periodical, to fabricate any
scheme likely to be precisely fitted for the adoption
of the Government. It is for a variety of ideas to
be elicited from the intelligent members of
the community in this and various other ways,
and for the Ministers to arrive at some ultimate reso-
lution through the guidance of their own wisdom and
the collation of those different ideas. The plan which
must in the end receive the approval of the Legisla-
ture for the education of the people will have first to
pass through the crucible of public discussion, then
to receive the profoundest consideration of our cabi-
net councillors, and finally to be tested in the alembic
of the two Houses of Parliament. We cannot anti•
cipate, neither can we have the temerity to hope, that
this most difficult problem can be solved with any-
thing like precipitation. The ultimatum must be the
result of arduous inquiry anti protracted investigation.
Still it must be matter of congratulation to all those
who are interested in the well-being of their fellow
countrymen to reflect that the present Administration
is the one most peculiarly identified with the progress
of national education. Entering office at the moment
when monopoly is for ever annihilated, and free trade
incorporated with the spirit of the Constitution, the
noble Premier, now ruling the destinies of this coun-
try, finds himself pledged, not merely to promote
those commercial principles, but to watch over the
sanatory condition, and to insure, if possible, the
better education of the inhabitants of Great Britain.
Knowing the lofty expectations formed for his admi-
nistration, and looking forward upon, the mysterious
futurity of his Government, he might exclaim, in the
words of Virgil--
" . . Major rerum mihi nascitur ordo;
Majus opus moveo."
Let us have no trepidation; but bide the time, san-
guine and confident as to our ulterior success.
Among the other interesting contents of the Oxford
and Cambridge Review, we must particularly men-
tion an article upon " The Colliery and Mining Dis-
tricts," an article brimming over with benevolence.
A " Sunny Spot" at Serinione is an elegant and
classic chapter.

THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE.
What with a portrait of Pyrrhus the First, the
winner of the last Derby, and the limning of a
Galloway Bull, the Farmer's Magazine has no evi-
dence of falling oft' in the way of illustration. It IA
gratifying to find it proclaimed that "on the whole
there exists little reason to complain of the result of the
wheat harvest." After all the apprehensions raised by
the exceeding drought of the summer, and the heavy
rains that were experienced before the harvest could
be gathered in, and bearing in mind the terrible
failure of the potato crop, that announcement re-
specting the wheat is to a great extent consolitary.
A mass of valuable information upon agriculture is,
as usual, condensed into the pages of this worthy pub-
lication.