The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-10 00:00:00

" •
LITERATURE. `Criticisms,composed of biographies, or essays, or disquisitions, or
ea.AI
THE
..RVEIAN ORATION, delivered -before -the As of the agreeable outpourings of a heart
Royal Colleg.! o; Physician.v London June, 1846, by , and head, stored with refilled sentiment, cultivated by
Jahn Elliotson, M.D , Can;ab, F.R:S., .S.-c. with, an' the purest taste, animated with the most spontaneous
English Version and I‘. otes enthusiasm, nerved with the most tender sympathies.
In "The House of Titian," " Washington Alston," and
The publication of the " Harveian Oration," with an
"The Xanthian Marbles," various departments of the
'anguish version and notes for the benefit of the non
professional world, might of itself mark au era in the Fine Arts—pictorial, sculpturesque, and literary—are
commented upon with inimitable evidences that the
progress of the College of Pnysician• if there were no-
a
ltast anniversary.
else pecuhar in the circumstances attendin, the writer can appreciate the Beautiful, reverence the True,
anniversary. In accordance with the will of the love the Pure, and abhor the Meretricious (not only in
111 f-'tutor, this annual oration is delivered An Latin,
sa the abstract hut) especially in Painting, Sculpture, and
and, until the present year, it has not been deemed worth Literature. As a fresh and not incompetent exponent
nile to present it to the ;enema public in the vulgar of the spirit of High Art, Mrs. Jameson cannot fail to
meow_ arrest our attention. Her dissertations also en
walls of
if, ilideed, any such oration before this contained
" Woman's Mission and Woman's Position," as well as
that could be edifying or interesting outside the
"On the Relative Social Position of Mothers and
ta "f the College. Dr. Falioison, in a short preface,
Governesses," merit the most earnest consideration of
'bits it necessar to defend the " unusual" course of
t11,1)1 thing an English version, on the ground that "it every female in the empire : they are fraught with
"' but justice. beautiful principles beautifully- propounded : they ar'
to himself. But no such di or justi-
fie ' nobly conceived and bespeak both amiability and' cou-
ettan would have been required. The mere English
realer would be sufficiently well pleased, without re- rage. Admirable, however, as are these portions of the
g,aruing the usage, to find so much instructive matter volume, the most acceptable paper in the collection is in
placed before him, in so agreeable and graceful a form— our estimation the one entitled " Adelaide Kemble, and
lth such simplicity, and yet with so much wit and the Lyrical Drama," it breathes of friendship, musical
ashrewdness. Attractive and elegant as the oration will taste, verve, dramatic partialities, and a thousand typo-
Akar in the English version, theschular will be surprised site reminiscenses interspersed with most welcome alla-
(if not delighted) to observe that it is far surpassed, in sinus to the personal advantages and charactertstics of
4.7.etlty of style and expressive diction, by the original our celebrated cautatrice—the last of the Kensbles !
Zia. In the cataloeue of illustrious men, whose We are individually rejoiced that this memorial of the
brief but brilliant career of a very superb vocalist has
°I memory as benefactors of the College, the oration was
designed.a_ to celebrate (and who have been, in their re- been written by Mrs. Jameson ; firstly, because it is the
memento of a vision we would not willingly forget, and,
°PeCtiVe periods, the parents. or the guardians, or
Patrons of the institution, rather than its offspring), secondly, because that interesting narrative has pro-
-BYeral are distinguished for the purity and eloquence of ceeded from a narrator so capable of doing it justice.
These who have, like ourselves, listened. to the voice and
their Latin works. Caius, Harvey himself, Barney, and
watched the countenance of Adelaide Kemble in
°tilers have been lauded by contemporary and succeed-Semiramide, (that voice so full of passion half-womanly,.
llg men of learning for Latinity comparable to that of
halt tyrannical, that countenance. so troubled with. the
Their
and, in one instance, resembiing that of Terence.
torment of contending emotions, now beaming with a
„a3"eir merit, in this respect, was certainly of a high
glimpse of gentleness, now terrible with a glare of
Tler- It was as high as would be the merit of Elliotom,
hatred), will feel grateful to Mrs. Jameson for the
should we say that he wrote English as well
beautiful record she has left in this performance.
as Addison, or that his style resembled Ches-
Zraeld's. With the renowned subjects of his dis-
-tine Latin was more familiar than the vernacular,
;Ad •
1 in this work, and in this age of neglected
classics, it is a greater praise than can be claimed for
''''Y of them, that, in every particular of elegant compo-
sal , . Latin .
eta his is equal to their best. Nor must we say
that such scholarship is useless in these days. For,
besides that the question would open• up a difficult con-
u„°,re.Y9Latinity is an essential condition of the orator's
X.!! 43a in our present case, according to the express
"uut,b.tuand of Dr. Harvey.
The
_ oration abounds in matter of universal interest,
icertallig extensive learning and research in its col-
ahroen—admirable skill, tact, and lucidity in its expo-
jaa_ • The notes are very curious, and illustrate the
tersauity and boldness, as well as the profound and ex-
as observation, of the author. The publication, we
itc'atild mark an era in the progress of the college, if
made,
ay this alone, that a commemorative address is
te-me. in the simple fulfilment .of its purpose as a lauda•
8017 Commemoration, a vehicle for conveying whole-
me instruction to the learned auditors, and reminding
them and the more forgetful world of a series of facts
relating to the history of the college and its benefactors,
Which, thus skilfully linked and connected, form in the
Whole, perhaps, the most impressive and important
lesson that has yet been laid before inquiring and pro-
gressing man.
The New Era in the progress of the college is marked
by other peculiarities. In the whole of its history to
the latest day, from Linacre, Caius Gilbert, and Harvey,
prejudice and folly have triumphed long over truth, and
in each particular case persecuted or crushed its dis-
coverer. The life of every one of the great men here
enumerated by the orator was no more than a series of
practical illustrations. of the dishonesty or ignorance of
theti majority 'in the learned professions at all
themes' and. of the stupid confidence with which
public at all times echoes the cry of
n"fool, imposter, humbug," against every man, in succes-
s_to , and without exception, who has had the wisdoms to
perceive,
the industry to explore, and the courage to
omulgate a neglected truth. Now, in the beautiful
~Peroration_ of the discourse before us, Dr. Elliotson
slightly and modestly refers to the puny persecutions
years,
which he also has been assailed during the last ten
3:era• Is it not a New Era in the history of the pro-
fessionty that the presumptuous and disingenuous have
"Y' and that this-sagacious and indefatigable
..philosopher, remarkable as much for the purity of his
olfteLa:s for the depth of his researches, and the courage
of avowals, has been selected for the honourable duty
lelivering to the assembled body of his college—the
highest in the world—this periodical commemoration of
thededs and doctrines of all that were illustrious, and
Therefore persecuted, amongst its departed members ?
0,,,, enthusiastic applause which followed the delivery
aaaa oration convinces us that the truly Ciceronian ap-
Peal with which the orator concluded will not have been
`nssed to his auditors in vain.
sa t:zututae cum ita sent, ego vos magnopera oro atque obtestor,
la vim tot argumentis humane, nature inesse compro-
natara, p unquam apud vos veritatis error, si professionis
112stre3 ignites, si denique minium hominum salus et felici-
'4Bj_ale_t_,_diligentisaime investigetis."
ust:"Z•_ Elltotson's English version of this fine passage by
aaarans does it justice. For the benefit of the general
ta—mtla to whom we earnestly recommend the pamphlet
tiveit ehrioeity and a treasure of history and science, we
K Itit a author's own translation, inadequate as it is:—
of tZ.I the name, therefore, of the love of truth, in the name
all Zet:cil.fgnity o! our profession, in the name of the good of
h„,.:"4 kind, I implore you carefully to investigate this im-
portant subject."
_ The dignified and touching letter of Frederick Mes-
Lner to this college, when he presented his books to it,
as the most learned and libeN•al in Eon pe, is amongst
the curiosities which fill the notes, and gives the reader
a very different impression of treat ardent physician's
character from that which is generally received.

TIM DEBATER.

This is a very useful Bvo. by Frederic Rowton. It
contains, firA, a series of debates npon well-chosen topics;
next, outlines of debates upon other interesting subjects;
and, thirdly, questions for discussion, to all of which
are added references to works best calculated to assist
the student in forming sound opinions upon the various
topics suggested. The author wisely considers that the
practice which has long prevailed ot attt mpting to teach
youth the art of speech, by simply committing to me-
mory and reciting hackneyed pieces of declamation, is
based in error. It merely clothes the mind with the
liveries of other men's thoughts, and when the suits are
worn cut, the intellect is left in an unfruitful condition.
The mind is best educated by teaching it to think—a fa-
culty best developed by discussion, in the place of reci-
tation. Mr. Rowton, by the arrangement and style ot
bis work, has illustrated the value of this proposi-
on with much felicity. Tho rising generation may
Tofitably peruse this publication.

ry PI

RAVENSNEST, or the REDSKINS. 3 vols. By
J. Fenimore Cooper.
Mr. G. P. R. James, though notoriously one of the
most prolific and popular novelists of the day, can
scarcely claim a superiority in either of these charac-
teristics over that singularly prolific and popular Ame-
rican author whose name is above inscribed. To
those who have revelled in the incidents of the
" Water Witch," the " Ited Rover," the "Spy," and the
"Pilot," any fiction from Mr. Cooper will prove most
welcome, however unattractive its title, or however mo-
dulated its style. But when his powers in sketching the
scenery in the back-woods, in delineating the appear-
ance or habits of Indian tribes, and drawing poetry out
of the prairies, and their sons with the capper complexion,
as conspicuously evidenced in his " Lust of the Mohi-
cans.," the "Pathfinder," the " Chainbearer," cum cateris
paribus, is remembered, what will not be the curiosity
of his readers on the publication of a romance so en-
gagingly christened as the present? " Ravensnest, or the
Redskins 1" It is suggestive at once of a thousand
literary beauties: it evokes pleasant memories of La
Longue Carabine and his companion shades: •
breathes
primitive
of the pine forest and the rimitivu
i
nl,abitants of North America, with their
painted limbs, their shorn scalps, their diadems of fea-
thers, their grotesque ornamen-s of shells and teeth.
Such were our anticipations of the contents of these three
volumes; but while we have not been absolutely disap-
pointed on their perusal, we have found eur anticipations
to have been altogether erroneous. " Ravensnest is un-
like the majority of Mr. Cooper's former productions;
it is divested of his usual picturesqueness, if we may so
designate it ; it contains scarcely a single startling oc-
currence ; its characters are especially unromantic ;
two-thirds of the production consist of very serious
dialogues and very sob, r conversations ; and yet,
with all these deficiencies and drawbacks, it is one
of the most excellent performances ef the great American
novelist. And we are induced, contrary to the opinion
which we had formed of it on the first blush of our
Perusal, to style " Ravensnest" one of his ablest per-
formances, because it is animated by a nobler and more
practical purpose than any of his previous productions.
It advocates justice, and
casts opprobrium upon • a
grievous social and political immorality. What is lost in
mere sparkle is gained in earnestness; what is wanting
in pleasantry is abundantly obtained in wisdom ; what
is deficient cu amusing roin.Lnee is flowing-over with in-
structive reality. Mr. Cooper has long appreciated, and
has repeatedly described, the virtues and excellencies of
his countrymen ; but he has also recognised their many
vices and imperfections, and in the present romance he
e
afford* them an admirable correction.. Loying_atn _
great principles of the institutions of his native.
.1 d,‘
such as they were modelled by the. master spirits of
Washington and Franklin, his feelings have neverth e-
leas revolted at the unconscionable grievances which,
have polluted and degraded that already venerable (so-
vernment. Long a patriot, he is no N ambitious to be a
regenerator. In " Ravensnest" the author b ildly protests
against a very execrable injustice which is unhappily
too popular in the United States. There the tenants on
estates, coveting the possessions which they have rented
for possibly a long series of years end generations,
abuse the landlords as rank aristocrats, and maintain that
the various farms which are thus distributed amongst the
~.flantry should belong to their occupants by right. By what
tgbt they do not very explicitly define! They insist
that these wholesale landlords should be stripped of
their possessions, because, say they, such an accumula-
tion of property in the hands of individuals is "con-
trary to the spirit of the constitution!" Thus making
that noble constitution a kind of paliation to the
most infamous injustice. Nor do these envious
tenants content themselves with uttering these things;
they actually endeavour to enforce them, by calling, out
;e, lawless gangs of desperadoes, called " Ingins —some-
ag like the Rebeccaites of Waes. The exposure
~'",t
this atrocious iniquity is the object of Ravens-
nest," and that obj ect is to our mind, so ex-
celleat, and so forcibly conveyedin the novel that
we consider the work as pecu iarly valuable. The meet-
ing of the Redskins, as described towards the conclusion
of the second volume,' is admirably drawn, and the ora-
tions smael of the true Indian eloquence.. Mr. Hugh
who is the hero, and who is loquitur through-
out, is
a right • g al' nt wight,, and an agreeable com-
danion.

AIEMOIIIS AND ESSAYS. By Mrs. Jameson.
Mrs. Jameson always writes forcibly because`she
thinks and feels forcibly. Every one who has had the_
gratification of reading her very charming analysis of
the "Female Characters of Shukspere" ail( coincide in
this opinion, and every one who has had the ~iTatifica
tion of devouring that beautiful book will rejoice at an
opportunity of r.newing his intimacy with a mind so
delicately and nervously constituted as is that of this
accomplished authoress. In her present work she has
not ambitioned so much as in her " Memoirs of Female
sovereigns (a production, by-the-way, almost super-
d by the voluminous pages of Hiss Strickland), or
iliher Characteristics of Women ;" but, pos,ibly from
the very eircum-taoce of not h:ori,g adventured so
fore
much, she has succeeded so signally. The volume be-
us is a delightful group of thoughtful, keen, gene-
-I.QO/ penetrant pieces of writing. it is not SO much