The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-30 00:00:00

indeed remove "the blot of ignomy" from that still most
resplendent name. But, unfortunately, the facts,
of
fnd
ntehietheorne
glossrati nor rational construction
nef them,saeh admitwas
the contradiction of the character of this
wonderful mortal, so vast were his powers of mind and
so little his powers of self-control, so exalted his genius
iann do
one
eo
and paltry ttrhye
shisaaeb semen
moment,t twh
iatth wfee
erl
ncgu
sr
ot of hpirsi
pride, and
e er,
exultation, and reverence, and with feelings which (but
for a certain sense of awe) would actually merge them-
selves into scorn. Of the dead, however, nil nisi bonum;
it is a a good adage, and costs nothing in the fulfilment.
So in reference to the greatest of modern philosophers,
and the only one who can, in a relative sense, be coupled
with Aristotle, we would leave his culpabilities to his
Maker, and turn with a solemn gratitude to the nobler
deeds he has accomplished. We gladly recognise in
this number of the Review a tribute paid individually
to themerits of two of our contemporary authors—one
still living, the other in a premature grave—Thomas
Hood and Walter Savage Landor. Yet, though we ac-
knowledge the general sagacity which pervades the
analysis of the poetical powers of Hood, we are sur-
prised to find one of his most delicate and chastened
poems k" The Bridge of Sighs") carped at for what the
critic is pleased to christen its "falsetto tone." If there
be really anything like a "falsetto tone " about this
pure and generous chant, it is in the theme itseff—and
surely that theme deserves a venture of this kind, even
at the risk of its merit beirg cavilled at by an Edin-
burgh Reviewer! What is possibly the chief charm in
the " Bridge of Sighs " is the exquisite adaptation of
words, thoughts, allusions, even of the, fantastic metre.
itself, to the suicide of a young female. The estima-
tion of Landor's character and position as a writer is
deserved, is honest, is just :—" perhaps no writer of the
present age is more likely to survive and make acquaint-
ance with another." It will be some satisfaction to that
venerable sage to hear this prediction of his fame from
such an organ, to taste in those words the sweets of the
reflection that his life has not been all useless—that he
has laboured his allotted labour—that he may fold his
arms and rest, until his hour of probation has reached
its close. Particular attention should be given' to two
other articles, " The Administration of Charitable
Trusts," and the " Government of Dependencies," evi-
dencing, as they do, retentive erudition, clear observa-
tion, and cautious arrangement, though occasionally the
arguments employed are rather more hasty than appo-
site. A survey of " Wilkes' Exploring Expedition" is
interesting ; and the notice of Duveyrier's works, as
illustrative of certain " Political Views of French Af-
fairs," is replete with important considerations. As the
leader of that regenerative spirit which is conducting
the whole European system to better days, to a more
extended consonance of religion and government, to a
greater diffusion of happiness, and consequently to a
greater diffusion of knowledge, France must ever en-
gage the sympathies of the most remote as well as of
the most adjacent states. She has offered up her chil-
dren, as it were, as a holocaust to the cause of universal
emancipation, and has thus acquired for herself the pre-
rogative of marshalling the world to freedom, and to
what men of ardent imaginations might be pleased to
designate the millenium.

EMILIA WYNDHAM. By the Author of "Mount

Sorel." 3 Vols.

This is a deeply interesting and highly entertaining
work—and something more, and something far higher
and far better. It will instruct while it entertains, will
improve while it interests. There are few who will
close the third volume, after a careful and attentive pe-
rusal of the whole, without being imperceptibly, uncon-
sciously, perhaps, a little the better, a little the wiser for
its teaching. Example has always more force, always
far more efficacy than any precept, and few learned
homilies or wise discourses could persuade so gently, or
convince so powerfully, as the simple story of Emilia
Wyndham. Contrary to all the rules of romance, in
direct opposition to th.' avoured theories of novel
readers, it speaks of the quest duties of domestic life.
It would inspire the noble courage not to brave the
storms of adversity, the face of danger, the front of
battle, in which the ordinary heroine delights, but to
encounter and overcome, steadily, patiently, and calmly,
the petty cares, trials, and anxieties of every-day life.
Such an endeavour may seem insignificant, humble, un-
necessary ; but, rightly considered it is all-important,
since

" Trifles make the sum o fnuman things,
And half our misery from our foibles springs."
In the opening of the first chapter the ardent and
enthusiastic Emilia is learning true wisdom from her
gentle mother. Burning with admiration and emula-
tion for the heroic, she is surprised and pained to hear it
thus defined :

" Heroism I—To those who consider rightly, it is a far
nobler thing now : when it is no longer a sound to mark the
glowing excitement, the lofty enthusiasm, which fights and
struggles in the brilliant mid-day, gilded by the sun, all
warm and genial ; but the slow, silent, death-struggle of the
soul in solitude, darkness, and obscurity, against the heavy,
wearying, every-day evils of every-day actual life : sacrifices
of the hourly and the small, but the sum of which is exist-
ence—not offered in the fervour of the moment, but given,
as it were, by inches ; the heroic devotion to ethers, and
those others, not even worthy I far from grateful, too often
resentful ; combining patience, perseverance, endurance,
gentleness, and disinterestedness—that is the heroism of our
day, my dear poet !"
And such was the heroism which the listener's future
life was to exemplify and illustrate, and such is the
quality which gives the moral power to these volumes.
A tone of genuine feeling pervades the whole, sincere
and natural; and here and there we find some bright
thought which bids us pause, and reflect, and admire,
Many of the characters have a .clegree o€
.individuality
and truthfulness, which adds greatly to" si:pparent
reality of the whole. There is the beautiful and
capricieuse Lisa, the friend and exact contrast of Emilia,
a striking example of the fearful struggle between a bad
education and a good heart ; and there is Mr. Danby,
the hard-working, care-worn, withered lawyer, growing
old amid his books and papers, apparently without a
kindly thought or feeling, till, touched by the invincible
hand of love, the marble is melted into man. But it is
needless to enumerate further, suffice it to say that no
book more diametrically opposed to the ordinary rules
and routine of novels, could more effectually fulfil, what
hould be their main object—to give pleasure in the
perusal and benefit in the remembrance.