The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-01 00:00:00

MAGAZINE DAY.

Blackwood.—lnstead of another instalment of
Mrs. Oliphant's charming romance of " Zaidee "
concluded so very cleverly in the number of Maga
for December—we have an introductory fragment,
by a Peninsular Medalist, descriptive of " A Mili-
tary Adventure in the Pyrenees." Bulwer Lytton
reposes on the laurels won by his glorious "Novel"
of Novels. Margaret Oliphant pauses for a while
after the close of her graceful " Romance " of
Romances. We must content ourselves for the
nonce, therefore, with these recollections of the
Medalist of the Peninsula. They will be found
amusing and replete, at any rate, with evidences
of freshness and animation. Colonel Hamley
almost might have penned Part One of this same
" Military Adventure in the Pyrenees," but that
his time has been too much engrossed of
late, we should conjecture, by camp duties
in the Crimea, varied by his alternate employ-
ment of the pen and pencil, as the historian
and illustrator of the memorable Campaign
before Sebastopol. -Besides, the style of the new
contribution is not the style with which the readers
of " Lady Lee's Widowhood" are by this time so
pleasantly and intimately acquainted. The only
resemblance, indeed, between the two compositions
being traceable through the characteristics of fresh-
ness and animation already particularised. Sir
Archibald might almost have written what may
be termed in two senses of the phrase the Leading
Article of Blackwood for January, the masterly
monetary argument put forward in the shape of an
elaborate treatise upon " The Gold-Screw and its
Consequences." The present is not the fittest op-
portunity for the discussion of the vast theme in-
volved in this same elaborate treatise—a theme the
importance, extent, variety, and magnitude of
which we ourselves have had occasion so
very often to illustrate in our own leading
columns, in the hope that by thus perti-
naciously and conscientiously sustaining the
discussion we may in the end be instrumental, as
far at least as lies within our power, in bringing
about, sooner or later, the long-desired, compre-
hensive, and, let us add, inevitable epoch of a
grand monetary reorganisation. Judging from its
ability and sagacity throughout, Mr. Warren might
almost have written the earnest and argumentative
chapter upon the subject of " The Inns of Court
and the Bar of England." It lacks, however,
much of that perspicacity of treatment and diver-
sity of apt and novel illustration for which the
writings of the learned Recorder of Hull have long
been so very remarkable. The only tokens of his
hand, in truth, herein in any way discoverable are
those already intimated—viz., those of a prevailing
skill and shrewdness, shrewdness in deduction and
skill in general arrangement. Something in real
earnest has, by this time, become absolutely requi-
site for the better organisation of that wonderful
system under which for the year last past, that of
1855, no less than 3,800 barristers have been care-
lessly brought together without auy systematic
forethought or deliberate preparation—to what
end ? To the end of the direct administration of
justice in England—as Recorders, County Court
Judges, Stipendiary Police Magistrates, Revising
Barristers, and a great number of other pan-
judicial temporary or permanent functionaries—
such, for example, as Masters and Commissioners.

" To this body, moreover, are intrusted the lives,
liberties, characters, and property of every member of
the community, when questioned and endangered ; and
through their intervention, as advocates, are adjusted
disputes referred to the appropriate tribunal at home,
11.:1m every judicature throughout the wide-spread do-
minions of the British Crown. Where, then, and how,
is this formidable phalanx educated I—Nay, is it edu-
cated at all 1 By whom In
- - -

That "is the question." A difficulty of vital im-
portance, and one demanding a prompt and satis-
factory solution. A dialogue between Celsus,
Irenmus, and Tlepoletuus—trots out one after
another the principal champions of "The New Peace
[at-any-price] Party "—Cobden, Bright,Elton, cum
ccrteris paribus. Then follows soon atterwardsa brief
but sufficient paper on " Lancashire Strikes," and
a little further on an entertaining chapter descrip-
tive of " Wet Da.s at Bryn Cefn '—merging itself
at last into a pleasant chat between Chase, Brown,
Milberde, Denny, Lake, and Lawless. An article
" On the State of the British Army" is the one
which has chief reference this month to the all-
absorbing topic of the great war still raging between
Russia and the Allies. Another contribution yet
remains to be mentioned as among the contents of
Blackwood's Magazine for January—the one upon
the suggestive and twin topics of " Drinking and
Smoking." An argument through which we are re-
joiced to observe that the writer is very far indeed
from being an implacable enemy to the " divine
weed," or an arch foe to all exhilarating
beverages though opposed, of course, right
earnestly, to an abuse of either, whether
by the transformation of the human throat into
litle better than a chimney for tobacco smoke, or
a funnel for the pouring down of the means of sys-
tematic; intoxication. Temperance both in regard to
drinking and smoking is of course very strongly incul-
cated ; but a manly protest is raised against the ab-
surd cry of certain crotchetty philanthropists who
insist, forsooth, upon the necessity of universal ab-
stinence. It would never do, in truth, for Maga
to heoome a champion of teetotalism—she who has
so often gladdened our hearts at so many a glo-
rious symposium, under the rose, and the bush,
and the bunch of grapes, in the immortal Noctes
Ambrosiance.

Dublin University.—" Balancing the Books : a
Tale of New Year's Eve," is the introductory
article of this number, and is interesting. It is a
peculiarly appropriate one for the period of the
New Year ; and it would be well if many followed
the example here set of making more perfect the
records placed on other tablets than those of
worldly traffic. At first we are introduced to au
old man and his clerk, who were arranging their
accounts, and could not make all straight. The
merchant was speaking to his confidential agent of
a sum yearly hoarded by that belonged to his
sister, whom he had sent away owing to a dispute
about her marriage. The law gave him power to
keep back her money if she married without his
consent. The next scene is that of a woman wan-
dering at night in the street to find out some long-
forsaken place. The last chapter is called " The
Lot set Right," in which Mary is received into her
brother's house, to which she had wandered to
make peace. Yet overjoyed as lie was to see her
again pride prevented him agreeing to receive her
husband. Suddenly the door opened, and the mer-
chant's wife introduced the injured brother-in-law,
accompanied by a little girl, who ran up to
the fierce man, and said with a sweet smile,
" Are you my uncle Laurence that papa taught me
to name in my prayers night and morning?" The
unstudied artifices of childhood prevailed. " Out
of the mouth of the babe has God ordained the
strength that gave the victory." As the long-
divided relatives, were reconciled, the bells run;out a peal. " The old year had passed away, gone
to be written up in God's register against the last
day of accounting, when time itself shall be no
more, and one bright entry. will appear under the
head of that old year." " The Dramatic Writers
of Ireland" is continued, and a long list is added
to the collection of dramatists. " Love in Curl
Papers" is the first part of a new tale, which pro-
mises to be amusing. At first we aro introduced
to Paris in early morning, but afterwards a story
is told of Germany, in which the adventures of one
of the characters took place, and some interesting
passages appear. In a quaint old village of the
Rhine we are introduced to a philosopher and his
daughter, and the story breaks off as they are forming
plans for study or diversion on the arrival of some
friends of the father's from Paris. "A Trio of
.Ame-
rican Sailor Authors" presents to our notice
Feni-
more Cooper, R. N. Dana, and Herman Melville,
who have, it is averred, written nautical novels and
narratives of the highest degree of excellence. It
is said that the object is not to institute a com-
parison between the respective merits of our sea
novelists and, their transatlantic contemporaries,
but that it may be incidentally remarked that
" America worthily rivals England in this depart-
ment of literature." " Leaves from the Portu-
guese Olive" contains au account of Rodriguez
Lobo. There are various other articles of met it
and interest to be met with—" The Twilight
Musings of an Old Man," " Notes on New Books,"
c., which altogether produce a pleasing number
:or the new year.

Bentley's Miscellany.—Bentley's opens with a
paper on the important topic " What we are all
about." After taking a brief review of politi-
cal and literary affairs, the writer gives us a list of
those which have passed away from us during the
last twelve months. After alludinc, to the recent
demise of the post of Memory, the writer ex-
claims—
-

" Within the last twelve months what a gap has been
made in the memorable roll I The sagacious and indefatig-
able Truro—the earnest and philosophic Molesworth—the
enterprising Parry—the warm-hearted and upright Inglis
—the scientific De la Beebe the learned Gaisford—the re-
forming Hume—the harmonious Bishop—the financial
1
lierries —the diplomatic Adair—the poetical Stranvford,
also a diplomatist, with Ellis and Ponsonby, his fellow-
labourers in the last-named category—the gifted Lockhart
—Miss Ferrier, and Adam Ferguson, connected, too, with
Walter Scott--Lord Robertson, the convivial judge—Lord
Rutherford, his acute compeer—Miss Jtitford,and strong-
hearted Currer Bell—Colburn, the godfather to half the
novels of the last half-contury—Sibthorp, the eccentric
—the travelled Buckingham—Park, the stulptor—GurneY,
the short-hand writer-0. Suiith, the preternatural— th,
centenarian Routh—Black, of the Morning Chronicle-
the life-preserving Captain ?Hanby—'Archdeacon Hare—
Jessie Lowers, the friend of Burna—tho injured Baron de