The Sun.
London, England, 1834-12-11 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

FOREIGN QUARTERLY REVIEW.
No. XXVIII.
A. Richter. London, 1834.

We have read with pleasure the opening article in
this number, which is a sketch of the public and pri-
vate character of Frederick the Great, the greatest
statesman and warrior—scarcely excepting even Napo-
leon, notwithstanding the latter's sphere of action was
so much more extensive—that modern times have seen.
The character of this founder of the present system of
Prussian policy has been often canvassed—often made
the subject of indiscriminate eulogy and as indiscrimi-
nate censure ; still the subject is far from being hack-
nied, fertile, as it is, in the most startling vicissitudes.
The reviewer has canvassed his theme ably and impar-
tially, though we think he might have entered more at
length into Frederick's conduct, during the famous
seven year's war ; when, it may be remembered, he
opposed single-handed the combined, gigantic powers
of Austria, Russia, and France, and which stamped
him the first warrior of his day. The great blot on
Frederick's memory was the share he took, in
concert with Catherine and Leopold, in the first
partition of Poland, which was the work of a despot
who acknowledged no right but that of might, laugh-
ing to scorn alike the faith of treaties, and the law of
nations. The Prussian monarch it was who first pro-
jected this atrocious scheme, though it was not carried
fully into effect till after his death. On this part of
his subject, the Reviewer is somewhat too taciturn.
" Life and Labours of Cuvier" will give the reader an
opportunity of estimating the talents and Herculean
industry of one of the most accomplished naturalists that
ever existed. " Languages of the Oceanic Region "
is a clever philological essay, though to those who do
not take interest in such matters—and we fear
they are a large class-.--it will be found rather dry read-
ing. " Van Artevelde " furnishes us with some
curious particulars respecting the revolutionary changes
that took place in Flanders, during the dynasty of the
two Arteveldes, father and son. We know of few
periods in modern history more interesting and eventful
than this. On the whole, the number is a good one,
and on some leisure day we may be tempted to give ex-
tracts from it.

PROSPECTS FOR OLD ENGLAND!

HINTS TO THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON AND THE NEW MINISTRY.

are taken from works with which the world has
lately grown very familiar. This is hardly worth
notice, and would not have been pointed out, did she
not sometimes make as free with the original form in
which the thought is expressed, as she even does with
the thought itself. Take the following as an instance
from Lord Byron. Mrs. Hall, in the tale of the
" Visionary" says : " How agonizing it is to see a
man shed tears ? Women seem in some degree born
for weeping ; but in men it appears a convulsion too
painful to look upon." This is no improvement of
the original which runs thus :
" She was a good deal shock'd ; not shock'd at tears,
For women shed and use them at their liking ;
But there is something when man's eye appears
Wet, still more disagreeable and striking :
A woman's tear-drop melts, a man's half sears,
Like molten lead, as if you thrust a pike in
His heart to force it out, for (to be shorter)
To them 'tis a relief, to us a torture.",
In the tale of " The Mosspits, or the Trials of
Agnes Hoskins," Mrs. Hall has made an unwarrant-
able attack on village debating clubs, and the object of
those who endeavour to diffuse political knowledge
among the mass of the people. Never was charge
more unfounded than that politics have a tendency to
make men dissatisfied with their condition, and dan-
gerous members of society. The introduction of Mr.
Owen's name evinces a great want of judgment, on the
part of the fair authoress of these tales. To Mr. Owen
himself no person can impute bad motives. If his
system be evil, he at least knows it not ; and surely the
goodness of his intentions might have called forth an
acknowledgment from a writer who cannot be sup-
posed to write tales under the influence of party ex-
citement.

Sirnpkin and Marshall, and Ridgway and Son.
Feeling a deep interest in the prospects of Old Eng-
land, having ourselves given a few Hints to the Duke
of Wellington, by which we think he has profited, we
were captivated with the attractive title of this pam-
phlet. Great was our disappointment, when, on
opening it, we found that its object was to recommend
a remedy for low prices and low wages, the efficacy
of which we have the presumption to doubt. But let
the author speak for himself :
" This would be done by coining the ounce of gold in this
country into a greater number of sovereigns than at present,
to explain more clearly, say into eight instead of four sovereigns.
" The consequence would be, that we should have double the
number of gold pounds ; we therefore might have also double
the number of paper pounds, without in the least altering our
present system of paper money, founded on a metallic stan-
dard, and exchangeable on demand for gold.
" This, then, would double our prices at home, without really
altering them as respects foreigners. Our manufactures, as
respects foreigners, would still be as cheap as at present; for
the price at which they would sell abroad would be estimated
by foreigners not in our home currency, but with reference to
the ounce of gold. Therefore, when foreigners were nomi-
nally, in their currency, paying us only 10s., they would still
be paying us one ponnd as regards our currency ; so, likewise,
when we paid foreigners what we call two pounds, we should
only be paying them one pound as regards their currency.
The value both of our exports and imports would be estimated
by our currency, and the balance in all transactions would be
calculated by the same standard of value. Therefore, our
foreign trade and power of underselling other nations, so far
from being injured by the rise of our prices, would, by our
consequent home prosperity, be increased in a tenfold degree."
If we might be allowed to suggest an improvement
on this plan, it would be that the farthing should be
declared by act of Parliament to be a pound ; or, per-
haps it would be better still, if we went back to the
iron rings, which Ccesar tells us our ancestors used as
coin when he invaded Britain. The material is cheap

(though our author might perhaps not think that an
advantage), and the annular form is very convenient

Beyond these objections, we know nothing which
can be urged against these "Tales of Woman's Trials."
They are full of life and character, enriched here and
there with whole pages of the deepest pathos. Of the
nine Tales, . four, at least, will force a tear from the
sternest eye—and tears, after all, are the best and surest
passports to the popularity of such a book. Nor ought
we in justice to the authoress to omit to mention, that
the sympathies which she awakens for her heroines in
the breast of the readers are of a pure and humanizing '
nature. The distresses which she describes are not
such as exist only in the mind of the morbid and the
constitutionally melancholy ; neither are they the re-
sult of wounded pride, mortified vanity, or ill-starred
ambition ; they are real legitimate causes of affliction,
and such as only " modern stoics—men without a
heart," could hear without emotion. In the " Trials
of Marian Raymond," the authoress is most happy in
her delineation of scales and feelings peculiar to Ire-
land and the Irish. She evidently understands the
Irish character as well as it can be understood, for,
in point of fact, it is incomprehensible. We are confi-
dent these Tales will be very popular, and they deserve
to be so. As a new-year's gift, the book will be an
acceptable offering to the young, and the old need not
hesitate to present it from any dread of lurking immo-
rality in the uncut pages. The " Tales of Woman's
Trials" all bear the impress of a virtuous, a delicate,
,and an accomplished mind, enriched with the purest
thoughts and most dignified sentiments.

'or strin;

THE SUN, LONDON', THURSDAY', DECEMBER 11, 1834.