The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-03 00:00:00

THE MAGAZINES.

Blacktvood.—Last month, Blackwood's Magazine
commenced with an article headed " Macaulay "
this month, Blackwood's Magazine terminates with
an article headed "Macaulay !" As with the
trenchant sword of Cato placed invitingly upon his
tent-table—the " bane and antidote " are both be-
fore us—encomium and depreciation! At any rate
this reiterated analysis of the genius and writings
of the great Whig Historian is an honourable
tribute to, and at the same time a very conspicuous
illustration, of his importance. An " afterthought"
ou the part of the eccentric contributor of the inte-
resting series of papers about " The Scot Abroad,"
gossips to us pleasantly enough about "The Mau
of Diplomacy." What is that glorious jeu d' esprit
giving the antithesis of the national characters of
the Europeans—reminding us that " The French-
man is never at peace unless he is at war," that
"The Englishman is never happy unless he is
miserable," and so on—does it not add ? "The
Scotchman is never so much at home as when he
is Abroad." Might it not be the appropriate motto
of the series of papers here referred to—and to that
motto might there not be added a foot-note quoting
the comical sarcasm of Dr. Jeheson, where be ob-
serves (vide " Boswell") that the finest view in
Scotland is the road out of it ! " Sketches on the
way to Stockholm," by another Sketcher than the
late Rev. John Eagles, the "Sketcher" of Black-
wood, is the title of a seasonable contribution re-
counting the experiences of a tourist by way of
Hanbury, Altona, Kiel, Copenhagen, Landscrona,
the Cattegat, Gottenburg, and so onwards, to the
traveller's destination. "The Athelings," Part IV.
—what shall we say of " The Athelings ?" but that,
as a story, it promises to equal, if not even to sur-
pass, " Zaidee," and that, like everything we have
ever yet read from the baud of Margaret Oliphant,
it is thoroughly delightful. The Genius of Agnes
wins for her through her first work 1501. sterling !
The Beauty of Marian wing for her the admiration
of a dashing Guardsman, Sir Longhorn Portland !
The Resolution or Determination of Charlie has
large promise enough of an obstacle to overcome in
the malignant hostility of that " ghastly grim and
ancient raven" of a peer, my Lord Wiuterbourne.
So much for " The Three Gifts" these same inte-
resting young "Athelings" are endowed with !
The tale gives promise of a romantic interest in
connection with the OLD WOOD LODGE. Of this,
however, in all good time, we shall hear more. At
present we can only catch a glimmering of the in-
terest in store for us, through the clustering shrub-
beries about The Willows down at Richmond—
whither the sister-heroines cf the story go on a
fortnight's vhit to the Hon. Mrs. Eclgerley, the
fashionable bas bleu, who is the daughter of the
family-foe, Lord Winterbourne. A second part of
" Sea Side Studies" follows the new instalment of
the current tale of Maga in this charmingly read-
able number for September. A contribution suc-
ceeded in its turn by " A Chapter on Peninsular
Dogs"—pleasant reading, we doubt not, for friend
Tickler, meaning, of course, the little " Hirish
Skye" the readers of Blackwood wet of, and not by
any means the Ambrosial Philosopher who was
wont once upon a time to play the fiddle (and some-
times very wisely also to play the fool), to chop
logic and crack jokes with Wilson, "King Chris-
topher,* and Hogg, " The Ettrick Shepherd."
A Brookside Dialogue, entitled " Oldtower," is
followed by an esthetic criticism about " The
Poetry of Christian Art ;" the entire number
ending, as we have said, as its predecessor began,
namely, with an article headed " Macaulay"—of
itself sufficient attraction.

The Dub/in University opens with a paper on
" The United States Navy," in which "reasons
for conviction" are given " why there is really no
cause to apprehend that the United States' navy
will ever rival our own, or contend with it for the
mastery of the seas." Chief among these is the
want of seamen in sufficient number to man great
fleets. The writer makes little account of defec-
tions from the British navy, and calls attention to
the fact that the United States mercantile marine
—the nursery of a navy—is mainly manned by
foreigners. The story of " Glencore' is continued.
" The Irish in Spain" is full of battles and skir-
mishes, in which the sons of the Green Island
played no unimportant part, and achieved signal
military renown. "The Darraglelia continued.
A new will is discovered, and all is consternation,
regret, and speculation ! The disinherited hero
quits the Darragh "never to return," and sets
about discovering tie means of living. He reaches
Liverpool, where the present instalment leaves
him. " Sinai and Palestine" is the review of Mr.
Stanley's work of that name, and will find many
readers. A further instalment of " Cyprus" is
given, and the reader is introduced to Nicosia,
the capital, the peculiarities of which are pointed
out-and deseiluett. "A Family illstuty, into
which an abduction by a Turkish adventurer
enters, is told by way of episode. Mr. Heywood's
recent motion fur "A new translation of the Bible"
meets with a certain degree of favour, the writer
ad:nitting the want, but being of opinion it cannot
yet be supplied. The circumstances under which
the current translation was undertaken are passed
in review. " Sea-side Occupation" is a pleasant
paper, in which a good deal of useful information
is given towards the formation of marine aquaris.
" Old Church Bells," by Jonathan Freke Sliugsby,
tintinabulate musically, but don't ring in the satis-
factory settlement of " The Italian question," with
a consideration of which the number for tLe month
is brought to a conclusion.

Bentley's Miscellany.—An old friend with a new
face meets us in the opi-ning paper of Bentley. The
article is entitled, "A Month in the Crimea after
the Fall of Sebastopol," and gives an animated
description of the state of affairs in the Russian
stronghold in January, 1856. It is immediately
followed by the continuation of the story of the
" Joint-stock Banker," by Dudley Costello, which
this month reaches au important crisis. In evident
allu6ion to a rezi,ent tragedy, the joint-stock hanker
commits au imaginary suicide ; that is to say, ho
substitutes a corpse, which bears au accidental re-
semblance to him, for himself, and, placing a bottle
of poison near it, leaves it in one of the suburbs of
London while he makes his escape from the legal
punishment of bis crimes. A brief memoir of the
late Madame Vestris gives a sketch of her life, the
chief events of which are generally known. It is
remarked that during the last few months several
eminent members of the dramatic profession have
departed. A paper on the Proposed Route through
the Euphrates Valley will be interesting to the
scientific. Mr. Harrison Ainsworth continues his
story of " The Spendthrift," and leaves his hero
in a desperate ease. His good resolutions are
again overcome, and he is persuaded to gamble ;
while the efforts made by his constant friend Clare
Fairlie, the steward's daughter, are quite unavail-
ing. Those interested in his career had better
prepare themselves for some catastrophe in the
next instalment. Another tale, bearing the satis-
factory title of "Right at Last," happily settles
all the difficulties that attended the steps of Mary
Goring in the last number. Plain-spoken Miss
Halliwell gives a serious reproof to the wealthy
and obdurate parents, which has more effect than
good advice generally produces, for they remove
their interdiction, and all ends well. " Monks-
hood," in his " Prosing,," gives us his opinions on
a quartet of Quarterly Reviewers—Sir Walter
Scott, Southey, Lord Stanhope, and John Wilson
Croker. These critics criticised furnish the subject
for an interesting article, which examines their dif-
ferent styles and weighs their several merits.

Colburn's United Service.—The Parliamentary
Paper devoted to the apotheosis of the non-com-
missioned officers and soldiers who distinguished
themselves in the Crimea, and which will be found
in full towards the conclusion of the number, ap-
pears to have given rise to the opening article, en-
titled "The Horse Guards, the Bath and the French
War Medal." o.cl ladies in uniform are recom-
mended not to be alarmed at the above innova-
tion. Government couldn't help publishing the
men's names, seeing the French Government set
the example ; The Horse Guards are still the
ilaten distributed Ase ,
and
they niay be
manageal called
Guards, Sir Charles Yorke, umbra of Lord
Hardinge, being still secretary," the Order of the
cdthtehsee
Ordertß3hasofatthpereGe present
things better in France, where merit such as the
writer notices would not as in this country be
overlooked. The publication of the names of the
Crimean heroes in a Parliamentary paper, instead
of in the Gazette, is the subject of indignant com-
ment. " The General's Hut in the Trenches,"
and " Reminiacences of War in the East" are
continued, and " The Reconnaisance of Si-
listria" is pretty graphically described. " Night
Signals at Sea,' " Remarks on Defects in
our Military System," and "The Coast-guard
as a Reserve for the War Fleets," are papers
worthy of notice. "The Court of Russia," to
which the approaching coronation has given addi-
tional interest, is the subject of a paper to be con-
cluded in a future number. The writer skips
Pater and Catherine, and proceeds to take a glance
at the Courts of the two last Sovereigns and the
present Emperor. The manners of the Duke of
Wellington, we are told, "were considered abrupt,
cold, haughty, and repulsive in a Court where obse-
quious politeness was habitual." We don't wonder
at it—the Duke, no great cou-tier at home, was
out of his element in an atmosphere of adulation
and insincerity. "The Suez Canal" is looked upon
as " a fresh link in the social chain that ought to
bind all the peoples of the earth," and as likely to
be of great profit to England. "The Editor's
Portfolio" olio attention to "The Ruling liattho.