The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-17 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 17, 1851.

THE QUARTERLIES.

Tl] E WESTMINSTER AND FOR
QUARTERLY REVIEW. .Nos. Crlll. w.d

XCIII.

Without any extraordinary diversity in the articles
contained in the current number of this double quar-
terly, its contents are sufficiently varied to offer at-
tractions to the majority of its subscribers. As an
opening paper we have a delightful, gossipping cri-
ticism anent " Modern Ballad Writers"—suggested
principally by the verse of Aytoun and Tennyson.
We can nowhere discover from the writer's extract
the beauty he himself perceives in the " Song of the
Pilgrim Fathers." Better for us are the racy
snatches of Ingoldsby, and the delicious " Farewell"
of the Laureate, the " Debora" of Horne, and the
" Oriana" of Tennyson. " Edward Gray," we can
say little for in praise, but Richard Alonckton
Milnes's " I Wandered by the Brookside" has long
been one of our dear favourites. We cannot think
that the selections from the " Lady Geraldine"
and the " Duchess May" of Mrs. Barrett Brown-
ing are at all happy as specimens of her
style in this department of literature. Having
spoken of the publication of the famous " Reliques,"
the reviewer says—
" A few years before their appearance was born in a
clay-built, cottage, on the banks of D3OO, one who,
whatever his obligations to that collection, or to
thw:e ballads of his country. which he so inde
flstigably sought, that, as Professor Wilson
in his review of Cromek's ballads of Nithsdale and Gal-
loway,' he had left not a bush unbeaten,' was equal
single-handed to the exposure of the false song of the
eighteenth century. Robert Burns found an audience
prepared for him by the growth of truer taste and the
sweet natural charm of Goldsmith's verse, hut we doubt

if the greater genius and originality of the Scottish poet
have not suffered from his later apparance on the scene.
The revolution i❑ letters, hailed him rather as a convert
cr a soldier formed in its camp than as a chief self.
trained; but his true place is nevertheless at its head, the
representative of what is truest and most national in mo-
dern English song and ballad. His genius taught him,
what many illustrious names which have succeeded him
have, as we shall more fully show, failed to appreciate,
that a natural poetry cannot be established by an imi-
tation of the manners and modes of thought of earlier
times. He did no such injustice to the past as is implied
in the use of topics for song now admitted to possess no
truth for us. lie proved in Tam O'Shantcr,' how tho-
roughly he could identify himself with a superstition not
indeed extinct in his time; but in 'My Highland Mary,'
the Rigs o'Barley,' My Lady's Gown, there's gairs
upon't,' he showed how infinitely diversified were still
the resources of the ballad, how real in all time the sim-
plicity in which it can express itself, how profound the
interest it can excite."

With these few but suggestive remarks, the critic
contents himself in reference to any allusion to Burns.
Strange, nay " wondrous strange," he makes no allu-
sion whatsoever to Thomas Chatterton, who was
sounding his oaten pipe at Bristol, while the London
rhy lusters were still puling over the phantoms of
Phyllis and Corydon. A capital narrative of " Recent
Campaigns in India " has been suggested by
the late published memorials of Edwardes and of
Thackwell. In the course of this paper Lord
Gough gets somewhat severely handled, and this
principally by means of very pithy and emphatic ex-
cerpts from the work of Thackwell. Honourable
mention is made of Colonel Havelock and Colonel
Cureton, and of two other heroic soldiers who died
thus gallantly at Chillianwallah :
" Peonycuick and his son, both officere, in the 24th, fell
just as they reached the guns. A stalwart Seikh was
leaning over the hapless father, prostrated by a shot,
and inflicting gashes on the body, when the boy of seven-
teen, the noble son of such a worthy father, stept for-
ward and dealt an avenging blow. The heroic boy
strided across his father's corpse, and bade defiance to the
savage multitude."
Immediately after this review comes an admirably-
digested chapter on " English Mathematical Litera-
ture." In the next contribution, a criticism on
" Martineau and Atkinson on Man's Nature and De-
velopement," we cordially sympathise with the
writer's scornful abhorrence of their deductions.
" Strange and wonderful," says he "is the power of
self-delusion !
" Here we have two clever, well-informed people, per-
suading themselves that they experience extraordinary
raptures mingled with the most exquisite philosophic
calm, from believing that unconscious matter is the cause
of conscious thought, that the truest human, affection is
nothing worthier than the love of a spoonful of nitric
acid for a copper halfpenny, and that annihilation is the
most satisfactory end of human life. From such views
both the intellect and the heart of man will recoil with
well-founded disgust—his logical powers will perceive
the absurdity of the argument and his taste and affec-
tions will lead him to exclaim with Wordsworth—
' Great God! I'd rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I standing on this pleasant lea
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn •
Have sight of Proteus, rising from the sea,
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.' "

On the whole, the reviewer comes to the conclusion
that " the new lights promised by our authors turn
out to be chiefly composed of very old-fashioned rays
of darkness." A succinct account of the progress
recently made respectively throughout continental
Europe, by democracy and absolutism, is given di-
rectly afterwards, in the paper headed " Revolution
and Counter •Revolution." We commend it to the
notice of those who may erroneously have begun to
doubt the strength and vitality of liberal principles.
Referring to Hungary, the writer says—
" To this day Kossuth stands as high in the estimation
of his peoplo as he did in the noontide of his glory.
Very different was the character of GUrgey, who was
cola and calculating, and without a spark of enthusiasm;
and not even the wonders accomplished by the devoted
and chivalrous Elonveds could excite any warm feelings
in his icy breast. He hated the Poles, of whom there
were nearly 5,000, with the two generals Beal and
Dembinski, and made it a crime in Kossuth that he had
a leaning towards the brave sons of a sister people.
With such a disposition, increasing danger and rancorous
feelings against the Government, who could not but re-
pudiate his inconsistency, that evil spirit got possession
of him that subsequently led to the treasonable surren-
der at Vilagos. When after the battle of tSzOny (Juno
2) the suspicions against him gained confirmation, it
was too late, for his skilful manoeuvring had, no doubt,
purposely placed the Russian army between himself and
the seat of government. Two months later he was at
Arad with his corps, that he might, so to speak, show
the Russians the way. The fatal sequel is wall known
—he saw his most intimate friends and bravest comrades,
his near relatives and companions delivered by his
treason to imprisonment or ignominious death. G OrgcY,
now half a prisoner in a wretched provincial Austrian
town, suffering from the reproaches of his own heart
and the curse of the whole civilized world, offers a sad
contrast to Kossuth, attended by the unalterable love of
his own people, universally admired, respected even by
his foes, while the usurper of his country's crown is
obliged to surround himself with bayonets, and is hated
by the people over whom he exercises an uneasy and
precarious rule."
According to the Westminster, "Kossuth's chief point
of weakness was his indulgence towards Gorgey"—
a reflection that will call to mind the fatal indulgence
shown, in like manner, towards Ledru Rollin by La-
martine. We shall take an early opportunity to re-
fer more particularly to the argument considered
within the compass of the next paper, an argument
relating to the important subject of " Marriage with a
Deceased Wife's Sister," a subject upon which we have
of late so repeatedly written ourselves. Two political
articles of some ability follow, one referring to the
necessity for "Diplomatic Reform," the other re-
counting the rise and the results of the "Ministerial
Crisis." Upon the unsettled state of things the re-
viewer observes,—
"The times are curious enough :—with the Continent
unsettled, and presenting the possibility of fresh disturb-
ances; with a war at the Cape, and discontent in all our
colonies; with the Indian revenue steadily exceeded by
the Indian expenditure; with, in tact, necessity for strong
and rational Administration, we have a mere caput mar-
town, from which every particle of vigour has long
since fled."
After the article' on the "Ministerial Crisis" comes
a " Postscript on 'Education," and this winds up the
present number of the Westminster. Added to all
which we have as usual a variety of miscellaneous
notices, and a comprehensive review of the progress
recently made in " Foreign Literature."

and very excellent history and explanation of the re-
cently investigated relics of aleient times. Those un-
acqulinted with Layard's celebrated work will find
i❑ Mr. Vaux's volume an interesting stiminury of the
researches and discoveries of that persevering anti-
quarian, while others, already familiar with some oi the
wonders of old Nineveh will, we doubt not, gladly
listen to further information and explanation thereon
from one so qualified for the task. The numerous
excellent illustrations of this volume, and the beau-
tiful appearance, confers credit upon its publishers.

MADAME DORREVGTON OF THE DELVE.

By William llowitt. 3 Vols. Colburn.
The appearance of William Howitt in the charac-
ter of a novelist naturally attracts to his work con-
siderable curiosity, and no inconsiderable amount of
criticism. The first work in any peculiar line of a
writer already celebrated in some other character is
liable to be affected with all the imperfections of a
first, production, without meeting with the lenity and
good-nature which are generally considered due to
such compositions. Such, at least, was our own
feeling on first perusing these volumes. Considering
them as the productions of a writer of established
reputation, we subjected them to a severe criti-
cism, and were well nigh disposed to award
to them a greater amount of censure than
we should have done :had " Madame Dorrington
of the Dene" been a first work from some unknown
hand. Remembering, however, th:t although the
work of William Howitt, it is his first novel, we feel
compelled to make due allowance for that fact; for
the faults of " Madame Dorrington" seem almost
wholly attributable to a want of experience in the
mechanism of an elaborate tale. In parts it is ad-
mirable, but as a whole it is certainly very defective.
Mr. Howitt brings together excellent materials, but
instead of forming them into one harmonious struc-
ture, he sets :them before us without the slightest re-
gard to the beauty of order or the effect of combination.
We shall mot attempt to give an analysis of the com-
plicated and heterogeneous incidents of the story—
as a story it is, as we have said, sadly defective—but
as commendation is, by far, the critic's most agree-
able task, let us award Mr. Howitt the praise due to
the many beautiful portions of his work. In his de-
scriptions of country scenes, and his illustrations of
rural life, we recognise at once the same excellences
al:eady displayed in his "Year Book of the Country,"
and his many delighful sketches. In some of his char-
acters, also, Mr. Howitt is peculiarly felicitous. The
heroine herself, whether as the gentle and unhappy
Grace Delmey, or as the excellent and beloved
Madame Dorrington, is a quiet but beautiful
delineation of a virtuous and unobtrusive woman.
As a vivid contrast to her gentle daughter, Mrs.
Delmey is depicted as almost a perfect fiend, but lier
vindictive and miserable character, if perhaps a little
exaggerated, is naturally accounted for by the pecu-
liar circumstances which had wrought upon her
peculiar temperament. Some of the scenes in her
history give evidence of the power of Mr. Howitt's
pen , the chapter, for instance, where the unhappy
husband and wife become reconciled by the bed of
their dying child is full of feeling, and true to nature.
Without dwelling further upon the peculiarities of
this work, we may say again, it is full of beauty in
parts, but very inharmonious as a whole. The next
time Mr. Howitt brings forward a story in three
volumes we shall look for the same incidental at-
tractions, combined with some uniformity of system
in the construction of the tale.

RA IL WAY INTELLIGENCE.
GREAT WESTEII N.

A special general mocha g of the Ehgreholders acts
held on Tuesday, at the offices, Paddington Station,
for the purpose of approving or otherwise, of an
agreement entered into by this company with the
South Wales Railway Company for a lease, on certain
terms and conditions, or the undertaking and works
of the latter. Mr. Charles Russell occupied the
chair.

The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, said
the proprietors had been called together once again—
for the last time, he hoped—in order that the directors
might obtain their sanction to a modified agreement
with the South Wales Railway Company, of which
the terms had been already made known to them.
The leading principles of this new arrangement were
substantially the same as those which the proprietors
had approved in November last. Instead of guaran-
teeing the entire profits of the South Wales Com-
pany, and becoming practically the owners of that
line, as was the case in November, 1848, they were
to purchase only a portion of these profits, and thus,
instead of becoming sole owners, they were to be
partners, joint owners with the original proprietors.
There were also several modifications and changes,
more especially in reference to the scope and details
of thin agreement. There were to be successive
extensions—first to Carmarthen, thence to Haverford-
west, and afterwards to Milford Haven. They were
at that time to purchase half the entire profits of the
line as far as Swansea; they were now to purchase
only one-third the net profits for the entire line, as
far as Milford Haven. For working and managing
the traffic, and otherwise arranging for the line to
Milford Haven, five directors were to be appointed
by each board, to form a joint committee, and thus
would be secured to them (the Great Western) much
local influence and experience. The chairman next
favourably contrasted the present agreement with that
which it superseded, illustrating his argument with
figures from an epitome of the proposal. He urged
that the new scheme was more comprehensive, and
embraced the completion of the entire line through-
out all South Wales; that by it the Great Western
would be placed in direct communication with two
of the finest harbours in the world—Plymouth by the
Great Western, Milford Haven by the South Wales ;
that finally, it limited their responsibilities, so that at
no time, and under no circumstances, could their lia-
bilities exceed 46,0001. per annum. They never, he
admitted, had looked to obtain any direct profit from
the lease of the South Wales line ; the profits of that
line were legitimately the profits of its proprietors.
The gain which the Great Western anticipated was
to be the consequence of the increased traffic on their
own line.

After some further remarks from the CHAIRMAN,
The solicitor read the agreement proposed for the
approval of the proprietors, and
The CHAIRMAN himself moved that it should be
approved, ratified, sanctioned, and confirmed.
The resolution having been seconded, a slight dis-
cussion ensued, in which the geographical position of
Milford Haven, and its prospects as a harbour, with
other subjects directly or indirectly affecting the
question at issue, were introduced. Birkenhead,
Great Grimsby, &c., were cited as instances of disap-
pointed hopes analogous to those entertained with re-
gard to Milford Haven.
The motion was, however, carried.
The second special general meeting then com-
menced, and the CHAIRMAN explained that, in com-
pliance with "the W harncliffe standing order," he had
to submit to the proprietors a Bill now pending in
Parliament "for enabling arrangements with refer-
ence to the purchase, lease, or other use, by the Great
Western Railway Company, of the Wilts, Somerset,
and Weymouth Railway ; the Gloucester and Dean
Forest Railway ; and the South Wales Railway, re-
spectively to be effected, and for other purposes," the
principle of which they had already approved. The
proprietors having signified their assent,
Mr. Nottnis introduced the subject of railway audit,
and drew from the Chairman an expression of disap-
proval of the Bills of Mr. Locke and of Mr. Stanford
on the subject, but the meeting being special the
question was not gone into.
Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the
meeting dispersed.

diculties in the way of their successfully prosecut-
ing, the line themselves. They could net issue pre-
ference shares without the consent of three-fifths of
the shareholders, and the Great Western had 6,000
shares in their hands. Another difficulty was that
the Great Western Company were in posse'i•sion of the
railway from Grange Court to Gloucester. There
was also the possible contingency of the Great
Western not being able to pay 200,0001. a year to
them.—(Cries of " Oh, oh.") He was not, however,
afraid of braving the Great Western Company, if it
was the unanimous wish of the shareholders, but ho
gave them his strong advice not to do so.
After some further discussion, the amendment was
put to the meeting, and the show of hands was al-
most unanimous in favour of the adjournment. A
poll was called for, and after a short adjournment the
result was made known. The votes for the amend-
ment, according to the number of shares represented,
were :—Present, 753 ; proxies, 260—total, 1,013.
Against it—Present, 768 ; proxies, 935—tote], 1,703.
Majority against the amendment, 690.
In answer to a question, the CHAIRMAN stated that
the Great Western Company did not vote upon the
question.
The draft of the agreement was then read, and,
after a very protracted discussion, the motion for its
adoption was put to the meeting. The show of
hands was decidedly against its adoption, and a poll
was again called for, when it was carried by 2,34 G
votes against 513.
The meeting then became special, in order that the
approval of the proprietors should be obtained to the
drafts of three Bills, as proposed to be introduced
into the House of Lords. By this time the number
of shareholders present had diminished to somewhat
less than'the number of directors present. so that, al-
though every endeavour was made by Mr. Duncan
and Mr. Nash to oppose the Bills, or to adjourn the
meeting, they were successively approved of by a ma-
jority of those present.
Tho meeting dispersed towards eight o'clock Fast.,
having sat for nearly seven hours.

presenting this address, and for the very kind manner:in
which you have expressed yourseh es towards me, which
has confirmed the gratifying impressio❑ upon my mind
that the frequent professional intercourse I h^.ve had
with you has not failed to produce mutual feclirgs of
esteem and regard."

THE GREAT EXHIBITION.
(From the Times.)
ller Majesty's intention of opening the Great Exhi-
bition in person on the Ist of May has already been
made known to the public. It may not, however, be as
generally known that all visitors—even the exhibitors,
as we understand the matter—are to be excluded from
the building while the Queen, attended by a score or so
of Lords and Ladies-in-Waiting, shall have celebrated
the opening mysteries, The resolution of the Commis-
sioners, which embodies their determination of exclud-
ing the public, is now lying before us, and we hereby copy
it verbatim, lest we should be suspected of an attr.nupt to
practise upon the credulity of our readers. It run as fol-
lows :—" Iler Majesty having been pleased to signify
her intention of visiting the Exhibition On the occasion
of its opening, on the Ist of May, the doors of the build-
ing will not be opened to the public on that day till one
o'clock, at which hour the holders of season tickets will
be admitted."

Now what does this mean? The only possible sug-
gestion which can occur to the mind is that some doubt
may exist in the mind of her Majesty's advisers as to
her safety, in case she should enter a building in which
so many thousands of persons are to be collected to-
gether, But where does the real danger lie? Is it
within, or without 'the building, even admitting the
preposterous idea that there is any danger at
all ? Is it rot just as complete an affair
of police regulation to take proper steps for her
Majesty's security within as without the Crystal Palace?
It is, of course, not without great repugnance that we
bring ourselves even to mention a question of this kind,
but it is impossible to offer a satisfactory comment upon
the resolution of the Commissioners, without adverting
to the probable motive upon which that resolution has
been founded. If it be as we suppose, her Majesty's
advisers are leading their Royal Mistress to a course
which will be profoundly unpopular, and without an
adequate motive. Queen Victoria receives every day
sufficient evidence of the loyalty and affection of her
subjects without attempting to banish them from her
presence upon so interesting and solemn an occasion as
the opening of the Great Exhibition. As far as regards
any isolated attempt at violence which might occur to
the febrile imagination of a French or German Socialist,
surely it is not necessary that a person with such
in-
tention should gain access to the body of the building
in order to carry out his purpose. Her Majesty would
not be otherwise in danger in the Crystal Palace
on the Ist of May than she was yesterday, or will be
to-morrow, whilst she drives out for an airing in the
public streets. What an unworthy part would these
nervous advisers cause the Queen of England to play!
Surely Queen Victoria is not Tiberius or Louis XI.,
that she should be smuggled out of a great glass carriage
into a great glass building under cover of the truncheons
of the police and the broadswords of the Life Guards.
Where most Englishmen are gathered together there the
Queen of England is most secure!
Let all reasonable and proper precautions be taken for
her Majesty's safety, just as when she opens Parliament
in person. That is as it should be. But have the Com-
missioners reflected upon the manner in which they are
depriving the Queen cf all enjoyment in the spectacle
by banishing her subjects from the building? What sa-
tisfaction can it afford her Majesty to be introduced into
a monster upholstery warehouse, or engine room, at-
tended only by a few gold sticks and silver sticks? One
thinks involuntarily of Wordsworth's famous descrip-
tion of

" A party in a parlour
All silent, and all damned!"

But what is the silence of a parlour to the silence of the
Great Exhibition, when not a sound, save perhaps a
faint murmur of discontent, shall be heard from the
thousands of excluded ticket-holders who are flattening
their noses against the outside wainscotting or panes?
No reasonable person would ask more than that the 6,000
or 7,000 holders of season-tickets should be admitted to
the building whilst her Majesty is opening the Exhibition
in person. The price of the ticket affords something
like a guarantee that the mob would be of a select cha-
racter—sufficiently so for the purpose in view. Besides,
there is no reason to doubt that, in numerous instances,
the season-tickets were purchased on the faith that their
holders would be admitted to a sight of the opening pa-
geant. What does the number of 6,000 or 7,000 persons
signify within the area of this vast building? They
would scarcely be sufficient to give her Majesty a hearty
cheer worthy of the Crystal Palace and the occasion.
We trust most sincerely, on all accounts, that her Ma-
jesty's advisers will reconsider this resolution. Better,
far better would it be, to forego any public ceremonial
whatsoever, than to carry it out in a form so offensive to
the feelings of every Englishman. This is to turn
Queen Victoria into another Lady Godiva, and doubtless
the modern will be attended with as much success as the
legendary experiment.