The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-17 00:00:00

The Westminster Review.

Mr. Motley's " Rise of the Dutch Republic," in
which the events of that memorable period during
which the United Provinces won their indepen-
dence, are, for the Brat time, fully and faithfully
recorded, is the subject of a highly eulogistic notice
in the present number. This is more than can be
said of "The English Law of Divorce," which is
dissected with a keen and merciless scalpel, and its
injustice laid bare to public reprobation. "Scan-
dinavia, Past and Present," is the subject of an
able historical review. The concluding paragraphs
are so apropos to the present time that we make
no apology for introducing them to our readers :
" They who flatter themselves that by the present war
we have put a stop to the aggressive career of Russia
can have read little of her history. She parses now be.
c ►use she is playing a losing gains, and foresees that
another campaign must make that game ruinous. She
pauses because she wants railways, and she frankly
avows it, that she may be able to bring her troops across
her vast surface to any point in a !am days, and that,
during the peace which shall follow, be it longer er
shorter, she may foi tify every part of her coasts with
tenfold strength. We hear what she is doing at thin
moment at Cronstadt—pu'ting do vn a triple row of
piles entirely across the Gulf of F.nland, six miles from
Cronstadt, and twelve miles in length. At this work
she has 30,000 men employed, and hopes, if the ice
last, to finish it this year. Few openings are to be left
in the row of pilei, and these can be closed at will, and
thus she boasts that there tier steam navy, already con-
sisting of 13 ships of the line and frigates, 14 corvettes,
and 70 gun-boats, shall ride in defiance of the world's
navies. These are such ominous prospects for Sweden
that she is also prepaling to fortify the port of Stock-
holm.

"LA Russia, then, complete her railways. Let her
be able to bring down in a few days her countless hordes
from Tart lry, Siberia, and the very borders of Coins ;
let her once possess Denmark, command Hamburg,
Lubeck, and Bremen, the Eyder, the Weser, and the
Elbe, backed and supported by sympathising Prus.ia, and
lesser German States ; and Europe will be prostrate at
her feet."

" Sunday in Great Britain" deals with the Sun-
day question in a comprehensive and effective man-
ner. The writer intimates, as we have done, that
Luther's well-known sentence may come to be
deemed sound advice as well as doctrine if the
struggle is prolonged. "If anywhere," says that
sturdy reformer, " the day is made koly for the
mere day's sake ; if any one set up its observance
as a Jewish foundation, then I order you to work
on it, to ride on it, to feast on it, to do anything that
shall remove the encroachment on, Christian liberty."
Justin Martyr, in the second century, and Calvin
and Cranmer, as well as Luther, in more modern
times, were opposed to Sabbatism. " The Con-
gress of Vienna," its members, objects, controver-
sies, compromises, &c., are all vividly presented
in a nervous and graphic article. " General Wil
hams and the Fall of Kars" is chiefly noticeable
for the insinuation it throws out that Lord Pan-
mure and the French Government are the parties
to whom the fall of Kars is really to be attributed.
The head of the War-office, it is said, " should be
a soldier who had. directed groat military opera-
tions in the field." Mr. Headlam's Bill is severely
handled in a slashing article, headed " Medical
Despotism." The remainder of the number is de-
voted to minor notices of contemporary literature.
In a brief review of Macaulay's History an opinion
is hazarded with respect to the secret of his extra-
ordinary popularity. It is this : ho possesses., a,s
Sam Slick would say, the art of " soft sawdermg,
to perfection, and contrives to put. his readers in
good terms with themselves and him, i bympres-
sing the conviction on their minds of the vast
superiority of the present day (and, of courses
generation) over the past.

ST. /11Aftris's new oratorio, entitled.
"Jephtha and his Daughter, was produced last even-
ing
under the auspices of Mr. Hullah, who conducted
its performance. It is by Herr Carl Reinthaler, of
Cologne, who has now visited England for the first
time. Its announcement excited great interest, and
drew a very crowded audience, including a host of our
musical notabilities, English and foreign. Mr. Hullah
had evidently besto wed great care on its production,
and the execution on the whole was excellent. The
two principal part 4, Jephtha, and Miriam his daughter,
were sung by Mr. Thomas and Madame Clara Novell° ;
the subordinate solo parts were well sustained, and the
ochestra and chorus were good and effective. The suc-
cess of the performance was complete. Many of the
airs and choruses were warmly applauded ; and the
composer, having been loudly called fur, was brought
forward by Mr. Hullah, and greeted with repeated
cheers. A work of this character is not to be hastily
criticised on a single hearing ; but its favourable recep-
tion will insure its repetition, and enable us to become
better acquainted with its merits. In the meantime we
may say that Herr Reinthaler is a composer of unques-
tionable genius, who has produced a work of no small
power and beauty.
THE RIGHT OF MEN TO BEAT THEIR WIFE& —A.
meeting of a somewhat extraordinary character was held
in the Town•hall, Leicester, on Monday night. The
handbills convening it stated that the object was to con-
sider the laws relative to the protection of women, and
that no men would be admitted, "excepting, of course,
gentlemen of the press." At seven o'clock, the hour
named in the bills, very few had assembled, but sub-
sequently the meeting numbered about 200. The mae
jority were females of middle age, of the operativ-
class, but in general respectably attired. A Mrs. Wood-
ford was voted to the chair, and the principal spe tker
was a Mrs. Wigfield, who made some really clever
speeches. The injustice of the existing laws, by which a
woman is deprived of all control over her own earnings
and offspring, was vehemently denounced, and it was
unanimously resolved to support the motion of Sir E.
Perry for a revision of the marriage laws. A petition
to the House of
.Commons, praying that it might be
adopted, was unanimously agreed to, and the proceed.
isge, which were conducted with great order and pro-
priety, terminated soon after nine o'clock, by the singing
of the national anthem. It was agreed, with one dis-
sentient, not to support Mr. Dillwyn's measure for in,
troduciug togging as a punisbnaont for wife-beaters.