The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-07 00:00:00

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THE MAGAZINES.

The Dublin Unive7sity Magazine:

A criticism on Sir James Prior's Life of Malone
is the first subject. that meets us in this number.
The writer remarks that the era which this biogra-
phy illustrates was a transition one • since in the
earlier part of his career "he was the associate of
the group who stand before us in the lifelike colour-
ing of Boswell's portraiture. In the latter years of
his life we find those come about him who figured
upon a stage to which the dim recollections of some
of the older members of existing society can stretch,"
He arrives therefore at the conclusion that it was a
judicious proceeding on the part of Sir James Prior
to have written the biography of" this half-ancient,_
half modern, half classic, half contemporary man of
letters." The article gives an interesting sketch of
his life, interspersed with many amusing anec-
dotes. A wild and stormy 'lrish legend from
the pen of William Carleton, relates the story
of a deadly feud. It is entitled " The Re-
venge of Shane Rona Sagarth," and the forth-
coming part will probably chronicle darker deeds
than the present. " Sterne in the Stereoscope" is
the name of an essay which takes up the defence of
the author of the Sentimental Journey. The writer
considers he has been badly used, and has been
" hawked about ignominiously as a sort of moral
guy and arch-conspirator against our tender feel-
ings. having long ago attempted to blow -up King,
Lords, and Commons into the air with his sensi-
bility. He is Belphegor the showman, he is an
ecclesiastical mountebank ; he goes round to the
fairs, carrying his Punch and Judy frame upon his
shoulders ; in his shabby bag are his Monks,
Grisettes, Corporals, Yoricks, Tobys, chaises, and
other properties; he is a sacerdotal charlatan, he
has swindled us out of our tears and laughter, and
money too, under false pretences."' From these
sweeping accusations his apologist endeavours in
some degree to clear him, not indeed assert-
ing his character to be in all respects imma-
culate, but maintaining that the circumstances
of his life were unfortunate. " From his
youth, when he was reared with a dissolute
clergyman and neighbour, whom he never could
after shake off, to the infidel and licentious coteries
of Paris, into which, by his genius and talents, he
was necessarily flung, his whole life was a snare."
Leaving this paper we come to the continuation
of the wild and remarkable story of "Vonved the
Dane," which proceeds with spirit. In the first
chapter of the present instalment unexpected sue-
, cour comes to the desolate and despairing young
painter, Bertel Rovsing, whose prospects brighten.
In the remaining chapters we are told of a highly
interesting conversation between Captain Vinter-
dalen and his wife Amalie, in which he narrates to
her the history and misfortunes of the noble family
of the Vonveds—Counts of Elsinore. She is evi-
dently on the brink of discovering the terrible
secret that herhusband is no other than the renowned
outlaw, Lars Vonved, himself. This exciting re-
velation is reserved for the next number. An essay
with the curious title of " Epitaphial Memorabilia"
gives us some account of the peculiar characteristics
of national epitaphs. The condition and prospects
of our linen manufacture are considered in an able
article, which strongly advocates the cultivation of
the flax fibre in the Punjaub. The Very name of
the locality, signifying five rivers, suggests a moist
and alluvial soil, suitable for the production of the
flax plant. " Charity at Home" discusses a very
important branch of benevolence, or rather of cam-
mon justice—the erection of suitable dwellings
for the labouring classes. Several excellent sug-
gestions are made to the Legislature for their
conduct in this matter. Among the improvements
requisite we find an extension of the " Common
Lodging Houses Act," to all tenements let below a
certain weekly rental. An alteration of the Eng-
lish law of settlement is another point insisted
upon. It is stated that under the present system
the destruction of cottage property in the rural
districts of England is disgraceful. It is also re-
marked that, in default of direct legislation, Go-
vernment should afford every facility for the forma-
tion of incorporated societies. No right think-
ing person can fail to agree with one sug-
gestion here brought forward, namely, that
a measure should be passed enforcing upon
all companies engaged in the construction of
works which involve the destruction of inferior
house property, the necessity of erecting suitable
dwellings for the lower classes. " This law would
be obligatory on railway, dock, and similar com-
panies. Through want of such an enactment in-
calculable misery and evil have resulted in Lon-
don." Great distress has arisen from the same
cause in Paris, where the destruction of low class
dwellings has been enormous. There is a suspi-
cion, however, that it is a part of the Government
policy to eject a large number of the classes who
inhabited them from the heart of the metropolis. A
paper on "The Work-a-day World of France " gives
some interesting accounts of the Parisian ouvrier
and sagpicker, and the manufactories of Lille.

The Cornhill Magaztne.

Mr; Anthony Trollope's delightful tale of
" Framley Parsonage" proceeds with spirit. We
catch occasional glimpses of all our old friends of
Barchester, who were left living at the close
of the author's former works. As the story
proceeds they step in quite naturally, or are
alluded to incidentally, like Mr. Arabin, one of the
heroes of " Barchester Towers," wine, as may be re-
membered, was the successful competitor for the
hand of the fair Eleanor, disrespectfully mentioned
in the chapter before us as the " widow Bold." Mr.
Crawley, of Hoggleslock, is a new character, and
the picture of the little cottage in the bleak
Cornish village; where he and his wife struggled
to bring up four children on seventy pounds a
year, is drawn with a vigorous and effective hand.
It is a practical harangue on the unequal
distri-
bution of the Church revenues, and the fact of
Mr. Crawley being made soured and isolated by
his misfortunes renders the portrait more lifelike
than if he had been represented as of an angelic
patience and unflagging energy. A romance is
certainly impending between Lord Lufton and
Lucy Roberts, which we fear will carry desola-
tion to the projects of the worthy old-fashioned
dowager. " Campaigning-in China," is the title
of a paper descriptive of an expedition to Fayune,
undertaken in the spring of last year. A very
pleasant paper on " Little Scholars,"-tells us how
the writer visited certain schools at Westminster,
in the suburbs and in Spitalfields. The pictures
of the hungry babies waiting for their soup
and toddling in the playground, was certainly
sketched by one who loves the little people well.
The institutions he speaks of are all charitable
and the last he visits is the principal Jews school,
in London. He gives a very interesting acc3unt
of these little Israelites, many of whom are: the
children of Poles and Russians, and Hungarians,
win) have escaped over here to avoid conscription,
and who arrive in great destitution. ‘` But to be
friendless and in want, and poverty-stricken, is the
best recommendation- for admission to this noble
charity. And here, as elsewhere, any one who
comes to the door is taken in, Christian as well as
Jew." The highly interesting and well-written
papers on the life and times of William llogarth
proceed with undiminished vigour. The fourth part
is entitled " The Painter's Progress," and tells how,
" in the year of grace,. 1727; the _world .began_ to
hear of William Hogarth, not only as designer
and engraver of pasquinades and bookplates, but as
a painter in oils." It is remarked that, although he
was sensible enough not to neglect the more pro-
fitable vocation of portraiture, it is curious to
_ob-
serve that his bent lay in the direction of

the historico-allegorical school. " Who among
us has not suffered from that fievre brulante
—that malady of youth ? How many con-
tented sub-editors' and quiet booksellers' readers do
we not know, who, in their hot adolescence, come
to town, their portmanteaus bursting with the
" Somethingiad," in 24 cantos, or with blank verse
tragedies running to the orthodox five acts ?
Stipple, the charming domestic painter ; Jonquil,
who limns flowers and fruits so exquisitely, com-
menced their enormous cartoons and show-clock
oil pictures; " Orestes pursued by the Eumeni-
des," " Departure of Regulus," la vielle patraque,
in short, the old heroic impossible undertakings.
And did not Liston imagine that he was born to
play Macbeth ; and did not Douglas Jerrold pro-
ject a treatise on natural philosophy? And where
is the little boarding-school miss that has not
dreamt of riding in a carriage with a coronet on
the pannels, and being called her ladyship ? An-
mina thinks the grandiloquent music of " Norma"
would suit her; the maiden speech of young
Quintus Briscus is a tremendous outburst against
Ministers. Quintus is going to shake the country
and cut the Gordian knot of red tape. The session
after next he will be Junior Lord of the Treasury, the
demurest and most complacent of placemen, peers,
politicians, pamphleteers, and players. We all find
our level. Rolling about the board is not to be
tolerated for any length of time ; we must peg in
somewhere, and happy the man who finds himself
in the right hole, and is satisfied with that state of
life into which it has pleased Heaven to call him !"
The instalment before us narrates the painter's pro
gress until he marries the daughter of Sir James
Thornhill to his own great satisfaction and the
artistic knight's commensurate disgust. "Lovel,
the Widower," proceeds in somewhat rambling
fashion. The precise and too fascinating Miss
Prior appears to doubtful advantage. But if,
the story from the editor's pen does not equal his
former productions, it is fully compensated for by
the delightful " Roundabout Paper" he gives us on
the unassuming subject of Ribbons. At first sight
the reader might marvel what he could find to say
about such an insignificant thing, but that wonder
is soon dispelled, for they are the ribbons of orders
and crosses that he discusses with a spirit, humour,
and pathos that must silence the sternest supporters
of the theory " that glory is bosh, and fair fame is
idleness, and nothing is true but two and twa, and
the colour of all the world is drab, and one man is
as good as another, and a great deal better," as the
Irish philosopher said. After continuing his
Roundabout excursion for some time, in consider-
able perplexity as to whether it would be advisable
to establish an order of all the talents or no, and if
so, where it should begin and where it would be
likely to end, the writer discovers what he thinks
a decided omission in the family of ribbons, and
ends his remarks with the following, pertinent
question
" Why is there not an Order of Britannia for British sea
men? In the merchant and Royal navy alike, occur almost
daily instances and occasions for the display of science, skill,
bravery, fortitude in trying circumstances, resource in dan-
ger. In the first number of our Magazine a friend contri-
buted a most touching story of the M'Clintock expedition,
in the dangers and dreadful glories of which ho shared ;
and the writer was a merchant captain. How many more
are there (and, for the honour of England, may there be
many like him I)—gallant, accomplished, high-spirited, en-
terprising masters of their nbble profession I Can our
Fountain of Honour not be brought to such men ? It plays
upon captains and colonels in seemly profusion. It pours
forth not illiberal rewards upon doctors and judges. It
sprinkles mayors and aldermen. It bedews a painter now
and again. It has spirted a baronetcy upon two, and be-
stowed a coronet upon one noble man of letters. Diploma •
lists take their Bath in it as of right; and it flings out a
profusion of glittering stars upon the nobility of the three
kingdoms. I Cannot Britannia find a ribbon for her sailors ?
The navy, royal cr mercantile, is a service. The command
of a ship, or the conduct of her, implies danger, honour,
science, skill, subordination, good faith. It may be a vic-
tory, such as that of the Sarah Sands ; it may be discovery,
such as that of the Fox; it may be heroic disaster, such as
that of the Birkenhead; and in such events merchant sea-
men, as well as royal seamen, take their share. Why is
there not, then, an Order of Britannia ? One day a young
officer of the Euryalus may win it ; and, having just read
the memoirs of Lord Dundonald, I know who ought to have
the first Grand Cross."

The " Studies in Animal Life" are continued with
their accustomed skill, and discuss the affinities
of animals, and the formations of pearls and oysters.
Among the poetical contributions are some mournful
and pathetic verses from the pen of the late Emily
Bronte.