The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-02 00:00:00

_Fraser's Magazine.

Fraser has several articles of interest this
month. In the first place we have the com-
mencement of a new story by the clever author
of " Headlong Hall." This introductory instal-
ment is piquant and curious, though the solitary
hero of the tower, with his seven fair hand-
maids, is somewhat extravagant. We look forward
to pleasant acquaintances among the circle that
surrounds the old bachelor of Gryll Grange and his
fastidious niece. " William the Silent," a study
of character, by " Shirley," is a very interesting
and well-written paper on the great hero of the
Netherlands, that Prince of Orange who combined
qualities which are not often met with in chiefs and
commanders. After describing in a few vivid
phrases the splendid resources which the magnificent
empire and military ability of Charles the Fifth had
bequeathed to his remorseless and bigoted son, the
author goes on to say :
" It was this gigantic empire, concentrating all its forces
to crush the civil and religious liberties of the Netherlands,
that Orange had to meet in a mortal conflict. He did meet
it, and he was not worsted. Standing at bay on the ex-
trentest limits of habitable earth, his feet washed by the
stormy waters of the Northern Sea, a few thousand undis-
ciplined boors and wild sailors behind him, he drove back
the chivalry of Spain, and laid among the waves the
foundations of the great naval commonwealth. Such a
spectacle fascinates the imagination. We cannot but ask,
How was it possible for one man to achieve so great a work ?
For it was in truth a single man who did the whole work.
In the war of liberation William the Silent is not only the
central, but the sole figure. He finished his task unaided
and alone. I have uo one to help me,' he writes on one
occasion, `not a single man.
" Donee eris felix, multos numerabis amicos,
Tempera cum erunt nubila, nullus erit.'
His means were of the scantiest. The material which he
had to use was often of the sorriest kind. The nobles were
commonly hostile; the people not seldom apathetic. His-
torical conjectures are particularly unprofitable ,• but it may
be safely asserted that had Orange not lived, Holland would
not have been freed. Sudden and scattered outbursts of the
popular indignation would no doubt have taken place. But
it needed the con*urainate craft and the unselfish devotion

of the Prince to sublime a wild foray of 'the sea-begg a
into a national deliverance."

The admirable toleration which the prince dis-
played in religious matters forms another
subject for the critic's approval. The age
of religious warfare is invariably the age of
persecution. But William of Orange was too
really great a man to be blinded even by
his religious fervour and the cruelty of his oppo-
nents. His letter to the magistracy of Middelburg
shows a consistent toleration rare indeed during the
troubled times of the middle ages. When summing
up the chief features of his character the author
writes as follows :

" The value of a character like this, not alone to his own
countrymen, but to us and to all time, it is difficult to over-
rate. It is so seldom that the hero of a religious revolu-
tion is not a bigot or a fanatic I Some of the worst crimes,
many of the most childish blunders, that history records
have been committed by thes'e man. They too frequently,
moreover, excite our contempt and indignation by their con-
ceited rejection of what they are pleased to call the
weapons of the flesh.' The sword of the Lord and of
Gideon has sometimes been drawn with wisdom and cun-
ning ; it is oftener, however, the watchword of men who,
by their own fanatical folly and negligence, invite the defeat
which they merit and suffer. But here at last is a religious
hero of quite another stamp—a man of God, and yet a man
of the world; a soldier of the Cross, and yet a sagacious
captain ; a good Christian, and yet a great statesman ; pro-
foundly devout, and yet profoundly politic. 'I do not,' he
exclaims emphatically, calumniate those who tell us to put
our trust in God. That is my opinion also. But it is trust-
ing God to use the means which He places in our hands,
and to ask that his blessing may come upon them.' "

Though necessarily brief and incomplete as a me-
moir of this remarkable man, the paper is full of at-
traction and will repay perusal. An article on a
comprehensive question, " Why virtue and merit
are so rarely rewarded," follows, in which the pro-
blem is solved by the assertion that unmixed virtue
and pure intellectual ability are not sufficient to
obtain success. A combination and addition of
lower qualities is needed; an admixture of tact,
energy, and other ingredients is necessary to pro-
duce a man who is capable of obtaining success. The
writer cites among other instances that of James
Watt, the engineer, whose wonderful inventions
which have so materially affected the whole civil-
ised world, would probably not have raised him
from poverty and obscurity, but for his fortunate
connection with the energetic and business-like
Boulton. Is every sphere of life according to this
author energy is the one thing needful, and. over-
scrupulosity is often a great hindrance. Without
entirely coinciding with his view which, if carried
out, would infer that no successful man is burdened
with over much principle, there can be little doubt
that tact, perseverance, and energy, a readiness to
seise the opportunity and skill to make the most of
it, are often far more important aids to success
than helpless or listless talent. A paper on Dr.
Vaughan 's valuable contribution to our national
history gives a summary of those Revolutions of
Race which form the subject of his first volume. A
treatise on Metaphysics, discusses the rival theories
of Hume and his successors. The " Hints for Va-
gabonds" take the pleasant land of Tyrol for their
subject, and advise the wanderer to explore its
hills and valleys, directing him as to the route he
should take, and various other particulars. The
fourth chapter of the papers on " The literary suburb
of the Eighteenth Century" continues its pleasant
sketches of the nightingale of Twickenham. his
villa, his grotto, and his visitors. " The Publica-
tion of Letters uisance" is a strong protest against
the unfair practice, which we are sorry to see gain-
ing ground, of printing the private and familiar
correspondence of celebrities lately deceased. The
recent discussions on certain passages of Von Hum-
boldt's letters have doubtless given rise to this
paper, but its strictures are of much wider applica-
tion. It is most unfair, because a man has gained
a degree of celebrity, which gives an importance to
all his published opinions, that his casual remarks
and careless phrases should be dragged before the
public, to convey, perhaps, an entirely false impres-
sion to readers who are unacquainted with the cir-

cumstances under which he wrote. As the writer
of these pages remarks, the result will inevitably
be, that men of any note will be afraid to commit
themselves by the free expression of their casual
thoughts, but will take refuge in careful formality
in their most familiar letters. " Wheat and Tares"
is continued ; the present instalment contains the
rejection of the Dean's proposals by Rachel, and
some suspicious hints that Rex's allegiance to the
absent Ella is not altogether unshaken. " What
are we coming to ?" is the report of a conversation
on the present unsatisfactory aspect of European
affairs, held in a railway carriage, by four travel-
lers, during a night journey from Edinburgh to
London. The introductory anecdotes on railway
conversation are very amusingly told.

The Cornhill Magazine.
The tumultuous and heterogeneous household of
" Lovel the Widower" reappears in the first pages
of this number. Old Lady Baker, with her man
Bulkeley, her graceless son and her departed angel,
" dragged in by the wings into conversation" when.
any domestic obstacle is to be surmounted or dis-
posed of, does not improve on acquaintance. The
love affairs of Mr. Batchelor and Bessy Prior pro-
ceed most satisfactorily, notwithstanding a little
jealousy on his part and a little coquetry on hers,
not in accordance with the mature dignity of the
one or the spectacles of the other. A paper on
" Colour Blindness" gives some particulars of that
curious defect, which seems to be much more
general than was supposed. The third part of the
papers on William Hogarth is entitled " A Long
Ladder, and Hard to Climb," treating of the early
part of his career as an artist. The pleasant style,
intermixed. with anecdote and illustration, retains
its attractions. " Studies in Animal Life" are
continued, the present instalment taking a more
general range than the former, discoursing on the
classification of species and the scheme of Linaneaus.
" Framley Parsonage" proceeds with interest.
Lucy Robarts is likely to prove a dangerous rival
to the Archdeacon's Griselda, and poor Mark is
evidently getting seriously entangled among bills
and acceptances. " Ideal Houses" is a pleasant
paper on the writer's peculiar architectural fancies,
which chiefly turn to the old romantic localities.
He laments pathetically that the town grows newer
every day that it is older. " I cannot love new
Oxford-street, while St. Giles's Church and old
Holborn still remain. I have no affection for
Bayswater and Nottinghill, but a tender remem-
brance of Tyburn-gate. If I allow my footsteps to
wander along Piccadilly and throughKnightsbridge,
they turn down on one side into Chelsea, or up on
the other side into Kensington, leaving Bromp!on
unvisited in the middle. I am never tired of sitting
under the trees in Cheyne-walk ; of walking round
the red bricks and trim gravel pathways of Chelsea
Hospital; of peeping though the railings at Gough
House, or watching the old Physic Garden from a
boat on the river. lam never weary of roaming
hand in hand with an amiable gossipping compa-
nion like Leigh Hunt, listening to stories et every
doorstep in the old town, and repeopling faded,
half-deserted streets with the great and little cele-
brities of the past." " The Last Sketch" is one to
which the readers of the Cornhill will turn with a
mournful interest. It is a fragment of an un-
finished story by the lamented Charlotte Bronte
—the last effort of her gifted pen. Few,
under such circumstances, could read to criti-
cise, but we may say that it shows no lack of power,
and the character of Emma, more fully drawn and
developed, would probably have been among her
most vigorous creations. " Under Chloroform, is
the title of a paper which describes the amputation
of a limb, performed under the blessed insensibility
produced by the anesthetic. The writer, however,
does not keep his promise, that he will introduce us
to no scene of suffering, for the account he gives of
operations in the earlier days of surgical science is
most harrowing. An essay on " Long Shots and
Straight Shots" concludes a number which shows
no decline from the attractions of its predecessors.

United Service Magazine.

The United service contains an article on " The
Military Estimates of 1860 and 1861," followed by
a review of three articles upon " The Navies of
France and England," written by Frenchmen of
different political opinion!; and differing, as they
naturally do on many points, they all agree that
what France most requires is an increase of the
personnel to efficiently. man her now superb navy ;
bat this is a requisition which can never be
thoroughly met while the French people, who
are essentially military,
maintain their indifference
to all maritime matters. The necessity of flogging
in the navy is maintained; the writer stating that
he concurs entirely with Sir Charles Napier in
his opinions on that subjeot, but at the same time
he requires that such punishment should not be
inflicted except by order of a court-martial ; he
compares the reports of punishments inflicted on
board ships in the navy, and shows that on board
small ships the punishment greatly exceeds that
of large ones. Thus, the Indus, 78, is returned as
having had the most men flogged, namely, 22, or 1
in every 26 ; while ye find the Lyra, 8, Comman-
der H. B. Oldfield, has an average of 1 man in
every 5 flogged; and the Spy, 3, Lieutenant A.
Luckraft, 1 in 6 during three quarters only ;
and many more small craft where the excess of the
lash prevails. The writer recommends that an
investigation ought to take place regarding such
ships as the Lyra, where the average of 16 out of
78 men is far beyond what ought to be necessary,
and advises that any man who has deserved flogging
twice should be dismissed the service. He explains
that some captains, in order not to fall under public
censure, repudiate flogging altogether, and substi-
tute other punishments, which, he maintains, are
both detrimental to the health of the crew and
cause more discontent than any amount of flogging,
and that as 4 quarterly return of all punishments

inflicted on board ship is furnished to the Admiralty
it would be well if some independent member of
the House of Commons would move for a return of
the different kinds of punishment inflicted on board
of each ship in the navy, and the number of men
who have been punished.
In the report of the recent screw trials, after an
account of the various alterations and improve-
ments lately made, we are informed that at the trial
of the 'Mersey, in March, 1859, the vibration was
so great as almost to prevent conversation on the
poop, and (we quote verbatim) " to ascend the
wizen or fore rigging would have been to an expert
seaman a hazardous exploit." Verily our seamen
must have become exceedingly nervous, or the poor
Mersey will soon fall to pieces, and her death be
recorded as " Died from excessive palpitation of
her engines." There is a chapter on rifled cannon,
but this subject is familiar to the public ; and Of
the campaign in the Crimea and the expedition to
Kinburn we have all surely had enough.

Bentley's Miscellany.
Number three of Victor Gonache's letters on
"Annexation, Free Trade, and Reform" is a cell'
tinuation of the satirical attack on the notions en-
tertained by the people of France, of English policy:
and English national feelings. Sir Robert P!!'
comes in for a share of pity and contempt, Nl•
Gonache considering it to be nothing more than
natural that France should take the pre"
winces of the Rhine, and make that river
what nature evidently intended it to be, the,
boundary line between La Belle France lulu,
Germany. But he is virtuously indignant al
France, and more properly her Imperial ruler,
being harged with entertaining a grasping poll*
Now is not this, mon cher Alfred, unjust to the
last degree ? To ascribe an aggressive policy,,l will
not say to France, but to her present rule?! „,"
him whose moderation was so signally displayed at
Villafranca, when nothing remained but 1."1/
bagatelle of forcing the famous Quadrilate-
rat! To him whom no lust of conquest al-
lured, who only went to war for an idea'
" Ovindean Grange is continued." The cool bearing
of Lord Wilmot and Clavering Maunsel carry out
the character always supposed to belong to the utt:
fortunate cavaliers. The despair of old Colonel
Maunsel at the arrest of his son, and his indiffer'
ence as to what becomes of himself, is finely di:
scribed, and stands in strong contrast to the roue
and almost brutal bearing of the Puritan sergeant'
The flight of the cavalier, and the pursuit of the
determined and relentless Sten= over the
South Downs, and the desperate expedient ,05,
the fugitive to descend the sharp dell'
vity at the Devil's Dyke, into the valid
beneath which is frustrated by the inexorable
pursuer who dares not follow, but who, by shoot:
ing the cavalier's horse, precipitates the galley:
animal, together with its rider, to the bottom 0.!
the steep encampment, shows that the author 12,
both well acquainted with the country, and has lott
none of his old power of description. The chapr
on French comedy
.and comedians is original. The.
following extract is the best recommendation TO
can give it :

"Up to the year 1552 the French, so greedy of spec;
tacles,' know no others than what were termed myststieif,,.,
sorties,' and ' moralities.' Priests, who subsequetau
anathematised play-actors, were themselves the first cotut
dians. In the Middle Ages every festival of the Chu'
was a drama, with scenes and costumes. The trouver.
and troubadours went at the same epoch from town
town, and from castle to castle, reciting and playing
logues of love or satire. Such, according to the broth
Parfait, was the origin of the dramatic pow in Franc:
Thus it was, also, that the lay element being superadded
the religious—the priests on one side and the troube,doF,'
on the other—dramatic art was engendered. The union
the two first took place on the return of the pilgrims fon
the Holy Land, when scenes from the Evangelists vrINI
added to dramatic representations of the Crusades. In
the brotherhood of the Passion obtained letters patent fruf,
Charles VI. as masters and conductors of 'mysteries
especially of le mystere de la Passion ;' and this sep6,l',,"""
of laity from Church roused the jealousy and indignw'ra,
of the clergy to the utmost. They, indeed, according-M. Emile Deschanel, never forgot or forgave the seParr
tion."
" Gurney ; or, Two Fortunes," is continued; se
" Mingle, Mangle," by Monkshood, this month,
treats of Stream Sounds, and is, as usual, inter
ing ; and, to those who desire a good laugh; 1,
would recommend the perusal of " The Misch...ale
done by My Photograph ;" or " How One F"
Lit up Another."