The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-09 00:00:00

Bentley's Miscellany.
" Ovingdean Grange " increases in interest in
the present number. The perils surrounding the
young hero have reached a culminating point, and
with breathless anxiety we share the perplexities
of Dulcie while her lover is within reach of the
pursuers, and both friend and foe are quarrelling
for her smiles. The one ready to betray, the other
eager to arrest him, and a word or look of hors the
signal for his destruction. The vivid impassioned
manner in which all this is described reminds us
of Mr. Ainsworth's happiest efforts. Among the
novelists of these latter days we know none so
•gifted as he in the power of exciting vivid interest.
Other writers may equal or surpass him in other
qualities, but in that magic power which en-
thrals the reader's imagination and keeps his atten-
tion, for the time, spell-bound, the author of
" Jack Sheppard " and " Crichton " stands pre-
eminent. These new chapters of Ovingdean
Grange give further illustration of this capacity.
"A Story of Twenty-four Hours" is taken from
the German of Hacklawder ; it is full of interest,
and so is the amusing account of " How my Brother
stood for Cantilborough "—an election sketch full
of humour and vivacity. Dudley Costello con-
tinues his novel of our own time, " Gurney : or
two Fortunes," and Frederick Enoch and Nicholas
Michell have contributed two little poems on
" Footsteps " and "French and English Beauties"
—both very musical—the first mournful, the last
most gallant and patriotic.
MISCELLANEOUS MAGAZINES.

The Eclectic has a lengthened article on Mr.
Darwin's celebrated work on the origin of species.
The theories set forward in that remarkable book
are thoroughly examined and discussed. Thomas
A'Becket forms the subject of another paper, which
gives a succinct summary of the story of the am-
bitious Archbishop. A memorial paper on the
eminent essayist and historian whom England has
lately lost, pays an earnest tribute to his memory.
7'he National Magazine maintains its improved
character. Mr. Roebuck is this month the subject
of the Parliamentary sketch drawn by the able
hand of the editor. Mr. Copping continues his
novel of ‘.‘ Sundown," and other tales are given,
with several miscellaneous papers of varying merits.
The woodcuts are somewhat improved ; among
them is an engraving of the charming picture of
an Avenue which was lately exhibited. The
Church of England Monthly Review is an excellent
periodical, of sound religious principles, which was
much wanted by members of the Established
Church. An article on " Practical Preaching" has
much in it worth reading. This magazine is by no
means prejudiced or narrow-minded in its charac-
ter; and although, of course, chiefly devoted to the
consideration of religious questions, it is not devoid
of topics of literary and social interest. Once a-
Week offers its usual 'rarieiy of contents. The
prominent feature in the monthly part is the com-
mencement of .a new, tale by George Meredith. We
cannot compliment the author of the story entitled
"The Pythagorean," for, although certainly origi-
nal, the repulsive horrors of the tale could only
suit a morbid taste. Many animated sketches, on
a wide range of subjects, are to bo found in this
number. The keen practical sense of Miss Marti-
neau, and the lively pen of Samuel Lover, are also
pressed into the service. Good TPorcls is a new
religious periodical, of a very able character. The
circulation of the earlier numbers is reported to
have been immense. Newton's London Journal has

its usual articles on current events, affecting the
patent laws, and an extensive list of recent
patents, together with the-reports of scientific in-
stitutions, and lists of grants under the new law.
o Follet is full of startling changes in ladies'.
toilettes, which, as usual, it sets before us with all
the attractions of art and taste. Messrs. Longman
continue their people's edition of Moore's Memoirs,
abridged from the first edition. It is to be. com-
Fleted in ten monthly parts, of which the third is
now ready. The cheap edition of Noon's National
Airs has now reached a conclusion, and we heartily
commend it to all musical amateurs, for the excel-
lence and variety of its contents, and the modera-
tion of its price.

LIVERPOOL, Wednesday.—The Montreal Ocean
Steamship Company's screw-steamer North Briton sailed
to. day for Portland, with the United States' and Canadian
mails and passengers. The Liverpool, Philadelphia, and
New York Company's steamer City of Manchester sailed
the same day for New York, with mails for the United
States and 100 passengers. On Saturday next the Cunard
mail steamship Canada will be despatched for New York
with the mails for the United States and North America.
Letters may be posted till 9 a.m., and via Queenstown till
9.30. p.m.

IiENSINGTON-oARDENS.—A writer in a eontem•
porary says :—The advocates of the suspended plan for
spoiling Kensington-gardens, and tampering with the evils
of the Serpentine, appear to be endeavouring to support
that plan by allegations that the method adopted in the
similar case of St. James's-park has failed to supply pure
water. It is true that the water in the western parts of the
lake in St. James's-park is often impure, and almost always
stagnant. But what is the cause ? A piece of stupidity,
which must be seen to be credited,r,was perpetrated there.
A large quantity of beautiful water, clear as crystal, is
pumped from Duck Island into the lake; but, instead of
entering the lake at its upper end, and passing from the lake
at its lower end, the fresh water is poured into the lake
within a few yards of the place of exit. The consequence, of
course, is, that the cleanest, instead of the dialog, water is
constantly running away into the sewers, and the upper part
of the lake retains its contents almost without change.

Letters from Valparaiso of the 14th of January
state that Chili continues quiet, and that business has lately
been active. The Custom-house revenue for 1859, not-
withstanding the interruption to commerce caused at the
beginning of the year by the revolutionary movements, is
shown to have exceeded that of 1858 by about £60,000.

This magazine still exhibits the same talent that
has characterised its earlier numbers. The story
of " Hopes and Fears" is continued, and displays so
much of that power of description and interest of
narrative that no one can fail to be pleased with it
who appreciate those writings that are simple in
themselves, but by their truth are not unimportant
in their influence. Lucilla is admirably portrayed,
and she is now taking a more prominent place in
the story. It is sometimes said that to be good
and disagreeable is high treason against virtue, and
it is also true that none serve vice more effectually
than those whose manners are fascinating while
their principles are not in strict accordance with
the requirements of right. It is too much the
fashion with authors to make all either unnaturally
good or improbably vicious. Some extremes exist
doubtless, but they do not influence so much as the
Softer and sympathising style. This new attempt
of this delightful authoress does not deteriorate
from her previous excellent productions. The
shetch of " War" presents, under the guise of a
simple tale, some very effective scenes of the hor-
rors that the presence of an army inflicts
on a country, and no one can say the picture
is overdrawn. The most interesting article
here met with is that on "The Works of
Mr. Disraeli," and notwithstanding the party
predilections of this magazine no critic has a right
to say that such feelings have exercised undue in-
fluence on the writer of this dissertation. The lan-
guage is fair and impart;al, and the lovers of lite-
rature will be gratified at the opportunity thus
afforded of recalling to mind some of the most de-
lightful works in their peculiar style that the pre-
sent day has rossessed. It is too much the fashion
with intemperate advocates of party purposes to
ignore all that redounds to the credit of their oppo-
nents, and to pervert everything to suit their views
of detraction, forgetting in this how they lower
themselves instead of humiliating the others.
,It is
not this sentiment that inspired chivalrous comba-
tants, who tasted of
"That stern joy that warriors feel
In foemen worthy of their steel."
Why should such ideas be banished from civil conten-
tions ; nothing is gained, while much is lost, from
their decadence. It would be difficult to say if any
public man has had more to struggle against in his
career than he who now leads the Conservative party
in the House of Commons with a dexterity that no
chief of party in the present day has equalled.
While their vaunted majorities have fallen away in
the hour of need, he has twice led his minority to
office. In this article, however, the writer merely
refers to Mr. Disraeli's literary achievements, and
although it is not likely that the claims of public
life and the desires of private ambition will
allow the politician to resume the novelist, the
author of Coningsby and Sybil gained no inconsi-
derable reputation among the anthers of his coun-
try before he took his place among her most
eloquent orators, and therefore this criticism is
appropriate in its purely literary sense as here
scrupulously considered. It is truly said that Mr.
Disraeli's literary fame will chiefly rest on his poli-
tical novels, of which Coningsby was the first and
foremost; and those who remember the excitement
that it created, and the great success it immediately
obtained, will not deny the statement. Not many
of the novels of the day, whose name is legion,
have three editions in three months in England,
and have fifty thousand copies sold in America.
The Two Triumvirates" is really a most admirable
composition, full of dash and daring, while it dis-
plays much wit, and exhibits some independence of
spirit truly national. This magazine is celebrated
for its smart verses ; and the lines on " Cmsar
Postiche" are also very entertaining, and those who
do not like the purpose of the writer must be
amused by its perusal. " The Proprietors of Pro-
gress" is the political subject, and of course it is
occupied with the budget and treaty, which are
described as detrimental to our interests, and inju-
rious to our influence at home and abroad as at
present constituted.