The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-05 00:00:00

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THE MAGAZINES.

Charles Reade's new story, " Put Yourself in His
Place," occupies a prominent position in the current num-

ber of the Cornhill. As might have been expected from

its introductory passages, its scenes are startling and its
incidents painful. The unfortunate victim of the jealousy
k and prejudice of his fellow-workmen tried all that reason
could suggest by way of precaution, and evinced a courage
that was surprising ; but his efforts were unavailing. The
result of his conferences with the secretaries of the
different unions was most unsatisfactory, and the devices to
which the conspirators resorted are ingeniously described.
' Mr. Cheetham, the master, conveys the impression of
being a man who is not easily daunted, but, single-handed,
be could not face the evil and counteract the mischief that
had been wrought by timorous and indifferent employers.
The closing scene of this instalment leaves Henry Little
in a desperate conditon, for the persecutions of his enemies
have come to a climax, and an explosion of gunpowder
in his forge Las well-nigh decided the fate of the "obnoxious
workman." So far this story bids fair to fulfil its promise,
and to represent the abuses of a system that has been per-
verted from its original purpose, and has outraged justice
in its course of violence and terror. "Lettice Lieies
Adventures " may serve to interest, and the chief characters
met with in the tale are described in a natural manlier.
The scene in the prison when Lettice visits her
unfortunate father is most effective. " Out of School
in the Middle Ages" is an article well worthy of con-
sideration, and may improve the reader's acquaintance
with the fhings of au earlier generation. In modern days
a stuient's life is supposed to be a sedentary one, but it
was far otherwise in the Middle Ages. The " medizeval
student was notorious for his propensity to wandering."
Scarcely a name that was celebrated in literature at that
period but may be traced from one end of Christendom
to the other in the pursuit of learning. It was deemed
advisable to make the tour of Western Europe, in order
to complete an education. Thomas Platter, a contem-
porary of Luther, was the son of a poor woman, who
destined him for the priesthood, and, in accordance with
the practice of those days, he wandered about with a
group of -other boys. On his return he had learnt a little
of every dialect then current in Germany, and he was
anxious to make his' acquirements known. " Bless us,"
said his relatives, "our Tommy speaks so profoundly that
we can't make out one-half he says." But for all that he
did not then know how to read. I meet with some in-
teresting details in the article on " Modern Venetian
Glass, and Enamel Mosaics," and it is most satisfactory to
find that such rapid strides have been made during
two years in the manufactures of glass and
of enamel mosaics. It is said that if the
present efforts continue, and the commonest luck attend
them, " Venice will once more reign supreme in the magic
regions from which she herself. believed her children to be
for ever banished." About thirty years ago, two Muranese
artists set to work to discover the lost secrets of the manu-
facture of enamel, and they succeeded so well that they
received the gold medal from the Venetian Academy.
Dr. Salviati, an enterprising and art-loving lawyer
has lent his valuable assistance to these persevering men,
and he has opened a mosaic school, which has been
attended with the best results. It is believed that much of
the success is due to the unusual circumstance of the
mosaics being manufactured in the studio, instead of on
the spot as heretofore. This history of the enamel mosaics
and glass revival is gratifying alike to the lover of art and
to the disciple of progress.
Blackwood makes a beginning in the standard old style.
The last instalment of " Doubles and Quits"—for this
excellent tale takes a regrettable turn and comes to a
conclusion—is followed by an elegant memoir of Keble.
Sir John Coleridge's life of the religious poet is the text
upon which the essayist expresses a fair estimate of Keble's
genius in a few pages of very graceful writing. Then
follows the first instalment of a history of Sir
John Lawrence and his times. The task is one which
may be advantageously performed, for we have not too
much of recent Indian history, especially considered with
special reference to the parts played by individual men.
So far this review of the late Viceroy's career begins
well, but the most important part is yet to come.
The instalment leaves off at the spring of 1856. Getting
beyond this, the remainder of Blackwood is not all that
could be wished. Scarcely does " Cornelius O'Dowd"
succeed in relieving the dismal swamp of political writing
which follows. For Cornelius, though as amusing as
ever, is himself intensely political. Two-thirds of his con-
tributions are devoted to gossip on " New Series " and the
"Ballot." In the former chapter Cornelius play-
fully satires the practice to which editors are prone, of
announcing an entirely fresh start on the part of their
periodical in the shape of a New Series. But whilst lam
being entertained with this banter, I find Cornelius suddenly
plunge into the moral, and enlarge upon the expediency
of statesmen opening a new series of opinions, with many
amusing cuts at the Cabinet which has just commenced
business, with an entirely new staff of contributors, and a
fresh programme. Nothing, however, is said as to the far
more remarkable new series which was recently commenced
by another Cabinet—a new series which speedily brought
the publication to an end. Cornelius O'Dowd's politics
can, however, be tolerated, but surely we might be spared
soma of the heavy dose which follows. The subject of
" The Triumvirate " is sufficiently explained by its title,
and its purport is sufficiently clear from its appearing in
Blackwood. The three leaders of the Liberal Cabinet are
tolerably well patronised, tolerably well abused ; and
then comes the summary that Mr. Lowe may make a
statesman, but that by no possibility can either of the
other two turn out well. And, as if this was not sufficient,
we are served with a parting broadside in the shape of
" Mr. Gladstone's Bill." The air of politics lingers about
the American article. Altogether, the sameness of the
latter part of this month's number is oppressive. I ought
not to fer„„et an article on the armies of Europe, which
contains some very useful information.

The Churchman's Shilling Magazine (lloulston and
Wright) opens with Mr. Townshend Mayer's new story,
"The Trials of Margaret Brandreth." This first instal-
ment is rather introductory to the main story, and
sketches the events of more than thirty years. At the end
of that time the heroine is presented to us young, beauti-
ful, and loving—one in whom the reader is fully
prepared to take interest. Two other tales are con-
tinued. Of the literary articles, that by Prebendary
Wtdcott on " The Church in the Catacombs," and
that by Mr. Ker, on "Easter Day in Russia," are
particularly interesting. Mr. Merrin deals with " Curio-
sities of Reporting," and lets newspaper readers into some
of the difficulties of elitors by quoting for them some of
the " copy" which he is accustomed to receive from his
correspondents. The Rector of Tenby says some good
things on a very well-worn subject, " Preaching, and how
to make it Effective." Any number of amusing stories
might be told of preachers, such as that of the one who
by mistake delivered to a rustic congregation a university
sermon, and referred his hearers to the Septuagint and the
Fathers ; or that one of the young, newly-ordained cler-
gyman who had inherited a batch of MS. sermons, and
found himself beginning with the words, "Forty-and-
eight years have I laboured among you." Unfortunately,
what is sport to the reader, is, if not death, at least
spiritual starvation, to the hearer.

The Overland Mail from San Francisco, which
had been snowed up in the Rocky Mountains for three
weeks, arrived in New York on Sunday morning, March
14. Seventy-five bags of letters were received ; the news-
paper mail would follow soon. The dates received were
from the 4th of February to the 25th, inclusive. Imme-
diately upon the announcement of the receipt of this enor-
in-us accumulation of mail matter the entire force of the
clerks of the New York Post-office was summoned from
their Sunday rest, and it was expected that by business
hours on Monday morning the mail would be "distri-
buted," and ready for delivery.
The town of Lanesboro', Minnesota, had no ex-
istence at all last July. A $35,000 hotel is now building,
and the lowest price for a town lot is $1,000; there is also
a public school, with 95 scholars.
AMERICAN FOSSIL BOTANY.—M. Lesquereux
says the American continent is " the only part of the
world where questions of general significance concerning
palaeontological distribution can be studied with some
chance of satisfactory conclusions." The few vegetable
remains obtained from the Tertiary of Tennessee
and cf Mississippi, and from the Cretwean formation
of Nebraska and California, have demonstrated facts
which science was scarcely prepared to admit :—" First,
That the floras of our ancient formations already had pe-
culiar types, which separated them from each other in the
different continents. This is even evident in the vegeta-
tion of the coal measures. Therefore, the supposition
of a continental union of Europe with America, by
Atlantides or other intermediate lands is proved
to be untenable. Second, That tho essential types
of the old floras, of the cretaceous and Tertiary
formations have paced into our present veog_etlitmioenrlcoa,r are
preserved to our time. The Cretacean f
which we find sti
has
example, has already the 'M lia
agnos, forma
more abundant in our Tertiary. This lastformation ll
nearlyfurni furnished eittitean
identical
numberNri
tohf eo ctoi innion s f
exiting
gnus
the
el ag
Unitedl a,
isotg,iteisforl‘a,,i;Aolof tEil-e,grze,:s:iut,ot.r,olity'hviatubxsot'uhtisiii; we cfionrrdesipnonoud-r
same pie otnin.ating types marked on both
Tertiarye sof the Its ateuntatim On the Atlantic slope
of elms, of maples and pop-
ll'aezi'•s,velsinodf ilinetngantir)la;C:es'oif'fo''l coniferous trees ; while in Califor-
nia
and Vancouv.q• Island the red woods or Sequoia,
abound in the Cretlenan and Tertiary, as now they sti:l
fora' the predominant vegetation of the country."
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falling off. -It prevents baldness. It promotes luxuriant growth;
it causes the Hair to grow thick and strong. It removes all
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Depot 266, High Ile/born