The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-30 00:00:00

THE QUARTERLIES.

The Quarterly Review. No. CXCVIL—An
anecdotal paper upon "The Police and the
Thieves," a contribution that Mr. Henry
Mayhew might have written, or one which if he
did not actually write he must infallibly revel in—
is followed by an entertaining chapter upon the
"Public Works and Improvements of Paris."
The two most attractive out of the seven articles
making up the contents of the new number of the
Quarterly, being thus curiously illustrative of the
internal polity and general condition of the capi-
tals of the two great Allies, France and England.
The opening words of the contribution relating to
Paris constitute the noblest, as it is also the most
eminently well-deserved panegyric upon the
princely splendour of the present ruler of the
French, the imperial munificence of the Gallic Au-
gustus. "No sovereign ever reigned," says the
Quarterly Reviewer, " who, in the same space of
time, has rivalled Napoleon 111. in the combined
magnificence, utility, and extent of his public
works." As assuredly none ever has ! It is curi-
ous, howbeit, that in almost every one of these
vast, useful, and magnificent public works the
reigning Emperor is simply carrying out with faith-
ful minuteness of detail the wondrous designs pro-
jected or actually (some of them) commenced by
the immortal founder of his dynasty. It was
among the favourite projects of Napoleon the
Great (with a view to the adornment of the me-
tropolis of his gigantic empire) to connect by
means of a long gallery, corresponding with that
of the picture gallery or Mush, the Louvre, and
the Tuileries. This design Napoleon 111. is now
rapidly accomplishing. And so likewise is it
in regard to various other imperial enterprises.
Tho original suggestions emanating from the genius
of the Julius of the Bonapartes, being adopted and
carried into effect by the Augustus of those modern
Caesars. So splendid and immense were many of
these cherished projects of the Great Napoleon, that
it is amusing to observe how inadequate the royal
pigmies succeeding the imperial Titan felt their
Powers to he in merely attempting to carry them
into execution. "To completea few of the Im-
perial designs," says the Quarterly, " absorbed
all the disposable funds (andthe reviewer might
have added all theavailable energies) of the
Restoration." Forty years have elapsed since
the fall of the first Napoleon, and it is only
now, thanks to the congenial enterprise and deter-
mination of the heir to his fortunes, Napoleon 111.,
that most of the glorious ideas of the later Charle-
magne in reference to the beautifying and general
improvement of Paris are being literally and reso-
lutely realised. Foremost among these, as we
have intimated, the design for the junction into
one stupendous palatial edifice of the hitherto only
partially connected structures of the Louvreand the
Tuileries. The completion of an edifice, remarks
the reviewer, which, when so completed, "will
surpass in size and splendour every other of its
kind "—whether we bear in mind the Vatican,
Windsor Castle, or the Escurial. Numerous other
public works and improvements now going for-
ward in Paris are afterwards specified by the con-
tributor in deserved terms of wonder and admira-
tion. Among these, the noble street extending
through the very heart of Paris to the Place de la
Bastille ! The other, which is to cross it at right
angles—running northwards through the Rue de
Grammont to Montmartre ! The new bridge
(Pont de l'Alma) which is to commemorate the re-
cent war in the Crimea—having at each of its four
corners a statue representing one or other of the
soldiers of the four allies, France, England, Tur-
key, and Sardinia ! The subterranean railways
which are to traverse Paris—connecting all the
various lines together—conveying the provisions
of the metropolis into the cellars of the different
halles or markets—and enabling the Government,
Whenever it might be necessary, to despatch bodies
of troops instantly in perfect secrecy and in perfect
safety to any part of the capital, however remote,
when there might chance to be any outbreak of in-
surrection At this rate we may even learn in
time of the more fantastic of the magnificent de-
signs of Napoleon the Great being realised by his
Imperial successor—such designs we mean as that
of a grand central fountain fer Paris, consisting of
a Colossal Elephant. Remembering the insignifi-
cance of the late conflict with Russia, and bearing
in mind the magnitude and splendour of the public
works with which the reigning Emperor of France
is adorning his glorious capital, we cannot but
regret that the recently projected monument in his
honour (a monument consisting of a column sur-
mounted by a statue) has not allusion to his pa-
cific rather than to his warlike achievements. It
would be much more appropriate if it were so_
and as such would be much less likely to be
cavilled at by posterity as an evidence merely of
Public adulation. A review of " Grote's History
of Greece," a comprehensive review of the entire
work, now that the whole twelve volumes have
beea.completed, constitutes a magnificent tribute of
admiration applied by a most competent and appre-
ciative critic in the Quarterly to the chef d'oeuvres
of the banker-annalist. An incomplete criticism
upon the "Causes of the Civil War," as explained
by M. Guizot, follows immediately afterwards—
a criticism less eulogistic in tone than respectfully
and gracefully complimentary. Two companion
Papers, and in their gist very congenial one
with the other, appear in different parts of
the present number of the Quarterly, the first
a biographical essay relating to " Savonarola," the
second, a political argument referring to " The
Papal Government." While, as the final political
bon bouche of the quarter, we have a masterly
article upon " The Disputes with America." An
article pledging the Conservatives, at its close,
life and limb, soul and body, as it were, to support
any Government, at any time, under any circum-
stances, in the event of England being—,4 no mat-
ter the quarter or what the pretext"—threatened !
Well said, old Mole
"Ha, ha, boy ! say'st thou so ? Art thou there
true-penny ?"

ACTS OF PARLIAMENT.-.The number of public acts of
he session printed to the present time is 69. The public
statutes will not exceed 100.