The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-11 00:00:00

LITERATURE'.

The New Quarterly Review of Literature, Art
_ _ _

Science, and Politics.

The first subject under consideration is a " Re-
trospect of the Literature of the Quarter." It is
mentioned that the present quarter, though the
dull one, has been tolerably prolific in works above
the average literary merit. Some of the criticisms
are very sensibly written, and exhibit accuracy of
judgment, in dealing with works, not always easy
to decide upon. After novels, travels, and bio-
graphies have been descanted upon, there is a dis-
sertation on French Books, which will be an agree-
able variety, for the general reader. An amusing
paper on the drama furnishes its quota of informa-
tion on the several subjects which come under
that denomination. In the remarks on Mr. Tenny-
son's " Idylls of the King" there is a good deal of
taste displayed, but on the whole the writer takes
too favourable a view of the poet's recent work
when he observes that " we have before us a fifth
essay of his genius, which, after long consideration,
and more than one change of opinion, we have
finally made up our minds is superior to all that
has preceded it." In the political article entitled
" The Second Administration of Lord Derby," there
is much to attract the attention and meet the ap-
proval of the thinking reader. In its general style
and purport the essay may be appreciated by many
whose views on politics generally do not exactly
accord with those of the writer of these remarks.
There is something inherent in the national mind
of Englishmen which recoils from any actions that
are not in accordance with a spirit of fair play, and
it requires the convenient vision of preju-
diced partisans to discover that the course
pursued by the followers of Lord Pal-
merston in these recent Ministerial manoeuvres
bore the stamp of honest and honourable proceed-
ings. It is truly stated that the coalition, which is
always an objectionable arrangement, was in this
case formed under circumstances which gave no
excuse for its creation. " There was no general
dislike of Lord Derby in the public mind ; so far
from it, that he has received more marks of sym-
pathy and admiration, both from the sovereign and
the people than almost any Prime Minister whose
name we can recall." In an eloquent and forcible
passage on the general conduct of the late
factious opposition, it is argued with plau-
sibility, that the evident object which
themfarcotmuatceadrryig n was to prevent the Government
any measure whatever, hence they
voted in such a manner that ho improvements could
be effected, even where they agreed with the princi-
ples they professed. It is again observed that they
kept from direct statements of the merits of mea-
sures, but confined themselves to vague calumnies
and false reports, thus manoeuvring and conspiring
for their own ends, regardless of the public welfare,
and forgetting that true fame depends more on pri-
vate character than pomp of place. The general
policy of the present Cabinet cannot be better
sketched than in the following passage :
" With a general charge of incapacity founded on
t,lcmea-
sures which they had themselves acknowledged at one time
or another to be sound ; with a general aecusationh of
bribery, of which it turned out that they themselves had
been the chief employers ; and an equally general censure
of a foreign policy, of whieh not only were they then. igno-
rant, but have since declared themselves imitathorstimthreey
contrived to muster a majority of thirteen,
in
suit of the election petitions has alrenaeddywr7wtdbuhci:eidieteoesos,ne
So far, then, their strategy was crow
that it enabled them to gain the immediate obbjuecttwoef theirambition, and oust Lord Derby from power ;
they
it stands revealed, has exercised on th e public
vie
ques-
tion if, in the effect which the whole transaction, now
mind,now that
corsider-
will not ultimately stand in the position o
able losers. A coalition, which is only
a
desperate resource, is obviously culpable e
ofcoalitiona is to
b excusable
ond
descrip-
tion as
ieus winhterrtgmueasd.e itselflvh etnhetghoealeobfjedetesdperate beyond
unscrupu-
ftueremtioinna, tewtehemraeyi
reign
nboewf s
s even where
beforeelfishn
acknowledge the good intentions of statesmen,
ae
omnipotencenecessity, a
and
employed. But where
selfishness
tetrnh
we doubt the efficacy of the meanssnto
an end, where con-
sistency,the means are themselves P.
not that parliament might be
morality has been sacrificed,
public interests
cabals • not that
candour, and indeedma the entire code of political
rescued from cliques and
ht be given to popular
greater effect might ambi-
tion; not that
restraint placed upon revolutionary
might recover their proper ascendancy. over private
opinion, or greater
wrested from them ; that
the superiority which hadrium
ph over the public interests ;
licence ; but in order that cblieqeunesand cabals might regain
private ambition might t
di
might be neglected and scredited ; when, in a word, the
di
t being recd to the abolition of a poli-
ticalmalady, is itself thinmdia malady in question, it is difficult to
keep within bounds thlec nation which naturally arises
public
at this insult to p feeling,
and the abuse of public
tolerance which such a spectacle evinces."

The Universal Review.
This periodical, in its continuation, sustains its
previous reputation by its varied and attractive
contents. There is an article on " Idealistic
Novelists" which is particularly deserving of atten-
tion ; it gives:some admirable criticisms on Miss
Muloch's last novel, called " A Life for a Life."
There are some striking truths in the treatment of
that clever but mistaken book, in which the gifted
authoress did not render herself justice. At the
conclusion of this vigorous paper we meet with the
following passage referring to the urgent necessity
for all who would be sterling in their composition,
to relinquish falseness in style and manner :
" Very worthy knights have fought for and loved false
Florimels ; that is no disgrace very good artists have
gone to work on wrong principles, and been tenacious of
them. But true knights and true artists discard the seem-
ingly beautiful, when they can compare it with that which
is really so. If they be wise, they blame no one for their
error ; they recognise that it was well for them to make
mistakes. In no other way, could they, constituted as they
are, have attained to so much of truth and beauty. There
are some people who can never profit by the experience of
others. They must get it, at first hand for themselves, or
never be wise at all. The writers of some of the best idea-
listic novels we take to be among these. When they out-
grow their present stage, and ' call nothing common or un-
clean' that God has made ; and think it not well 'to paint
the lily or add a perfume to the violet,' and wrong quite to
look without sympathy upon all beings who are not 4in
love ;' when they have attained so much of human wisdom
they will know, better than we can tell them, how
far they are from being truly wise. They will.
then use their powers to describe what is and
' sad as
ought to be • not what they once thought Cu
lovelier. Instead' of writing melancholy tales,
night for very wantonness,' they will understand that God's
will for man is that he should inherit joy rather than sor-
row, even in this life ; and that those who make
sunshine in a shady place, serve him better than those a
ray out darkness, or even than those who write storieswflolor
throughout which no reader can indulge in; 8
bliSuoeutyitedhne
gloom,
l
amusement, which are clothed in sentimental
years
r and
a -
Raphael is
laugh. Ono at the writer's expense is not wholesome, wholesome
novels
naprduebasl
fiestnehrtei duringdtmheenirt
aolwno
h:ehellrs last
well.which
Theidealistic
subjects
ment is as superior to the ' idealistic,' mode, as
to a modern Pre-Raphaelite. These are a little work
called ' A Lost Love,' and a greater work called ' Adam
analysis of some,
reeently so all.
is a long paper on "Literature of the Indian
. texts to many
Thereße de. '
Rebellion," which enters into
caleintti
a just
engrossing,o f the
and works \
s i oi
which
thath ha s
furnished subj
fsutshtiasined theeismsufferers of all
hose perils andPpa:isvations
spiritth writersethates ,of
whose
rankstrib llte writers.otOf the Theb u
have been the theme of chronicles
the deepest sympathy, and that have excited
indignation throughout the lengtharoused fiercest
the
the land. It is observed and
of the breadth of
hardly any of these volumes authors, that
in
undue despondency, or unmanly
do we find traces of
general tone is wonderfully high,inanlY alarm, Their
dued, even in the darkest 11 cheerful, unsn,r
less to the last." Among the
hopeful - ----
rnong the h • and fear
may be glad to come across heavier articles .
called " A Great Mistake." smartly written some
en tale,
met with record some The eha
strikingly significantpters h ,
Lro
in a drama of domestic life,
effective manner how m and demoustrat scenes
the busybodies of society, who are wrought ein an
on mischief, and are .77 cvno rush by
never h about intent
can magnify the smallest happy but when
occurrence. and nlystif the they
........._____ y simplest

FR %.NCE Th El d PE t
THE HARVEST IN ,
.-- e cto e ,
has the following remarks on the late harvest :—" At this
year_ we
.always meet with conflicting state-
period of the
meats respecting the yield of the hat with
the farmers gene.
rally representing it as deficient, while dealers maintain the
contrary. From all the information we have been able to
collect, we come to the conclusion that the harvest this year
is somewhat below an average one. For both corn and wine
the quantity is certainly inferior to last year's yield. The
stock of old corn now on hand is equal to about one-fourth
of the annual consumption of France. Aso ur exports are
at present trifling, owing to the slight difference in prices
between foreign markets and our own, the late rise has been
chiefly caused by the unfavourable state of the weather for
sowing. Good seed-corn, unfortunately, is by no means
and consequently commands high prices. The
plentiful,
harvest has been got in well almost everywhere.
br© hear
complaints in sonic places that the grain is light ; but it is
dry, and will keep well. The autumn crops, which for a
time inspired some uneasiness, now look better. Potatcies,
f,r instance, will yield more than was expeeted, As they
lie near the surface, the recent as
have done the oa.
muck good, and they will present a much finer crop than.
could have been hoped for some weeks ago. Beetroot has
also benefited from the same cause, and now looks very
promising."
The small-pox is said to be very prevalent in
London, so much so, that the parishes are called upon to
take energetic measures in preventing the spread of the dis-
ease. In Marylebone the officials have determined to adopt
the precaution of having additional separate hospitals The
Small-pox Hospital is so full that another patient cannot be
received, and such an occurrence has not taken place fiw
years.