The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-12 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

THE EDINBURGH (No. 254).—" Kaye's history
of the Sepoy War" introduces us to a subject that
has always in it something worthy of notice. We
fully concur in the opinion here expressed that the
mutiny of 1857-8 was not owing to the faults of
civil government, and that its causes might be
traced to the ferocity and insubordination of the
pampered soldiery, who were trusted too much, and
not the insurrection of an oppressed people. Here
is the point at issue between the author and the
critic, and considerable ability is displayed in the
compilation of the mistaken theories met with in
this volume, which, distinguished as it is for great
clearness, is likely to mislead the judgment of the
uninitiated. The conclusion come to is that it is
" far less hazardous to trust the population than to
lean on the broken reed of a native soldiery." Sir
John Lawrence has directly expressed similar
opinions, and we commend this excellent article to
the notice of all who are interested in the mainte-
nance of our Indian Empire, and who would become
better acquainted with its requirements. The case
is well put in this passage :—" What we deprecate
is a course of conduct which at once feeds the mili-

tary spirit in a proportion of the population
needlessly large, and compels us to drain the
labour market of England, of the young men whom
its industries can very ill spare, in order to keep in
check a large native force which India would be
better without." " Varieties of History and Art"
affords us a pleasing insight into a French work,
with the untranslatable title of " Causeries d'un
Curieux." A most unfavourable opinion is ex-
pressed of Photography by this " Curieux." He
says that it is the " antipodes of art, it is the slave
of an instrument, and has all the defects of one ; if
photography was dear no one would submit to it,
for it makes uglier than nature ; it has been popu-
larised by cheapness." For light and amusing inci-
dent, as well as for on dits and reminiscences of
History and Art, this paper will be found most
acceptable, and, while it will entertain the general
reader, it also presents a feast for the studious and
well-read. "International Coinage" is an admir-
able article, which eminently merits the attention of
the commercial circles, and we wish there was a
better chance of its suggestions being favourably
received by the influential in the monetary world.
After stating that a comprehensive change must b e
a lasting one to justify the inconvenience it would
inevitably occasion at first, it is said that whenever the
British Government is sufficiently enlightened, and
also sufficiently supported, to attempt these changes
referred to, "we trust that a modification of our
coinage would not only bring us into closer relations
with the monetary systems of the Continent, but
would also establish our own coinage and enumera-
tion on. the basis of the decimal system." There is
great force in these arguments, as also in those that
follow further on respecting the advantages that
must follow upon the means of exchange being
rendered more simple and universal, and thus
changing in conformity with the progressive signs
of the age. It will be fortunate for the people of
this country, and a great advantage to those of other
nations, when the truths here set forth are univer-
sally recognised. As it is unanswerably put here,
" Whatever the difficulties may be, it is not impos-
sible for the common interest of mankind to sur-
mount them, and no common interest is more
obvious than that of establishing a similarity or
identity between these different representations of
value, which may be described as the very language
of trade ; for, to use the words of Landgrave Philip
of Hesse at the beginning of the 16th century—

"Had all men but a simple creed,
Faithful to God and just in deed,
Ono weight, one measure, coin, and gold,
'T were bettor for all an hundredfold."

Napoleon's "Julius Caesar" engages attention in an
elaborate paper. It is said that a great merit of this
work is the "gracefulness and simple dignity with
which our author, so highly placed, has descended
into the arena of ordinary literature." However,
the greatest pleasure has been to go over again the
" enchanted classical ground" which the work occu-
pies, and in the best company, that of the original
authorities to whom the references allude. Hence

is a relief, after gazing on " the last con

vulsions of Republican France through the viole•
medium of Napoleon the Third, or the demo•

cratic rose-colour of Arnold, to return to our

ancient guides," who, whatever their own pre-
judices, represent the scenes to us free from
what could not have " the tendency to work
up pictures for the eyes of another generation,
brought up in theories derived from the extended
experience of a world twenty centuries older."
" Felix Holt, the Radical," will attract the atten-
tion of the class of novel readers which now-a-days

.ndeed is legion, and perhaps the first sentence me

with may be considered almost a sufficient criticism
in itself, so expressive and appropriate is its word-
ing. " Felix Ilolt" has some of the defects of ordi-
nary novels, but ordinary novels have none of the
merits of Felix llolt. Another good definition of the

superiority of this author's description is found in
this passage—" Less original thinkers identify their
ruined characters by some trite saying, but
George Eliot always denotes the intellectual or
moral differences of the dullest or most common-
place of mankind by some little idiosyncracy of
language or of thought."
," Strauss, Renan, and
Ecce Homo," brings before our notice a carefully-
written article on a subject that most especially
calls for care and caution in its treatment. Great
praise is accorded to the work " Ecce Homo," by
which the author has, it is said, produced great
effect, kindling faith afresh in many a wavering
soul, and addressing himself to as great a subject
as one can employ—" man's noblest energies, the
preservation or renewal of the faith of God." It is
no matter of surprise that strictures are passed upon
these -authors whose names first appear in this title,
and it is truly said that they dogmatise. " Strongly
as both of them would repudiate the charge, we are
sorry to be obliged to fix upon M. Renan as well
as upon Herr Strauss this odious imputation of
degeneration ; for while the very point is, whether
Jesus was a superhuman personage or not, both of
these writers lay it down as the first postulate in their
argument that no superhuman hypothesis is admis-
sible, their argument therefore becomes neither more
nor less than a vicious circle ; the Gospels, are un-
trustworthy, because they record miracles, and no
miracles are credible because the books that record

them are untrustworthy." " Froude's Reign of

Elizabeth" is a very interesting notice of Mr.
Froude's-brilliant work. It seems that a too lenient
judgment is passed by the historian upon some of
the questionable acts of this great Queen, and we
certainly do not require such " weak and unreason-
ing tenderness" nor " generosity" either in her
conduct, but prefer to accept the thfluitioLs here
met with of " hypocrisy and hardness of heart."
Apart from these matters of difference, there is
always abundance to admire in Mr. Froude's writ-
ings, and these volumes, it is emphatically observed,
" will afford an intellectual treat to every class of
readers ; the curtain has dropped upon a stirring
act, and we await with deep interest its rising upon
another." "Antique Gems" is an attractive name
at any rate, and conjures up dazzling visions before
the mind of the reader, who may be wearied with
wandering through the mazes of politics, or bewil-
dered bythe conflicting claims of literary disputants.
There is much to interest in the description here met
with, and many may derive profit and pleasure from
the study of this sketch of olden marvels. Few
subjects are more interesting in their way than
those connected with the arts of ancient days, more
especially in Greece and Rome. " The Military
Growth of Prussia" is an admirable article, to which
we shall refer at a future period.

he Dublin Review. Nos. XIII. and XIV. Burns,
Lambert, and Co., 17, Portman-street.

A considerable portion of these two numbers of
the Dublin is occupied in the discussion of theologi-
cal and controversial topics. These, though very
suitable to the pages of a review of standard cha-
racter, do not come within the range of newspaper
criticism. If we turn to the literary articles we
find, in the thirteenth number, an able review of
the Imperial history of Julius Caesar. The critic
does not agree with the illustrious narrator in his
estimate of the great Roman, although he admits
him to have been far superior to his contemporaries

in many points, such as in his clemency, a virtue
almost unknown among the ancients. Another in-
teresting question very fully treated is that of the
preponderance of heathen studies in classical educa-
tion. The Editor of the Review does not commit
himself to either side of the discussion, but allows a
free inquiry into the merits and demerits of the
question. The vexed question of the Jamaica re-
bellion and its suppression is resuscitated in 3
lengthy article, which we can hardly think fair to
Mr. Eyre. We need hardly recapitulate the argu-
ments, which are those we have all heard so often;
neither need we add that the danger and violence of
the actual outbreak at Morant Bay, and the peri-
luus position of the handful of white residents iu the
colony, are altogether ignored, since this is invari-
ably the case with the assailants. " Origen at
Co :ar.‘3" is ail css,ty wiLic!l will at once attract the
reader of classical' tastes and studies. In conclud-
ing a highly interesting paper the writer observes
" lie died at "Tyre in 253 or 254. The cities
where
he taught are now mere names. Alexandria is a
modern Turkish town, Caa3area is a heap of broken
columns and ruined piers, Athens is the capital of
a pitiful nation of mongrel llellenes, Bostic and
Petra are tombs in the deserts of Arabia." But
the record of his works still lives, and the writer
draws a lesson from it. "In another region of the
world," he says, "and in cities with names that
are different, yet with histories as grand as be-
longed to the cities of the East, unbelief seems
to be bringing back a condition of mind
to encounter which the Catholic writer will have to
put himself into the circumstances of those ancient
giants who met and overthrew scientific Paganism
in the second and third centuries. Faith, and what
is faith, and why men must believe, occupied
Clement and Origen. The same questions are oc-
cupying the thoughts of our own day; and many 3
hint may be gathered, and many a suggestive argu-
ment started, to those who will take the Alexan-
drian stand-point, and look at faith as it is looked
at in the polemical works of the great Alexandrian
school."

Tke Westminster Review. No. LX. Triibner

and Co.

The current number of the TVestminster contains
many interesting articles. " The English and their
Origin" is a paper for the ethnological, since It
examines closely into all the records of our race.
The writer inclines to the Teutonic side of the COn"
troversy respecting our English affinities, being
influenced, perhaps, somewhat by the well-known
intellectual tendencies of the Westminster in his
desire to prove his countrymen akin to the great
German freethinkers. His essay is well worth
reading by all who are interested in the study a
race, which is, certainly, a department of philosophy
in which there is more than we as yet know, er
perhaps dream of. " The Abbe Lamennais °ll
Dante" is a criticism which pays a cordial tribute t°
the labours of the accomplished commentator.
" The last lines of his pen were devoted to the
illustration of the great trilogy of Dante, and Wie
read his magnificent introduction with mixed fei_cv
ings of regret and satisfaction—of satisfaction til'al., ;
he lived to do so much, of regret that he was ne,
permitted to finish the work which ht,s had so neari,j
carried to perfection." But although his cowmen"
tary remains unfinished, it everywhere bears the
marks of a master's hand, and undoubtedly forms
one of the most eloquent, just, and profound
cisms ever written upon the " Divina Cornmedlaii.
Our North American colonies, curiously enough'
form the subject of two distinct articles!
not referring, however, to the same 13!0-
vinces. The first is on " The Canadian
Confederation and the Reciprocity Treaty," and
gives a full and interesting account of the rapid
development of the colonial trade and commer.ee;
The writer, however, is scarcely fair in representle°
the feeling and language current in this countll
towards the Canadians. Individuals may havo
misrepresented the public sentiment, but whenever
the interests of Canada or her sister colonies are
;
really at stake the ready sympathy and goodwill 01:
the mother country is invariably manifested w.lt
promptitude and unanimity. On a recent occasion
if
the declaration of a Minister of the Crown that
Canada were imperilled she would be supported' 1 s
necessary, by the whole power of the Empire, via
received with general satisfaction and approval
The other article is on " Our North Pacific £(;)`°•
at%nies," and refers, we need hardly say, to
couver's Island and British Columbia. Thanks
,0
the gold discoveries, these provinces have of la'ai
years attracted a good share of attention even doubt
their flourishing neighbours, and we have no t,
they have a great career before them. " The
~P°o;
—his Intelligence" is a readable paper, founded
as
Mr. Jesse's work on the animal. Of late It 1-11;
been the fashion to decry man's most faithful eeo,
panion, and to exaggerate the terrors a hydro f
phobia to an extraordinary extent. This essay Tor
perhaps serve to recall some readers to a he in-
appreciation of what the dog really is, and t°,oo
duce them to put a little less ready faith in t'areo
marvellous " penny-a-lining" reports which st
on
old ladies in dull seasons. A well-written paPerthe
the Forest of Fontainebleau is the last In
number.

TEMPLE BAR MAGAZINE.—During
the c0w-
.„.4 of
eh,4
the New Year (1867), now fast approaching, t"
e,
popular monthly, which has already in wail roe
spects greatly improved since it passed into in
hands of Mr. Bentley, the Queen's Publisher b,
Ordinary, will be rendered still more attractive
means of two or three very noticeable new features 11°W;eSi
active and immediate preparation. Two fresh serial stor"of
among other contributions, will be introduced to the res.derros
Temple Bar, one of them by Mrs. Edwards, the autii°o- efo
of "Archie Lovell," the other byMr. Le Fanu, the„augrs•
among other popular works, of " Uncle Silas ,s 15
Edwards' story to be begun in January, Mr. Ls Fanii;,l re'
February. By a vexatious oversight the other day' 50,1 t
gard to the notice which appeared in these colueilis tlid
the current number of Temple Bar for December-loco
balance account, should have been "How the bqfto
came out ;' Old Cecilia, "Ad Ceciliam ;" and The
Allies, "The Two Alices."