The Sun.
London, England, 1832-02-22 00:00:00

LITER AT Urvr.

CHESKIAN ANT HOL 0 G ;

BLING lIIsTORY OF THE POETICAL LITERATURE or

BOHEMIA, WITH TRAN,LATED SrECIMENS, BY JOHN
E',WEING,-London, R. Hunter, 1532, pp. 270, 12mo.

Dr. Bowring, by his historical sketches and
translations of the Anthologies of the Magyars
the Russians, the Batavians, the Servians, and
the Poles, has done more to extend the circle of
kindly affections than any one among us at the
present time; and in the highly interesting little
work on Cheskian Poetry before us, has, indeed,
as he himself expresses a desire to do in the
preface, " brought another contribution to the
emotions and the exertions which embrace the
widest field of generous thought."
The Czechish (Bohemian) dialect, from the
copiousness of its alphabet, the richness of
its vocabulary, its numerous shades of
synonyms, its manifold declensions and many
tenses and particles, its great variety of dimi-
nutives, its facility for compounds; its pliability,
conciseness, and natural melody, is, of all known

languages, the most peculiarly adapted to poetry ;
and it has been a source of unceasing regret
amongst the learned, that so few remains of the
classic times of the country should have escaped the
tyrannic design of the monks—chiefly Italians,
Spaniards, and Southern Germans—who, on
their introduction after the battle of the White
Mountain, condemned to the flames, as here-
tical, every Bohemian work that could be found.

The liberal policy, however, of the Emperor
Joseph 11. opened a new era to Bohemian lite-
rature ;—that classical language was again ac-
knowledged and cultivated, and such of the con-
cealed works as had escaped the ruthless vigi-
lance of the monks were re-printed. The same
wise and liberal policy has been extended under

the present Govern►nent ; and many men of
merit, mindful of the fame of their ancestors,
have endeavoured to cultivate anew all branches
of the sciences, and to rival, if possible, their
inore advanced neighbours. The spirit of to-
leration and liberty, which is now so happily
penetrating every portion of the Continent, will
soon, we trust, unite us all in closer bonds of
intercourse and good-will than the tribes and

nations of Europe have hitherto lived—when
he well-being, as well as the literature, of each
All become matter of interest to all. Having
been led beyond our limits, we hasten to remark
hat this volume is redolent of characteristic and

lofty, and beautiful and playful poetry, in every
variety of measure. What, for instance, can be
more delightful than the following gush ofgirlish
I.tld filial tenderness
Mother ! look round thee,
Round thee and see,
All the youths struggling,
Struggling for me.
Fierce is the struggle,
Eager and wild
Does thy heart gladden
I am thy

Or what more noble and touching than the
restless yet subdued patriotism, the dignified re-
signation, and holy passion displayed in the
wenty-third Sonnet of Kollar

The busy thoughts to narrow bounds confined,
Struggle for wider fields, and beat the wires
Of their poor cage:—impatience makes them blind
In gazing on the light of vain desires,
And they disperse—but hope broods o'er the mind,
And warms its dreams and fans its sleeping fires,
Till like that glorious bird that never tires,

It tits aloft in cibuds and, stars enshrined.
For me has virtue flowered on love's sweet sten,
At Vesta's altar I have pour'd my vows :
I have tied wreaths of worship round the ['toy,
Of Milek,* and I wear his diade:n,—
To sutrering he the stamp of joy has given,
And poured on earth the sunmy light of heaven,"
We cannot close this delightful little book
without again recurring to the words of the
learned Doctor in his preface, which breathes so
eloquently the spirit of true philosophy
.and
kindliness of heart The virtues become
more intellectual—the intellect becomes more
virtuous, by sometimes travelling beyond the
little limits of family, and tribe, and nation. It
is most delightful and most improving to feel
concerned in the well-being of those who are far
removed from us—to hail them as part of the
great family of man: To influence their felicity
is the lot of but few—to rejoice in it and so
to share it, might be the privilege of all." With
this view—as well as for the merits of the work
itself—we heartily recommend the " Cheskian
Anthology" to our readers.

• Cupid.

Great improvements are making on the road
between Macclesfield and Leek, by a partial diver ion and
ocidening of these roads, and try cutting down some bills
and filling up the valleys—improvements which that part
of the London road has long required.

STANDARD NOVELS AND ROMANCES.•.

" The Twelfth Volume of this elegant publication, con-
tains Soritta And HARRIET Lxt's Canterbury Tales, a
work, which on its first appearance, obtained a very high
popularity for its amiable authoresses. That the judgment
then pronounced upon it by the public was a Joe. one, 1... s
been since proved, by the favour in which it has been held asa
work of the imagination down to the present day. Titian, w
-dition is preceded by a preparatory address, written by
Mrs. HA AKIET Lie, who has taken the opportunity of
paying a modest tribute to the virtues and talents of her
deceased sister. The present volume comprises six stories,
and extends to 450 very neatly-printed pages; the whole
of the retnainiug tales will be given in the next volume.
The embdlislaments consist of a .iery fine,y engraved fron-
tispiece and vignette titk.page, from designs by Silt.-
PHANOPY—the whole forming a work which, for a cum-
hination of neatness in the style of bringing it out, and
economy in the price charged for it by the publishers,
stands unsurpassed even in this age of unexampled compe-
tition in the publishing world."— County Herald.

CHANGE NOT TERRIBLE.—In change there
is nothing terrible, nothing supernatural : on the contrary,
it lies in the very essence of our lot and life in this world.
To-day is not yesterday ;we ourselves change ; how can our
works and thoughts, if they are always to be the fittest,
continue always the same ? Change, indeed, is painful, yet
ever needful : and if memory have its force and worth, so
also has hope. Nay, if we look well to it, what is all
derangement, and necessity of great change, in itself such
an evil, but the product simply of increased resources which
the old methods can no longer administer; of new wealth
which the old co&rs will no longer contain ? What is it,
for example, that in our own day bursts asunder the botulia
anoient political systems, and perplexes all Europe with
the fear of change, but even this: the increase of social
methods will no longer sufficiently administer ? Tile new
omnipotence of the steam engine is hewing asunder quite
,ither mountains than the physical. Have not our econo-
,nicll distresses, those harn-yard conflagrations themselves,
the frightfullest madness of our mad epoch, their. rise also
►n what is a seal increase : increase of men ; of human
force; properly, in such a planet as ours, the most precious
:if all increases ? It is true again, the ancient methods of
administration will no longer suffice, Must the indoraitable
lull of old Saxon euezgy and tire, liecoo;►ed ul) to
his western nook, choking one another, as in a latlreklao,lee:
.1 Calcutta, white whole fertile untenanted earth,
tdillso •
r n ant of the ploueli-share, andn
no
tonal:,
o►ne and reap me? If the anoient cap sins et
b- but air unes.—Articte Cliciracte-
►
.hick-ho!e has no wa
ristics, in Welinburgh Review.
abertiesiocueg:htthafew
Europeanr ; fur ah
e dcUthi
uuBti
tcyra
lysieil)do not guidance,
at:act eu'ren,e Lit') uinat