The Sun.
London, England, 1835-01-01 00:00:00

FRASER'S MAGAZINE.

" The Fraserians" is incomparably the best literary
embellishment we have yet seen in this Magazine. It
is full of spirit and character. The grouping, too,
considering the immense number of figures intro-
duced, is remarkable for its ease and freedom. The
likeness of Fraser is inimitable, Irving's is good,
Galt's not amiss ; but that of Coleridge is a perfect
burlesque on humanity. The man looks as if he were
far gone in a fit of outrageous cholic. The three
bottles (empty of course) placed before O'Doherty,
who is represented in the act of speechifying, is a good
idea, but the face of the standard-bearer who—if ever
man possessed genuine humour, possesses it to a
degree unsurpassed by any other writer of the day—
is too staid and thoughtful ; it should show a more
grateful and becoming consciousness of the virtues of
the beverage before him. The literary explanation
that accompanies the engraving, is smartly and tersely
written. " The Songs of France" is a continuation
of the delightful " Prout Papers," and quite as good
as the best of its predecessors. " Notes of a Journey
between Paris and Ostend" is as common place as
the subject; and the character of the late Mr. Irving is
sketched in a manly, and eloquent spirit. We have
no space for extracts.

THE ASIATIC JOURNAL.
Parbury, Allen, and Co.

For the first time for several months we are favoured
with a political article in the Asiatic Journal, and truth
to say, a greater curiosity has not come under our notice
for a very long period. The author is of that class of
politicians who may be called amphibious—copse.
quently never out of their native element in supporting
any government. The Whigs were worthy of public
confidence while they remained in office, and the Tories
deserve to be supported for having succeeded them.
One of the most original observations in this document
is, that the Whigs having passed several most import-
ant Acts in the last Session, such as the opening of
the trade to India, and the emancipation of the slaves,
the Tories being opposed to them when under discus-
sion, are the most proper persons to carry them into
operation I We confess this is a mystery entirely be-
yond our poor powers of comprehension. Our opinion
was, that the acts of the liberal Government, not hav-
ing yet had a fair trial under their friends, one of the
most disastrous consequences to the Empire would arise
from entrusting the management of their first operation
to their avowed opponents. We thought, and think
so still—that the greatness of the change, which is to
be introduced in the government of a country, is the
great reason why none should be permitted to attempt
it, NC- have not its success wholly and absolutely at
heart`; and in proportion to the extent of the change, is
the imperiousness of the necessity, that no unfriendly
, hand should undertake it.

The " Bar in India, No. III.," is an exceedingly
interesting paper—fully equal to those which preceded
it on the same subject. " Oriental Biography" and
" Mahommedan Festivals in India," are no less worthy
of an attentive perusal. We read both with much
pleasure and very considerable profit. We regret we
cannot say the same of " the Poetical remains of a late
Student at Bishop's College, of which a third specimen
is here given. The world is overstocked with verses of
this kind ; and for our own part we think the study of
Hoole's terminations a much better occupation for
boys, than " stringing blethers up in rhyme," to use
the fine expressive language of a bard of nature. The
critical notices, and the digest of Asiatic intelllg- ence,
are equal to any which have hither, appeared in this
very useful periodic?;.

THE LADY'S MAGAZINE.
Dobbs, Page, and Co., Fetter-lane.

A beautiful number, embellished with a superb full-
length coloured portrait of Marguerite De Valois, first
wife of Henry IV. of France. Nothing can be finer than
the undulating swell of the bosom, which almost invites
the touch to attest its reality in warm, living flesh, and
blood. The sketch which accompanies the portrait
is a respectable piece of biography, of which we would
have thought more highly had it been less illustrated
by reference to Shakespeare. The writer seems in-
clined to draw a veil over many of the faults of Mar-
guerite, and palliates those which cannot be concealed
—her adulterous intercourse with the Duke of Guise,

and her other indiscretions before her inarrage

Henry, who was certainly entitled to her respect, if
not her love. With this we do not quarrel ; but,- aftei-
all, it is but a poor palliation for an adulteress (we
like to give crime its real name) to plead, in excuse,
that she never loved her husband. Yea, we look
upon- this as superadding crime to crime. " Peo-
ple cannot force their inclinations," it may be
said. :We deny this; we know many in -awl-
ces of the contrary, nor is there any . wowletful
obstacle in the way of overcoming vicious inclinations
were persons sincere in their efforts to rid themselves
of them. The writer again says, that the crimes of
M •
Vente were those of persons of her state, educa-
tion, and opportunities, whereas her " virtues were
her -own." This is rather a stale form of commen-
dation. Marguerite's virtues, as well as vices, she
had in common with most persons of her ardent tem-
perament. The proximity of the extremes of good
and evil (despite of Lavater, Spurzhehn and the whole
of the phrenologists), is one of the most astonishing
things in nature. Your merely harmless person can,
never become the bane or blessing of society. Such
people vegetate—to live is a state of being of which
they can have no conception.
The " Prisoner of State," by Miss Strickland, the
"Mill Church," and the " Maid of Kostac," are all
tales of great merit. The first, we should observe, is

but the conclusion of one, the first part having already
appeared—a practice which we have for some time
been in vain endeavouring to discourage. The editors
of magazines are not aware what an insipid affair the
beiVove-tale is, when divided in this manner. It is,
moreover, an act of great injustice to the writer who
is liable to be criticized under strongly excited
feelings, and very often not the most agreeable
ones either. Atid, what is more, all the
occasional purchasers and readers of Magazines are
thus prevented from looking into such of them as they
expect to find filled with half-told tales, and segments
of literary Babels, which may not lie finished before the
day of doom. The poetry of the present Number is
equal to any which has appeared in this beautiful perio-
dical. The lines headed " Ambition," are particularly
fine, and worthy of some of our best living Poets.
The subject, too, was as well chosen, as the manner of
treating it was judicious. The plates of the " Fashions"
for January are really beautiful, and the literary and
other notices very well written.

THE ANALYST.
Simpkin and Marshall, Stationer's-court.

This Number opens with a very good paper on- the
" Moral Power of the Press," which we have perused
with much pleasure. The author does but justice to the
Society of Friends, who were certainly among the first,
as well as the most strenuous supporters of this power,
and of civil and religious liberty, in Europe. Still we
think the subject has not been discussed with half the
.care and ability which it deserves ; and we shall be
very glad to see it again brought forward in a more
comprehensive form. The present article lacks every
kind of research, and is besides written in the careless
every-day style of a Newspaper " Leader " on the
same or a similar subject. We do not mean to have •
it inferred that many of the articles in newspapers are
not equal, and some of them far superior to the usual
run of Magazine essays ; but there is, and ought to
be, a marked difference in the style, which is not ob-
servable in the paper before us. The " Lover off
Beauty ; or, which will he wed ?" would have been it
very pretty tale, had the author chosen to write it in
any one language, living or dead. We know not how
it is that almost the whole of our magazine writers can
express nothing either of feeling, or fancy, or taste
describe nothing either in nature or art, without the aide
of a foreign idiom. This affectation of learning is
becoming insufferable, and we pledge ourselves to Iwo
nothing undone to check it, before it has made foal of
half the partially educated youth in the United King-
dom. It is really ridiculous enough to listen to the
Parisian denominations of our ladies' head gear, an&
to be tormented at every turning with gown..; a la this.,
and tippets a la that ; but to bear will a literary pro-
duction of any kind which cannot express English
feelings in the English language, is intolerable. Such,
affectation might be borne with more patiently, but that;
those who are fondest of interlarding descriptions or
their feelings and apparel with bad French, and cr:dia
cising works of art in worse Italian, are com:eaanly
writers not over-encumbered with a grammatical kainw-
ledge of their maternal tongue. The pedants w{to)
quote Greek and Latin are still less excusable.

The best papers in this number are the critic:Ara
on art, which are certainly deserving of the 'highest
praise. The notices all appear to he f-i-om the same'
pen, and are executed in a style which would do credit;
to any work. We wish we could persuade the Editor,
now that he is commencing a new year, to enliven brio
periodical with tales and sketches of a light, humozrro,u.s;
character, and which will moreover possess a lazttf.
terest. We really wish well to the " AnalyrA," and
have pleasure in ranking it among the moPi improving;
of the Monthly publications. But ti:le Editor might:
still do more for it, and must too, if he would obtains
for it the circulation to which its criticisms entitle it.

THE CHRISTIAN REFORMER.
Sherwood and Co., Paternoster-row.
We had selected an article, entitled " The E•resent
Crisis," from this ably-conducted Dissenting periodi-
cal, but the press of matter connected wit'A the elec-
tions, compels us to postpone its insertion till
morrow. In the mean time, our readers will, we are
sure, be pleated with the following terse remarks ou
the " Manifesto," as a specimen of the author's
manner :—" His terms are artfully selected, and
there is a vagueness in t.l.lern which will allow'
of any course of conduct, any shifting and any retro-
cession. He will give the Dissenters what they have
refused, and will refuse them what the late Gr,verry
ment was preparing for their acceptance. He over'
looks the Irish Church, and has not had time to con'
sider whether the English Church needs any reform•
The address of the Premier can impose upon no one
who is not willing to be. deceived ; and, in truth, there
is an air of timidity and distrust about it, which be'
trays the penman's consciousness of the. slipperiness
and danger of his position."