The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-07 00:00:00

lITERATURE.

The British Quarterly Review. No. LVII. Jack-
son 'arid Watford. •
The British Quarterly generally contains sugges-
tive and thoughtful articles. The present number
opens with a lengthened treatise on the complicated
question of "Physical and Moral Heritage," one
which taxes the powers and experience of physio-
logists and psychologists to discuss aid reason
upon. The importance of the subject and the extent
of its ramifications are discussed in a full and com-
prehensive manner. The numerous instances given
where the sins of the parents have met their
retribution in the insanity or idiocy of their chil-
dren, convey a solemn warning. This is espe-
cialy the case in the families of drunkards.
Turning to a less painful view of the question, the
writer gives us several interesting instances in
which intellectual ability has been hereditary, or
where a gradual advance has been perceptible in
successive generations. The ease of the Sheridan
family is familiar to all, and many other instances
readily present themselves to the recollection. The
writer, however, cites some cases which are not so
well known. Mirabeau the father, he observes,
foreshadowed Mirabeau the tribune. " The family
of lE•iehylus numbered eight poets. The father Of
Torquato Tasso had the gift, as his son had the genius
of verse. This sort of succession of gift or ability
in the family, followed by genius in the son, is not
rare. Flaxman was the snof a moulder of plaster
casts. Thorwaldsen, the rival of Canova, was the
son of a poor sculptor. Raphael's father was him-
self a painter. The mother of Vandyke had a talent
for painting. Parmigiano was of a family of
painters ; so was Titian ; so is Horace Vernet. The
father of Mozart was a violinist of some reputation;
his children inherited part of his talent. Beethoven
was the son of a tenor singer. A whole host of
composers have emanated from the family of Bach."
The clear sense and straightforwardness of the last
paragraph in the article cannot be too much com-
mended. In it the author condemns the dangerous
doctrine that, as dispositions and tendencies are
hereditary, so vice and crime are in some instances
inevitable. No sane man, he asserts, can be held
irresponsible for his voluntary actions, whatever
the constitutional tendency. To acknowledge him-
self so, would be to proclaim himself infirm of intel-
lect, if nothing worse. An essay on the character and
career of Bolingbroke draws a sketch of that states-
man with a stern and uncompremising hand.
" Masson's Life of Milton" receives a favourable
notice ; and the vexed question of Montalembcrt's
pamphlet is fully discussed in an article, entitled
"France and England." " Serf Emancipation in
Russia" is also brought under consideration, and
the conclusion to which the writer arrives is hope-
ful of the progress of the good work. Other articles
of literary and general interest will be found in
the number.

The New Quarterly Review. No. XXVIII. Bos-

worth and Harrison.
The New Quarterly Review manifests consider-
able improvement in style and and substance. The
subjects chosen are often those of deep and extended
interest, and they are treated with suitable force
and earnestness. Among the most remarkable
essays in this number is one on the question of
" Free African Immigration," from the pen, we are
told, of a distinguished French writer. He dis-
cusses this important topic fully and freely, and
ends by recommending several precautionary, mea-
sures which should prevent the so-called free im-
migration from degenerating into legalised slavery-.
Those who have turned their attention to the
arguments upon this subject will find the paper
worthy of perusal. Mr. Bright's speeches are
brought under review, and receive an impartial
criticism. Of course a Review of the present time
would be incomplete without a notice of Carlyle's
" Frederick the Great." The second edition of Mr.
Buckle's " History of Civilisation," furnishes
opportunity for discussing the relative merits-13f-
that gentleman and his critics. An article on.
" Plays and Players" is one of the most entertain-
ing in the number. The general retrospect of the
literature of the Quarter is on the whole fair and
discriminative.

The Journal of Psychological Medicine and Mental
Pathology. Churchill, New Burlington-street.
The unusual amount of public attention which
has recently been turned towards the treatment of
the insane, will invest this useful serial with more
general interest than it usually possesses. Its value
must always be recognised by the scientific practi-
tioner, as in these unhappy cases it is especially
advantageous to collect all possible information, and
to learn by comparison of eases, by failure
and success, what are the chief predisposing-
causes, and what the most ameliorative
treatment to this afflicting malady. Those
whose experience has been limited will thus
be able to learn from the practical knowledge of
others, and even those who have most often been
brought into contact with these sufferers, must feel
the advantage of studying the experience of
foreign practitioners, and the results of each method
of treatment on the average. The present number,
after taking a psychological quarterly retrospect,
has a series of articles on subjects connected with
the constitution of the mind, and mental disorder.
They are all of more or less value, and some of
them, such as " The Statistics of Justice," and
" The Obscure Mental Disorders of Criminals," are
worthy the attention of the philanthropist and the
legislator.

The journal of Agriculture. No. 63 W.
Blackwood.
This quarterly contains its usual share of agri-
cultural information and discussion A paper by the
talented Robert Scott Burn treats of the novelties
at the national agricultural shows of the past year.
A paper on the " Present I'osition of Agriculture,"
by a Farmer, deserves attention, and it is followed
by a consideration of the relative advantages of
selling grain by measure or by weight. A brief
paper on " British Grasses" will interest the
botanist. In the Journal of Transactions of the
Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland,
the prize essay on " River Embankments," by
Robert Milne, t sq., commends its( le to the atten-
tion of the reader. The reports of ploughing
experiments, and other useful pieces of information
are given, and the" Proceedings in the Lal'oratcrv,"
by Professor Anderson, has some partim-1:
respecting scientific manures.

Dittrichsen and Ilannay's .Royal Almanack, for
1859.

This useful Almanack 'maintains its character.
It gives the Royal genealogy of England, the
Peerage, a Parliamentary Court, County, and
Colonial Calendar, an Alphabetical Army and
Navy List, and a London, Provincial, Colonial and
Foreign Banking Directory. It also contains a
variety of miscellaneous intelligence.

JUVENILE FETE AT THE MANSION

HO USE.

Yesterday evening the Lady Mayore 35 enter-
tained a large party of juveniles in the spacious
apartments of the Mansion House. The company,
which exceeded 500 in number, commenced arriv-
ing shortly after six o'clock, and were received in
the saloons by the Lord Mayor and the Lady
Mayoress.
In the drawing-rooms were exhibited several of
the patent revolving stereoscopes of Messrs.Negrctti
and Zambre, exhibiting their beautiful transparent
views of Egypt and Nubia, the Holy Land, and
also many views recently taken in India. There
were also several educational microscopes of Messrs.
Smith, Beck, and Beck, and one of their best
achromatic microscopes in its most complete form.
There were also some of their new Mu made
stereoscopes, with beautiful transparent views of
Spain, Saxony, Switzerland, &c.. and Gorham's
colour-top, a beautiful contrivance for explaining
the phenomena of colours. Mr. Ladd exhibited
some new forms of microscopes, having a very
light appearance combined with steadiness. ' In
addition to these most interesting and scientific
objects, which excited the most lively interest
among the young guests, werefr from
malso i
Messrs.
Knight s.
pedestal,
,
l stereoscopes on a
Knight and Co, with pictures from the Holy Land,
tileie
microscopes, &c. Dancing commenced in the saloon
at seven o'clock, and was kept up with great spirit
until eight, when the> Egyptian-hail Was thrown
open for the exhibition of Mr. Cramer's w elide& I
display of natural magic, combining great slight of
hand with the power of constantly keeping the
attention of his audience excited ; and in the course
of his exhibition he displayed a variety of new
tricks—mareels undiscovered by his admiring audi-
ence, who expressed their wonder and delight by
loud and repeated plaudits. During the intervals
Master Drew Dear, a youth of WI years of age,
performed a solo on the flute with great taste and
.execution. He is a pupil of Mr. Richardson, and
has already had the honour of appearing before her
Majesty.
Mr. Ladd, of Chancery-lane, was most successful
in the exhibition of some new and scientific experi-
ments of electricity, produced from a very powerful
induction coil, containing six miles of wire, worked
by a small galvanic battery, producing sparks and
colours of a brilliant character by being passed`
through a partial vacuum of various gases.
The Lady Mayoress's young guests then danced
in the Egyptian Hall until ten o'clock, when sup-
per was served ; and the party broke up soon after
12 o'clock, highly delighted wit's their kind and
hospitable reception, and the varied amusements of
the eveninm—terminating one of the most brilliant
soirees we have witnessed at the Mansion-house.