The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-01 00:00:00

MAGAZINE DAY.

BLACKWOOD.—" Sir Brook Fossbrooke" is con-
tinued at some length, and the odious Colonel
Sewell is very busy with his machinations, and the

reader can hardly help being irritated by the man-
ner in which people fall into the traps laid for them
by the designing villain. Mrs. Sewell is likewise a

provoking character ; and instead of controverting her
husband's plots, she consents to carry out schemes she

knows to be wicked and malevolent ones. The mania for

gambling which possesses the Colonel is very ably de-

scribed, and we also meet with some effective scenes in

which those who are unwise and unfortunate enough to
become his dupes rue the day they met him. The philo-
sophical reader will find plenty to occupy him in a long

article called "J. S. Mill on Belief in the External

World." Mr. Mill has criticised at length Sir W. Hamil-
ton's works on philosophy, and the writer of this paper

sides with the latter gentleman, observing, in conclusion,
"We have selected to be totally wrong, with Sir W.

Hamilton, rather than exchange our real world of matter

and motion, of substance and force, for permanent possi-
bilities of sensation attached to nothing at all—for mere
thoughts of sensations—a dreary and bewildering idealism

can be no distinct idea of mind if we give up all distinct

idea of matter." " Switzerland in Summer and Autumn"

is an interesting account of mountain travelling, which is

well worthy of notice. Those who have hitherto consi-
dered Alpine travelling as almost exclusively confined to
tho English will be surprised to hear that the "fashionable

world of Paris has admitted the Alps among the pursuits of

gentlemen." Some pleasing descriptions are given of the

varieties of mountain scenery, such as the setting in of
spring among the Alps in May and winter in September,
slowly descending the mountains in views of frost and
snow ; but while this process was completed among the
higher Alps there was lovely weather (like the Indian

summer of America) upon the lake of Geneva in October,
and many of the vines were still bending with their
clusters of grapes. " Cornelius O'Dowd upon Men and
Women and other Things in General" still continues to

bring before us many of the most important incidents of
the day, and the old style is kept of mingled satire and

pleasantry. " The Man at the Wheel" is a very good
definition of the present state of things concerning the
Administration, and it is said that the comments passed
upon public- affairs, and the hints given by rival factions

to the Premier and his friends just now, may be regarded
as " speaking to the man at the wheel with a vengeance."

" Memoirs of the Confederate War" are continued, and is
as interesting as ever in its animated descriptions and re-
capitulation of most memorable events. "The Parliament
of Salisbury Plain" is a smart sketch in verse, which sets
forth the " bold bright idea" which has struck the writer
respecting the new Reform Bill. " The late King of the
Belgians" is mentioned in terms of great respect in the
last article here met with, and it is truly stated that there
is only one other man in Europa whose death could give
rise to greater anxieties than that of the old King who
has just died at Laeken. " The Life and Letters of
Frederick W. Robertson, M.A.," furnish tho theme of a
most interesting article, which is sure to bo welcomed by
many. It is well said of him here, that " the Essayists
and Reviewers" may claim him if they please, but no un-
prejudiced person who reads his biography will arrive at
any other conclusion than that he was an humble and
firm believer, a Christian man, if ever Christian man and

teacher has appeared among us in modern times.

FRASER.—Fraser opens the new year with
brighter and clearer type, which relieves the den-
sity of the closely-printed columns ; but when we

come to consider the letterpress itself the improve-
ment is not so evident. The number is decidedly

heavy, and we hope is not to be taken as a sample
of Fraser in 1866. It opens with a survey of the political

situation, in which the policy and prospects of the Govern-
ment are brought under consideration. The writer begins

by admitting that " the best accredited political prophets

have confidently announced that Lord Russell's Govern-
ment will not survive Easter ;" and he then proceeds to

examine the individual and collective merits of the mem-
bers of the new Cabinet. To j'idge from his account we
have all the talents, all the ministerial virtues to rule over
us, and it is only wonderful that there should be any doubt
of such a Government retaining office, especially as, ac-

cording to our essayist, there is no single opponent who
can hope to compete with any of them. Truly, when we
lay aside the rose-coloured spectacles through which we
have been looking, it does occur to us that these political saints
and heroes have held office for a good many years already,
without achieving much more for their countrymen than can
be done by letting them alone, while their foreign policy has,
to use the mildest phrase, not been very satisfactory.
The writar of this article is no reformer, and is evidently
very sorry that any such awkward measure should be
wanted, having evidently considerable misgiving as to its
effect on the Administration. He feels, too, a little uneasi-
ness respecting the Jamaica question, and hopes that it is
not an evil augury that a division on the Jamaica Bill of
1839 caused the resignation of Lord Melbourne. " The
Queen of the West" is the title of a paper on those Western
States of America which, between the rival claims of
North and South, have been hitherto less thought of
than their national importance deserves. We have also a
graphic account of the ravages of the cholera in Malta in
the year 1837 from notes by an eye-witness. The depress-
ing and degrading effects of fear were strongly evidenced
in the island, and of course tended to augment the misery
of the danger of the time. "From London to Rio de
Janeiro" is the continuation of some letters which appeared
last month. "How we Retook Dewangiri" is a page from
the history of the Bhootan war, whose concluding para-
graphs deserve to be read and pondered by every Anglo-
Indian statesman. The interesting story of " Gilbert
Rugge" is brought to a conclusion. It belongs to the old
school of novels, which depend on the actor rather than
on the scene painter, and in which the incidents are subor-
dinate to the development of character. It deserves to
obtain a prominent place on the shelves of those novel
readers who have no taste.for the Newgate Calendar.
ConNHILL.—The numerous readers who for
some time past have dwelt with interest upon the
I story of "Wives and Daughters" will be shocked
and distressed to find in this instalment that they
can never read its conclusion :
"The lay has made a sudden stand,
The harp escaped the minstrel's hand."

An appropriate note by the editor is affixed to the
last lines by the authoress here given to us, and it
will be with a sad and solemn interest that many

eyes will dwell upon it. It is truly said, "What promised
to be the crowning work of a life is a memorial of death. A
few days later, and it would have been a triumphal column,
crowned with a capital of festal leaves and flowers; now
it is another sort of column—one of those sad, white pillars
which stand broken in the churchyard." As such it must
be left, but its memory will long flourish in the recollec-
tion of its readers, who will gladly "add their mite of
praise in memory of a long delight." Mrs. Gaskell has
long been a favourite among novel readers, and she has
always had something good to teach by her works, and
something which led upward and onward in the race of
life. It is gratifying to meet with the tribute here paid to
her memory. Mrs. Gaskell was gifted with some of the
choicest faculties bestowed upon mankind; these grew
into greater strength, and ripened into greater beauty, in
the decline of her days ; and she has gifted us with some
of the truest and purest works of fiction in the language ;
and she was herself what her works show her to have been
—" a wise, good woman." " Recollections of Waterloo,"
by a surviving veteran, contain some passages well worthy
of perusal, and we are transported back to the stormy
scenes of an earlier generation as we peruse the ani-
mated descriptions here given to us. Curiously enough
the next subject we meet with in the contents of this maga-
zine is entitled, "The Second Funeral of Napoleon."
Already we seem far removed from that day when the
ashes of France's greatest ruler were laid to rest in French
I soil, and many may be glad to refresh their memories eon-
I corning the time, but it may be observed en peasant that the
tone adopted in this description is a little too flippant, con-
sidering the grandeur and solemnity of the scene under
consideration. " Artuadale" is still occupied with the won-
derful Miss Gwilt, and at last she starts for London, and,
as usual, entraps some one, for young Allan Aruiadale is
follish enough to travel with her, thus giving the tongues
of the gossips occasion to wag. "An Australian's Im-
pressions of England," "Ancient Fenians and Fenian Lite-
rature," and "American Humour," and other articles well
worthy of consideration in their respective styles.
" Thoughts in Italy about Christmas" is also a paper most
appropriate at the present season.
TEMPLE BAR. --" Archie Lovell" is the name of
a new story that promises to prove entertaining. In
the first chapter we meet with an apt description of
a " Vampire Brood," a set of folks who make it
their business to go abroad spreading evil reports,
and r.re continually cutting honest throats by whis-
pers in their discourse. "Archie" herself, for such is the
incongruous name given to a girl, seems naturally well-
disposed, but spoilt by education and bad management.
Her father Is a wretched sort of man' a perfect illustration of
the world's Unsuccessful men. " Trontlemouth" is a charming
little sketch of a remote little seaport, which cannot fail to
please the reader. " Jamaica " is an article on that vexed
question, by a late Postmaster-General of the Island. It is
written quietly enough, for the most part, but the writer
is imbued with the perverse notions of the faction already
so well known to the public, and therefore his opinions
of the island are more or less characterised by a tone of
bitterness. It is very unwise at this time for any writer
to use such language as this, e should the day come, as it
may, when the black race is dominant in Jamaica, the
whites and coloured people a feeble unprotected minority."
" Land at Last" is continued, and the unfortunate Lord
Caterham closes his ill-starred career. He leaves a letter
for Geoffrey Ludlow which throws light on some mysteries.
An article on "Frederick William Robertson" is interest-
ing, and appropriately concludes with his own words in
speaking of his contemplation of hereafter— "Deep repose
in that still country, where the mystery of this strange life
is valued, and the most feverish heart lays down its head
at last." "In Lodgings at K nightsbridge" is the first part