The Sun.
London, England, 1859-06-24 00:00:00

ELIZA COOK'S POEMS.

Me Poetical Works of Eliza Cook. A new edition,
in one volume. Illustrated. Routledge and Co.
Farringdon-street.
It is always pleasant, among the crowd of new
competitors for literary fame, to welcome the re-
appearance of one who has achieved a recognised po-
sition in the world of letters, and especially so when
the approval of the public has removed all occasion
for criticism. In any case, indeed, the poems now
before IN are out of the province of literary analysis.
Telling of the joys and sorrows that are common to
us all, interpreting the voice of nature in the woods
and streams, bringing to our minds, half play-
fully, half tenderly, the rich memories of our
childhood, and blending the wisdom of the
philospher with the intensity of the enthusiast,
they touch the heart and move the smiles or tears of
the reader before he pauses to ask how or why. Of
their poetical beauty and high moral tone it is need-
less to speak ; but it is gratifying to know that so
popular a writer has " taught in song" such earnest
lessons of faith in God and charity to man. Widely
as the writings of this authoress have been diffused
among all classes in various forms, the want of a
popular edition of her works has long been felt.
That want has now been very efficiently supplied
by their re-issue in Messrs. Routledge's series of
the poets, uniform with those of Cowper, Burns, and
Herbert. This one volume contains the whole of the
poems published in the four volume edition ;
the type and paper are both of excellent quality,
and there are eight new illustrations by some
of our best artists. The book offers an additional
attraction in a new portrait of the authoress,
recently taken from a photograph by Mr. John
Watkins, and admirably engraved by Mr. Frank
1011. We can pronounce it to be the only faithful
likeness yet produced, possessing that air of intel-
ligence and refinement which identifies the ori-
ginal with a befitting spirituality of character.
The admirers of Eliza Cook are not confined to her
native land, for another hemisphere has given her
poems as warm a reception, and the dwellers in a
new continent have instinctively cherished her songs.
It is, therefore, needless to direct the attention of
the public to this reappearance of their favourite ;
we should rather congratulate them on so conve-
nient and popular an edition of writings they have
long known and prized, and re-echo the hope ex-
pressed in her preface, which we herewith present
to our readers.
The probation of long and inexpressible suffering has
rendered me a comparative stranger to my esteemed and
genial readers ; but I have a firm conviction that I am not
entirely forgotten by them, and that their welcome will be
readily given to an old friend with a new face.
I have long had an earnest desire to present my writings
to the public in a form and at a price that would place them
within the reach of " the many," and on the prompting of
this desire I have foregone propositions for an expensive
work; feeling that I shall derive much greater pleasure
from seeing my poems widely circulated, than from any in-
crease of pecuniary.benefit.
I am hoping that a gradual restoration to a better state
of health will enable me to resume my minstrel vocation,
and that I may still find willing ears to listen to my song
—that the cheerful strain of my noontide dream and the
minor plaint of my twilight musing may again win for me
the responsive echoes which excited my young spirit, and
crowned my young ambition. With this hope uppermost
in my heart, I cordially offer to " auld acquaintance" my
warm " How do ye do ?" without any painful anticipation
of titeir cool " Good-bye."

LORD PALMERSTON'S ADDRESS.

TO THE ELECTORS OF TIVERTON.

94, Piccadilly, June 20, 1859.
Gentlemen,—Her Majesty having been graciously
pleased to confer upon me the office of First Lord
of the Treasury, my seat in the House of Commons
has become vacant, and I again solicit the honour
of continuing to be one of your representatives in
Parliament. I have so lately had the honour of
being among you that I deem it unnecessary in this
address to enter at length into the grounds on
which I rest my claim to your confidence.
I have been charged by our Sovereign with the
duty of forming an Administration, and I trust
that I have been enabled to perform that task in
a manner that will prove satisfactory to her Ma-,
jesty, to Parliament, and to the country.
It will be one of the great objects of the Govern-
ment so formed to preserve for their country the
blessings of peace ; and to take advantage of any
favourable opportunity that may present itself to
exert the moral influence of Great Britain to assist
in restoring peace to the Continent of Europe. We
shall also have to consider the important question
of the amendment of the laws which regulate the
representation of the people in Parliament ; and I
trust that we may be able so to deal with that
subject as to strengthen the institutions of the
country by placing them on a broader and firmer
foundation.—l have the honour to be, gentlemen,
your obedient and grateful servant,
PALMERSTON.