The Sun.
London, England, 1835-07-01 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1835.

MAGAZINE DAY.

BLACK W 0 OD' S MAGAZINE.
Blackwood, Edinburgh; Cadell, London.
There are prodigious vigour and power in this I
Number, which is by many degrees the best that has '
appeared for months. We allude particularly to the
two notices of Barry Cornwall's " Life of Kean," and
Tomkins's Pamphlet "On the Aristocracy." Both
are specimens of that fierce, cutting sarcasm, now open
and direct, and now concealed under the mask of
irony, which Christopher North—who, doubtless, is
labouring under a severe fit of the gout, swathed in
flannels, and interdicted from social tippling—wields,
when he pleases, with such withering effect. The
notice of the " Life of Kean" is not a mere tap, but a
knock-down blow, with the crutch ; and thick, indeed,
must be the head whose brains it does not lay open to
the day-light. As for the review of " Tomkins's
Pamphlet," it is one of the most masterly specimens of
irony—we here speak of it only as a composition, for
we cannot, and will not, defend its spirit—that these,
our modern times, have seen. It is just one of those
sarcastic criticisms which (to make use of an ex-
pression never before used) is sure to " create a sensa-
tion." The Tories, for obvious reasons, will devour
it with avidity, but more liberal readers will, while they
admire its ability, see in it much—very much to dis-
approve. " Stoddart's Art of Angling" is a Review
of one or two of the most recently published works of
the season, penned evidently at the fortunate moment
when Christopher North was getting rid of his gout.
It is full of kindliness and vivacity ; and happy may
the authors think themselves in having engaged the
old man's notice, just after he has laid aside his flan-
nels and his crutch, and walked off, with a smiling
consciousness of returned health, to take his usual seat
at the head of the table—which, but to think of, is to
beget an appetite—at Ambrose's. " Sabbath Sonnet"
is Mrs. Hemans's last production, and as such, we

quote it:--
" How many blessed groups this hour are bending
Through England's primrose meadow paths their way
Toward spire and tower, 'midst shadowy elms ascending,
Whence the sweet chimes proclaim the hallowed day.
The Halls from old heroic ages grey
Pour their fair children forth ; and hamlets low,
- With whose thick orchard-blooms the soft winds play,
Send out their inmates in a happy flow,
Like a freed vernal stream. I may not tread
With them those pathways,—to the feverish bed
Of sickness bound ;—yet, oh my God ! I bless
Thy mercy, that with Sabbath peace hath filled
My chastened heart, and all its throbbings stilled
To one deep calm of lowliest thankfulness."

NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.
Colburn, Great Marlborough-street.

The admirers of that description of writing which
critics distinguish by the appellation of " light. grace-
ful, summer reading"--writing which appeals more for
cibly to the fancy and the taste than to the conception
or the judgment, will here find a feast at which they
may revel till they are cloyed with sweets. Whether
the Editor of the " New Monthly" is of opinion that
politics are unendurable in the dog-days ;or whether,
which is more likely, he thinks the public surfeited
with grave discussions on malt-taxes and monopolies,
all ending in noise and smoke—we cannot take upon us
to say ; but be the cause what it may, we find that, foi
once, he has served up an entertainment of which politics
—foreign or domestic—liberal or conservative, form no
part. It is not our province to pronounce whether
this course is judicious, or the contrary. The public
will judge for itself. Our impression is . not strong
on the subject ; but from what we know, we should
question the utility of discussing political topics i❑ the
pages of a monthly periodical, the circulation of
which is almost exclusively confined to the higher
classes in society. We are quite ready to grant that
political knowledge is as necessary to these classes as
to the humblest artizan in the State—often much more
so ; but at the same time it must be remembered that
they possess daily means of acquiring such knowledge,
and therefore can well afford to dispense with the
monthly repetition of stale political discussions.

THE ASIATIC JOURNAL.
Parbury and Allen, Leadenhall-street.

We have derived much amusement from several
articles in the July Number of the " New Monthly.'
It contains a profusion of verses—all of redeeming ex•
cellence. The stanzas on the death of Mrs. Hemans,
by Miss Landon, are a beautiful tribute of sisterly
affection offered at the shrine of departed genius. The
ode, or whatever else the author intends it to be, ad•
dressed (to the Shade, we presume I) of Jacopo, the
" Illustrious" monkey, who lost his life in attempting
a descent in a parachute, after making an ariel voyage
with Mr. Green from the Surrey Zoological Gardens,
on the anniversary of the Princess Victoria, gives in-

dication of a mind, and an order of intellect, superior to
such trifles. There is a wholesome vigour in many of
the
,lines, and still more in the conceptions here and
there thrown out, which convinces us that the author
is capable of greater and better 'things. We admire
the freedom with which he tosses his limbs about him ;
and if we do not speak of him still more enthusiasti-
cally, it is because he appears to indulge in a puerile
pleasure of playing and punning on words, when his
readers are inclined to deal only with things. Let him
only correct this, and he cannot write as many verses as
the public will be glad to receive from him with ex-
pressions of thankfulness. " Fanny Vane," and the
" Gipsy of Sardis," are both fine tales albeit we
should be sorry to stand in the ultimate relation of
Skrymegeour to the lovely Miss Fanny. It may be a
prejudice on our part, but in truth we heartily despise
coquets whether male or female. The " Confessions
of 'William Shakespeare" absolutely frighten us, espe-
cially as we are unacquainted with the period when
possibly there will be an end to them. Surely en-
quiries of this sort may be carried too far, notwith-
standing that we are quite prepared to concede all that
may be asked in favour of Shakespeare's claims to the
veneration of all admirers of unrivalled and unap-
proachable excellence. The most pleasurable subject
becomes painful when referred to too often ; and we
doubt whether the Sabbath itself would be welcome,
did it occur five times in the week instead of only once.
The Digest of the Month is very carefully executed ;
arid the Number is altogether one of the most amusing
we have met with for some time.

UNITED SERVICE JOURNAL.
Co[burn, Great Marlborough-street.
All officers—naval and military—will find the open-
ing article in this Number deserving of their especial
attention. Although the subject of this paper is the
state and prospects of superior naval promotion, it is
hardly less worthy the regard of officers in the army,
than those whose fortune it is to be connected with
the British fleet. The writer, in following up the past
history of such promotions, shows not only an intimate
acquaintance with the minute details of his subject, but
likewise a proper appreciation of the benefits and dis-
advantages which can possibly emanate from the views
which he takes of it, under every variety of circum-
stance. We can imagine no case of keener hardship
than that of a veteran officer who, after spending a
long and useful life in the service of his country, be-
holds himself passed in the proud and honourable path
of promotion, by some junior scion of the Aristo-
cracy, whose chief merit consists in being what he
could not help—the son, or the imputed son, of his
noble parents. The wound so inflicted never heals.
It rankles and festers in his bosom for the rest of his
life ; and, though a word should not escape him, his
mind perpetually dwells upon the insult which his
country has permitted to he offered to his grey hairs.
And yet, on a closer examination of the subject, it is
impossible not to admit that the principle of promo-

ting officers by seniority alone, is liable to the most
serious objections. Every man who knows anything
of naval and military life, must be aware that, as in
the army there are a number of officers whom no length
of service would qualify for the command of a di-
vision—so in the navy, there are hundreds of
Midshipmen, whom it would be the excess of
folly ever to raise to the rank of an Admi-
ral. Mere length of service, is often found to
be a miserable claim to naval promotion ; and it not
unfrequently happens, that the best and ablest of offi-
cers—the men worthiest of high promotion—labour
under the disadvantages of noble birth and unwrinkled
foreheads. Now, what the country demands, is not
the service of the oldest men—of thoSe who have pre-
viously served her for the longest period. What she
desires is, the service of those most capable of . serving
her with honour to themselves, and with a power and
a will to promote her interests. Perhaps it would re-
move many of the worst evils attendant on the arbi-
trary system of naval promotions, were the Admiralty
to promote no Captain, unless at the recommendation
of a majority of the officers of the same rank and
standing with himself. This would not only tend
to promote a friendly intercourse among the officers
of the British navy, but it would also remove from
the Admiralty the imputation of caprice and gross im-
partiality, in the distribution of honours and rewards.
The article on the " Indian Army," is worthy the
notice of the Colonial Government. The writer is
full of his subject, and the natural consequence is,
that he has produced an interesting and instructive
essay on the policy, and the means of improving and
strengthening our position in the East. " Memo-
randa upon the subject of Corporal Punishment in the
British Army," will be useful, because it will tend to
promote discussion on a most important subject. From
the opinion of the writer—namely, that corporal punish-
ment cannot be abolished in our army, we assuredly dis-
sent. His experience of forty-two years' service as ad-
jutant and commanding officer, in our opinion, rather
takes away from, than adds weight to his dogmas
on a question which he evidently never troubled
his head about, till his heart was grown too callous to
receive a new impression. He neither knows, nor can
he now be made to understand, the dominant princi-
ples in the bosoms of the very men whom he com-
manded. What is there to prevent the " bubble re-
putation" from being made as potent in directing the
conduct of the private as the Field Marshal ? " You
dare not say," emphatically asserts this scarlet Solon,
" soldiers, your commanding officer has no longer the
power of flogging you." Pah I this is abominable.
We are not such fools as, like him, to take the effect
for the cause—to contend for the maintenance of a
system of punishment which produces the very crimes
which it is employed to eradicate. The article, how-
ever, contains some suggestions on the subject of so-
litary confinement and various other punishments of
a like nature, on which we should be happy to pro-
mote the most general discussion.
The other Papers in this Number are very interest-
ing, particularly " Barbary Corsairs" and " Scenes in
Colombia." The Notes of the Month are creditable
to the industry and impartiality of the Editor. Taken
as a whole, this Number is decidedly a superior one.

There are few subjects upon which the British pub-
lic is more solicitous to obtain correct information than
the present moral, and physical condition of the inhabi-
tants of our possessions in India, together with a full and
comprehensive development of the agricultural, commer-
cial, and mineral resources of our Indian territory, capable i
of being made available to the increase of the national
wealth. The opening article of this Number of the
Asiatic Journal, " on the Natural Resources of In-
dia," is therefore highly important ; and we advise the
writer by all means to continue his subject, so long
as he has any material fact to communicate. It
would further be • extremely desirable to enumerate
the places where the different manufactures of articles
at present wanted in India, might be most profitably
established=the districts most suited to the habits of
English emigrants—the expenses likely to be incurred
by improving the modes of public conveyance—and if
any means exist by which the soils of the different
districts can be irrigated by collecting water in tanks
or reservoirs, to be used at the discretion of the agricul-
turist. We trust the writer will also bear in mind,
that we stand in need of facts, not dreamy speculations
and antiquarian researches. We do not ask if wells
were ever sunk in India ; •what we want to be assured
of is, do wells exist there now, and can they be made to
supply an abundance of water, by boring the soil to
any possible depth ? Of general reasoning we have too
much : what we request of him is to supply the public
with correct data upon which to ground its future pro-
ceedings as regards India.
The article on " Indian Seasons" is well and care-
fully written. We read it with much pleasure. The
other papers are not so exactly suited to our taste ;
but, taken altogether, this number is a great improve-
ment upon its immediate predecessor.