The Sun.
London, England, 1832-11-02 00:00:00

TAIT'S EDINBURGH MAGAZINE.

We give this number the preference over
any of its predecessors, first from its variety,
secondly, from the honest, hearty tone of its
feeling. It is emphatically the people's Ma-
gazine, and labours in the good cause with all
the zeal of truth and conviction. Its first ar-

tide—which is placed just where it should be—
under the title of " Radical Poets," gives an ani-
mated analysis of the works of Ebenezer Elliot
(the name Ebenezer, by-the-bye, suits Mr.
Elliot better in the character of Vales a prophet,
than Vales a poet) the author of the " Corn
Law Rhymes," and that fine poem, whose very
title conveys a sneer worthy of Junius, the
" Splendid Village." The criticism on this
sterling writer is marked by much discrimina-
tion, and his excellencies are forcibly insisted
on. Judging from his terse, graphic definition
of the Corn Laws, which, says he, with rude,
sledge-hammer power, " speak to me from the
trenchers of my ten children," we suspect that
Mr. Elliot writes prose pretty nearly, if not quite
as well, as poetry. In the cursory remarks on the
" Splendid Village," we have been somewhat
struck to find that every one of the extracts are se-
lected as they appeared in The Sun some months
since, with the very same lines, and even
epithets marked in Italics. " Life and Times
of a Protocol" is a lively, allegorical bit of
satire. The warlike accoutrements of the full-
grown Protocol deserve praise for their point
and smartness. " I bore" quoth this trim, car-
pet-knight "in my right hand a long
tin sword of extraordinary temper, and on
my left, a shield covered with polished
parchment, the device was a lion in an ass's
skin, and under it the words Let him roar
again.' My helmet, which was of brass, was
surmounted by a goose in full flight, with its
neck extended, and carrying in its bill a scroll
sic itur ad astra.' " The Bride of Marseilles"

is a graceful little poem ; and the account of the
" Funeral of Sir W. Scott, by an Eye-witnes "
is penned in a fine solemn vein of pathos ; in
particular we have been much affected by the
following passage The servants of the de-
ceased, resolved that no hireling should lay hands
on the coffin of their master, approached the
hearse. Among these, the figure of the old
coachman who had driven Sir Walter for so
many years, was peculiarly remarkable, reveren-
tially bending to receive the coffin." How
strongly does this one simple fact tell in favour
of the heart of our immortal novelist, who, it
seems, had (and deserved to have) his Caleb
Balderstone as well as the Master of Ravens-
wood ! We have no room for extracts.

THE LATV MAGAZINE OR QUARTERLY
REVIEW. OF JURISPRUDENCE.

THE LEGAL EXAMINER AND MONTHLY REVIEW
OF JURISPRUDENCE.

We ought, perhaps, to apologize to the
editor of the Law Magazine for placing even
the name of his work in juxtaposition with that
of the Legal Examiner; but what we have to
say of the latter is so brief that he will perhaps
excuse. The Legal Examiner is published
weekly, but makes up a monthly number,
of which we have that for October before
us. We were not sorry to see the existence of
such a periodical ; for, although not of the high
standard character of its Quarterly rival, it could
not, we thought, do harm, and might do good
to a certain extent. We regret to find, how-
ever, this number, an article, inserted, we
firmly believe) merely for the purpose of pro-
voking an action for libel, or of attracting

public attention in some other way. T
article to which we allude charges the medical
profession with a conspiracy against that amiable
man, St. John Long, implicates Mr. Brodie
in the conspiracy, and intimates that Miss
Cashin was destroyed by poison. After a page or
two of vituperation the writer concludes, " Thus
our charge is made ; we wait for a reply !" We
trust that neither Mr. Brodie nor any one else
will think it worth while to bring into notice so
wretched an attempt to attract public attention.
The Law Magazine has now reached its
eighteenth number, and is, we doubt not, long
past that hazardous period in the life of
a new periodical when the breath of cri-
ticism can seriously hurt it, if it be really a
work of merit. Even were such not the case
we should not be inclined either to " damn with
faint praise" or vent upon it a portion of the
atrabilious feelings excited in us by the conduct
of the journal we have just noticed. In fact, the
Law Magazine has hitherto contained more
than an average portion of exceedingly good
articles, evidently written by sound lawyers.
Even those which do not exhibit any very pro-
found thought or extended observation may be
depended upon for the correctness of their facts.

ft was our intention to have given some extracts
Ln corroboration of our remarks, but the length
;o which our Magazine Day has already ex-
tended must plead our excuse for not doing so•