The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-25 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Quarterly Review. No. 240. John Murray.
The current October number of the Quarterly is
hardly so attractive as usual. A remark having re-
ference mainly, however, to the mere themes selected
by the reviewers. For the treatment of the eight
papers making up the contents of the number is in
almost every instance excellent—two amongst them,
indeed, are especially, we would even say, excep-
tionally remarkable, and this, at once, it should be
added, in their respective themes and in their relative
treatment. As to the less alluring articles, however,
first of all. It will be obvious, as a matter of course,
that but few of the general public can be supposed
to care much for " Dr. Badham and the Dutch
School of Criticism"—and comparatively few for a
resume of the " Ancient Literature of France"—
even though that ancient literature leads off heroic-
ally with the Song of Roland and the Poetic His-
tory of the Beatified Emperor Charlemagne !
" Homes without Hands"—suggestive upon the in-
stant of the honey-making bee and of the dam-build-
ing beaver—has a charm of its own, for the notion
of which (in the suggestive title of the paper that is)
the reviewer, who treats upon the subject,
is indebted to the Rev. J. G. Wood, the
popular Naturalist. " Fergusson's History of
Architecture" ;has been selected by another
contributor as the theme of an interesting and
instructive treatise upon that, in one sense,
first of the sciences—a professional criticism ren-
dered all the more interesting to the general
reader from the interspersing among the ex-
planatory letterpress of a variety of illustrative
woodcuts. " Operations of Modern War" is an
article that lays Marshal IN.larmont, General
Smith, Colonel Macdougall, Colonel Huxley, Capt.
Chesney, and others under contribution for their
opinions and experiences—carrying our thoughts off
as we read, at eccentric tangents, now to the Ame-
rican Merrimacs, now to the Prussian Needle-guns,
hither and thither, at every turn of the leaf, to some
more terrible instrument of destruction than those
preceding it, arms suggested may be by a Whitworth
or an Armstrong, a Colt or a Snider, until the lines,
and paragraphs, and pages of typography here con-
veying the writer's ideas to us through the medium
of the Quarterly, one might almost at last imagine
to be as suggestive of the deadly harmonies and
deadlier discords of war as the Springfield Arsenal
was in its day to the poet. Longfello—
w bursting shell, the gateway wrenched asunder,
The rattling musketry, the clashing blade,
And ever and anon in tones of thunder,
The diapason of the cannonade.
" Central Asia" is the title of a politico-geogra-
phico-ethnological article—hung upon pegs as wide
apart as (among others) the Invalide Rudse and the
Travels of Marco Polo ! Having enumerated which
half-dozen papers in the present number of the
Quarterly—we have now only to take into passing
consideration the two remaining criticisms not yet
specified, though already referred to as of excep-
tionally remarkable excellence. One of these, the
more elaborate of the two--and no wonder, con-
sidering its " high argument," that it should be
thus more highly elaborated—is theological, ethical,
biblical, in its character. The other is political—the
political article or manifesto, in fact, of the
Quarterly. First of all, however, as to the earlier
of these two notable contributions—a paper simply
but (in this age of Strausses, and Renans, and
Colensos) significantly entitled "Life of 0 URLORD."
Turn by turn, the unbelieving, so-called philosophers
are subjected to scrutiny, calmly and quite dis•-
passionately by the reviewer. Strauss and Tholuek,
and Ullmann, and Lange, and Riggenbach, and De
Pressense—Olshausen, and Bleek, and Hilgenfeld,
and Volkmar, and Holtzmann, and others, on and
on, down even to now-a-days, to these days of
Renan and of Colenso. The survey thus taken ex-
tends over more than thirty years, more than the thirty
years last passed—the lifetime of a whole genera-
tion ! Of the drift of the argument which is there-
upon incidentally set forth by the Quarterly Re-
viewer, as deducahle from the contention among
themselves, of these quasi-sages, these soi-disant-
analysts and as such these would-be dissipators of
the dream of Christianity, we need here do no more
than adduce two or three passages, by way of illus-
trative or elucidatory quotation. For example—
thus observes the writer, in reference to the ques-
tioned but irrefrag able—
AUTHORITY OF THE RECORDS OF THE EVANGELISTS.
Three great theologians, towards the close of the second
century, at Lyons, Carthage, and Alexandria, Trent:sus,
Tertullian, and Clement, bear witness to thefact that at that
time our Gospels were universally received as canonical.
The well-known " Muratorian Fragment," which belongs
to the same time, bears the same testimony. These would
not do much towards determining a question which be-
longs to an earlier time, unless their evidence were in some
measure retrospective. But it is retrospective. For
example, Irenaeus indulges in fanciful analogies about the
number four : there must be four Gospels, neither more nor
loss, because the Gospel is to go throughout the world, and
there are four quarters of the world ; the Gospel is the
breath of life, and there are four winds of heaven ; the
cherubim, on whom the creating Word is enthroned, have
four faces. All this is bad reasoning to establish the num-
ber four, but it affords a pretty good argument that the
Church had by this time become accustomed to that num-
ber of Gospels. Irenaeus also reminds one Florinus that
when he was yot a boy he sat at the feet of Polycarp, and that
with the vivid memory which one has for the events of
childhood he could recall the very look, and gait, and
manner of Polycarp, who gave accounts of, his frequent
intercourse with St. John and with others who had seen
the Lord ; and Irenaeus says further that Polycarp's ac-
count of the doctrine and miracles of the Lord were all
" consonant with the Scriptures." Ho also tells us else-
where that the followers of Valentinus made a free use of
St. John's Gospel. Now all this, written about the year
185, does much more than prove that Irenceus knew the
four Gospels. When we are asked to believe, by one of
the latest writers, Volkmar, that the Gospel of St. John
was written about the year 155, we must assume that when
Irenmus was now a man, and when the three other Gos-
pels (even on Volkmar's estimate) had been in use for full
50 years, a new Gospel, attributed to one of most eminent
name, appeared and obtained its position suddenly and with-
out challenge, with miracles recorded in no other Gospel,
with new and momentous discourses of the Lord. Perhaps
it is conceivable that this should have taken place ; but
even if we had no testimony save that of Imams, it is in
the highest degree unlikely. But Irenmeus is only one of
many. Two attempts at Harmonies of the four Gospels
had been made about the same time. Justin, ;who wrote at
latest in A.D. 147, quotes three Gospels, and criticism is hard
pressed to explain away allusions to the fourth. Tischen-
dorf makes good use of the argument from heretical writ-
ers; Hippolytus tells us that Valentinus relied on a pas-
sage in St. John (x. 8); and the like is said.of Basilides ;
if so, this Gospel was well known hi the first half of the
second century. The Montanists probably borrowed from
John their view of the Paraclete. It is clear from two
passages of Tertullian that Marcion began by believing
the four Gospels, as known to us, and that after-
wards, thinking them tinctured with Judaism, he
undertook to amend or alter the Gospel for himself : the
date of this amended Gospel, founded on St. Luke, is about
138. Celsus knew the four Gospels, writing about the
year 160. All this testimony, :and much more that Tis-
chendorf and others have adduced, tends to carry us back-
ward to the early part of the second century. Before a
distinct and general recognition of the Gospels could take
place—before they could have been winnowed out clear
from all the apocryphal literature that at first hung about
them—some time must have elapsed. It is scarcely con-
ceivable, moreover, that a new Gospel should take its place
as an authority to be quoted in a controversy without some
discussion on the question of genuineness arising. This
difficulty will always cleave to any theory save the obvious
one of adhering to external testimony.
Speaking of the " confusion worse confounded "
that has prevailed all along among the followers of
Strauss, the Reviewer puts the subjoined question,
upon which, it will be seen, he himself comments
immediately afterwards very wittily :
But what kind of evidence is that which in the hands of
Griesbach, Do WTette, Baur, and Kosdin, gives us the
order of Matthew, Luke, and Mark, and in the hands of
Wilke and Volkmar exactly reverses this order, and places
Mark at the beginning, with Luko making use of his Gos-
pel, and Matthew beholden to both ? The time is come
for admitting that all the ingenuity that has been spent on
the subject has sufficed to bring out into strong light
many great and deeply interesting questions which
belong to the inspired records of our faith, but
has not produced any approach to a solution of
them. Some future mythical philosopher pondering
this page of literary history, may doubt that such
difference could have occurred; he may argue that it is a
myth in which the "consciousness" of the 19th century
has reproduced the story of the Tower of Babel ; a " re-
forming criticism" was built up high above all past dogma
and doubt, but amidst a welter of confused and contradic-
tory speech, such as never could have been historically
possible for rational men, the work was abandoned.
Summing up, at the close of his own impartial argu-
mer.t, however, the results of this stupendous and
momentous controversy, the Reviewer remakks,

Ip. ...-."

more than merely eloquently, more than impres-
sively—remarks most affectingly—as follows :
Criticism has said its last word upon the subject, and the
impression, brought to the proof, turns out to be un-
founded. The more exact the research the more remark-
able the contrast between the riches of Christ, His precious
doctrine and character, and the sheer bareness, littleness'
narrowness of the Judman culture out of which He came.
Moreover, the true human nature of Christ was somewhat
lost sight of in the Church. Gazing up into heaven upon
the risen Lord, with the glory of eternity and of the Divine
presence about His head, wo have a little forgotten that
our Master was one who walked through this pilgrimage
of life as we aro walking, with feet sore with
travel, with a heart oppressed by misapprehen-
sion. And when truth wanes moral activity de-
clines. We have been forced, by rude shocks
no doubt, to look at His true human side again•
They say that M. Renan's book has caused a great demand
for copies of the Gospels in a country where these were not
so accessible as they are to us. We may do well to return
to our Gospels, and know in Christ the true human friend
and guide, leader, pattern. We should hear his discourses
us new teaching, we should watch Him tried with all kinds
of hate and stupid misunderstanding; we should stand very
near the cross. If suffering is human, if love and pity are
human, then His sacred history is intensely human•
Nevertheless, when we turn the last page, and let our
honest conviction speak, we shall find the human has re-
vealed to us the divine, "Truly this man was the Son of
God."

Having said thus much upon the seven preceding
papers, it remains for us now only to comment upon
the closing article in this new number of the Quarterly
--the Political—and yet more than simply political--
the eminently Patriotic article in which, if no dis-
tinct or definite policy is defined, the nobler ambi-
tion inspiring the breasts of the leaders of the Great
Conservative Party is far too clearly indicated alto-
gether to escape the popular apprehension. A will-
ingness, if it should prove necessary, or even if it
should prove merely advisable, to consider the vexed
Question of Parliamentary Reform, with a view to
its satisfactory settlement upon some rational basis
—an eagerness to set on foot a whole system of
social reforms very sorely needed especially down
in the lower strata of the population—a strenu,,
ous determination to secure once more to
this country other allies besides the one solitary
ally (France) now alone left to us among the nations
of Christendom, thanks to the allienating influence
of our late Whig administrators, under the super-
cilious but irritating direction of their Foreign
Policy by Earl Russell—above all, an ardent resolve
to do everything towards consolidating rather than
towards loosening the grand political structure of
"England and her Institutions"—such are thepria-
cipal designs, such are the leading resolutions, such,
in plain terms, are among the broad outlines of the
policy set forth here, evidently by a master-hand, as
now held in view by the Conservative Party, and as
now quickening in the councils of the Conservative
Goveromeit. Scattered abundantly among the run-
ning ripples of the argument put forth in this well-
compacted, yet comprehenSive, treatise upon the
political situation, are opinions, sentences, occasion-
ally mere phrases, that are eminently worthy Of
remembrance--radiant sometimes with wit, mostly
with wisdom. Thus, par exemple, when scouting
the notion suggested of late by some would-be re-
organisers of our military power, to graft upon
England the Prussian system, the reviewer
says, simply enough, but crushingly, " Eng-
land can best guard herself by remaining Eng-
lish." Emphatically summing up the whole of
the magnanimous policy of the French Emperor
towards this country the critic remarks in a single
sentence—" Never has Sovereign or people had a
more frank and loyal ally than France, under the
empire of Napoleon 111., has proved to the Crown
and people of England." Again, take the follow-
ing pregnant sentences as indicative of the artistic
force and practical suggestiveness of the writer's
thoroughly well-thought-out argument. HO is
speaking of what is really and in truth just no/
the most urgently required at the hands of our ad-
ministrators, be they who they may, and he says

thereupon :
Franco has not left herself without other friendships than
that of England—England should not leave herself with"
out other friendships than that of France. It is her more
immediate object to remove all differences between herself
and the United States of America ; to heal the sores whichyet rankle in the mind of the Germanic peoples; and wil',e•
quietly engaged in this task, so to mature and consolidate
her own maritime power, that, while she invites friend"
ship, she does not supplicate for assistance. Our strength'
defensive or aggressive, is in our navy. No pains and no Gest
are too great to render that navy perfect. If England ever b°
conquered, it must be at sea. Misfortune enough t 0
our commerce and our honour if conquered there. As W
invasion of our soil, we do not think M. Espuiros takes te"e,
flattering a view of our security when he sums up the
view of our warlike defences to this effect, " Any Conti-
nental nation, no matter which, that wished to come
collision with Great Britain, ought to think twice of 1"
• • . . She will find before her the ships that hal°
hitherto covered the coast with an impenetrable bulivarlr
behind the ships the soldiers ; behind the soldiers a 001111.-
try in arms."
It is not to be denied that, the incapacity of recent Ad'
ministrations has left much for their successors to do. 1111
most pressing of all reforms is that of the Board of Admi-
ralty, with all its collateral departments.
Referring to the late Government's itabortiv
form Bill, the Quarterly Reviewer says quite trll
that the objection was " not as against its magiti
tude, but as against its unfairness." Nothing Nil
well be happier, again, as an apt quotation frool
Mignet in reference to the wilder vagaries recently
indulged in by Messrs. Beaks and Bright, than the
echoing here of the French historian's words
" There are times when the most unpopular of 60
parties is the party that calls itself popular !" f t
obviously undeniable, moreover, if we only abstrae
Mr. Bright's name from the roll of the Ref °r
League, is the accuracy of the writer's assert'oe
in respect to the present doings of that Leagg, _
where he says that—" No agitation equally elaoleva
roux was ever before so significantly divestii,
of aid from men of social position and Pew
tical renowa." Drawing the whole difficult/ iv
a point, he puts before us thus epigrammatie A
this most agreeable alternative—" It has beeoilletbe
question," he says, " whether we are to exchange
genius of this ancient monarchy for a miserable 6'l's
of democratic America." No where have we see/;110
more terse or a more forcible declaration a
efficiency of Lord Derby and his colleagues duril;
their last brief tenure of office, eight years ago, t'l,,ot
is conveyed by the subjoined epitome of their to
conspicuous achievements :
Short-lived as was the last Government of Lord pe,lll
and occupied as it was with the framing of a Reforiu
on which its existence was staked, Liberals the most ifito
vanced admitted the new life and energy it infused 00,
the several departments. Then was adopted and a': tuo
dated into practical form the defensive system c".tio
Volunteer force—then was commenced the reconstrile
once
of our naval power—then was abolished the lie
ilia
by which the Hudson Bay Company retained ro,
wilderness of a hunting-ground, the finest
~,faea
vinces of British America—and then were
to the empire the only two colonies, British C°
bia and Queensland, which, not only paying their our°"tode
ponses, have within a half dozen years enriched the o,to
of the mother country to an amount rapidly swelling/30,
millions. Nor aid we ever meet a Radical member of for-
liament who did not contrast the ready fullness of rlecos,
mation on any departmental subject, the courteous 5%,,c14
and promptitude of decision which characterised the the
of departments in that short-lived Government, witbee e/
scanty and begrudged replies, the supercilious arroga%
manner, and the slothful procrastination, which vier less
general characteristics of predecessors who had esreiltDeir
respect for their followers than they showed to
opponents.
h sVeVer'
As--a crowning and concluding excerpt, sober
from this political article in the current kfeeiveo
number of the Quarterly, let us content our!ectel
with the folldwing delightful sarcasm, dirat too
against one---by whom, unfortunately, it is bat poor
well deserved—meaning the once philosophic,l) e occa
demagogic, M.P. for Westminster. " llidv"
,ranyl
proof," says the Quarterly Writer, " of tile
with which democratic constituencies reduy_ level
minds of their own representatives to their oss tot
of thought, we might find that illustration af.. 011'
proof in the present political position of Wroca to
The electors of Westminster, no doubt, retttibiovf•
Parliament a very illustrious and origio3l.nna
Once returned to Parliament, the illustrio''n th
original thinker vanishes ; and on gain gee ho
member for Westminster, we are startled tO tete'
like he has grown to Mr. Beales." gaving gill t°e
which, we close the Quarterly—leaving tOO%
the inextingu a w r o
ishable laughter of all excel/tow,
infatuated admirers—the majority '
suspect, have never read one whole chaPte,ott WO'
one of his books, or, if they have, have
pable of understanding it.