The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-04 00:00:00

Colburn's New Monthly Magazine.

A lengthened paper on the social economy of the
Mormons opens this number. It is founded on a
recent French work, in which the author, M.
Remy, recounts the results of an exploring expedi-
tion into the territory of Utah. He resolved on
visiting the country of this singular sect, and
accompanied by a friend and a suitable escort he
set forth in July, 1855. On the preparations for
this expedition he expended £1,600, although the
time occupied was only five months. He confirms
in all respects the accounts of previous travellers,
and pourtrays in the strongest manner the wretch-
edness of the domestic life conducted on the prin-
ciples of Joseph Smith and his followers. The story
of " East Lynne" is continued, but the story pro-
gresses very unsatisfactorily. The position of Lady
Isabel returning as governess to her own children
in the house that had once been hers, under an
assumed name, in tho presence of Mr. Carlyle's
second wife, is most painful and unnatural. We
regret that the author choose to linger so long on
so extravagant a situation, and one which can only
gratify a morbid taste. Sir Nathaniel gives us a
sketch of the founder of the imperial dynasty of
the Hapsburgs, one more worthy • in many re-
spects of the dignity he enjoyed than most of his
successors. At the present moment their tenure of
authority is not very satisfactory, but it is inte-
resting to turn to the bold career of the warlike
Rudolph, whose narrow means and low estate,
contrary to the usual rule, greatly facilitated his
election to the Crown of the Empire. In these days
of universal disbelief and sceptical assaults, on our
old historical traditions, all lovers of nursery lore
will be delighted to find careful and authent:*
testimony to the truth of the story of Whittington
and his cat. Of the identity of the " thrice Lord
Mayor" there has indeed been no dispute, but the
existence of his fourfooted assistant has been often
cavilled at. The Rev. Mr. Lysons, however, who
has issued a modern version of the story, retains
the cat as a prominent feature in the early part of
Sir Richard's life, although summarily dismissing
the poor parents, the early rags, and even the
waggon that helped him to London. Fortunately
the good deeds of the City magnate in later days
is less open to question, and " as an intelligent and
practical philanthropist," says the writer before us,
" he has rarely been equalled." The establishment
of drinking fountains, the improvement of prisons,
and prison discipline ; the protection of the poor
from fraudulent tradesmen, were among the least
costly of his efforts." An old authority records
his greater doings. " He builded the gate of Lon-
don, which is called Newgate, which before was a
misearble dungeon. He builded Whittington Col-
leged, and made it an Almese House for poore
people. Also he builded a greater parte of
Hospitall of S. Bartholomew's, in West Smith

field, London. He also builder the beautiful'
Library of ye Grey Friers, in London, called
Christe s Hospitall ; and he builded the Guilde
Halle Chappell, aad increased a greater parte of
the East ende of the saied Hall, besides many other
good workes," Mrs. Bushby contributes the first
part of a Danish story, at; 3 there is an interesting
paper on Thiebault's Memoirs, of which a new
edition has just been issued in Paris. "No life of
Frederick the Great," says the critic, " can be
possible without constant reference to them. A
brief article on Victor Emmanuel and Italy is not
satisfactory, since the writer regards the mainte-
nance of Austrian despotism in Venetia with com-
placency, and recommends the enforcement of the
terms of the peace of Villafranca. W. C. Kent
contributes some very charming verses on the noble
poet and favourite of poets, Surrey in the Tower.

The United Service Magazine.
This magazine commences with an article on
the pay and expenses of officers, in which, amongst
other difficulties with which the officer of limited
private income, or he who is entirely dependent on
his pay for support, the absurd and ruinous cus-
tom of keeping up an expensive mess is justly
censured. Chapter 2 follows suit ' in fact, this
month, the editor has determined to show no
quarter to the shortcoming of our naval and mili-
tary services. Therefore, in the second chapter,
the Board of Admiralty come in for their share of
castigation. Here, at all events, the censor has
free scope and a wide field for action, and after
commenting at length on the system employed in
manning our navy, he remarks—
"lt is this state of things which more particularly shows
the extremely faulty nature of Admiralty administration.
Had a proposition been made to the Commander-in-Chief
in the army to discontinue the system of recruiting, what
would have been his course? In all probability resig-
nation ; and had a recommendation been made which in
his judgment would have driven nine-tenths of the recruits
away, just as they were becoming good soldiers, he would
have remonstrated as became one in his position. But the
Admiralty can do nothing. The first Sea Lord, who has
the manning business to look after, fumes and frets, and
threatens to resign, but does not. The First Lord knows
that he is only acting up to the wishes of the Free-Trade
Cabinet, and helping to secure the votes of Cobden, Bright;
and Company ; and Admiral is told he may do as he
pleases about resigning, but if he does there is Admiral
who quite enters into the Government views, and
is rather anxious to have a seat at the board. The Navy
has, in truth, no representative and no sincere friend but
the press. Every one is seeking his own interest, or the
interest of the party which keeps him in power—which
amounts to the same thing—and as all know that a few
years at farthest will make a change, and that some one
else who may then have watch on deck will have to repair
the evils they have suffered to creep into the good ship."
" Discontent in the Royal Navy" follows, and its
cause and remedy are dilated upon. Under the
head of "Remarks upon the Effects of the New
Armament of Cannon and Rifles lately adopted in
the British Army," the attention of military men
is called to the adoption of an improved order of
fortification and a speedier plan of bringing troops
into position, together with other details. We
have chapters on the army estimates and the late
official report on the French navy, in which it is
shown that in spite of the pretended diminution of
labour in the French dockyards, which the report
would have us to believe, they have been more
than usually active. " Denmark and Schleswig-
Holstein," that never ending subject of controversy,
forms the subject of an article commencing with the
lines of Albert Smith, which a good many could
echo—

"About the Schleswig-Polstein row
My notions are not clear."
Under the head of " The Southern States of
America" we are furnished with a history of the
rise of some of the seceding States, and informa-
tion on transatlantic matters. " A Boat Expedi-
tion in Burmah, from the Diary of an Officer," is
continued from last month, and is as replete with
interesting details of the manners and customs of
country. Part 2of " The Bahams, or Lucagos
Islands" is the last subject for this month, and
contains a romantic tradition of the fountain of
youth preserved in the West Indies. The
"Editor's Portfolio," and general naval and mili-
tary information, are, of course, as usual, fur-
nished.

Bentley's Miscellany.
" The Constable of the Tower," which has been
already noticed in our columns, of course takes the
first place. In " Mingle Mangle," by Monkshood,
Storm-brewing and Skyey Influences is continued,
in which the author shows that, whether true or
false, from the earliest ages both novelists and
poets invariably bring atmospheric influences to
bear upon, or to associate themselves with, the fate
of their heroes, In a biography of Marshal Mac-
mahon, Duke of Magenta, we find a full account of
this successful adventurer. " The Parting Fee" is
a medical memorandum of the last half-century.
It is short, and good enough in its way. We must
compliment our friend Onida on the decided im-
provement " Our Corps' Friends and Foes" is upon
his previous contributions. Part the third this
month brings the tale to a conclusion, and the last
few pages, in which spirit-rapping and table-danc-
ing are brought. into
Play, are very cleverly Writ-
ten and ludicrous in the extreme. Under the head
of " The Life of the Sea, and Life in the Sea," the
wonders of the deep are expounded as deep as the
writer can fathom. The following is an ex-
ample :
" Brimful of life at its surface, the sea would be encum-
bered if that prodigious power of production was not kept
somewhat in check by the antagonist power of destruction.
Only imagine that every herring has from 50,000 to 70,000
eggs ! If every egg was to produce a herring, and every
herring 50,000 more, were there not an enormous destruc-
tion going on, the ocean would very soon be solidified and
putrified. The great cetacea drive them towards the shores,
ever and anon diving into their ranks and swallowing up
whole shoals. The whiting eat their fry; cod again de-
vour the whiting. Yet, even here, the peril of the sea, an
excess of fecundity, shows itself in a still more terrible
shape. The cod has up to nine millions of eggs, and this
creature, of such formidable powers of maternity, has nine
months of love out of twelve. No wonder that the fishery
of this productive fish has created towns and colonies. But
even then, what would the power of man be opposed to such
fecundity ? He is assisted by others, among which the
sturgeon takes chief rank. Then, again, the sturgeon
itself is a very fecund fish. This devourer of cod has itself
fifteen hundred thousand eggs. Another great devourer is
not proportionately reproductive, and that is the shark; so
Michelet calls it " Le beau mangeur de la nature, mangeur
patents, le. requin." Vivaporous, he nourishes the young
shark in his bosom, his feudal inheritor, who is born ter-
rible and ready armed. Hence are sharks called in many
countries sea-dogs, and so we lately saw the French Mims
de tner literally translated."

Or "The House, Blaswick," four pages are alone
furnished this month, but short though the instal-
ment be, it consists of two chapters, and contains
strange revelations, which only " make that darker
which was dark enough before." " Lorn Loriot,"
by Dudley Costello, is continued, and bids fair to
be a capital story.

Fraser's Magazine.
Fraser opens with another instalment of Mr.
Whyte Melville's story "Good for Nothing, or All
Down Hill." It is written in the author's usual
style, lively and clever, showing some knowledge
of life and character. The love affairs of the party,
between affection and interest, rivalry and opposi-
tion threaten to become sufficiently entangled to
suit the most eager romancist. The first paper, on
the progress and prospects of astronomy, gives us
the commencement of a series of studies through
the telescope, written in a popular and simple
style. It is remarked that it is in "rainy, cloudy,
misty, damp, boisterous, sombre England," whose
uncertain atmosphere is so unfavourable to astro-
nomical observations, that the study of astronomy
is of late years most widely diffused. An article
on "Dante, his Works and Wanderings," traces
the chequered and eventful life.of the poet of the
" Divine Commedia" and " The Florentine Exile."
The story of "Ida Conway" progresses with some
degree of interest. Trouble and humiliation are
evidently hanging over the family of Von Wert•
heim. " A Few Words on Tours and Tourists"
sets forth strongly the advantages of travel. In
the concluding passages the author observes--
" When so much stress is laid upon the cultivation
of some artistic taste, and painting and music are
prized as the civilisers of society, it is as well to
remember what is due in this manner to the cheap
travelling, which educates the senses of thousands
amidst the beauties of nature." We have after-
wards a spirited description of a hunting field and
the death of poor Reynard, under the title of
" A Mount on Shank's Mare." Mrs. Piozzi, whose
familiarity with our literary hero of the last half
of the eighteenth century has brought her much
undeserved distinction, is the subject of an inte-
resting paper, which gives a succinct outline of her
life and fortunes. Notwithstanding her toil and
accomplishments, and the tact and energy she
often displayed in trying situations, Mrs. Thrale
appears to have boen entirely devoid of warmth
of heart or elevation of mind. The total absence
of affection between herself and her daughters,
even before her marriage with Piozzi, is very little
to the credit of either side. There are some spirited
lines addressed to South Carolina, recommending
the division of the National flag, and the allot-
ment of the stars to the North, and the
stripes, fit emblem of the slave driver's domi-
nion to the Southern States. The " Chronicle of
Current History" is continued, giving, as usual, a
comprehensive and fairly written resume of the
events of the month in both hemispheres. It is a
useful addition to the magazine, especially for
country readers.

Macmillan's Magazine.
Victor Amadeus, the First King of Sardinia,"
is the subject of a very interesting article. His
military successes are a matter of history, but his
worse than tragic end is not generally known.
After abdicating in favour of his son, a weak,