The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-07 00:00:00

with all his serious faults as a man and an admi-
nistrator, it is not thus that Francis is described
by historians of a higher class than Mr. St. John.
If he was only the coarseminded tyrant he repre-
sents, grinding down an indignant country, how
was it that his people supplied him with men and
treasure with more readiness than all the imperial
possessions of Charles IT. The author, in speaking
of the republican or reforming spirit of modern
times, says with force and vigour :
"Perhaps, after all, La B;ii.itie was not so unpractical
when he made himself the Preacher cf the doctrine which
has been the leaven of modern times. The echo of the
tocsis that rolls along his sentences vibrates to our hearts
even now; but in this island, where we reap the advan-
tage, the response is G-ratitude. It is not our fault if
everywhere else the response is Fear."
The early (bath of La Bootie terminated their
friendship abruptly. Montaigne lamented him
sincerely, and afterwards edited his works. The
following is a sketch of Montaigne at this time :
" For my part, I find two men in Montaigne, such as
he appears to me at the prime of life—the man of wide
capacity of mind, of vivid imagination, humorous, but
solid character, nimble judgment, and natural faculty of
expression, who would have made himself remarkable in
any age or country, aad who supplies that part of his
Essays which makes him kin to the whole world—but
also the man of his age and country ; the somewhat un-
grateful heir of Rabelais, the forerunner of Bayle and
Voltaire ; the experienced courtier, who despised
kings because he knew their manners, but had no
absurdities
it aiepsar wt, hileikhe a
othersq uiehtotly man
andin
y,observing enthusiasm to object to the institution of monarchy ;
the lawyer, who cared too little for law to esp iuse its
society,landeat
unconsciously acted ; the half-convinced Catholic, who
looked upon reform as a disturbance, but who, when
like au honest man he turned round to examine his own
convictions, saw them vanishing in the distance ; the
stern thinker in morals ; the cheerful and somewhat lax
actor ; the incomplete savant, who despised pedantry ;
the eoquent writer, who felt that his idiom was not
formed, and disdained to form it ; idle and industrious
by turns ; of prodigious memory, yet fond of accruing
himself of want of memory when he forgot anything;
the easy-going G-ascon gentleman, who from fear of
shipwreck in the storm he saw gathering—for the
Saint Bartholomew was then darkening the air as
it approached—retired to his comfortable home iu an
out-of-the-way district, and partly as an excuse for
his tireidify, set to work philosophising, under the pro.
tcction of powerful friends and a long-established repu-
tation for probity."
Speaking of the essays, Mr. St. John writes M
follows :
" What seems to appeal to no particular time, seems
to appeal to all time ; and there is, indeed, a universal
element in Montaigne's book—the painting of human
nature in its most unclothed, unartifioial state—which
makes it to be appreciated by the man of this day as
it was by the man of that. It would have been appreci-
ated thousands of years ago, at the outset of the
intellectual development of which it continues the
tradition. Plato would have loved and understood it,
aye, and Confucius ; for, as it belongs in this respect to
no time, so it belongs to no country. It is the least
French of all books. It begins by an anecdote of the
Black Prince, and ends by a quotation from Horace ;
and there is not a trace of nationality from beginning to
end. For, in his tower, Montaigne looked upon all men
as his kin. From that look-out the map of the world
became a skeleton-map, not blotched with distinctive
colours. Costume, hats and turbans, boots and sandals,
and breeches and stomachers' were all torn away and
thrown aside, and the great infant Man gambolled before
his fancy. But his was not the mind to think much of
the primitive or the ideal state. The naked man he
saw here the marks of the girths he had worn, and the
burdens he had carried."
The general aspect of the life of Montaigne, as here
shown us, is somewhat melancholy. Like many
another hilosopher
" by the glare of false science betrayed,
That leads to bewilder and dazzles to blind,"
his knowledge brought him in a circle to the spot
where he started from. " The wisest plan is to
follow nature as simply as possible. Oh, what a
soft and delicious pillow, and how healthy aro ig-
norance and incuriowity, for the repose of a well-
formed head I This is the last result of Mon-
taigne's philosophy." The subject of the work is of
great interest, though the impression left by Mr.
St. John's portrait, is neither elevating nor pleas-
ing. Nevertheless, his careful collection of facts
will be of value to those who wish to extend their
1
knowledge of the great essayist, and trace the cir-
cumstances that made him what ho was.

Orphans : a Chapter in a Life. By the Author
of "Margaret Maitland," &c., &c. 1 vol.
Hurst and Blackett.
This is a very pleasing little story—indeed, it
could hardly fail to be so, since it is the production
of so gifted a writer, one who possesses a peeuliar
fascination in her style, which is something beyond
an interesting narrative, or a power of vigorous de-
scription. The work in question relates the adven-
tures of an heiress, who seemed suddenly left alone
in the world without a single care or responsibility.
When roused from the grief consequent on the loss
of her parents, she lamented this isolated position,
and. endeavoured to find some real or imaginary
duty to perform. First, she drew around her the
scattered members of the different branches of the
family, in order to ascertain how she could be of
service to them. This proved a complete failure.
So many individual interests appeared, so much
selfishness and prejudice prevailed, that the bewil-
dered hostess could scarcely keep up the appearance
of peace for a few weeks. She soon saw that the
less she had to do with any of her distant connec-
tions the better. Some of the characters are re-
markably well described, and vary from the
foolish Mrs. Austin, to the wise Mr. Hyde.
The sisters Nugent are complete specimens.
of the tribe whose life is devoted to keeping up
false appearances, and making one thing seem the
other. Approaching middle life, they thought they
' could. make themselves look juvenile, by dress and
a ridiculous assumption of youthful gaiety, and
in narrow circumstances, in very circumscribed
limits of society, they endeavoured, by skilful
inuendoes, aid apt quutatiods from hearsay know-
ledge, to appear as if, to a certain extent, they mixed
in company that was far beyond their ken. With
all their absurdity, however, they were preferable
to Mrs. Herbert, who was mean, and thoroughly
selfish, while the sisters at least were good-natured
and well-meaning. While these worthies were dis-
porting themselves in her mansion, Clare Nugent
was planning how to benefit by her exertions, s..me
who were more deserving of the blessings of her
wealth than these undesirable visitors. She was
imprudent in arranging anything while they were
within hearing, however, as she was speedily
assailed by taunt, criticism, and ridicule, and had
to endure the deeper annoyance of being misrepre-
sented. There are other passages in the story which
add to its interest, and altogether it possesses a
charm that will not allow it to disappoint the ad-
mirers of its predecessors.
The Bentley Ballads. Edited by Dr. Doran.

Bentley.
This is a pleasant and seasonable volume of
songs and ballads, selected from the pages of
Bentley's Miscellany, and published undr the
editorship of Dr. Doran, who has added contribu-
tions of his own. They belong to a class which has
become very popular of late years, but some of them
are full of spirit. The fist in the book, " Old
Morgan, at Panama," is one of this kind, and tells
the tale of the reckless and cruel Buccaneers and
their attack on Panama in 1670. There are some
of Samuel Lover's, too, that keep up his reputation
as a songster. The general character of the volume
is best described in the words of the editor
" The Ballads have• been selected from a store
that is far from being exhausted, and if this venture
prove fortunate, the editor may be tempted to dip
again. Meanwhile, the barque freighted with its
varied cargo, woos a favouring gale. There is
something in it for the scholar, something
for the idler, something for those who love
to think, and something for those 'who
love others to think for them. The grave,
the gay, the lively, and the severe may herein find
something of what they lack. There is a trumpet
tone for the heroic, and playfulness for gentler
spirits, and mirth for those who care for it, and wit
for those who admire it, and I,‘ delectable nonsense"
for those who can stoop to pick up some trifles
added by the editor. As the ballads are varied, so
are the tones in which they are sung, extending
from the roar and dash of the buccaneers to the
tremulous thrill of the love-song, and the clashing
of wine cups. In short, there is music in every
sum
measure—billows of sound to remind one of
erßeeth-
oven—tones as awakening as a posthorn galophy
Koenig, or accents to dance oft with the reader gay
and
Polka."
description
Miss Gil b
and t;s Vandykeyykies
sufficient to tempt the reader to trust himself under
such able guidance as Dr. Doran's.
a
The Ingoldsby Legends. Bentley.
These
These popular ballads have appeared in a nevt
edition. They have long agopassed •
into a standard
work of their kind, and it only remains that
to say
the volume is handsome and commodious, and the
type good. All lovers of " Mirth and Mar-
vels," who do not possess a copy, should hasten to
avail themselves of this excellent edition.

Eilltond. By W. M. Thackeray, author of "Vanity
Fair. 1 Vol. Smith and Elder.
A commod ions and serviceable edition of "Esmond"
has been added to the list of
übli Mr. Thackeray's ink.
cellaneous works recently pshed by Messrs.
especially with.
Smith and Elder. This work has been gradually
growing in public favour, and is likely to have a
'The volume 113 Of
laanrtgeececidre:lsaotif7
Tinhiotsvpirregsriertnitaufos7
those who desire to extend their knowledge of the
. a couveuient size, and lrue tyBQ maze,.