The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-29 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Dugdale's England and Wales Delineated. Edited
by E. L. Blanchard. 2 vols., pp. 1582. L.
Tallis, 21, Warwick-square, Paternoster-row,
London.

No Preface—no Table of Contents—nothing but
a little flyleaf key to the abbreviations. Nor can
any reasonable man wonder at this, after turning
over these two goodly volumes of thoroughly read-
able, and generally reliable letterpress, profusely
illustrated with maps of the counties and with a
variety of carefully drawn and admirably well-
selected steel engravings. The work speaks for
itself. It requires no introduction—simply because
we all recognise in it at once a familiar acquaint-
ance. It is in reality nothing more nor less than
an old friend with a new face—it is Dugdale re-
edited. And the new editor of this venerable com-
pilation must certainly be allowed at once to have
put " the best face upon it." Mr. Blanchard has
evidently undertaken the responsible and difficult
possible "up to time" with no ignorance of the diffi-
duty of editin g Dugdale, and of bringing him as far as
culty and with no feeble sense of the responsibility.
And he has acquitted himself so exceedingly well
upon the whole, that if ever we do find him in some
exceptional instance tripping, it is only as
rarely as when Homer nods. Ungrateful though it
may appear so to do, we will nevertheless give one
solitary instance—which we have found after
keenly searching for it; and we give it purely.
as affording evidence that we do not speak in
commendation of the accuracy of the elaborate
edition of Dugdale now under notice, merely at
random, and upon a superficial examination of its
merits and pretensions. Under the head of Chel-
tenham,lGloucestershire, the Gazetteer before us,
then, we would thus venture to intimate, appears
to be rather after date in its information when, at
the turn of 1860-1861,'it can observe, in regard to
that fashionable watering-place, that " much of its
present popularity ins owing to the patronage and
influence of Earl Fitzhardinge"—instead of having
been owing to that patronage and influence, now
passed away ! And again, when speaking of the
same place as a political borough, the work remarks
" hitherto (since the passing of the Reform Bill) one
individual has been selected—(as M.P. for Chelten-
ham)—the youngest of the sons of the late Earl of
Berkeley." The fact being that several years have
elapsed since the death first of all of that youngest
son, the late Hon. Craven Berkeley, and afterwards
of the eldest son, the late Earl Fitzhardinge. What-
ever patronage comes to Cheltenham now from the
Berkeley family comes from the present possessor
of Berkeley Castle and aspirant to the Berkeley
peerage, viz., Admiral Sir Maurice Berkeley, whose
eldest son, Colonel Francis Berkeley, ever since the
death of his uncle Craven, has, since May,
1856, represented the borough of Chelten-
ham in the Commons House of Parliament.
We repeat, however, that we particularise these
rare and most exceptional scraps of obsolete infor-
mation, simply that we may indicate the more
clearly that we are not speaking of the work from
a merely hasty and superficial glance through its
pages. We have turned those pages again and
yet again with peculiar satisfaction, stored as they
are abundantly with information, of the most useful
kind, conveyed to the reader in a manner the most
entertaining. Scattered more plentifully through
the letterpress than even the numerous maps and
embellishments, adorning the two:volumes so very
profusely, are anecdotal particulars of men and
events associated with the numerous localities enu-
merated. Wherever a great event has happened,
wherever an eminent person has been born, has
lived, or has died, the Editor, like another Captain
Cuttle, is sure to make a note of it. If only re-
garded in this particular the work of Dugdale as
now revised by Mr. Blanchard could not fail to
prove singularly attractive. But, apart from its
swarms of anecdotal recollections, it will be found
to be singularly readable and wonderfully useful as
a topographical authority.

THE ART UIVION OF _ENGLAND.

MEETING THIS DAY.

This morning the annual meeting of the members and
friends of this institution was held at the Gallery of Illus-
tration, Regent-street--the Hon. Captain Fitzmaivioe in
the chair.

After some prefatory remarks from the Chairman on the
state of the Union and its future prospects,

Mr. BELL SMITH, the secretary, read the report. It
stated that the committee regretted their inability to an-
nol:nce so large an amount of subscriptions as they coull
wish, and called attention to the many and Eerious circum-
stances which had unfavourably influenced all institutions
connected with the arts. The deficient harvest, the depres.
Sion in trade, the high rate of interest, the severe
winter and the consequent distress, the many
public subscriptions for charitable purposes, and other
similar causes, the effects of which were almost
always first experienced by the arts, were amongst the in..
flttences ; but the committee more particularly referred to
the numerous commercial schemes which, under the title
of Art Unions, had by means of the low rate of subscriptions •
diverted large amounts of money from the more legitimate
institutions. The number of subscribers for the present
year in the Art Union of England was 1,267, to which were
to be added 200 names which wero allowed chances at the
distribution of 1860, and the subscriptions amounted to
£665 3s. 6d. The prize holders of last season selected
works from the following exhibitions :—Royal Academy,
£lO4 10s.; Society of British Artists, £213; Institution of
Fine Arts, £263 10s. ; Society of Painters in Water
Colours, £lO Ifls.; New Society of Painters in Water Colours,
£6O 14s. The works were generally well selected. They
were exhibited at the society's offices for the space of three
weeks, after which they were delivered to their respective
owners. The advantages to artists under the system of
self•.selection by the prizeholders was evident, from the fact
that although the amount in prizes was only £415, works
were purchased to the amount of £651 145., the difference
being supplied by the various prizeholders from their private
funds.

The report baying been adopted, the prizes were drawn
for, namely, ten of £5, three of £7, four of £lO, two of £2O,
one of £25, and one of £3O.

A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the proceedings.

T LIN 7 SHIRE ELECTION.

CLOSE OF POLL

Lord Richard Grosvenor
Mr. Hughes