The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-27 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The 'Wanderer : Fantasia and Vision. By The
smith of Smitheden. Groombridge and Sons.

It appears to us that some people write
volumes of poetry on the same principle, and
for the same purpose as others plant mazes.
A vast amount of labour, a close atten-
tion t 3 formal, artistic construction, and no in-
considerable expense, are freely bestowed on
both. The book is published, the maze is opened.
We may read the one and enter the other. In the
maze we find that we cannot possibly under-
stand it—that it is a roundaboutism of bewilder-
ing scientific paths, and that, in short, we
have lost ourselves in it in no time. The
volume of measured words too frequently
places us in just the same predicament, and we
grope on, stultified and staring, in the midst of the
elaborately constructed work, wondering where it
leads to, and experiencing but one satisfactory sen-
sation during our whole progress through it, which
is, when we see the end of it. We award to The
Smith, of Smitheden, great credit for the industry
and skill displayed in "The Wanderer : Fan-
tasia, and Visions," but we fear our appreciative
power is incompetent to select any scintillations
struck from his anvil, likely to fly upward and take
their place amongthe stars of the poetic firmament.
Let our readers judge for them elves from the
two following extracts, taken at random. Tile first
forms part of the author's description of the field
of Waterloo ; the second is a portion of an address
to his son :

- -
There is a dubious pause, Hark ! the cannon's
Fiery breath—in wrathful, grinding roar outeped !
Terrific ! the sulphury clouds, thick duns,
And hugely'rolls along the plains ! Keen, dread,
And close the conflict, and the ground is fed
With blood! Slow rolls the smoke away ! Again
'Tis clear. The eagles hover round their dead
And living prey, and tear the ground in vain
Bat murd'rous strife, deluging in red the plain.
And what are those they grimly prance around--
Nigh hid in cirtiv'risg fronts of bristling spears ?
Britannia's Squares—rock rooted to the ground.
The panting Lion, conch'd, his teeth he glares
Gaul's steel-clad cavalry he scorns and dares !
In vain the Eagle tramps and whets its beak,
And wildly round and round war-wing'd careers,
d plunges on the lair, its teeth to break !
War-horse and rider downward reel—in death they shake !

Although be cannot w Llk or speak,
Yet he is neither dumb nor weak,
And knoweth how to hide and seek—
My bright-eyed little boy.
He knoweth how to laugh and play ;
He crows and dances all the day ;
And knoweth every word you say—
My bright-eyed little boy.
He goes to sleep, and dream, and smile,
Within his little crib awhile ;
And knoweth neither sin nor guile
My bright-eyed little boy.
Anon like sunshine ho awakes I
His little thirst he eager slakes ;
'Tis heaven to see the drink he takes—

My bright-eyed little boy.
He yawns and stretches—such a stretch—
Could any artist it but sketch,
His weight in solid gold %would fetch—
My bright-eyed little boy.

.

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IloiTte.Xastiin; or, The' Child's OUM Toy Maker.
By EA-tudelli. Griffiths and Farren, St. Paul's

Churchyard.
There is no question that this publication will
be most acceptable in families. Full and prac-
tical directions, with a set of models, are
presented, teaching how to construct wheel-
barrows, railway-c.trriages, windmills, cottages,
and numerous other objects of interest out
of card-board, embracing the principles of
mechanical knowledge with rational amusement.
We believe there is a natural tendency in
juvenile fingers to snipping and clipping ; and
no great dislike in those same digits to be closely
incorporated with paste, gum, or any such
"messing" matter within reach, and with this pub-
lic ti ion to aid them, the young artisans may be in-
dulged in these propensities, and improve, not
exactly every "shining" hour, but every gloomy
one at this foggy season, and build as many castles
as that fancitul architect, Childhood, can design.
We should think that Mr. Landells will "leave his
card" at many a nursery door, and be most gra-
ciously welcomed by the "active citizens" within.

Oriental and Western Siberia. By T. Witlam
Atkinson. Hurst and Blackett.
Few would have anticipated that a journey
through Siberia, which is geuer illy synotlymo us
with all that is desolate and mournful, could have
furnished material for this gorgeous volume, which
is no.uusuitable companion for the gift-books of the
coming season. The author is by profession an
artist, and was desirous of exploring those wild and
remote districts of Northern and Central Asia,
where it is supposed a European foot has never
penetrated. Having obtained an especial passport
from the Emperor Nicholas, which greatly facilitated
his journey, and which enabled him to cross the
frontier unmolested, his travels were only impeded
by the inclemency of the weather, which sometimes
imposed a check on his adventurous spirit. In his
preface he says:—" Mine has been a tolerably wide
field, extending from Kokhan, on the west, to the
eastern end of the Baikal, and as far south as the
Chinese town of Tchin-si, including that immense
chain, Syan-shan, never before seen by any Euro-
pean, as well as a large part of the western part of
the Gobi, over which Genghis Khan marched his
wild hordes to the west—scenes on which no pen-
cil has previously been employed—comprising a
distance traversed of about 32,000 vers's in car-
riages, 7,100 in boats, and 20,300 on horseback—
in all, 59,400 versts (about 39,500 miles) in the
course of seven years." In this extended journey,
during which he traversed Siberia, Mongolia, the
Kirghis steppes, Chinese Tartary, and part of
Central Asia, his adventures and escapes were, as
may be supposed, cf a very varied character. Hav-
ing the hardihood to penetrate into the most lonely
spots and among the most wild and lawless tribes,
he alternately encountered the terrors of the ele-
ments and of the robber hordes. He was several
times attacked by fever in consequence of
exposure to the violent storms of that re-
gion, and more than once narrowly escaped
with life from the robbers of the steppes.
His work therefore combines the information of a
traveller in a country completely unknown, with
the excitement of a romance in some of his rides
for life, accompanied by his faithful Kirghis and
Kalmuck followers. Among other novelties he
represents these wild denizens of that rugged clime
in a new and favourable aspect. Few have mixed
among thcm so freely, and he describes them as a
brave and faithful people, notwithstanding their
want of civilization. The reader will no doubt be
somewhat surprised to meet with such accounts of the
scenery. That part of the world has generally been
represented as bare and desolate, but the author
speaks with enthusiasm of some of the views. On
his route by the river Tchoussocvaia he noticed fine
clumps of pine and birch trees so beautifully ar-
ranged that he imagined they had been planted with
the greatest care. He was informed, however, that
Niture was the only gardener. This part is very.
lonely, "there are many places containing thou-
sands of acres, upon which it is probable man has
never set his foot.' In summer it would be impos-
sible to penetrate these gloomy forests on account
of the extensive morasses which no one would dare
to cross; and in winter the certainty of being frozen
to death in these wilds is a sufficient check upon any
daring spirit." The rocks and caverns are broken
into most curious shapes, of which the author gives
many illustrations. The effects of sunrise and
sunset in these lonely regions he frequently de-
scribes in glowing terms. After leaving these
wilds he came to the mines of the Oural, of which
ho gives some curious particulars. A great part of
the property here belongs to the Demidoff family,
who have done much to develope the mineral
treasures of Russia. Anatole Demidoff, the
present head, spares no. expense in educating
the young men who show any talent for
mineralogy or mechanics. He has sent several to
England and France, and has also employed some
of the most scientific men in Europe to survey the
mines of those regions. At one part an almost inex-
haustible supply of iron ore exists. " The enormous
mass of iron ore found on this spot is about eighty
feet thick, and extends about four hundred feet in
length.". At a short distance from the. iron quarry
are the copper mines. Copper was first found at
Togilsk in 1812, and has since proved very profit-
able. In these mine.llis found the Malachite, which
has become so popular. One immense mass was
found which it was calculated would produce about
720,000 pounds of solid malachite. Many precious
stones are found in the Siberian miner, all of which
are the property of the Crown. The author saw
many beautiful specimens of jasper, emerald, topaz,
amethyst, and others.
" Most magnificent jasper tables are made in this
Zavod, inlaid with different coloured stones, in
imitation of birds, flowers, and foliage. In 1853,
I saw one of them in Ekaterineburg, on which four
or five men had been employed for six years—not
an uncommon occurrence ; indeed, some examples
have occupied a longer period. The cost of labour
alone in England (provided the material were
10114 there) would effectually prevent such work