The Sun.
London, England, 1868-11-24 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Tae (ItTARTEIMY, No. 250.—" The Public Ques-
tions at Issue" is au article that attracts attention,
as it refers to the state of affairs in c)nnection with
the new Reform Bill. The great "Democratic Re-
action," as it is called, has been tested and failed to
produce the startling effects that were predicted.
It is here said that the " New lion e of Com-
mons will be cornpoied of very much the same
material as of old," and the results of the
elections, so far as they have yet gone, hive
fully justified the predictions thus made, and
contradicted the assertions of the disciples of
the advanced party. There is a good deal of
truth in the remarks here made as to the effect
of the recent changes in the constitution. With
one thing and another it is argued the Liberals, as
a party, will not have gained, and that within
their ranks so many other sections are forming that
they must detract from the influence of the old
leaders. A requiem is sung over the " old Whigs,"
who have had to make a virtue of necessity by
abdicating in favour of those in whose favour their
party had already declared. Some criticisims are
passed on Mr. Gladstone, and he is assured that
he will have no easy task when he cornea into
power ; allowing for the sake of argument that
such should be the result of his struggles. The
fuss which the Radicals make about the working
man is here commented on, and most truly is
it observed that little or nothing appears in their
programme that the real Conservative need object
to. As to their being the friends of the working
man, it is emphatically denied. " Did they pass
the Factory Bill ?" is significantly asked. The
meddling and muddling policy of the Whigs, with
respect to "expenditure," is also considered, and
the conclusion arrived at is that the OPPe"
sition leader will be worsted in his deep&
rate effort to regain office by any means he can
resort to, no matter how startling may be the
changes he is: constrained to adopt. "The Great
Railway Monopoly" is a subject most appropriate
just now, when we are so bewildered by conflicting
claims ; and the concluding passage is very for'
cibly written. Private interests had to give way to
public good when railways were first authorised,
and now, after 40 years, private feelings must again
be sacrificed if they are found incompatible with
public advantages, ouch as cheap locomotion and
proper accommodation to travellers. Some other
articles of interest are here met with, among which
may be mentioned, as particularly worthy of
:no-
tice, those having reference to Matthew Arnold's
Report on French Education, and to Lady Mint° '4
Memoir of the Right Hon. Hugh Elliott.

THE DUBLIN REVIEW. New Series. No. 22.
Burns, Oates, & Co.—ln the current number of th 3
Dublin we find, as usual, an admixture of theolo-
gical, literary, and general articles. Among the
latter is an essay upon the State Papers relating to
Ireland, recently published under the authority Of
the Master of the Rolls. It is remarked that the
two collections of historical records, of which he
commenced the publication in 1853 and 1853 re-
spectively, will already bear comparison, if not it/
number, at all events in variety and in value With
any similar collections known to our libraries. The
energy and zeal with which this undertaking, truly
national in its character, has been carried forward
are pronounced to be almost without a precedent ill
our literary annals, and in point of scholarship the
collection will bear comparisou with the collect i 0
of Guizot, of Muratori, of Pertz, or of Navarrete'
Church Music and Church Choirs" aro amply
discussed, and a brief memoir of St. Paula carrie3
us back from the turmoil of the nineteenth century
to the days of St. Jerome and the Christian house'
hold at Bethlehem. There is, as usual, a liberal
supply of literary criticisms and notices.
THE POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. No. 29. Bard'
wicke.—This very valuable and well-written quar-
terly presents us with an interesting title;page'
The subjects are calculated to attract the now.
scientific reader a 3 well as the professional student'
`‘ The Life of a Seel" must interest all who have
watched the wonderful development of the little
brown or yellow grain which some mysteriPe
agency converts into the gorgeous flower. << Iron
Shields and F00:8 " is the title of an article Which
deals with a very important topic. The particullre
given of the recent experiments are full of interest.
It is remarked that the most formidable attlek4
against the shields have been made by Briti3h
projectiles, which excel all others in penetrative
power. But since weapons of a similar class EOl
be brought against us ia future wars, it is well ic;
err upon the safe side and learn how to keep el%
the most powerful missiles extant. What 1
Wine?" is a question asked and answered by
Auguste Dupr6, lecturer on Chemistry in We l!'
minster Hospital. An account of the IGv
ster by Lieut. G. Mivart, F.L.S., will induce the
epicure to look with more attention to the organisil
tion of that creature, which is a striking example cl
the invertebrate class.
THE LONDON QUARTERLY REVIEW. —We have is
this number of the London an essay upon " Dlidale
Class Education," in which it is remarked that th°f
most important change which has taken place ao
late years in the education of the uniddie-class ha
been the application of the examination syste°,o.
The remarks on the education of girls at the el°'
o f the article are full of sense and justice. Iti6to
notable fact that the number of school endowpieetit
for girls is only 20, while for boys there are 0%0
3,000. Alexander Smith's "Last Leaves" i 8 t
subject of a memorid criticism, which renders f
30
Justice to the many excellent qualities of
Cri"
lamented poet. " Art Philosophy and Art 4,
cism" is an essay founded on the works 01
Taine, Mr. Ruskin, and other eminent art critltbe
"Folk Lore" supplies an entertaining article oil 1
myths, tales, and legends of various peoples, sa,
there are other papers of more or less merit.

tioo
Yesterday an order was received at CO' ye
from the Horse Guards directing 50 non-cooo',
sione 1 officers and gunners of the Royal Artilleuto
from the Ist division of the Depot Brigscle.'oo
embark to-morrow on board her Majesty's 11.6,
troopship Crocodile, 3, 700 horse power, CaPt:oio
W. D. Watson, for conveyance to Bombay, t°
the Royal Artillery in that Presidency. Lieut. ev
A. F. Nutt will embark in charge of the clet3.

punt. be
An order received at the head-quarters a 00
Royal Engineer Establishment, Chatham, clit:o3
that the whole of the non-commissioned officers o 1
men of the various grades of Royal Engineers
holding staff appointments at head cigar nred
Brompton Barracks, who have completed thei",ires
scribed period of 21 years' service, are to re"oo4
with the view to the promotion of other 1303‘c0,i0
missioned officers of the corps. This order1
,v,r4
affect between 40 and 50 non-commissioned
now holding staff appointments at the Royal j"

neer Establishment. th°
Lieutenant-Colonel W. A. Armstrong, fl9lllAlr
10th Depot Battalion, Shorncliffe, has bee— ti,c
r
pointel to the command of the infantry ail
troops at Gravesend, Tilbury, Miltov, 311',1
Tavern Fort, together with the detachments—ecleci•
duty in the various forts on the Thames, sat Iso
ing Lieutenant-Colonel W. L. Stewart, of
the
Depot Battalion, who has been appointed hu(lfoyet
command of the 13th Depot Battalion at reill'"
vice Col. Moone, deceased. A compli'nella
order was issued to the troops by Afajnr-(4°o- ad
Murray on Col. Stewart relinquishing bill' cc°
at Gravesend.