The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-25 00:00:00

LODGE'S PORTRAITS. Vol. VIII.

The last volume of this excellent and cheap edition
of a valuable work has now appeared. Eight vo-
lumes of Bohn's " Illustrated Library" have sue
cessively presented us with thirty beautiful engraved
likenesses, and as many interesting biographies of
the most remarkable individuals of modern times—a
work already celebrated under the name of " Lodge's
Portraits," but now for the first time placed, by its
moderate price, within reach of general popularity.
Among the personages noticed in the volume now be.
fore us are Walter Scott and the Princess Charlotte,
Lord Nelson, Lord Rodney, Sir Ralph Abercrornby,
William Pitt, Charles James Fox, and the
Duke of Wellington—the only individual in
this memorable gallery of portraits yet num-
bered among the living. From this list which
mentions only a few out of the thirty—all interesting
—subjects it will be seen that the last volume of the
series is in no way inferior to its predecessors. As
regards the excellence and elegance of the type, paper,
binding, and " getting up " of this work it is quite
unnecessary to speak, all Mr. Bohn's beautiful " Li-
braries" being no less remarkable for their excellence
in these particulars than they are for the value of the
various works which they contain, or for the
moderate rate at which they introduce them to the
public.

PRESCOT7' S CONQUEST of PERU. Vol. 3.
This, the third volume, concludes this edition of
Prescott's history of Peru, one of his most brilliant
and delightful works. The civil wars of the con-
querors and the ultimate pacification of the conquered
country are the themes more especially dwelt upon
in the chapters of this volume, which is rendered most
interesting on account of the variety of the ad-
ventures and vicissitudes, and of the peculiarity of the
characters which it describes. Two characters, who
figure prominently in the concluding portion of the
history, appear more peculiar and more attractive by
their vivid contrast to each other. Gonzalo Pizarro
(the brother of the conqueror) is a very Murat
in gallantry, and a Rupert in recklessness, whereas
Gasca, the President, and the pacificator, whose cha-
racter is sketched with a masterly hand, is entirely
dissimilar. Of him we are told—" A distinguishing
feature of his mind was his common sense, the best
substitute for genius in a ruler who has the
destinies of his fellow-men at his disposal, and more
indispensable than genius itself. In Gasca the diffe-
rent qualities were blended in such harmony that
there was no room for excess—they seemed to regulate
each other. While his sympathy with mankind
taught him the nature of their wants, his reason sug-
gested to what extent these were capable of relief,
us well as the best mode of effecting it. He did not
waste his strength on illusory schemes of benevo-
lence, like Las Cases, on the one hand, nor did he
countenance the selfish policy of the colonists on the
other. He aimed at the practicable—the greatest
good practicable. *
There are some men whosa characters have been so
wonderfully adapted to the peculiar criies in which they
appeared, that they seem to have been especially de-
signed for it by Providence. Such was Washington in
the United States, and Gasca in Peru. We can conceive
of individuals with higher qualities, at least with higher
intellectual qualities, than belonged to either of these
great men. But it was the wonderful conformity of
their characters to the exigencies of their situation, the
perfect adaptation of the means to the end that consti-
tuted the secret of their success; that enabled Gasca so
gloriously to crush revolution, and Washington still more
gloriously to achieve it."

JULIA _HOWARD : a Novel.
Martin. 3 Vols.

By Mrs. Bell

Written by an Irish band, and filled with descrip-
tions of Irish scenes and Irish characters, "Julia
Howard" is throughout suffused with the freshness
and warmth and animus so characteristic of the Eme-
rald Isle and its inhabitants. "Julia Howard," how-
ever, bears no resemblance to those spirited serio-
comic sketches of Hibernian life which have rendered
the writings of Lever popular favourites. The story
related in its pages is supposed to have occurred many
years back, even in the days of the Empress Queen
Maria Theress, among whose soldiers the hero of the
tale, an exile of Erin, 14 proud to be numbered. A
considerable portion of the narrative relates to the
wanderings of the soldier-hero in Germany,
and these chapters contrast well with the Irish
scenes. The name of the authoress is affixed to the
title-page, or we should hardly have fancied "Julia
Howard" the work of a lady's pen. In the trials of
Allastor O'Connor and Julia Howard she has endea-
voured to depict, and nut without success, the undy-
ing character of true affection ; still few readers will
think that her love-story tends to elevate the cha-
racter of love. The little history of the dying Alma,
with her purity and unselfish devotion, is by far the
most attractive portion of the tale, and by the effect
of contrast it disposes us to look less favourably on
the passionate scenes which are occasionally intro-
duced into the otherwise interesting pages of " Julia
Howard."

NEW CHURCH, GREAT EALING, MIDDLESEX.—
interest on
The foundation-stone of a new church, about to be erected in
c‘r%e' aast e Ida
id Much
of Christian liberality under which the good work. has been
onisTlonicorasdsiaoyn,
frtohme
tlhlothriirnosotm.
commenced. Miss Lewis, the foundress, laid the first stone
in the presence of the Vicar of Ealing-, some of the neigh-
bouring clergy, and a large number of the inhabitants, as
well as of her personal triends. The church is proposed to
be a handsome building in the Decorated style worthy the
present age of revived ecclesiastical architecture. The de-
signs have been prepared by Mr. G. G. Scott. The church is
to accommodate 800 persons, and will cost in the whole
about 7,000/. We understand that Miss Lewis is the only
sister of the gentleman who died last autumn, and by his
will bequeathed a portrait and a reversionary legacy of
10,0001. to the National Gallery. —Builder.
TILE NEPAULESE ANIDASSADOR.—His Excellency
the Nepaulese Ambassador and suite propose leaving for
Dublin, on Iklonday, with a view of making a tour through
Ireland. It is expected that after visiting Belfast and the
northern districts they will cross to Scetland. His Excel-
lency will leave for the East about the latter end of nest
month.