The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-07 00:00:00

NEW MONTHLY.

Leigh Hunt and Horace Smith, as usual, fill the
opening pages of the New Monthly. The contribu-
tion of the former is a graceful poem on " Godiva,"
inscribed to John hunter, " friend of Leigh Hunt's
verse, and lover (fall duty ;" and Horace Smith has
compiled, under the heading " Musings in my
Study," sundry interesting pieces of information and
suggestive thoughts. One of the most attractive
articles in this number is " The Barricade of the
Jager-Zeile, from the Rough Notes of One who Fought
there" on this occasion we read •
"Beco's activity was untiring. He allowed himself,
after the most unremitting labours, but three hours rest
at the utmost during the night, and he upheld the spirit
of the Mobile Guard by his frequent and cheering
peest nce when engaged with the enemy. Whenever an
observation was made to him upon the numerical weak-
nets of the effective force at command, a fact which,
without that, indeed, could not escape him, he always
replied: If we have only the will, we are strong: In
the latter days cf the siege he wholly neglected his open
wcattds, the dressing of which fur years had 13( ea ne-
cessary twice a day, as this always occupied above an
hour—a space of time which he felt he could not then
give to them."

Colonies and Colonization" is more liberal in its
tone than might have been expected from the New
Monthly. The following description of the gradual
formation of the British Constitution is sufficiently
correct, and perhaps accounts for its durable
nature :

" It is impossible to hear or read of the speculations
of the doctrinaire constitutionalists without recurring to
the history of our constitution. A leading feature of
that constitution is, that never for a gnat ter of a century
together has it remained the I.ame. For it is a very im-
peeect account of our system to define the functions of
our executive and the conjoint powers of our tripartite
legislature, and there leave the matter. Much of our
constitution is in the shape of actual statutes, much in
the traditions of common law—no little in the form of
ancient maxims. Altogether, its perfection has con-
sisted in its very variability—its adaptability to chong•
teg circumstances. It never was, like your modern con-
stitutional fabrics, a pre-arranged whole; but it has
always, except at precise periods of transition, been in
harmony with the social characteristics of the times.
Our barons of old were depositaries of real power b►fore
they came together as peers of the r( aim. When our
citizens grew bold and wealthy it was time that they
should share in the legislation of the country. When it
became convenient the legislature separated into two;
and no one can doubt that the separation was followed
by special advantages, which, however, like so many of
our constitional benefits, grew up, and fulfilled no pro-
phecy. When the Crown would retain or revive ancient
powers which the growing intelligence of men voted
irksome or degrading, the prerogatives of royalty were
brought within safe limits. But that excellent balancing'
supposed to exist in onr constitution can never be re-
ferred to the mere scheme itself. A British constitution,
without Britons, and the social combination of Britain,
might work very differently. The men and the ma-
chinery go together. In a royal power, a peerage,
and a third estate, there might be as much antagonism
as balancing—destructibility might be the characteristic
in place of durability. All that we can say is, that
such a policy works well with us. It has come to
what we see it through a long history, by slow and
almost imperceptible gradations ; and the depositaries
of power, by wisely refraining from an extreme exercise
of formal rights, at the same time that they keep
them ready for use, Lave preserved us at once free
and unrevolutionised."

Among the lighter articles there is nothing worth
especial notice; they will, doubtless, be found satis-
factory to those who read merely pour passer le temps.

UNITED SERVICE.
The first article in the United Service, " State
Trials in 1549, and Courts-Martial in 1849," contains
an ingenious parallel between the tyrannous practices
of three hundred years back, and the recent proceed-
ings at a court-martial "in the enlightened and
humane reign of Queen Victoria." Many stirring
narratives and interesting articles are contained in the
pages of this "journal."