The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-01 00:00:00

MAGAZINE DAY.
BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE.

We have in this number an impartial, able, and, we
may add, fascinating account of Montesquieu, one of the
Most remarkable political and constitutional writers that
had done honour to France. Frenchmen are not esti-
mated in this country according to their merits. The
vulgar prejudice is against them. They are considered
by certain classes as superficial, vain, arrogant, and ad-
dicied to display rather than to the productions of works
useful to society. Never did national prejudice commit
stash a grievous error. It would be diffi6ult to point out
any other country in which men appeared so justly ce-
lebrated for great talent and original conceptions, whe-
ther as regards philosophy, history, mathematics, the
arts of war, or the arts of peace. If we except pie( try,
Frenchmen have distinguished themselves in every path
frequented by civilised nations. Till Hume arose we
had no good history of England but that written by a
Frenchman. Descartes was long and justly the idol of
moral philosophers in every part of Europe, Montesquieu
has no equal in his line. Its chemical discoveries they
took the lead, and in the arts of war, the most difficult
perhaps that can occupy the human mind, the French
Marshals became models for the study of men destineil
to comdlaed armies. It is needless to recount their
names. In modern times they have still retained their
superiority. Laplace and others of the same school
have, it is true, followed in the path of Newton, but they
have made discoveries only eclipsed by his divine genius.
Voltaire furnished the first idea of writing history so
as to make it useful, their preachers have furnished the
most p, riect specimens of pulpit eloquence, their kings,
to), excelled in their peculiar art, and the Court of Louie
the XIV., was looked up to by European Sovereigns es
the best model for imitation. Even during the awful
convulsions of the Revolution, men of more than ordi-
nary ability were constantly appearing in the scene, till.
by their combined energy, ability, andoriginality of plans
they had compelled every neighbouring State to admit
taeir superiority. We are, therefore, glad to find qne
of the bright lights of that country made the subject of
an essay by a Tory periodical, and still more glad that
full justice is done to his merit. Indeed, the liberal and
sound views of that distinguished writer, seem to have
made a deep impression upon the hitherto bigoted fol-
lower of the old Tory leaders, who would give the people
no power whatever, but concentrate the whole govern
ment of the country in the hands of the nobles and the
wealthy classes. In commenting on the remarks i f
Montesquieu, respecting the division of the Romsn
people into centuries by Servius Tullius to carry out the
representative system, the writer throws his old friends
entirely overheard, and proposes a scheme, which
neither Grey nor Brougham had the courage to ad-
vance. "In truth," says he, "it deserves consideration
by those who think on human affairs, and the probable
form of government which may be expected to prevail
to future among men, whether universal suffrage Is the
real evil to be dreaded; and whether equality of suffrage
is not the real poison which destroys society. Abstractly
considered, there is much justice in the plea so con-
stantly advanced by the working classes, that being
members of the commttuity, and contributing to its sup
Fort or opulence by their labour, they are entitled to a
certain v( i eis the direction of its affairs. If no one has
a voice at all but the sovereign, as in a despotism, or
no one except a few magnates, as in an aristocracy, the
humbler classes cannot complain at least of inconsist-
ency, whatever they may of injustice, if they are ex-
cluded. But if, a vast body of electors. as in Great
Britain, are admitted, and stdl the great bulk of the
working-classes are excluded, it is not easy to see on
what principle the exclusion of some can be rendered
consistent with the admission of others. It deserves
consideration whether the true principle would not be to
give every able-bodied working man, major and not re-
ceiving parochial relief, a vote, but a vote of much lees
weight than his superiors in intelligence, property, or
station. This might be done either as the Romans did,
by making the votes be taken by centuries, and classing
all the votes of the poorer electors in a limited number
of centuries, or giving each man a personal vote, and
giving the holders of property, in addition, more votes
fir their property ; as one for every pound of direct
taxes paid."
This is a new feature in Maga, and leads us to be-
lieve that in a very short time it will become one of the
moat liberal magazines of the day, and beat Regina in
political revolutions. North has left off for a time his
dissertations on English poets, and is better employed
possibly in rural amusements and exercises. These
specimens were not in his best style even at first, and
latterly became rather dull and uninteresting. We there-
fore do not regret the vacation. In the present number
there is the conclusion of another long subject " Mars-
ton, or the Memoirs of a Statesman," for which we look
forward to a good substitute. The biographical sketch
of Frank Abney Hastings is fell of interest, and we will
not spoil it by an abridgment. It furnishes a sad proof
of the tyrannical and rude conduct which unfortunately
distinguishes many of our naval commanders, and of the
fate of those whose spirit rebels against it. There are
some tolerable pieces of poetry in the number, from
which we select the follossing for its peculiar character.
The " Opium Ester," when tormented with the blue
devils, could not have written anything more gloomy:--

A 3IEDITATION.
Some hidden disappointment clings
To all of man—to all his schemes,
And life has little fair it brings, ,
Save idle dreams.

The peace that may be ours to-day,
Scarce heed we, looking for the morrow;
The slighted moments steal away,
And then comes sorrow.

The light of promise that maz flow
Ere fruit hath riper)'d forth to show,
Is quench'd in gloom.
The rapture softest blush imparts,
Dies with the bloom that fades away,
And glory from the wave departs
At close of day.

Where we have garner'd up our hearts,
And fixed our earnest love and trust,
The very life-blood thence departs,
And all his dust.
Then, Nature, let us turn to thee;
For in thy countless changes thou
Still bearest immortality
Upon thy brow.
Thy seasons, in their endless round
Of sunshine, tempest, calm, or blight,
Yet leave thee like an empress crown'd
With jewels bright.

Thy very storms are life to thee,
'Ti: but a sleep thy seeming death;
'We see thee wake in flower and tree
At spring's soft breath.

We view the ruin of our youth,
Decay's wan trace on all we cherish ;
But thou, in thine unfailing truth,
Canst never perish.

BENTLEYS MISCELLANY.

This is an excellent Number of Bentley. There is not
a paper in it but what is considerably above the average
standard of usual magazine literature. Albert Smith
opens the number with the "Marchioness of Brinvilliers."
The present chapters describe most graphically the cir-
csms:ances attending her flight from Paris after the
discovery of the casket of poison at the house of St.
Croix, and the pursuit after her by the officers of jus-
lice. The gaol chaplain continues his reminiscences,
and D. Canter gives us the seventh of his amusing" Out-
pourings." The present, from which we extract the fol-
lowitr', anecdote, relates almost solely to poor Power:—
" On entering the drawing-room in King-street one
morning, I found Power fighting the air furiously with the
poker. Dubious of his sanity, I paused on the threshold.
"'Oh ! come in,' cried he, laughing. 'Don't be afraid.
I.lfn only rehearsing.
"' Rehearsing?'

44 Yes; a little part I expect to be called on to play in the
course of the morning. There's a fellow going about—some
reptile, belonging to a periodical just started, who's engaged
to write our biographies. He called on C— yesterday for
hush-money, and I hare no doubt he'll be at me. If I find
be means to attempt my life, I mean to return the compli-
ment ; so I'm just getting my hand in a little—ha! ha! ha 1
That's all.' .

"It appeared that C- was at breakfast when a stranger
was announced.

" ' Mr. C--,' said the latter, 'l'm engaged to write
your •life in the forthcoming number of The —. Now,
there are two ways of doing this. I can either write you up,
or—'

"' Or write me down, I suppose,' said C—.
"*TheAtranger smiled, drew his chair closer, and whispered
somethi into C—'s ear.
"' Good Heavens l' exclaimed C—, turning pale, 'you
wouldn't tell that ! If it got into print just now, I should be
ruined—l should never be allowed to appear on the London
boards again !'

wa., is, and has always been, a highly re-
spectable man. But—
" 'Nemo mortalitim omnibus horis sapit.'
There are passages in every man's life which, on the prin-
ciple of the three crows, may be represented to his prejudice.
The stranger's whisper referred to some youthful peccadillo,
but which C--- saw, properly
venial enough is itself,
vamped tia and peppered, might ruin him in the present
state of public feeling, which, owing to circumstances, hap-
pened, just at that precise period, to run strongly against the
stage and its prefessors.
"' I've no wish to injure you, or hurt your feelings,' re-
sumed the stranger; ' but my duty to the public—'
" ' What's your price?' interrupted C—, who saw the
necessity of propitiating him. 'How much am Ito give you
to suppress-it?'
" Two hundred pounds!' returned the. other, encouraged
by C—'s fears.
" The amount startled C—. It recalled him to his
better self. Ile did now what he ought to have done
the moment he comprehended the motive of the man's visit
—ordered him out of the house, and refused to give him one
farthing.
" C-- mentioned the matter next morning to Sir Richard
Ilirnte, adding, ' I'd a great mind, Sir Richard, to have
kicked the rascal tut.'
' Why didn't you ?' exclaimed the indignant magistrate;
he'd have got co redress if he'd coarajo me "
It is to be hoped that, for the futirrall those who may
be pestered by any of the money extorting vermin, who
an arm like unclean things about the literary lower em-
pire, will the example of Power, and provide
themselves with a stout cudgel, and they may rely upon
it that there is not a magistrate on the bench who would
not, undi r similar eireumsta.eces, be ready to follow the
exam; le of Sir Richard Birnie. The subject of gaming
is treated of hi*torically in a paper entitled " Gaming,
Gaming-house 3, and Gamesters," which is replete with
anecdotes of celebrated gamesters and gaming-places.
The " Unfinished Picture is a delightful reverie, by.
Charles Kenney, so delightful, that we hope Mr. Kenney
will soon dream again, and communicate the result to
Bentley. The remaining articles are all very amusing,
and as we commenced we conclude. 'I his is an excellent
Number of Bentley.