The Sun.
London, England, 1844-06-19 00:00:00

WE 13,-N E S-DA-Y EVENING, JUNE 19, 1844.

LITERATURE.
WESTMINSTER REVIEW. No. LXXXI.
Clarke, London, 1844.
_ _

The first article in the Number before us is de- I
voted to a consideration of the public character and
conduct of the present Home Secretary, from the
period when he commenced his political career—now
nearly a quarter of a century since—as a Whiz "and
something more," down to the present day, when he
sits in a front seat on the Treasury benches as, an
official supporter of the Tory principle of legislation.
The night Hon. Baronet will assuredly not be'best
pleased with the comments which the Reviewer is
pleased to make on his various -changes in: politics;'
and still less with the numerous significant ettracts.
which he .gives from the once-well-known; but now,
almost_ whollY forgotten.- pamphlet, on "Corn and
Currency," which the Home Secretary published
the year 1826, and the principles advocated in which
he has long since seen cause to repridiate.- BUI
though the article is certainly severe, it is by no
means an unjust one ; and if it, blames his frequent
political inconsistency, it does justice to his temperate
and judicious management of the navy, when he was
First Lord of the Admiralty, under the Grey Admi.
ministration. " New Spirit of the Age" is a notice
of Mr. Horne's recently-published work under this
title. The Reviewer admits him to be a man of
talent, but denies him the possession of genius, .and
observes, in reference to his, fast quality :—" Genius,
that 'is, the power of creation, we take to be an ema-
nation of the divinity that shapes our ends, and can
no more work for hire than God himself could in the
creation of the world," Surely this is not the. fact.
Walter Scott. and Lord Byron were both men of
genius, yet both of them avowedly "worked for
hire;" so too did. Moore, when tempted by the bribe
of three thousand guineas to compose his splendid
poem of ":Lalla Rookh," Moreover, are not Brunel
and Stevenson, the engineers; men of genius, and _do
they not_ realise a handsnme fortune by the diligent
exercise of' that faculty ? In the majority of in•
stances our men of genius in modern times have been
men of the wOrldnlsO, who have no notion of giving
the rich fruits of their intellect to the world, except
for a handsome equivalent. " Alison's History of
Europe" is a thoughtful and carefully reasoned essay,
in -which the consummate military abilities of the
Emperor Napoleon—perhaps the greatest, master of
the art of war that the world ever saw—are alluded to
in a discriminating spirit. We must confess, how-
ever, that it is with no little difficulty that we bring
Ourselves to think otherwise than with horror and
detestation of these, magnificent military despots—
the wholesale plunderers and murderers of their fel-
low-creatures. In the . article on the " Affairs of
India" the Reviewer rejoices in the recal of Lord
Ellenborougb; and the appointment of his successor,
Sir Henry•Hardinge, " whose experience and firm-
ness of character," he says, " afford the promise 'of a
happy dawn to millions. We quote the following
sketch of the Home Secretary's character as a poli-
tician and a Minister:—

" On 'the whole review of Sir James Graham's po•
litical life and opinions, we find one point, and only one
(his championship, of the Irish Church being not per-
fectly clear of exceptions) from which, so far as we
know, he has never swerved :—viz., that the class of
mortgaged and indebted landowners are a class worthy
of special legislative protection. On this point, we
believe we may pronounce his public character to be
without spot or blemish of inconsistency. The doctrine
has shaped itself differently in his mind, at different
times : once it was the sponge, now it is the sliding-
scale, that must save the aristocracy,' preserve the
landowners' estates' from harpy creditors, and prevent
the landed property of England from changing hands:'
—but, however the means may have varied, the end has
always been, the same—either by adjustment of incum-
brances, or by protection of rents, to save insolvent
owners of land from breaking. This is Sir James Gra-
ham's strong point. This is the one light speck in the
general haze—the dot of terra firma in the chaos. Sir
James Graham may fairly boast that, amidst incon-
sistencies and self-contradictions without number, he has
always been consistent to the principle that the landed
aristocracy and gentry must have Acts of Parliament
put between them and their creditors—must have their
debts paid, or somehow provided for, at the public cost.
His -sympathies have been, through life, with a class
of men the most mischievous that any country can be
cursed with—the needy people of quality, the insolvent
lords and gentlemen, the opulent knaves, who cannot
live without their hands in other people's pockets. We
do not know what, if any, may be the Netherby Ba-
ronet's individual interest in the maintenance of this
doctrine of the right of landowners to have their debts
provided for by Act of Parliament, and have no disposi-
tion to inquire. Nor is it necessary to waste words in
discussing the honesty of it. The political morality
which protects and patronises the great opulent knave-
interest fitly accompanies the political religion which
stands up for the purity and integrity of the Church of
England in Ireland. These two are the only net pro-
duct that we can find of Sir James Graham's political

life. After striking out all the inconsistencies and con-
tradictions—balancing and neutralising every plus with
its corresponding minus—these are all that the equation
gives us. It would be scarcely fair to close our estimate
of Sir James Graham's political character, without ac-
knowledging that he possesses, in a high degree, many
of the qualities of a useful servant of the State, His
administrative abilities are, we believe, generally allowed,
by those who hare the best opportunities of judging, to
be of the first class. He is a ready, capable man, both
in office and in Parliament, with a fine talent for getting
through business. He made an excellent First Lord of
the Admiralty ; and improved the efficiency of the navy
while curtailing its expenditure. Although he refused
to abolish impressment, he placed two Acts on the
Statute Book calculated to diminish its necessity and mi-
tigate its practical 'oppressiveness. Unfortunately for
the public, his present share in the Ministerial cast of
parts is one in which mere administrative dexterity is
but a poor set- off against a shabby spirit, a rough tem-
per, and an unscrupulous partisan conscience. As a
Home Secretary, Sir James Graham is one of the worst
and most dangerous Ministers we have had these twenty
years."

HAND-BOOK FOR CENTRAL EUROPE.
Hughes, London, 1844.
The compiler of this volume, Mr. Coghlan, is well
known for, his numerous guide-books, which have
proved of great service to our tourists in the summer
and autumn seasons. His present work is on a
larger scale than any of his preceding ones, and con-
tains minute, practical directions for travellers through
Belgium, Holland, the Rhine, Germany, Switzerland,
and France, together with a full description of Paris,
the Channel Islands, and the fashionable continental
spas, and a list of the steam-packets to and from ali
the foreign ports.

LIVES OF THE QUEENS OF ENGLAND

Vet VII. Colburn, London, 1844.
The Life of Queen Elizabeth, with which the
authoress, aware of the interest and importance of the
subject, has taken unusual pains, is brought to a close
in this volume. It is by far the completest and most
circumstantial biography that we have yet met with,
of this great Sovereign ; and it possesses the additional
recommendation of being wholly free from anything
like fulsome eulogium. The documentary evidence
brought forward by the authoress is exceedingly
copious, and much of it will be new to the majority
of our readers; but the most interesting portion of
the work is that which describes the death-bed of
Elizabeth, and the intrigues of the Ministers and the
courtiers the instant they became aware of the utter
hopelessness of her recovery. The portrait of the
Queen, prefixed by way of frontispiece to the
memoir, represents her as being much more comely
in feature than she.has been generally supposed to be.

TRAVELS IN KORDOFAN.
Madden, London, 1844.
From the preface to this volume of travels we learn
that the author, Mr. Ignatius Pallme, a Bohemian by
birth, undertook ,the journey to Kordofan, of which
he here professes to give an account, on commission
for a mercantile establishment at Cairo, in the hope of
discovering new channels of traffic with Central
Africa. In the pursuit of his object, he remained
longer in the country than. any European had ever
done before him ; and the information which he fur-
nishes us with respecting the existing condition of
this province of Egypt may consequently be looked on
as strictly. authentic. But though M. Pallme's volume
abounds in useful information, it is not, generally
speaking, very entertaining in its Character,. for the
author's mode of narration is dry and matter-of-fact,
and he lays too much stress on matters of trivial mo-
ment. His account of the present state of slaves in
Kordofan will be read with attention by those inte-
rested in this most complicated and difficult question,
which seems to bid defiance to all attempts at a satis-
factory settlement; but we prefer quoting instead his
description of the Sheikhs or saints who, it appears,
are treated with a world of respect, not to say, rever-
ence, throughout the entire province of Kordofan :
" These Sheikhs, or saints, are what we call idiots.
They are unfortunate beings, who, although neglected
by nature, are considered in this country as:direct apostles
from God, to inform the children of men of their destiny.
These poor wretches are all but idolized, every one
• being anxious to show them the utmost respect. When
they walk out in the streets, they are stopped by old and
young; who kiss their face, hands, and even their feet,
and offer them everything they wish for. Beings of this
description are generally very apathetic, and accept little
or nothing; they are, in fact, generally to be met dressed
in the most disgusting clothes, in rags, or utterly naked,
although they would be provided with the finest raiment
if they merely expressed the slightest wish. Their
parents, sisters, or other relations, on the other hand,
know how to turn their misfortune to the best account,
and accept considerable presents for their intercession
with these saints, or for procuring others an opportunity
of consulting this oracle. They give the most absurd
and ridiculous answers to questions that are put to them,
partly as a consequence of their fatuity, and partly be-
cause taught to do so; it is, indeed, scarcely possible at
times to guess at their meaning. The more absurd the
answer, the more contented is the party interested; and
absolutely delighted, if he can only-make out n single
word of the whole rhodomontade, which in the slightest
agrees with his wishes. To these saints the women
flock in numbers to beg for fertility. Besides these
Sheikhs, there are others, and Fakeers, who write
A amulets, which the women wear on their arms, or heads,

firmly believing that their most-fervent wishes will be
then fulfilled. The latter profession ig•ekceedingly Inuit=
five; and I hitve seen several persons who have made a
,small fortune in this manner, and very well understood
the art of imposing on the people, and of persuading
them to purchase a fresh charm, • although experience
must have convinced them of the futility of.the last."

MISSION TO THE COURT OF VIENNA.
Longman, London, 1844.
The diplomatic mission to Vienna, of which this
volume furnishes us with a memoir, was undertaken
by the Right lion. Sir Robert Adair, at a most
critical period in our history—namely, the year 1806,
shortly after Pitt's. death, and when Fox had just
'succeeded to office as -Foreign Secretary of State.
The volume consists • for the most part of official
documents, bearing on the negotiations between this
*country and Austria, whose power had been recently
crippled by the decisive battle of Austerlitz ; but
some
supplying admirable authentic materials of
some future historian of that feverish period, when
an apprehension of the ambitious views of Napoleon
was the one general feeling of Europe, yet these
documents. will be of little interest to the -majority of
readers, for they are, with few exceptions, dry,
business-like State dispatches, whose tact and
sagacity can only be appreciated by those who are
conversant with the complicated politics -of thosse
times. Sir Robert Adair appears to have acquitted
himself with signal dexterity in his diplomatic mis-
sion, and possessed the most full and entire confidence
of Fox, of whose principles he was a cordial supporter,
and of whose foreign policy the volume before us may
in some degree be considered as the defence. It is
dedicated to Lord Grey in a brief address, wherein
the . author gracefully and touchingly observes,
" accept the work in the name of our fifty years'
friendship, increasing on my side in veneration as life
and its business recede from me ;" and is introduced
by a neat, sententious preface, in the course of which
Sir Robert Adair explains the reasons that induced a
large portion of the upper and middle classes to re-
gard Mr. Fox as the advocate of unconstitutional and
revolutionary principles.

THE HEIGHT-OF IMPUDENCE!

Many illustrations of this phrase will doubtless belamilcar
to our readers, but we believe it was scarcely ever so success-
fully realised as at the Mansion-house yesterday.
The King of Saxony had honoured the Lord Mayor with
his preSencent a collation, at which a very small party of
private, friends were invited, to meet his Majesty. Judge what
must have been the surprise of his Majesty and of his hos-
pitable host, when, in the midst of the repast, the folding
doors were thrown open, and without any further announce-
ment than the exclamation of an usher, A deputation, my
Lord," Sir Peter Lahrie and Mr. Masterman presented
themselves to the astonished company. The Lord Mayor,
in evident amazement, begged to know to what accident he
was indebted for the unexpected intrusion, and Mr. Master-
man explained that the object was to request the presence
of the King of Saxony at the ceremonial of opening the
statue of_the Duke of Wellington to the public. The Lord
Mayor suggested that .no preparations had been made.
" Oh !• never mind;" quoth Sir Peter, " I know the King
is a very active 'man, for I saw that when he lately
went over Bedlam with me." With singular propriety,
Sir Peter has a good deal to do with that establishment.
Again-the Lord Mayor urged that his Majesty was taken
by surprise, and requested " the deputation " to retire to
another room; when -an answer should be sent to them.
But Sir Peter, showed no inclination to " leave the warm
precincts of the eheerfur dining-room, and repeated that
" the King was an active man," adding, that there must be
no delay, as "all the people were waiting." It was evidently
of no use to resist further, though the Lord Mayor hinted the
necessity of ordering the carriages. No carriages, however,
would be permitted by the bustling Sir Peter. He insisted
that the King must walk, and he would he responsible for
his Majesty's safety! Accordingly, in spite of the exertions
of the Chief Magistrate to put an end to this unwarrautable
intrusion on his Royal guest, and on the privacy of a few
personal friends, the illustrious visitor was dragged to the
site of the statue, amidst the pressure of a crowd which the
City Police either could net, or would not, keep, at a decent
distance—through a throng of journeymen masons, and over
heaps of rubbish, to the spot where Sir Peter Laurie's pet
effigy of the Duke was erected. There the King of Saxony
was forced to stand through the delivery of an oration by
Mr. Lambert Jones, with which his Majesty must have been
extremely edified; and at the conclusion of this speech the
Royal victim had again to wend,his way back to the Man-
sion-house, from which he had been so ruthlessly- dragged,
and was at length left at liberty to conclude his repast.
What an exalted notion his Majesty will carry home with
him of the gravity and decorum of a -London" deputation."
The patience exhibited by the King, under this infliction,
was only surpassed by the condescension and affability with
which he accepted the elegant hospitality of the Lord
Mayor, and exhibited generally during his visit to the City.
—Post.