The Sun.
London, England, 1828-12-01 00:00:00

MAGAZfisit DAY.

NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

•
There is mere than . its ordinary variety and
amusement its this 'fashionable and popular pe
riodical. 1-‘ A..a y at Cambridge.. is locally
higher
correct, but aspires-apparently to no object:
We give the follavVing specimen of its remarks on
Xing's. College ; if not particularly brilliant, they
are judicious
Passing the eye onward towards the left, it rests upon
what is not merely the great architectural boast and glory
of this University, but what may be looked upon as one of
the most beautiful and perfect objects of its class now in
existence : we. mean King's College Chapel. Perhaps
the spot whereon We are now standing presents as good
an occasion as can, any where be found of comparing the
general characteristics and effects of the modern Gothic
and the classiCal styles of architecture, and of estimating
the relative merits of each... Assuredly, we have no wish
to institute' any such comparison at the present moment,
nor would it he in place.if we had. But still we cannot
resist the temptation of pointing out the triumphant supe-
riority, of the one style over the other, so far as the in-
stances here presenting themselves are concerned. We do
not knowvehere to point out a more perfect example, and
a more effective one for its size, of the Roman or classical
style, than we havt here before us iu the Cambridge Senate
House. We are speaking, of course, of. modern existing
erections, and not of the superb 'remains of the Greek
temples, whether in Greece or elsewhere. But let the
spectator who is interested in these matters turn from
the classical Senate House to the Gothic Chapel of King's
College, and let him admit at once, for he cannot deny,
the vast superiority of- the latter, in every respect con-
nected with singleness and beauty of external effect.
There is, notwithstanding a certain impression of small-
ness, a majestic solidity and grandeur of general effect
about the Senate House,. which is not to be denied or
overlooked. But the eye refuses to rest upon and con-
template this effect for more than a passing moment,
while in presence of its exquisite rival, whose beauties,
whether of shnplicitytr of ornament, of airy lightness or
of immovable and majestic gravity, rivet and fascinate the
senses, and produce together a general unity, consistency,
and appropriateness of effect, which, when once received,
can never be forgotten. There is a certain bland and
graceful sweetness, so to speak, about this building, which
we can compare to nothing but the living and' breathing
loveliness of a certain class of female forms and faces. We
arc tempted to believe that something like this general im-
pression was produced upon the spectator by tome of the
ancient Greek temples, erected previous to and (luring the
era of Pericles. But we do not believe that such impres-
sion has attended the contemplation of any specimens of
classical architecture erected since, or of any other build-
ings whatsoever, only excepting some few of the modern
Gothic ones; and of those only among the latter which can
he seen under favourable circumstances of position, preserva-
tion, &e. To see a building of this kind to the best ad-
vantage, it must be detached from all other buildings, it
must be in perfect general preservation, and you -must see
the whole of it at once, and from a particular point of
view, which shall take in the end and the flank at the same
time.

The " Fancy Ball " is an elegant little gem,
in verse, remarkable for its ease and sprightliness.
Sketches of the Irish Priesthood," from the
pen, w•e presume, of Mr. Sheil, teems with in-
teresting information, put forward in an energetic
and serious manner. It cannot fail to be ad-
mired. " Self-love and Benevolence " is a
showy specimen of metaphysical ingenuity.
" London Lyrics" is lively, and as it is luckily
short we extract it :-,--
L6NDON LYRICS.
MERCHANT TAILORS' SCHOOL.
At Merchant Tailors' School, what time
Old Bishop held the rod,
The boys rehearsed the old man's rhyme
Whilst he would smile and nod.
Apart I view'd a little child
Who join'd not in the game :
His face was what mammas call mild
And fathers dull and tame.
Pitying the boy, I thus address'd
The pedagogue of verse :
" Why doth he not, Sir, liku the rest,
Your epigrams rehearse?"
" Sir!" answered thus the aged man,
" He's not in Nature's debt ;
His ears so tight are seal'd, he can-
Not learn his alphabet."

" Why not ?" I cried ;—whereat to me
He spoke in minor clef :
" He cannot learn his A, B, C,
Because he 's D, E, F."
Our limits prevent us going further into de-
tail on the subject of this Magazine. It de-
serves however the general praise, that its pe-
rusal will be attended with pleasure, and in one
or two instances with profit.

BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE.

'PARE I.

This twin number is as usual filled with acri-
monious declamations against the Papists. They
show themselves in every possible shape and va-
riety : they poison the convivial spirit of the
" Noetes ..AmbrOsianze," degrade. the humour
of the " Three Years at Oxford," and are every
where revolting and common-place. " Ireland.
as It Is" professes to improve that distracted
country by improving its manufactures, and
discountenancing emigration. So far so
good ; the only defect in this project is,.
that it is impracticable. It is not a week
since Mr. Rosson, a well-informed experi-
enced lawyer, asserted at a, public meeting,
that some eminent merchants of Liverpool, Lon-
don, and Manchester, bad . commissioned him
to proceed to Ireland, for the express purpOse of
entering upon seine commercial speculations
with that country. They, observed that they
wanted no immediate return of capital ; their
means would allow them to wait for a harvest
however late, provided only, they could have se-
curity for their outlay. After much investiga-
tion into the subject, after - travelling • through
Ireland for the express purpose of making
himself acquainted with .. the:. probable issue
of such commercial speculations, Mr. Rosson,
backed by the authority of others as well as his
Own practiCal experience, Was compelled to in-
form his employers:that success . in. the present
distracted state Of . Ireland was not merely pro-
blematical,. it was, 'impossible. ' 'The 'Merchants
accordingly abandoned. the 'scheme. Now what
will the writer in Blackwood say to this plain
-unvarnished fact ? Will he deny it, no ; -he
cannot. Will he refute it ; refutation is equally
*possible. , What then will .he do ?.. Pass it
over of 'course,. and proceed to his next chapter.
The " Noctes," bating the unwelcome' intro-
4nc
, .
tion of politics,. is • lively and humorous, the
,disaster in particular attending the inundation of
the Haggis' sauce is remarkable for its ludicrous
vein 'of etaggeration, and reminds us of the
deluge Which accompanied one of the physical
freaks
.of Rabelais's giant Pantagruel. " Buy a 1111
Broom" is a tale' of infinite power and interest; 1
we have seldoni read so enchaining a fiction
it will undoubtedly be dramatised.. " The
Wife's Trial," a dramatic sketch, by C. Lamb,
is so richly (not servilely) imbued with the spirit
of the Elizabethan writers, tlt it might readily
pass for a newly discovered MS.' of old 'Hey-