The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-02 00:00:00

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE.

The Dublin University Magazine for this month
does not possess its usual average of interesting
matter. The first article is a review of Mr. Petrie's
work on the vexata questio of the Irish Round Towers,
in which the reviewer and the author are of accord,
assigning to them, and we think justly, a Christian
origin • and an ecclesiastical purpose. Seeing, how-
ever, that many who have investigated the subject
with great care, and amongst others the learned
O'Connor, have given to them a very different object
and a far higher origin, we think the reviewer's opinions
too dogmatically expressed. Of much more conse-
quence than the solution of the Round Tower con-
troversy is the belief to which the investigations into
this subject have led that the Irish were in possession
of a style of architecture prior to the Norman inva-
sion, which, if satisfactorily proved, would establish
the fact of that high civilization which tradition and
the Irish records that remain assert was possessed by
the Irish when England was sunk in profound dark-
ness and heathenism. From the' Poetical Remains
of the late Mrs. James Gray" some portions are
given which indicate a fine moral feeling and a high
religious sentiment, rather than a lofty poetic faculty.
" Walter and Mabel" is a tale, the common stale tale
of love and the broken heart. There is a happy cor-
respondence, however, between the triteness of
the story and the language,—as " the lamp
of life seemed flickering in its socket
like the last fitful rays of an expiring taper."
" Bernardo Tasso" is the first of a series of articles
on the Italian poets. Such a series, if well executed
might be made highly interesting; but, judging from
the specimen before us, we do not expect the writer
of it will succeed in accomplishing that object. It is
true he says he is writing at a distance from books,
and can do little more at present than communicate
his intention of future papers ; but it would be just
as well if he deferred a beginning till he was really
prepared to begin. The account of Bernardo Tasso
is consequently confined to a few dates, while the
style and character of his poetry are altogether
passed over. His large work, ,the "Amadigi," con-
sisting of a hundred cantos, is certainly not a great
work, but it is giving a very erroneous impression of
it when it is said of it "it indeed exists.' It is a mere
translation of the Amadisde Gaul, with some additions
of his own ; but it is classified with the Morgante of
Pulci, and the two Orlandos eif Boiardo and Ariosto
(though certainly inferior to'. them in all respects),
which are called by Crescinibeni, "1 bellasimi ronianzi."
Some of his sonnets, also, as that on the death of
Charles V., are beautiful; and he composed pastorals
and other poems, which had success. lie would have
had a greater name if a greater Tasso, his son, did not
exist. "The System of Positive Philosophy" is an
attempt to analyse Mr. Compte's " Discourse" upon
the system (of which he is himself the author),
which that learned person delivered, last year, in
Paris. The writer has not succeeded in giving a
lucid exposition of a very abstract subject. " The
Rail versus the Road " details a laughable
adventure on the railroad to Versailles. " The
Land Commission in Ireland " affords the
writer of an article with this heading an oppor-
tunity of crying up the virtues, the patience,
and kind-heartedness of Irish landlords—especially
those of them who have been most active in display-
ing their anti-liberal feelings. The writer thinks
that there ought to be no commission till agrarian
outrages were put an end to—that is, that there
ought to be no attempt at a remedy till the evil was
gone! There is much truth, however, in the remark,
" that the great want of Ireland is the want of
wants." " The Empire and the Consulate "is a
well-tempered article on M. Thiers' work. Like
other critics in this country, the writer finds fault
with M. Thiers' estimate of Pitt and his policy. But
is not M. Thiers right ? We have got Waterloo ;
true, out have we not paid too much for the "famous
victory ?" We have sti- budgets, but no Bour-
bons. We would fearlessly put it to any Englishman
—except, perhaps, the Duke of Newcastle—whether
he would purchase again the same results at the same
)rice ? " The Nevilles of Garrettstown" coritinues to
,ncrease in interest and effect.

DOLMAN'S MAGAZINE.
The second Number of this Magazine continues to
realise the promise of its first. Some of its articles
are clearly from experienced pens, and its fine Cat
_ts
Crimes;'
spirit is even better than its literary merit.
first article this month, " Vices, Sins, and
demonstrates, in clear and almost axiomatic e
g
phrase-
ology, the absurdity and wieked.nhess f
the mainte-
vernmental power interfering
nance of theological opinions,
or ridiculous. " The morality
howeverand religious
erroneous
"are in relation
faith of every one," says the
.writer,
actions are under the su-
to his own conscience : his ac
office it is to p
perintendence of the whose State,
detrimental to the ro"
vide that they shall not be State at
large, nor to any
member or members of the commu-
nity." How happy. had it been for mankind if states-
men always recognised and acted upon this simple
truth. Deorum injuria diis eurce appears blasphemy
only to those who have an interest in religious
ascendancy. God needs neither Pope nor Prelate to
wield his bolts. In " The Tractarian Movement" the
writer discusses the probability of a change in the
religious opinions of the people of England in conse-
quence of the Oxford movement, with great ingenuity
and learning, but we think him too sanguine in his
expectation. It is worth while to hear the • •
opinion of
a learned Rotnon Catholic on a point which stares
every one in the face who at all considers the move-
ment :—" Without intending for a moment to im-
peach the sincerity of its authors, and with the ut-
most respect for their virtues, talents, and learning,
we do not hesitate to affirm, that the system of inter-
pretation adopted of late years for reconciling the
thirty-nine Articles with the doctrine of the Council
of Trent, is one so forced, unnatural, false, and absurd,
that if tolerated it would render the intercourse be-
tween men a snare and a cheat, and all language
itself a mockery." One of the advantages which the
writer attributes to the Oxford movement is, that it
has imparted a " better theology and a more spiritual
philosophy" to the University itself, which had