The Sun.
London, England, 1828-08-01 00:00:00

NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE

'lr. Campbell's ‘, Letter to the Students of
Glasgow" is, as usual, well and elaborately
written : the information it contains is derived
from many sources, but the description and the
sentiment arc all the author's own. There is
much spirit and even eloquence, chastised, how-
ever, by a severe good taste, in the following
observations on ancient and modern Rome.—
The subject is far from new, yet will bear repe-
tition :

From this imagined excursion over Italy I return with
you to Rome. The traveller, I have heard, is at first apt
to be so struck by the present grandeur of the Eternal City,
as to be detained for a while from tracing its ruins, or
figuring to himself its ancient aspect. He goes to St.
Peter's, and luxuriates amid the rich marble pavements of
that holy place—the paintings ofthe cupolas—the gorgeous
bronze of its altars—the gilding of its panelled vaults—
the
mosaics of its domes—its naves, its aisles, its transepts,
and expanding vistjs-and the harmony of its whole colos-
sal proportiens. He hears the anthem of the Sistine
Chapel roll its ocean of music,—
" Till visions crowd the rapt enthusiast's glance,
And all the scene becomes a waking trance ;"
or he beholds the ceremony of the illuminated cross, that
throws its light over prostrated thousands, yet leaves the
distant statues and monuments like phantoms half obscured
under its feebler rays. Genius and Religion never !Milt
such a place as St. Peter's. Even the giants of Agrigen-
tuna left a temple inferior in dimensions. Yet, even after
this enchantment has possessed the traveller, the Vatican
itself must recall to him ideas of antiquity. Its temples
are lined with the busts or statues of all demi-gods and
inspired personages, real or imagined, in history ; and the
visitant recollects that under the soil which he treads lies
Imperial Rome. Deeply interred under the accumulated
deposit of fifteen centuries, it now serves for the foundation
and the quarry of another city, which, though the fairest
in the world, reflects only the tarnished glory of its ances-
tress. Modern Rome counts 130,000 inhabitants—the
ancient city contained several millions ! so that the former
now exhibits farms, pastures, and cattle markets, within
the circuit of the ancient walls. If modern Rome be then
an object of wonder, what must have been the majesty of
that which preceded it ! Strabo, a Greek, and partial to
Greece, describes Rome as an object transcending all human
expectation and competition. Even the cold and unfeeling
Emperor Censtantius—familiar with Ephesus, Magnesia,
and Athens, and with all the pride of the known world—
as he proceeded in triumph throngli the Roman streets,
burst into aceltimations of enthusiasm when he entered the
Forum of Trajan.

" Observations on the Greek Question," have
little or no novelty to recommend them ; in addi-
tion to this triteness, the style is insipid and
faded. " Walks in lone" is one of a series of
articles more characterised by the accuracy of its
information, than any very particular entertain-
ment it possesses. " Court of Common Pleas"
is a dull piece of gossip respecting the sergeants,
judges, and practitioners, in this Law Court.
There is an attempt at pleasantry in it, on Ser-
geant Buinpus's naine,—an attempt, httwever,
which is about as worthless as Earl Fcrrers'
snuff-box. " Immigration of Irish Authors" is
a remarkably lively and satirical paper, full
of home truths, and hard hitting at Irish
authorship. " London Lyrics, Table-Talk,"
a smart poem, apparently by one of the
Smiths, has some good lines in it ; it is, *how-
ever, much too long, and requires great abridg-
ment. " State of Parties" is a temperate political
dissertation : with much of its opinions we cor-
dially coincide, yet cannot understand the justice
of the following condemnation :—" Mr. I,lns-
kisser' clings to public life as the veriest wretch
in the condemned hold at Newgr.te does to the
mortal one." This is the very thing for which
we are inclined to give him most credit. The
bold assertor of a generous innovation in our
commercial policy, the friend of liberality even
in Trade (a principle yet in its infancy), of to-
lerance in religion, and freedom in policy, is not
to throw aside his system, and to retreat into
private life with the ease and indifference of an
insignificant individual. He is bound to struggle,
and struggle hard, for his principles—to remain
in office to the very last possible moment, as
their best safeguard and support, and take care
that the seed which he has sewn shall, under his
vigilant superintendance, be brought to a health-
ful and seasonable maturity. On this point,
therefore, we arc at issue with the author ; but,
otherwise, there is much to praise in his essay.