The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-07 00:00:00

FRASER'S MAGAZINE.

Morgan Battler has resumed his rambling remarks
on Horace and others, with an interest fully equal to
that which pervaded the first notice. This was only
what might have been expected from a critic of
taste and judgment ; for, of all the Latin poets, Horace
furnishes the most animated descriptions of the
human passions, and at the same time the most play-
ful fancy. He has nothing sour in his whole cha-
racter ; he praises wine, but wine only to modera-
tion ; he invokes his friends to enjoy themselves, only
to render life more agreeable, by using the "goo.ls
the gods provide,"i not by abusing them ; and even
in his Satires he points out the follies and vices of
mankind with such a compassion for human weak-
ness, that he rarely gives offence by harshness, while
at the same time he renders virtue beautiful and vice
hateful. Some of the translations given in the pre-
sent notice show a knowledge of the author, and
furnish favourable specimens of versification—among
others, we may mention the translation of the Ode in
which Horace recounts his cowardly flight from the
field of Philippi. The three following verses will
enable the classical reader to judge for himself:—
Pompey, that wert the first my heart to share ?
With whom full oft I've sped the lingering day,
Quaffing bright wine, as in our tents we lay,
With Syrian spikenard in our glistening hair.
With thee I shared Philippi's fiery flight,
My shield behind me left, which was not well,
When all that brave array was broke, and fell
In the vile dust full many a towering wight.
But me, poor coward, swift Mercurius bore,
Wrapp'd in a cloud, through all the hostile din,
While war's tumultuous eddies, closing in,
Swept thee away into the strife once more.

" A Holiday Trip to Gravesend and Rochester " is
an amusing story, embodying historical accounts of
these places, very suitable for the enlightenment of
cockneys. The notice of Thiers' partial " His-
tory of the Consulate and Empire of France"
under Napoleon is just. While he is admitted to be
a spirited writer, and his accounts of battles graphic
and interesting, the selfish national vanity which he
displays, and the injustice he does to every character
in any way opposed to his hero, are not overlooked.
There is, says the reviewer, " no subject on which
M. Thiers displays more malevolence, and ignorance,
and misrepresentation, than on the right of belli-
gerents to search neutral vessels," but he has not yet
read the third volume, for is that the ex-Minister
throws all his other faults as a historian into the
shade. The merits and demerits of the work are
thus summed up—" It is the production of a brilliant
Bonaparte partizan, who would again set the world
in a blaze, for what is most sillily called the glory of
France." On the Maynooth question Regina is
very melancholy and desponding ; her darling state
coachman is driving to perdition, she will no longer
travel with him, and has absolutely left the " con-
cern." The growlings of Blackwood, and the awful
forebodings of Fraser, prove, independent of our
own conviction, that Peel is still an admirable driver,
and that the old worn-out Tory party just require
such a whip. Peel and the Irish Protestant Church,
according to this far-seeing prophet, are alike
doomed :
" What are we togsin—what is Ireland to (rain by
increasing either the numbers or the condition of such
priests as Maynooth has hitherto sent out,
continue to send out, so long as they shall be forced
?forN.reoctrhui
depend for their subsistence afterwards upon
recruits to yee- t
volun-
tary offerings of their flocks
sYou muia
still look to the peasant
by civil
sured army, and experience has not taught -„, "on-
peasant prie,thood, however highl • ed
Government, to
that a
unless liberally provided for the3 ica eit,ls any where,
be trusted.
" On the whole, then, we cannot b
mzking, measure of the Con bat regard thit peace-
sigaal failure. It has done ni-stelrv. stave Government Rai a
thing, towards conciliating the class
it never will do any
fitted by it, or withdrawing class that are to be bone
their attentism from other
things. The Repealers accept it as au instalment, and
laugh in their sleeves all the
. while ; for they not unfairly
calculate that, through th
cited, both here at elsewehl-nraillnahtion which it has ex-
br.easts of Protes-
tants, it w A facilitate ratherl'ein
tth et►
aitienpeimie, the
n final
triumph of the cause which they advocate.
there is universal distrust in tlioConservalive camp.liwhAilell
confidence in public men is shaken ; and ill.general
feeling.. seems to be, that, though Q
nia..ters may go on
vnoothly during the continuance
of the present Parlia-
-1 t , men t, a terrible crisis awaits us. . Let us hope that it is
Inot so; and, better still, let us be prepared.
" 6ince the ereeedine Pages went t .
. , atl..n ed.. m u
ts
ot
w. x--c,es to press, Mr. Ward
.. _ . _.