The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-02 00:00:00

MAGAZINES .(CONTINUED.)
TAIT'S MAGAZINE..
In the present chapter of Mrs. Gore's story,
" Abednego, the Money-Lender," there is some
stirring writing, as, for instance, where the
usurer details the history of his pastlife, and ex-
plains the causes that induced him to take up the
trade of money--lending. Disappointed in his
most ardent hopes—his affections blighted—love
a cheat—friendship a traitor—the soured man at
length put this stern question to himself—
" What constitutes right and wrong? Where is
the positive, where the true ?" The answer, he
says, was " Gold!" and adds, " once convinced
of this, I bowed down my knee and worshipped.
Long and eagerly in search of some First Cause in
which to put my trust, I cried aloud with joy
when 1 had found it. My wandering ark had
struck upon the top of an Ararat; and I sought
no better land as a resting place for the sole of
my foot." Mrs Gore has thrown much force and
earnestness into Abednego's confessions. " A
London Dressmaker's Diary" is feelingly and
simply written, but it is too long, and somewhat
monotonous. The " Vision of King Malcolm"
is a quaint, and not unsuccessful specimen of the
mock-romantic. We do not agree with the Re-
viewer of Mr. Dickens's" American Notes" that
that gentleman, in speaking of the social state of
the people of the United States, " has deepened
every shade into palpable blackness, and de-
scribed society, in all its greater interests, as in a
very low and dangerous condition." On the con-
trary, we think he has done impartial justice to
the American character and institutions; and
" deepened no shade"—except when he alludes
to the transatlantic Press, whose faults and
blunders, and vices, by all accounts, it is scarcely
possible to exaggerate. The chief defect we find
in Mr. Dickens's work, is that it is throughout a
mere skimming of the surface. There is nothing
profound---nothing original in it; it shows fre-
quent acuteness, b# principally on trivial mat-
ters; and is more to be commended for its broad
humour, than for any other quality it possesses.
" Lays of Loyalty" is a series of quizzical poems,
suggested by the Queen's late visit to Scotland.
We quote one entitled " Northward' Bound,"
which is attributed to the youthful pen of a
sucking Sappho, who rejoices in the name of
Sophia Whackles. It is a very amusing imita-
tion (scarcely caricatured) of that sort of aristo-
cratic poesy which we so frequently meet with in
the " Keepsake," or the " Book of Beauty :"
Lol our gracious Queen is going.
Unto Scotland's ancient strand,
Young Favonius gently blowing,
%Vafts her from her native land.
In the Royal Yacht so splendid,
Built express for George the Fourth,
By her princely spouse attended,
Sails she for the rugged North.
Spread the sails, and lift the anchor,
'Midst the cheering of the crowd;
For the stately yacht's a spanker,
More especially when towed.
Be ye soft as downy pillows,
Waves that beat the stubborn Nore!
Ocean, calm thy angry billows,
For our Queen is not on shore.
Neptune monarch of the water,
Bid thy Triton troops attend,
Till Britannia's peerless daughter
Shall attain her journey's end.
Hark I sweet music, softly swelling,
Sounds along the glassy deep—
Comes it from the watery dwelling
Where the nymphs their vigils keep ?
No ! 'tis sweeter, milder music—
'Tis the tabret and the drum.
O Prince Albert! say, are you sick ?
Yarmouth's fishermen are come.
Gently night (loth fold her pinions,
Gentler sounds the paddle's splash,
As the Queen of these dominions
Glides across the sullen 'Wash.
Dappled clouds, the dawn's precursor,
Streak the wide expanse of blue,
On the deck the watchful purser
Serves out rations to the crew.
" Tell me now, my Lord Fitzclarence,
What the coast before us spread !"
" Where those boats are catching herrings,
That, my liege, is Flambro' Head.
" Past that rock, so like a puncheon,
Spreads the Yorkshire coast no more,
And we trust, soon after luncheon
To be off the Berwick shore."
And the captain spoke most wisely,
As was quickly to be seen ;
For at three o'clock precisely,
Scotland saw her youthful Queen.
Every eye with joy is beaming,
Which alone the good can feel,
And the Scottish bagpipe screaming
Soon provoke the lightsome reel.
Toe and heel in wild commotion
Cut the buckle, thread the ring;
Underneath the quivering ocean
Fly the startled cod and ling.
And her Majesty, astonished,
Puts her finger in her ear,
Till the grateful crowd, admonished
Hail her with another cheer.
Then, exchanging song and tankard,
Glide they through the quiet sea,
Till the Royal fleet is anchored,
With Inchkeith upon the lee.
Lo ! on every distant mountain,
Kindling in volcanic life,
Springs aloft a fiery fountain
Both in Lothian and in Fife.
Bonfires of immense eruction
Fling abroad their gorgeous rays,
Each resembling in construction
Radiant V s and sparkling A s.
Now in Granton, free from danger,
Lies in peace the stately keel,
And on the shore the Royal Stranger,
Steps and greets Sir Robert Peel.
" Which amongst these gay beholders,
Is the Provost ?—tell me where!"
But Sir Robert shrugged his shoulders,
And no echo answered—" There !"

AINSWORTH'S MAGA
The Editor's story of the " Miser's Daughter"
is concluded in this Number, and if it do nut
greatly advance, it will certainly not detract
from, its author's reputation. We have read it
with pleasure, and so, we doubt not, will the ma-
jority of novel readers, for it abounds in bustling
incidents, and has variety, if not discrimination,
of character to recommend it. " The Elliston
Papers" bid fair to constitute an entertaining se-
ries of articles, at least if' we may form a judg-
ment from the present specimen, which gives
several amusing particulars respecting the come-
dian's early days, and canvasses his peculiarities
as an actor in a just and discerning manner.
Speaking of his exterior, Mr. Raymond, the
Editor of the Papers in question, says—" In per-
son Elliston was of the middle size, and elegantly
proportioned; and whatever success he may
have acquired as a tragedian, we may at once
declare was in defiance of his face, which was
the very mirror of comedy. Ills countenance
was round and open, his features small, yet
highly expressive ; laughter lay cradled in his
eye, and there was a muscular play of lip so
pregnant of meaning, as frequently to leave the
words that followed but little to explain. His
tones were strong, harmonious, and varied, and
a tremulous earnestness, on occasions which did
not call for the impassioned, irresistibly impres-
tive . He displayed the art of tenderness and
soft persuasion more strikingly than any actor
of his time." This last remark is perfectly just.
Never did actor give greater effect to a tender
sentiment, or a burst of cordial emotion, than
Elliston. His mode of addressing women, too,
was admirable, not deficient in courtly elegance,
yet still more remarkable for its appearance of
heart, and the respect and deference which it so
flatteringly exhibited. We subjoin a diverting
account of this admirable comedian's elopement
from home, in order to make his bow before
a Bath audience:—

ZINE

On a black, chilly morning, in the very early part
ofspring, 1791, light in baggage as the Hon. Mr. Dow-
las himself, with but little in his pocket and still less
in his stomach, Robert William Elliston slipped from
the street-door of his father's house, punctually at
half-past four by the paternal chronometer, and made
the best of his way to the coach-office in Piccadilly.
In the year 1791, the English stage-coach wore as
different an aspect to the vehicle of 1841, as the gold-
laced hat and silver shoe-buckles differ from the cos-
tume on the identical pavement at the present hour.
There was "the heavy Falmouth," the weighty York
" Highflyer," and the lengthy Bristol ; and a journey
of a hundred miles was an undertaking of time, pri-
vation, and endurance. We trust our hero will not
forfeit any claim to such distinction while we con-
fess that a review of his resources, or perhaps the
weather, not a little damped his spirit ; and fain
I would he have retraced his steps, on finding at his
reaching the coack-office the long body completely
full, and every person so occupied on his own affairs
as to afford him no information under his dilemma;
but the alarum was by this time sounded in the
watchmaker's warehouse, and his absence discovered,
so that he had no alternative but to proceed at all
hazard. In the course of his further inquiry, he
learnt that the two-horse " Bath Invalid Coach"
would start from a neighbouring office within an
hour, but that no other conveyance for that city would