The Sun.
London, England, 1829-02-02 00:00:00

THE LONDON MAGAZINE.

We behold, with much pleasure, the great
and well-sustained improvement which has taken
place in this very excellent Magazine. In poli-
tics it is liberal ; in matters of taste refined ;
classical in its purely literary department ; and in
its remarks upon men, manners, and things in
general, every thing that a good periodical ought
to be. The present number is distinguished
by several articles of sterling merit. But as we
would rather that our readers should draw their
OWR individual conclusions from a perusal of
their intrinsic beauties, we shall refrain from par-
ticularising. -But we cannot omit to notice with due
approbation the very spirited article which opens
the number. It is on that all-absorbing topic
the approaching Session of Parliament, and
dwells with grievous truth upon the merits of the
greatest warrior of the age as a statesman and
politician. The Catholic Question, as it must
naturally engross a considerable portion of the
ensuing session, engrosses the major part of this
article, which also remarks upon the conduct of
llis
Grace with respect to that great question, the settle-
ment of which seems to have been deferred to give
the crown of glory or disgrace to the only man in
the empire fitted by a wonderful concatenation
of circumstances to heal the wound of ages, by
giving moral as well as political freedom to his
country. If Alexander wept that he had no
more worlds to conquer, the modern, but
greater Alexander may weep with joy that
he has only one world to conquer—
and that world is within his grasp ! Can he omit
to seize the precious—the tempting opportunity
which places the crown of immortality on his
brow ? We hope not for his Grace's own
sake—we trust not for the honour of humanity—
for tl sake of his country. It were indeed a
pity that he who has achieved almdst all so
gloriously, should hesitate to write with his own
hand CATHOLIC EMANCIPATION upon the
patent of his immortality.
' The following extract from the article in
question is written with much spirit :

" The celebrated letter of the Duke of Wellington Was
intended, we doubt not, by its celebrated composer, to
keep op that patient, forbearing, and expectant confidence,
the existence which it was co much his interest to pro-
long. The attempt we must consider as eminently unfor-
tunate. The letter, as imitation of the speech, when com-
pared to it as a specimen of the jesuitical proficiency of
the author, was a very inferior performance. It disclosed
a great deal too much. At the first glance, indeed, the ap-
pearance of the letter was not such as at once to put to
flight a',.l the sreeable hallucinations in which the Catho-
lics had been indulgt4. But if we examine its contents
more closely, and advert to the statement of the difficulties
of the question which are there presented to us by his Grae,e,
and the singularly comical expedient by which he proposes
to surmount them ; and, moreover, take hie acts and con-
duct as a commentary upon his expressions, so far from
led to believe that the statesman, who could put suck
sentiments upep caper af,•. the result of his meditations, had
really at heart the final aettiument of the questioe, and
with that object had been giving up his mind to the cos..
sideration of the means of attaining it, we find it a hard
matter to persuade ourselves that either a final settlement
of the question, the difficulties in its way, or the method of
surimuati;:g these difficulties, have ever seriously occupied
his Mind fit all. What difficulties? and what an expe-
dient? Party feeling and violence in discussion, foisooth,
are the difficulties ! These are the impediments which are
acid to paralyze the exertions of ' an upright and straight-
forward statesman ;' a ' man of courage and decision';' of
and united ad-
a Prime Minieter at the head of a firm