The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-10-19 00:00:00

The White Slave. London: Vickers.

We have received the first proof-sheet of this
highly-popular work—the companion picture to
" Uncle Tom's Cabin." It is to be completed in
five numbers, at such a price as will put it in pos-
session of " the million."

The Old Guard.

By J. T. Headley
H. Vizetelly.

London:

the fifth of the series of " Readable
Books," and is not inferior to its predecessors.
The author has culled from French works facts on
which to found a history of the Imperial Guard of
Napoleon. It is written with enthusiasm, and
sometimes vigorously. Let us quote a single pas-
sage, from glorious Waterloo :

" THE GUARD RECOILS !" " THE GUARD DIES-IT
NEVER SURRENDERS!"

" The Old Guard felt the pressure of the immense
responsibility, and resolved not to prove unworthy of the
great trust committed to its care. Nothing could be more
imposing than its movements to the assault. It had never
recoiled before a human foe, and the allied forces beheld
with awe its firm and steady advance to th- final charge.
For a moment the batteries stopped playing, and the firing
ceased along the British lines, as, without the beating of
a drum, or a bugle-note to cheer their steady couraee,
they moved in dead silence over the field. Their tread
was like the sound of muffled thunder, while the darzling
helmets of the cuira.siers flashed long streams of light
behind the dark and terrible mass that swept in one
strong wave along. The stern Drouot was there amid
his guns, and on every brow was written the unalterable
resolution to conquer or die. The next moment the
artillery opened, and the head of that gallant column
seemed to sink into the earth. Rank after rank went
down, yet they neither stopped nor faltered. Dissolving
squadrons, and whole battalions disappearing one after
another in the destructive fire, affected not their steady
courage. The ranks closed up as before, and, each
treading over his fallen comrade, pressed unflinchingly
on. The horse which Ney rode fell under him, and
scarcely bad he mounted another before it also sank to
the earth, and so another and another, till five in succes-
sion had been shot under him ; then, with his drawn sabre,
he marched sternly at the head of his column. In vain
did the artillery hurl its storm of fire and lead into that
living mass. Up to the very muzzles they pressed, and,
driving the artillerymen from their pieces, pushed on
through the English lines. But just as the victory seemed
won, a file of soldiers, who had lain flat on the ground
behind a low ridge of earth, suddenly rose and poured a
volley in their very faces. Another and another followed,
till one broad sheet of flame rolled on their bosoms, and
in such a fierce and unexpected flow that they staggered
back before it. Before the Guard had time to rally again
and advance, a heavy column of infantry fell on its left
flank in close and deadly volleys, causing it in its unset-
tled state to swerve to the right. At that instant a whole
brigade of cavalry thundered on the right flank, and pene-
trated where cavalry had never gone before. * * * *
The eagles of that hitherto invincible Guard were pushed
backwards down the slope. It was then that the army,
seized with despair, shrieked out, The Guard recoils !
the Guard recoils !' and turned and fled in wild dismay.
To see the Guard in confusion was a sight they had never
before beheld, and it froze every heart with terror. Still
these veterans refused to fly ; rallying from their disorder,
they formed into two immense squares of eight battalions,
and turned fiercely on the enemy, and nobly strove to
stem the reversed tide of battle. For a long time they
stood and let the cannon-balls plough through their
ranks, disdaining to turn their backs to the foe. Michel,
at the head of those brave battalions, fought like a lion.
To every command of the enemy to surrender, he replied,
The Guard dies, it nerer surrenders;' and, with his last
breath bequeathing this glorious motto to the Guard, he
fell a witness to its truth. Death traversed those eight
battalions with such a rapid footstep, that they soon
dwindled to two, which turned in hopeless daring on the
overwhelming numbers that pressed their retiring foot-
steps. Last of all but a single battalion, the debris of
the ' column of granite' at Marengo, was left. Into this
Napoleon flung himself. Cambronne. its brave com-
mander, saw with terror the Emperor in its frail keeping.
He was not struggling for victory—he was intent only on
showing how the Guard should die. Approaching the
Emperor, he cried out, ' Retire ! Do you not see that
death has no need of you ? ' and, closing mournfully yet
sternly round their expiring eagles, those brave hearts
bade Napoleon an eternal adieu, and, flinging themselves
upon the enemy, were soon piled with the dead at their
feet. Many of the officers were seen to destroy them-
selves rather than survive defeat. Thus greater in its
.1.4.. f than nnv nthPr 11•11.:pc n F men in ffninirlf,

• • C,
tory, the Old Guard passed from the stage, and the cur-
tain dropped upon its strange career. It had fought its
last battle.'

SERIALS. - The Biographical Magazine (Ed-
wards) goes on flourishingly—Mirabeau and John
Sterling have met with careful attention, an', like
its confreres, the magazine sums up with a life of
Wellington.—The Protestant Magazine (Shaw) is
vigorous, and true to its standard. We read with
melancholy interest the accounts of the Tuscan
persecutions, less from their individuality than as
indicative of the deeply-rooted spirit of oppression
with which those who renounce Popery are visited.
With horrid cruelty their lives are burdened.--
The Christian Family Advocate (Houlston and
Stoneman) is no less true to Protestantism. The
present number, which is the fifth of the series, is
ably written, and sufficiently varied in its contents
to make it generally readable in the family. The
‘ Second Wife" is a simple, well-told tale; and the
" Convent of Port-Royal," Part V., has all the ele-
gance and interest of preceding numbers.—The
Temperance Chronicle (rweedie) ; zealous in a good
cause, it commends itself by the efficiency of its
management.—The Microscope (Edwards). This
is the first part of a new work, which is to be com-
pleted in twelve monthly numbers. We have exa-
mined it carefully, and can confidently recommend
it. In fact, to youths or young ladies, we consider
it an invaluable companion to their studies. The
language is simple and perspicuous, and the objects
chosen for the display of those hidden things which
the
_microscope reveals, happily selecM., The

-cuts are numerous and fa

he type

the text.—

being large, the eye is not wearied
The Home Companion (Bennett) is similar in all re
spects to those numbers which ha
Wonderful Things (Edwards

gone before.—

com plet

matter is good

and doubtless

juvenile readers will esteem it a favourite.—Faini-
liar Things, No. 22, (Hall, Virtue, and C 0.,) keeps
up its character, and addresses itself to the same
class of intelligent readers.—Walks Abroad (Ben-
nett) claims our favourable attention ' • and the
Juvenile Penny Magazine (Houlston and Stoneman)
shews that though many have started in the race,