The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-12-18 00:00:00

LITERARY NOTICES.

Blackwood's Magazine. Dec. 1838.
In this number of Blackwood the opening paper is
one of great and vital importance, involving as it does
the commercial and maritime interests of Great Bri-
tain, in some of their most important relations. It is
a powerful essay on the " War in Disguise," at pre-
sent carried on by France against Mexico and Buenos
Ayres. "The Liberalism of Popery is a striking ex-
posure of the trickery resorted to by the Popish agita-
tors for the purpose of securing their own ends, and
aiding the cause of Popish ascendency. "Legendary
Lore" contains a continuation of the romance of the
"Onyx King." The moral of this tale remains still
in obscurity. The article on " Affairs in the East"
will be perused with great interest. It abounds with
information of the greatest ability respecting the ag-
gressive moments of Russia, and the internal condition
of Turkey, Persia, &c. The review of "Poems by
John Kenyon" is in the very best style of criticism—
judicious and discriminating, calm and unprejudiced.
The specimens extr. cted are possessed of great beauty
and originality. The paper on "Tranquillity in Ire-
land" deals another formidable blow at the absurd pre-
tensions of the Marquis of Normanby and the Whigs.
" Extracts without comment from our Two Vases," are
extremely beautiful—some of them perfect gems.
" The Murdering Banker," is a tale of great interest.
The Review of " Tupper's Geraldine," while it does
justice to the intrinsic merits of that composition,
points out its blemishes with fidelity.

The Churchman. Enlarged Series. December, 1838

London : W. E. Painter.

We are glad to have it in our power to bear our
testimony to the improved character of this excellent
periodical. The contents of the present number are
particularly interesting. The remarks "On the ru-
moured marriage of Queen Victoria with the Duke of
Nemours," are, we trust, unnecessary. Such an incon-
gruous union cannot surely be seriously contemplated
in any quarter. At all events it would never be tole-
rated by the Protestant people of England. We are
happy to find the Churchman arrayed in opposition to
the "Oxford Tracts," the dangerous tendency of which
it exposes with much ability. The article on " British
Marriages" proves that our ancestors have been un-
justly slandered by modern historians. It is impos-
sible that justice should be done to the ancient history
of Great Britain without a thorough acquaintance with
the Welsh language. The article on the "Natural
Peculiarities of Palestine," embodies much interesting
geographical information. The paper on " Unitarian
Misrepresentations of the Scriptures" contains a mas-
terly exposure of the philological trickery of this
heretical sect. The remaining articles on "Dublin
University" —" The Present Aspect of Religious
Affairs"—" Absolution"— "Sayings and Doings of
Old Time," &c., &c., are highly deserving of a careful
perusal. We sincerely wish the Churchman every
success, and that it may long continue its praiseworthy
career as the able and uncompromising advocate of
the venerable church and constitution of England.

Political Discourses. By G-eorge Ramsay, 8.M.,
author of "An Essay on the Wstribution of Wealth."
Edinburgh: Adam and Charlas Black ; London:
Longman and Co.-1838.

We have already introduced into our columns seve-
ral quotations from this admirable: work. We are now
glad of having an opportunity of recommending it to
the notice of our readers. The topics discussed in these
discourses are of the mpst moment °us description, and
they are handled by one who is evidently a master of
pis subject, Tlir views 4evelopvd throughout are
,