The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-12-20 00:00:00

To 'safely traverse the storm-tossed waves

Or rest in sleep in their c

- •
We fear not to face the Storm King's wrath
Though he lash to madoe..
We fear not torna,

T proud bark's path

or tempest's crash,

The whirlwind•s ofa,L, 0
____

he light

When scudding along

through clouds of foam ?

ith us we bear the red cros

nr, the (re.

,sing the sla,

All nations slialliii;;;hen.

The foeman's sh
it's presence with ral
To onr own, at the voice of Duty's call,
Though arm'd with might, that flag shall fall

ce to meet,

Adieu t then, Eng

Thy hills ar

We bid thee farewell with our cannon's roa:

Hurrah ! hurrah ! NiR a

Liverpool, Decem

REVIEWS OF BOOKS

Irssiory of Europe from the Fall of Napoleon, it
1815, to the Accession of Louis Napoleon, it
1852. By Sir Archibald Alison, Bart. Edin-
burgh : William Blackwood and Sons.
The present forms the second volume of this
interesting work. Commencing with the history

tf. .§P

and Italy, from 1814 to 1820, it proceeds
with that of Russia and Poland, from the peace of
1815 to the accession of Nicholas in 1825 ; it next
treats of the Royalist reaction in France, up to
1821; the domestic history of England, from the
passing of the currency act of 1819 to the death of
Lord Londonderry in 1822 ; the relations of Eng-
land, France, and Spain, from 1819 to the congress
of Verona ; the French invasion of Spain, and the
death of Louis XVIII. From the above summary,
it will be readily apparent that the period treated
of, and the events recorded in this volume by Sir
Archibald Alison, have done much to shape and colour
the political aspect and social bearing of European
society at the present momentous crisis of affairs.
By a careful analysis of these facts, and a studious
attention to the relations unfolded of the past, we
may be guided, to an important extent, in any
attempt to unravel the present enigmatical if not
conflicting policy of the leading European powers.
Presumptuous self-conceit has, indeed, prompted
some shallow prater petulantly to describe history
as an " old almanack," fit only to be thrown aside
on the appearance of some newer light. Arrogance
like this must be treated with that mixture of pity
and condemnation awarded to the dogmas of pre-
tenders in every branch of science and of art—
condemnation for the presumption—pity for the
goneeit displayed, and derision of the trouble taken
by such oracles, in demonstrating that

knowledge to their eyes her ample
Rich with the spoils of time, did ne'

tinrot

To the contracted and
' ' •

- -
iustory can never appear a monitor teaching by
example. Their little all of knowledge is centred
and swallowed up in the present—to them the past

wisdom---the futu:

.ess ocean

ice. a, c/a., Vl, 111111
or fancy assumes the rudder of their chartless
barque. To the studious and the wise the pages
of history have ever been the store-honse of wisdom.
From those stores they have obtained rules of con-
C.— iL

inc present, and deduced precepts of gui-
dance for the future. By them the vocation of the
historian is held to be a high one. They know
that its requirements are numerous and varied, and
difficult of acquisition. They know that, to an
extensive and minute knowledge of facts, the histo-
rian must add a clear and ready perception of the
springs of human action. That he must be largely
with the faculty of arranging circumstances
and classifying events--of analysing their principles,
and lbalancing the results of their combination
of reconstructing and comparing them, to test the
value of his deductions, the truth and importance
of which, experience will often show him, differ
widely from the conclusions to which a priori rea-
soning would have led him. These are only a few
o the pre-requisites indispensable in theintellectual
composition of an historian; and to those enumerated
he must add the capability of readily perceiving
and lucidly recording the current of events, as that
stream affects the position of classesand determines
the destiny of nations. While attending to and
measuring the relative bearings of this comprehen-
sive survey, he must follow with equal fidelity and
care the steps of individual actors in the great
drama, appointing to each circumstance, and allot-
ting to each character due place and fitting influ-
ence in working out the grand catastrophe. While
labouring to philosophise his theme, and reduce it
to the severity of abstract generalization, the
!Ystorian must preserve with faithfulness individual
features, and by representative incidents delineate
national peculiarities, and pourtray the form and
hearing of popular institutions. In his principles,
habits, and person, he must embody the stoic, the
philosopher, and the orator. To secure the public
ear he must enunciate his thoughts in sonorous
eloquence, and while deaf to applause, must be
studious of its acquisition—unerring in his deduc-
tions, he must carefully avoid the form of demon-
stration—seductive in his eloquence, he must yet
be sparing of its strains. Whoever shall assume
to himself the high prerogative of thus chronicling
the past, embodying the present, and elucidating
the future, must set himself above the influence of
such reward as is conveyed by popular applause,
and seek his true meed of approbation in the proud
consciousness of having faithfully discharged the
difficult duties of a noble office.
If such and so numerous are the qualifications
necessary to one who would successfully wield the
pen of history, we are immediately led to inquire
how far the natural talents and acquired habits of
lair Archibald Alison fit him for discharging the
onerous duties of his self-imposed task ; the ordi-
nary difficulties of which are, in the present in-
stance, greatly augmented by the comparative re-
centness of the events, which, crowding on each
other, pass in rapid and often dazzling review,
over the field which he has selected as his instruc-
tive panorama. Born of parents pre-eminent for
genial piety, and nurtured in a family remarkable
for its practical and extensive philanthropy ; a
family, not less distinguished by its intellectual
refinement than notable for sound religion, and
the application of christian virtues to the business The Ecclesiastical History of Socrates
of life, the future historian was from his cradle Henry G. Bohn.
tutored by precept and trained by example to the This volume forms one of Bohn s interesting
exercise of those faculties upon which useful in-
series, the " Ecclesiastical Library, ' and embraces
tellectual manhood depends. His father, the the history of the Church from the accession orCon-
eloquent author of the " Easay on Taste," a gen- stantine in A.D. 305 to the thirty-eighth year of the
tleman of scholarly refinement, a sound divine, and reign of the Emperor Theodosius 11.,—a period of
a man of fine perceptions, early imbued his son one hundred and forty years. The time named
with a love of the beautiful—a high appreciation will at once remove any misapprehension as to the
of the truthful and the just—and, by a liberal authorship being in any way connected with the re-
education, fitted him to discharge, with credit to nowned Greek sage and moralist, the prestige of
himself and advantage to his country, the judicial whose appellative scarcely seems to have fallen on
position he has many years held. His forensic this compiler of the Church's annals.. To the
studies, added to his practice at the bar, rendered student of ecclesiastical history the volume will
our author familiar with the means of tracing and prove highly acceptable. It treats of an impor-
weighing, and estimating the value of evidence of taut epoch in the affairs of the Christian Church,
every class, and has strengthened his natural on which it throws much light. The volume is
prefaced by a brief biographical notice of the
through the deeds of men.", author.
His indefatigable industry has stored his mind The Botanic Garden and .Frnfitist. London
Groombridge and Son,
with knowledge, which his previous mental dis-
!ipline has enabled him to convert into ready The December number of this elegant companion
instruments for furnishing truthful deductions.its predecessors The
to the flower and fruit gardens continues the attrac-
He has thus been prepared by discipline, animated
letter-press matter is popular, and. the directions
tions so well advanced by
by family prestige, and sustained by intellectual
endowments, in pursuing the path which he had for culture simple as well as precise.
marked out for himself ; and which, with indomita-
ble energy and unswerving courage, he has Orr's Circle of the Sciences. London and Liver-
followed till the plaudits of admiring Europe have pool : W. S. Orr and Co.
acknowledged his success and hailed his triumph.
Under the comprehensive title of " Circle of the
At so advanced a period of his successful career, Sciences," Messrs. Orr and Co. are publishing in a
it can hardly be desirable to do more than advert very handsome form, and at a cheap rate, a series
to that scrutinizing intelligence and clear sagacity of popular treatises on elementary science. The
by which Sir Archibald Alison marshals, dissects, design of the publication seems happily digested,
and exposes the hidden motives of political un- and so far as can be judged from the initiatory
truth—unfolds the sources of commercial and moral number, the work, when finished, will form a
influences of II valuable addition to our popular literature.
the destinies

She sees the mote in her neighbour's eye, but cannot dis-
cover the beam in her own. It will appear in the sequel
of this history whether England in fact derived any
benefit, even in a commercial point of view, from this
great act of disguised aggression ; whether the cause of
freedom and the interests of humanity were really ad-
vanced by it ; and whether the greatest calamities, public
and private, its inhabitants have ever undergone may not
be distinctly traced to its consequences.
To aver that so great a task as that undertaken
by Sir Archibald Alison, has been executed, even
hitherto, without error or blemish, would be to
affirm what cannot be sustained, and what ought
never to be expected of any human work ; but, to
state that by his European History he has earned for
himself a renown, more lasting than could be con-
ferred by the dedication of statues, and which shall
perish only with the language in which the work has
been written, is to do no more than echo the general
opinion of civilized man. To rejoice in the success
which has waited on his labour—to wish perennial
verdure to the wreath which encircles his manly
brow—and to congratulate him on the honour
conferred on him by his Sovereign, in token of his
worth and of his intellectual powers, is but to ex-
press in weak words the loudly-proclaimed senti-
ments of his admiring country. To thank him for
the additional lustre he has bestowed on the
character of English intellect by his labour, is the
duty of his countrymen. To ensure the resonance
of his achieved fame will become the willing duty
of their posterity. ---

Criticisms

By the Rev. John W. Lester, B.A.

London : Longman, Brown, and Co.

This is a very tastefully got up reprint, it being
the third edition of Mr. Lester's brief but spirited
commentaries on several of the most popular
authors of the day, illustrated by select passages
from their works. The criticisms are rather expo-
sitions of beauties than analytical examinations,
and as such form pleasing annotations on our most
generally admired writers. The specimens are well
selected, and the remarks show a fine perception of
their beauties. The volume being very handsomely
got up in all respects, and containing as it does
choice selections from the favourite literature of
the day, it is happily suited for a presentation
memento. - _

The Poetical Works of Alexander Pope. Edited
- -

by Robert Carruthers. London : N. Cooke.
The third volume of this beautiful and cheap
edition of Pope's works, which, through some inad-
vertence of the publisher's, we presume, did not
reach us forreview,has just been published. Its con-
tents are almost limited to theDunciad, and the Essay
on Man ; the last two pages being devoted to the
" Universal Prayer." The first of these, the most
pungent as well as the most elaborate of English
satires, is profusely annotated, andonits preparation
the editor has bestowed much pains, and no small
amount of judgment, united to good taste. The
volume is copiously illustrated by clever engrav-
ings, and as a whole the set, when completed, will
form a beautiful library edition of the works of the
°Teat English moral poet.

Londoa

capacity to

reatnes

individual

?f mankind

Chambers' Edinburgh, Journal. Liverpool : Orr.
It must be almost unnecessary to call attention
to the merits of a work which speaks so well for
itself. Established in 1832, it was nearly the first
of the class of cheap periodicals, and it has since

jud ginen

enlinaticai

nd unravels t
rations as the

of European states-
of the French—thy
the Russians—thA
tions of the German
yet frank and op,
together with all
which these recei
tre, readily perceive
wive intellect. 2
obea;,—,

flipp'ani. t ardour , maintained its ground with increasing favour,
mechanism of owing to the steady perseverance with which
turbid specula- quality has been preferred to the mere desire for
dv jealousy, excitement. Entertainment and instruction have
been judiciously blended ; and, though sometimes
its pages express opinions in which we cannot
concur, it would be difficult to point to any other
publication of the same class which can be so con-

the from hira the frown (
fraction of her lb;

contains several interesting aiticlei, among which
we may mention a description of the Crystal Palace
perpetrate4llgl7ehests, whether such infractionl at Sydenham, the approaching revolution in agri-
amunciation
of
wrY
°li riend or foe ; and in hurling his culture, how bogs are turned into candles, and the
ghe is regardless of every con- monthly letter about things talked of in London.