The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-12-22 00:00:00

ttteraturr.

POETRY.

LINES ON VENICE.

ST MISS FANNY KEMBLE

eight in her dark array From the high Itittice now
Steals 'er the Ocean,
Bright eye, are gleaming;
c
Apd with departed day 'That seem on Night's dark brow
flushed seems its motion. Brighter stars beaming.
&Orly o'er yon 13:u! coast Now o'er the blue lagune
Onward she's treading, Light barks are dancing,
Till its dark line is lost And 'neath the silver moon
'Neath her veil spreading. SW ft oars are glancing.
The bark on the rippling deep Strains from the mandolin
'lath found a pillow ; Steal o'er the water;
And the pale moonbeams sleep Echo replies between
On the green billow. To mirth and laughter.
Bound by her emerald zone O'er the wave seen afar.
Venice is lying; Brilliantly shining, •
And round her marble crown, Gleam like a fallen star,
Night winds are sighing. Venice reclining.

NOTICES

China; Political, Commercial, and Social. By R.
Montgomery irlartin. Part I. London : James
Madden, 8, Leadenhall-street.

Qne of the most singular problems in the history of
the human race is contained in the condition of the vast
empire of China. Four hundred millions of population,
or-nearly half the entire population of the globe, are there
congregated under one Sovereign, whose dominions ex-
tend over about 35 degrees of latitude. and about 65 de-
grees of longitude, with a coast washed by the Pacific
two thousand miles in length ; yet the state of that popu-
lation, their laws and habits, and even the form of the
treater portion of the country they inhabit, are compara-
tively unknown to the remainder of mankind. Their
capital cities a European is not permitted to visit ; their
arts, their manufactures, their religion, we have for gene-
rations been compelled to form our opinions of upon
vague guesses; and of the habits and character of the
mass of the people we know nothing at all. They have
hedged thamselves round with barriers against the curi-
osity and the cupidity of the rest of their species, and, as
well, against the intrusion of any other lights of civiliza-
tion than have been self-kindled, or have been handed
down through centuries of exclusiveness.
This state of things, however, is not destined to be per-
petual. Commerce, the great pioneer of civilization and
rational liberty, has set its restless eye upon China, with
a keen perception of its importance. Four hundred mil-
lions of people yet to be introduced into communication
with the rest of mankind ! What a prospect for the ma-
nufacturer, the shipowner, and the merchant. is here !
But there is still a h.gher and a holier prospect. Four
hundred millions of active and intelligent human beings
have to be brought within the pale of Christianity. Wary
stepping, too, it will require to enable us to succeed in
realizing either of these objects. The Chinese character,
so far as we know of it at present, is sensitively afraid of
dictation or rude interference with established habits.
We may persuade, but we cannot coerce them into their
new position in the human family; and to do this we
must first study their habits, their prejudices, and their
tempers. To assist us the author of the work before us—
and an abler man for the task than Mr. Montgomery
Martin could not have been found—has devoted his pen,
and, the experience and information derived from his late
employment as her Majesty's treasurer for the colonial,
consular, and diplomatic services in China, and as a mem-
ber of the legislative council at Hong Kong. The part
(No. 1) now published treats of the topography, popula-
tioh, productions, government, revenue, and banking
system of China; and affords us a fund of valuable in-
formation with respect to this extraordinary people. The
second proposes to give their early history and their in-
tercourse with foreign nations, with some directions as to
the line of policy to be pursued towards them. The third
will treat of the regulations upon which their internal,
coasting, and forefgn traffic is conducted, with separate
notices of the tea trade and the opium traffic ; and the
fourth will describe the consular ports of Canton, Amoy,
Foochoo, Ningpo, and Shanghai, and the stations of Hong
Kong, Chusan, Macao, and Kiackta, with some general
observations and an appendix of official documents. The
present number contains an excellent map of the country.

Irish Diamonds

By John Smith. London: Chapman

and Hall, 186, Strand.
This is a beautifully got up little work, and will
furnishfood for amusement in many a circle. The
author has displayed considerable ingenuity in the
endeavour to prove his theory with respect to the source
of Irish blundering and bulls, although we are fearful
that he has not altogether succeeded in establishing the
fact that his notions are very different to those of other
people upon the subject. Many of the specimens of wit
and humour introduced we recognise as very old friends;
but they are welcome nevertheless. In the illustrations
Phiz has surpassed himself. By-the-bye, we may be
accused of a bull for saying so ; but, really, reading Mr.
Smith's collection is rather catching.

The Three Wives; or Woman Morally and Religiously
Superior to Mon. By John Reid Mills., Liverpool:
Edward Howell, Park-lane : Manchester, Henry
Whitmore.

The proposition sought to be proved in the three tales
which compose the volume before us, is by most men
acknowledged—perhaps too readily, for it is by no means
corrsistent with our views of the human character, or of
the designs of the Creator. We cannot admit it as a ge-
neral principle that woman is " morally and religiously
superior to man," although many circumstances conspire
for the preservation of her character from ,the contami-
nating influences with which men are surrounded ; and it
is certain that, as an agent for good, she possesses advan-
tages which men do not. The importance of due atten-
tion—increased attention—being paid to the education of
woman, which appears to be what the writer has in view,
is quite clear. To woman is confided the task of model-
ling the character, in early youth, of their own sex and
ours. A talented mother has rarely a stupid child—a
pious mother an irreligious child. Some of the greatest
ornaments of our literature have traced their distinction
to the lessons in childhood of rishimtnded mothers, and
the encour.gcoient in manhood of virtuous and talented
wives. The three tales with which Mr. Reid has fur-
nished us are very ably written, and convey much valu-
able sentiment and instruction.