The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-01-14 00:00:00

3ottr).

ELYSIAN FIELDS AT LONDWTHER IN WESTMOR-
LA.

(From Blackwood's Magazine far January.)

A youth caress'd and nurtured long,
Beneath the sky, beside the sea,
Where rules a vivid world of song
The clear-eyed Queen Parthenope,
And wont to blend with outward grace,
The soul Virgillien memory yields, '
Might seek, with dull, uneager pace,
The cloudy north's Elysian Fields.
" Lowther," he cried, " of ancient strength
Thy lofty towers the harness wear :
Thy terraces their mossy length
Extend through centuries of care.
In thine old oaks may Fancy read
A green traditionary chain
Of Worth and Power ;—Thou dost not need
To take the classic name in vain."
Up Lowther's banks, that very eve, •
This scornful youth was seen to wind
Still tardier steps, that seena'd to grieve
For joy or beauty left behind :
But, ere he reach'd the lordly roof,
High portal, and cathedral stair,
His thoughts in other, fairer woof,
Were offer'd to the attentive air.
" Not once to Bai's column'd bay,
Or Cumai's glade my spirit fled,
While on that storm-cast trunk I lay,
Above yon turrent's stormy bed :
Crystal and green sufficed so well
To solace and delight mine eyes ;
They yearn'd for no rernember'd spell
Fashion'd beneath serener skies.
" If golden light, or azure void,
The Poet's radiant dream fulfils,
Are clouds and shadows unenjoy'd,
The ghostly guardians of the hills ?
Nature an open Faith demands :
And we have little else to do,
But take the blessing from her hands,
Feeling—Here is Elysium too."

R. M. MILNES.

LITERARY NOTICES.

The Church of England Quarterly Review. January, 1840.

London: W. E. Painter.

This is an admirable number, embraciog a great variety of
articles of a most interesting character. We have been highly
delighted with the introductory address of the new editor. It
reflects equal credit upon his scholarship and his theo/bgical
attainments. The elaborate article on " Psalmody" is well
worth a careful perusal. The article on " The Apo§tolical
Succession" is sound and orthodox in its views. We have
been especially pleased with the numerous extracts from the
fathers of the Anglican Church, many of which are entirely
new to us, and all of which express the opinions which we
have long held on the subject. We rejoice to find that the
sentiments of the talented editor are in accordance with our
own. " The Living Lamps of Learning" is the title 'of a
very brilliant article. The review of the " Bishop of Exeter's
Charge" we recommend to the serious notice of all true church-
men. It is a perfect mine of wisdom. The remarks on " The
Anglican Liturgies".are extremely appropriate. The power-
ful article on "The Nature and Venality of Papal Indulgences"
will he perused with much interest. Its exposure of the sel-
fish workings of Popery is complete and triumphant. " The
Principles of Popery Developed" is another article exactly
suited to the present crisis in the religious history of Great
Britain. We should like to see this very seasonable paper
printed in a separate form. Its extensive circulation among
prdfessing Protestants might be productive of much benefit.
" The Character of Bishop Hurd" is a pleasing tribute to the
memory of a distinguished scholar and divine. " The Pe-
rilous State of the Nation" is a production of which any man
might feel proud. The arguments which it embodies are
incontrovertible. The " Ecclesiastical Report" and Miscel-
laneous Intelligence in the Church of England Quarterly
.Review are copious, 'accurate, and valuable.

The Churchman. January, 1840. London : W. E. Painter.
The opening article in the present number on " The
Present Position of the Church," is admirably written, and
ought to be perused by every sincere Protestant. The
reflections on the " New Year" are such as every pious
mind ought to indulge in. We particularly recommend to
the notice of our readers the apposite remarks on " National
Education and the Centralising Principle." " The Church-
man's Christian Course," is the title of a very excellent
paper, abounding in practical instruction. The account of
" The Duchy of Saxe Coburg Gotha," will be read with
vet y great interest. We greatly admire the " Brief Reasons
for an Established Church." The " Life of Bishop Wilson"
is replete with the most important species of instruction—
the instruction conveyed by the force of example. The cor-
respondence, poetry, reviews, and miscellaneous intelligence
in the Churchman are highly interesting, and breathe a truly
Catholic spirit.

The Village Churchman. January, 1840. London : W. E.

Painter.

This •is a very pleasing miscellany of ecclesiastical and
theological intelligence, adapted to the capacities of the hum-
bler classes of churchmen. It is conducted with very great
ability, and embraces a variety of articles of the deepest
interest. The remarks on " Speaking the Truth in Love,"
form a very suitable introduction to the yearly volume. The
" Hints on Popery" are truly excellent. They could not
have been introduced at a better period. " The Village
Churchman's Sabbath Meditations" promise to be a very
useful series. We are glad to meet with the appropriate'
remarks on the " Church of England Societies." The
venerable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Fo-
reign Parts," ought to be more generally known than it is.
" Popular Mistakes respecting the Church of England,"
and " The Bible," are excellent papers. We cordially wish
this unobtrusive periodical an extended circulation.

The Monthly Law Magazine and Political Review. January,
1840. London :W. Crofts.

This admirable periodical continues to improve as it ad-
vances in age. Its political essays are perfect " studies." It
is almost needless to repeat that they are strictly constitu-
tional or conservative in their tendency. The paper on "The
Inns of Court—Legal Studies—the Bar" will be found highly
interesting to the legal student. The author is evidently
quite au fait on the subject. We greatly admire the paper
on " The Prospects of the Session. Its vigour of style and
keen discrimination entitle it to the very highest recommen-
dation which' we can bestow upon it. Our professional
friends will derive much useful information from the admira-
ble essay on " Titles depending on Voluntary Deeds." This
difficult subject is here handled with very great ability. The
paper on " Strangulation by the Umbilical Cord," in refe-
rence to infanticide, will be found highly useful to the student
of medical jurisprudence. The cases adduced in illustration
of the subject are very interesting. The essay on " The
Motives to Crime" deserves a very attentive !pefusal. It is
replete with sound philosophical deductions. The " Notes
of Cases" in Equity and Bankruptcy, Common Law, and in
the Ecclesiastical and Maritime Courts, form a very valuable
compendium of legal intelligence. No statesman should be
without this excellent periodical, which has obtained a merited
degree of celebrity, not only on account of the information
which it contains, but also on account of the strictly con-
servative tone of its politics.

The British Farmer's Magazine. January, 1840. London
- • -

J. Ridgway and Sons.

We feel that we cannot speak too highly of this valuable
periodical. We admire the fearless and independent tone
which it has assumed in speaking on the anti-corn law agita-
tion. This number contains two excellent articles on this.
subject ; one on " The Anti-Corn Law League," and the
other on " The Corn Laws" generally. The flimsy argu-
ments and gross mis-statements of the Anti-Corn Law Cir-
cular are here exposed with great ability. The crack-brained
concoctors of that stupid publication are treated with very
little ceremony by the editor. The valuable paper on " Ame-
rican Agriculture" is very carefully compiled, and presents
us with much information of an original character. To the
remarks on " National Education" we shall reply in our
next. We have derived much gratification from the perusal
of the " Introduction to Practical and Economical Geology
and Mineralogy, including Mining and Metallurgy," by Mr.
Donbavand. The remarks on " Saltpetre as a Manure" are
sensible and valuable. " Facts and Opinions" will prove
of great assistance to the practical farmer. They embody
much interesting information, of the highest importance to
the agriculturist. The essay on " The Advancement, of
Agricultural Science, and the English Agricultural Society,"
displays a practical acquaintance With the subject. The re-
views and miscellaneous information in the British Farmer's
111agazine contain much that is valuable to the agriculturist.
No farmer or landholder should be without this ably •con-
ducted periodical.

General Sir R. C. Ferguson, M.P., is at present in dblicate
health, and may not, for a time, be able to resume his seat
•
in parliament.
THE REAL .Ti UST PRINCIPLE OF TIIE NEW POOR LAW
PROPOSED FOR ADOPTION TO AN INCONVENIENT EXTENT.
----That this law of no work no recompense should first of all
be enforced on the manual worker, and brought stringently
home to him and his numerous class, while so many other
classes and persons still go loose from it, was natural to the
case. Let it be enforced there, anti rigidly made good. It
behoves to be enforced everywhere, and rigidly made good;
alas, not by such simple methods as ` refusal of out-door re-
lief,' but by other costlier ones; which, however, a bountiful
Providence is not unfurnished with, nor in these latter gene-
rations, (if we will understand their convulsions,) too sparing
to apply. Work is the mission of man in this earth. A day
is ever struggling forward, a day will arrive in some approxi-
mate degree, when he who has work to do, by whatever name
he may be named, will not find it good to show himself in
our quarter of the solar system ; but may go and look out
elsewhere, if there be any idle planet discoverable! Let the
honest working man rejoice that such law, the first of Na-
ture, has been made good on him ; and hope that, by and by,
.all else will be made good. It is the beginning of all. We
,define the harsh New Poor-law to be withal a ' protection of
;the thrifty labourer against the thriftless and dissolute ;' a
,thing inexpressibly important ; a half-result, detestable, if
.you will, when looked upon as the whole result: yet without
which the whole result is for ever unattainable. Let waste-
;fulness, idleness, drunkenness, improvidence, take the fate
which 'God has appointed them;, that their opposite may
have a chance fer their fate. Let the Poor-law administra..
tors be considered:4: useful labourers whom nature has fur-
,nished with a whole tlry of the universe, that they might
accomplish an indispeno4,e. fractional practice there, and
-prosper iw spite of much coutzsdiction.—Chartism, by Mr.
eCartyle.