The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-06-14 00:00:00

Our friend Harry Lorrequer has provided for us this
month an admirable number. Exclusive of his own con-
tinuation of Jack Hinton, of the merits of which we have
spoken elsewhere, we have " The Bears and the Bishop,"
one of those queer metrical stories for which Ingoldsby and
the writers of the Dublin University have given us a keen
relish. "The Water Cure" well analyzed. "Roman Me-
dals," a short exhibition of facts illustrating the present
temper and spirit of the Church of Rome. No. 3of the ad-
mirable analysis of the glorious career of "the Duke," for
which Maxwell's life of him furnishes the basis. " Fragments
of a Dreamer's Note Book" are concluded in this number.
Some of the fragments are peculiarly beautiful. " Stray Leaf-
lets from the German Oak" betray an occasional want of
evenness of versification, but are nevertheless spiritedly
written. " Our Portrait Gallery" contains an etching of
the Right Hon. John Wilson Croker, with a descriptive
sketch, written in the usual style of the author of this series.
The other articles are written with considerable ability, and
as a whole the number is a very superior one.

Tait's Edinburgh Magazine. June, 1842. London: Simp-
kin, Marshall, and Co. Edinburgh : W. Tait.

The present number of Tait contains some very able and
interesting articles. " Abednego the Money Lender," by
Mrs. Gore, increases in interest, and is one of the best se-
rial tales we have lately met with. We don't like tales pub-
lished in this way, however. They are very tantalizing
affairs. The lecture on Cowper and Burns, by Ebenezer
Elliott, is pleasantly written; and we humbly coincide in
many of the opinions which it contains. " Hydropathy, or
the Water Cure," is an interesting and very full description
of one of the most startling new theories of the day. The
remaining articles are all cleverly written, with a dash here
and there of the ultra opinions of Tait's writers, but with
nothing against which we are disposed to quarrel. The re-
viewing department, especially, is very well written.

Ireland, its Scenery, Character, erc. By Mr. and Mrs. S
C. Hall. London ; How and Parsons.

This work proceeds with all the vigour of description and
beauty of illustration which have characterised the whole of
the previous numbers, and when completed will assuredly
form the most entertaining and instructive publication on
Ireland, whether considered as an itinerary or book of
reference, that has ever issued from the press. The ac-
complished authors possess an intimate acquaintance with
the localities of the whole of that interesting and picturesque
country, and are equally at home whether they direct their
footsteps amidst the romantic beauties of the south, or
sojourn in the wilder, but more advanced, because more in-
tellectual, districts of the north. Their delineations of
national character and peculiarities, and the research and
accuracy they display in whatever can interest the anti-
quarian, or the tourist, are all that can be wished, and what
few other writers could supply ; and a vein of philanthropic
feeling and suggestion, moreover, runs through the whole,
from which valuable hints may be derived for the future im-
provement and melioration of a country, the natural and
abundant resources of which are yet far from becoming duly
appreciated, and consequently but partially elicited.
The present number is devoted exclusively to the greater
part, we presume, of the maritime county of Antrim,
which, though in " the far north," and not having advantages
in soil, climate, and position equal to those of many of the
southern districts, is, by the introduction of British habits
and British industry, far more advanced in the arts and
enjoyments of social life. After visiting the flourishing town
of Lisburn, our travellers proceed by railway to Belfast, their
account of which metropolis of the north, as regards com-
merce and manufacture, is so gratifying that (connected as it
intimately is in profitable trade with this town) we cannot
resist quoting it :

" As we drew near the only manufacturing town of Ire-
land—alas that it should be so !—its peculiar character be-
came apparent. It was something new to perceive, rising
above the houses, numerous tall and thin chimneys indicative
of industry, occupation, commerce, and prosperity ; the
volumes of smoke that issued from them giving unquestion-
able tokens of full employment ; while its vicinity to the ocean
removed at once all idea that the labour was unwholesome,
or the labourers unhealthy. The pleasant and cheering im-
pression we received was increased as we trod the streets ;
there was so much bustle ; such an ' aspect' of business ; a
Ira' absence of all suspicion of idleness, such unerring evi-
en" of ample continual, and general employment, so many
in•cofs of activity—results of past, and anticipations of fu-
ture, success—that the contrast between this town and the
„,
belie;e'l mile south startled us aking us for the moment
swept il7 !ere in a clean Manchester; where hearty breezes
sepana:';inoe neighbouring sea all the impurities usually in-
was not ei l',l a concourse of factories. And this notion
and we nn,,r relivcent; it remained during our week's stay ;
received confinneart, to it with exceeding satisfaction, for it
after inquiries. 1:011 by our subsequent examinations and
Luring town in the is undoubtedly the healthiest manufac-
there is far less kingdom ; although densely populated,
wretchedness in its lanes and alleys, and
regularly
about its suburbs,than
are wide and eilrhere in Ireland ; the main streets
public edifices; the vicinity is
it contains a large number of
mountains are sufficientl
J is remarkably picturesque ; the
and the open ocean is '
withilltear to produce pictorial effect,
situation of Belfast is therefore mfewo miles of its quays. The
town, and has a new look. It hit auspicious. It is a new
signs of improvement, recent Ruda improving town, and
where apparent. Unhappily, such Progressing, are every-
remark
very few other towns of the country. Yet are applicable to
by no means exclusively lavish to Belfast • • nature has been
tages are in no way greater—nay the , its natural advan
. , Y are somewhat le -
than those enjoyed by some other towns,—where the :s—
-and mind are sickened and depressed by the contemplation
of apparently universal poverty ; a peo i ,
and who seem incapa-
blen
of making an effort for their social and is
P-Yaleal advance.went,rich and poor existing equally in apathy ; great
sought to be made available ; and Wealth re"
sources never , ac.
as it were, at their very thresholds —ut,
tually deposited,
of active energy to turn it to ' --
less, because of the lack account.
erit are t l t a eas equally rife
The elements of vast
the natural
the natura elements—for enterprise,
throughout the island ;
d• ct capital, have b •
been intro-
activity, and that essential a jun
' it •
duced into Belfast, and have made what
grees, the most flourishing town of Ireland, ,and second in
mercial or manufacturing towns
prosperity to few of the cow
of England."

Of the intelligence of the citizens of Belfast, our authors

also remark

•'Society in Belfast is, as may be expected, almost exclu-
sively of a ' commercial character.'
There are few resident
gentry that is to say, gentry independent
the town, although
many reside
inthe of commerce—in
hood ; its prosperity being mainly at immediate neighbour-
hood to the enter-
prise and integrity of the merchants, aided, in some degree,
at first, by the liberality of the house of Chichester. The
high tone which literature and science have given to_ itss.peo-
Piet have, as it were, created a somewhat peculiar class ,
proportion
knowledge elevates while it imp
roves ; and a large ,
in the most em manufacturers sense ofe
the term ; education, and a
thirst for learnine u.
, pre-
-' ---vlnit, i a remarkable degree
vented the sordid habits too frelquently engendered by trade."
The, public buildings ef Belfast are numerous and splendid,
and the scenery in the IleitilbOUrllood is varied and pictu-