Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-05-17
WEEKLY STATE SENTINEL
southern Quarterly Review.

South ern Quarterly Review.
We have before us the April number of
this periodical, decidedly the best Quarterly
in the United States.
The first article is a notice of BENTON's
4" T'hirty Years Tielc," in which that states
man is treated with much more consideration
than he deserves. Had BENTON died after
the passage Of the Expunging Resolutions, he
would have been known in history as a con-
sistent politician and an upright man, and by
no means the least among race Of giants
Had he passed from the stage OF mortal action
before the nomination of Gen. CAss, his mem
DRY would have been embalmed in the hearts
of the Democracy. But alas he has sur
viyed to sink into insignifieance aud general
mistrust
From Marlborough eyes The streams Of doase now
And swift expires driveller and show"
BESToN's vindictive antipathy to Mr. CAL
HoUN is a dark stain on his character He has
not permitted the animosities of the hour to
pass into oblivion, but has endeavOred as far
as he could TO preserve them in his work; and
if the spotless reputation Of that model man
has not suffered from the vengeance of his
enemy, it is because truth and virtue are in
vulnerable.
The Reviewer suns up his estimate of
BENTON as follows: Although we have
differed considerably from Mr.. BENTON, in his
estimate of men and measures. vet we are
willing to eOncede that his devotion TO the
memory of ANDREW JACKSON IS a pleasant
feature in his character. We ike the earn
estness of MS rugged affection for that great
man. In ruth, BENroN's regard is as intense
a. his hate. But, while we are pleased to
see the former feeling manifested in his his
.sry, W must say that- such a-record does
not afford any fit place for the indulgence of
sthe latter feeling.
"We take our leave of the author, and await
the publication of his second volume. What
he may write will always command attention.
He is not a man of genius; he is not states
man, in any large sense of that word; but he
is an acute, active thinker man of labO-
rious industry, great research, and extensive
information. He is not upon the same level in
intellect with Fox and MAcINTosH; but if he
is less than an historian, he is more than an
annalist"
The second article is on LOUIS XIV, from
which we take a sketch and reserve our no.
tice of other pieces, all of which are excel
lent, for another day
LOUIS XIV. a. VERsAILLEs-Ve rsailles,
which cost FORT millions of pound sterling
Is associated wit1 the grandeur of his court
and with the glory and shame of all the sue
cessive Bourbon kings. 1t was never inhsbi-
ted by royalty after the execution of Louis
XVI, and is now only a show-place of curl
osities-a vast gallery of poor pictures; mar
BILE monument of departed glolies; memento
Of follies which can never be repeated with
impunity. 1t is gloomy place in spite of its
costly marbles, its painted ceilings, its gilded
pillars, and gorgeous ornaments; its rich fur
niture, its vases, mirrors, Mosaic tables, and
antique tapestries; its cases of gems, its gold
and silver vessels, its statutes and busts and
portraits, and all the various collections of
art and taste to remind US of its former at
traction, and the state of unparalleled gran
deur in which the monarch lived and died.
This was the Olympus, where Louis XIV.
sought 20 play the god, and where he sur
rounded himself with princes, mobiles, am
bassadors, ministers. courtiers, women of
rank and beauty, geniuses Of all professions;
scholars, poets, artists generals; yea, even
philosophers and theOlogians from all of
L L. 81 l.
ward homage, and received the most intoxi-
eating fiattery which depraved man ever yield
ed TO arrogance and tyranny. 1t is true, he
sometimes condescended to mingle in the
amusements of his CAV and giddy worshipers,
and even to indule in such infirmities as pa
gan mythology has ascrlsed to Jupiter Of old,
when the charms of mortal women were too
potent even for his divine omnipotence to re-
sist But those weaknesses which BETRAYED
humanity, were only the occasional humors
of his caprice and outbreaks of his passion,
not the settled habit and tenor of his life
He was too wa.chfal of his dignity TO unbcnd
habitually before the smile of beauty or the
sallies of wit the claims of natural affection,
OF the incense of idolatry. 1t must be al
lowed that he was polite and gracious; treat
ed the humblest mental with urbanity, and
never allowed himself to indulge in language
unbecoming a gentleman; but with the view
of exacting, the more vigorously, that rever-
ence and attention which were due to his ex-
allied rank.
II, in the abandonment of an unusual hap
Ply mood, he sported with Amaryllis in the
shade, or, if, in the occasional affectation of
sylvan enjoyments, he became gentle swain
amid the disguised ducheSses of his court,
the aristocratic nymphs soon after atoned for
their short pleasures by long, exhausting and
humiliating public ceremonies; and were for
tunate, indeed, if they could get the slightest
recognition from the proud monarch who had
returned to himself He made it difficult to
get access to his person; he instituted a thou
sand degrading offices for his greatest mobiles.
In his household and his bed-chamber, he
continued the old customs which feudalism
and ehivalry had invented, in their minutest
forms, and TO the most ridiculous extent. 1t
took several great. pObles to undress him
when he went to bed, and as many more to
dress him when he got up in the morning
one handed his shirt, another put on his stock
ings-a third brought his embroidered coat, a
fourth his hat and sword. No plebian assist
ed in the royal bed-chamber, but only a no.
bic of ancient rank, even to hand him towel
when he washed his hands, or a brush when
he cleaned his teeth. When he sat down.
mobiles stood behind his chair; when he ex-
amined dispatches, they waited in his ante.
chamber; they surrounded his chariot when
he took drive; they waited at his table
when he drank his wine. Delicate ladies Of
rank and wealth were doomed to the mos
fatiguing duties in the attendance on his wife
and children, and felt it to be an honor t.
take the part Of servants.
OF WALTER I. CoLoUTTT, for some year
q prominent Democratic politician in Georgia
died at the residence of WILLIAM RosE, a
Macon, Georgia, on the 18th instant, after
long and painful illness. Mr.. CoLQuTrT wa
bred to the bar, and hOn0red with a seat Of