The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-05-30
Literary.

Royal Hospital Of Bethlehem. 3. The Situation in |
Austria. f. French Opinions of the English. S. |
The United States Constitution and tho Secession
lists. 6. Paul Louis Courier. Z. Commons round
London. 8. Fl. Thine on Art and Italy. Contem-
porary Literature.
Article g. The Situation in Austria, is worthy of |
attentive perusal at this time. 1t presents an ex-
haustve survey of the internal politics of that
pire, Immediately prior to the present imbroglio,
| and assists the reader much to a good under |
standing of the present situation in Germany. |
According to the writer, the prospects of this |
monarchy are anything but hsttering, and this it
must be remembered was predicted before the |
present pressure, from Prussia and Italy, Was |
brought to bear upon her.
Article 4, French Opinions of the English, is one
| Of the most readable papers we have fallen in |
| with in long time. 1t is gosspy review Of H. |
TAINE's "Histoire de la Literature Anglaise" and
| LOUIS BLANcs "Letfres sur PAnglete,re." The |
prejudices of these French writer's tnot the mis-
tako) arc here amusingly set forth,-all in the
| best Of temper and genial STYLE We cannot for
| bear transferring to our columns a quotation
from LOUIS BLANC, the defects Of tho Constitu-
ton of the United States. NJ. LOUIS BLANC, all our
! readers are doubtless aware, has been an ultra
Republican from his infancy and is one of the best
| living French political writer's. He Gays:
"Why mince the matter2 The Constitution of
tho United States, whatever bo its other merits,
| the power Of majorities it has omitted to subor-
dinate it to that action of permanent control
which is needful to every species of power and to
Many people belieye that the sovereignty Of the
people is realized by the government of the great
| est number, Whatever may be the mode in which
| forms its functions. For my part can not I
| confess, conceive more dangerous error. Sow
ereignty can not be q sum in addition. What
really constitutes nation, what makes it's gran.
deur, what creates its power, ia what it comprises
Of capacity, experience, reason, and enfghton-
ment. The putting into motion these living forces
is the interest OF ALL this is it's sovereignty; and
II universal suffrage merits our acknowledgment
of its excellence it is because, under certain given
conditions. it furnishes the best process that
be employed for committing the management of
public affairs to the most efficient and Worthiest
hands. A democracy in which the force of num-
hers has 1ne erect OF the force Of Ge
Of affairs, is not democracy; it is but multi
form despotism, blind and confused despotism
inevitably condemned to perish, little sooner or
little later, by self-destruction."
Here is sure word Of prophecy from an unex-
pected quarter. We commend the whole article
to our readers, assuring them that they will de-
rive abundance Of both amusement and instruc.
ton from it's perusal.
"The United States Constitution and the seces-
sionists,'' is the subject of the 9th article. We
have rood it, and are cory we wasted much OF
our time. 1t, Of course, purports to have been
written on the other side Of the water; but most
undoubtedly emanates from "down East" 1t is
signed 81. W. P" We are not sufficiently au fat
in the New England catalogue of ffth-rate writers
to spot the owner of ~. w. P" The writer makes
feeble attempt at viewing the question from
foreign and philosophical standpoint; but in this
he fails most signany, showing himself mere
commonplace partizan-not Radical, and here
is the only mystery Of the matter. The man GER
tainly ought to be one; his procvties are clearly
in that direction. But who knows-he may bo o
postmaster or an internal revenue tax assessor
and have the fear of ANDY JOHNSON before his
eyes, with general preference in favor of keep
ing his head on his shoulders, which, of course,
| will account for minor Inconsistencies. But in
dependent of it's political Ieanings, we are sorry
to American literature politics represented
by such namby-pamby, milk and water writers.
And it is no credit to the Westminster Repieo that
it should have published it.
we have not yet had time to read the other ar
ticles of the number. TAME on Art and Italy
offers very tempting summer afternoons lecture.
TAME is q fine and sensible writer, and partieu.
larly in his element as cicerone through the art
treasures Of Italy. Commons round London is q
seasonable article, to be road this hot weather,
particularly by all citizens who feel ntereated
in getting up parks for US.
The brief notices Of new books, under the head
of contemporary Literature" are one OF the
most attractive features Of this Review. Among
many others we here have critique on DIoKENs
Mutual Friend. The critic is anything but com,
plimentary to the great humorist. DICKENS being
great favorite with us, we naturally took um
bragg at these structures but soon found that the
reviewer was right, and we we're wrong. He CON
cedes great genius to him, but not the highest
He says:
"When we compare Mr.. Dickens to the worlds
, great -Arietophanes, Moliere, Swift
!, Cervantes and Shakspeare-then we see how fai
i short he comes of the highest rank OF genins
Tartuffe, and Piokwick is q mere monster beeidt
the Don Of Spain. The more Yves study Falstsff
: CULVER and Saneho Panza, the more we perceive
the art of the ertist and thinker, but the closer
detect the trickery of an artifcer. The more w
10 analyze Mr.. Dickens, the moro We perceive tina
his humor runs into riotous extravaganza, whi
his pathos degenerates into sentimentality. Hi
He has made the fatal mistake against which
!, Goethe warned the artist Everything with hin
4 is not supra ndturdnl, but ertrd natura7R: Hi
{ whole art is founded upon false principles. Whei
O we put down work of his, wo are tempted h
ask, Quid hinc abest nisi res ct ueritas?" ?"
The critic then goes to illustrate these point
d from D1oKENa latest work, sour Mutual Friend !;
;. but We have not space to follow him further.
4 There are many more interesting reviews her
}. oflate works, giving us relish OF the good thing
in store for US. To our taste this appendix of th
q Westminster Is the most desirable part of It, an
q this is the only Quarterly that has incorporate