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

Mr.. JOHN RUSSELL has sent us the April number
of the Westminster Repie,o. The following is the
Table of Contents: 1. Railway Reform. q. Tne
Royal Hospital OF Bethlehem. g. The Situation in
Austria. 4. French Opinions Of the English. s..
The United States Constitution and the Secession
ists s. Paul Louis Courier. z. Commons round
London. s. a. Taine on Art and Italy. Contem-
porary Literature
Article g. The Situation in Austria, is worthy OF
attentive perusa at this time. 1t presents an e1-
hausiye survey of the internal politics of that en-
pife, Immediately prior to the present imbroglio,
| and assists the reader much to a good under
standing of ths present situAtion- in Germany.
According to the writer, the prospects, Of this
monarchy are anything but fattering, 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 gossipy review Of 81.
TA1HE's ''Histoire de Ia Literature Anglaise," and
LOUIS B1ANos s'Letres sur rAnglarre." The
prejudices of these French writer's (not the mis-
take) are here amazingly set forth, all in the
best of temper and genial style. We cannot for
bear transferring to our columns quotation
from LOUIS BLANC, on the defects Of the Constitu-
ton Of the United States N. LOUIS BLANC, all our
readers are doubtless aware, has been an ultra
Republican from his infancy, and Is one Of the best
living Fsenclppohtical writer's. He says:
i"Why mince the matter2 The Constitution OF
the United States, whatever be its other merits,
is defective in this respect, that in recognizing
the power Of msjorities it has omitted to subor-
dinata it to that action Of permanent control
which is needful to every species OF power and to
that Of msjorities perhaps more than any other.
Many people believe that the sovereignty OF the
people is realized by the government OF the great
est number, Whatever may be the mode in which
this government is organized, or by which it per-
forms its functions For my part can not,
confess, conceive more dangerous error. Sov.
ereignty can not be q sum in addition. What
really constitutes q nation, what makes it's gran.
deur, what creates its power, is what it comprises
Of capacity, experience, reason, and enhghten-
ment The putting into motion these living forces
is the interest Of ALL this is its sovereignty; and
II universal suffrage merits our acknowledgment
Of its excellence, it s because, under certain given
conditions it furnishes the best process that can
be employed for committing the management OF
public affairs to the most efficient and worthiest.
hands. a democracy in which the force Of num-
bers has the effect Of multiplying the force Of iutel-
ligence instead Of entrustng it with the direction
Of affairs, is not democracy; 1t is but multi
form despotisu'. blind and confused-a 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 wil de-
rive abundance Of both amusement and instruc.
t;on from its .peeuaAl-
Sf6e United States Constitution and the Seces-
sionists," is the subject OF the 9th article. We
have read it, and are sorry We wasted 80 much Of
our time. It, OF course, purports to have been
written on the other side Of the water; but most
undoubtedly emanates from "down East" It is
signed 81. W. P" We are not sufficiently au fat
in the New England catalogue Of ffth-rate writer's
to spot the owner Of 81. W. P" The writer makes
q ft BILE attempt at viewing the question from a
foreign and philosophical standpoint; but in this
he fails most signally, 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 prolivities clearly
in that direction. But who knows-he msy be q
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 its political leanings, we are sorry
to see American literature or politics represented
by such namby-pamby, milk and water writer's.
And it is no credit to the Westminster Reuie,o that
it should have published it.
We have not yet had time to read the other ar
tices of the number. TAME on Art and Italy
offers very tempting summer afternoons lecture.
TAME is fine and sensible writer, and particu-
larly in bis element as cicerone through the art
treasures of Italy. Commons round London is a
seasonable article, to be read this hot weather,
particularly by all citizens who feel interested
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 DICKENS
Mutual Friend. The critic is anything but COM
plimentary to the great humorist. DICKENS being
a greet favorite with u.s. 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 Observation-Disclosures Moliere, Swift, |
Cervantes and Shakspeare-then we see how far |
short he comes of the highest rank Of genins.
Pecksnitf weighs as cliaff in the balance against
Tartufle, and Pickwick is mere monster beside] |
the Don of Spain. The moro we study Falstaff, |
Gulliver and Sancho Panza, the more we perceive
the art of the artist and thinker but the closer we
look at Mr.. Dickens characters, the moro we
detect the trickery of an artifcer. The more we
analyZe Mr.. Dickens the moro we perceive that
his humor runs into riotous extravaganza, while
his pathos degenerates into sentimentality. His
characters, in fact, are bundle of deformities
He has made the fatal mistake against which
Goethe warned the artist Everything with him
is not supra 1tattVana, but extra natUrana. His
whole art is founded upon false principles. When
l..