The Sun. — 1858-08-04 (London, England)

LITERATURE.  The Edinburgh Review. -So. 219. Longman and re'a. There is an unusual ',lumber of interesting subjects in the table of Contents of the Edinburgh-History, Biography, Criticism, Politics, Science, are pleasantly minglesl, and the result is a very attractive number. The life and genius of Hugh Miller well deserves a prominent notice in a Scottish periodical. The early difficulties of the student, the wonderful advance of the " journeyman mason" to the first rank among the scientific men of his day, the tragic close or so eminent a career, all combine to invest his delightful and valuable writings with an additional power of af:craction. The private history of the geologist is but briefly touched upon, his early toils be;,ng the only part alluded to, the character and scier!,,ific value of his works, and progress of his krsowledge, being the prevailing topics. The second r part of a lengthened criticism on "M. Thiers' History of the Consulate and the Empire " will attract the political and historical reader. It treats, with deserving consideration, a work of undoubted historical importance and unquestionable ability, whatever the opinions it promulgates, or the principles it upholds. An article on ." Canning's Literary Remains" is full of interest, and gives numerous extracts from his contributions to the poetry of the Anti-Jacobin. The writer opens his essay by remarking that Canning has never been fairly appreciated by his countrymen. The warm eulogium of his abilities as a statesman passel by the Edinburgh Reviewer of the present day is in striking contrast to the attacks of "Peter Plymley." The wit and satire of these famous verses have furnished sarcasms for many succeeding politicians. The brilliancy of his wit and humour have induced many to consider these his chief gifts, and this impression the writer of the article before us strives to remove, and while rendering full importance to his capacities for guerilla warfare, to show he was as fitted t command regular pitched battles, or to sustain unshaken the assaults of his opponent. " The Health of the Army" is the title of a paper on Medical Sanitary Reform. It is observed that " the lamentably objective regulations of the British Army in regard to the preservation of health, under which all the mischiefs exposed in the Commissioners' report have" grown up, are attributable in a great degree to the fact that they were made at a time when sanitary service was well understood. Surely one of the first results of an advancement in scientific knowledge should be the application of its improved principles to places immediately under control and discipline." Those who are interested in the condition of the soldier will find this paper repay perusal. " The Posthumous Memoirs and Songs of Deranger" form the subject of an article which presents us with nothing very new or striking. A criticism on Mr. Froude's recent volumes, while rendering full justice to his ability and the grace of his style, very justly attacks his portraiture of " Bluff King Hal." The extravagance of Mr. Froude's defence defeats his ingenuity. Not content with softening down the harsh lines, and putting the most favourable construction on his acts, he reverses the decisions of posterity, and honours the condemned prisoner with not only a full acquittal, but high eulogiums of his moral and social character. The critic, alternately employing reason and irony, shows the injustice of Mr. Froude's arguments, and while making allowance for the age and the circumstances, cannot accept as a hero the murderer of Sir Thomas More and Anne Boleyn. Mr. Fronde says that "it would have been well for Henry