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Leader (1850-1860), 3rd April 1858, Edition 2 of 2, Page 18, (dLltP ^Irt^f **&*)*¦ Atirl WA* -—?•——

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      Sporti Ng Among The Kaffirs. Sporting Sc...

      Returning to the subject of Captain Drayson ' s sylvan adventures , xte -vainly seek to identify with them those glowing pictures of Arcadian simplicity aild freedom from all the cares and anxieties of daily life depicted by an early'tMcteller and great sportsman in his rambles at the Cape . We allude to Le Vaillant , on the veracity of whose travels great doubt has been thrown recently . A contemporary author scruples not to affirm that the French narrative is a myth merely , and his book , of course , as completely a work of fiction as the adventures of Crusoe and of Peter mlkins . We do not purpose entering here into a critical examination of the controversy . Liehtenstein , who travelled extensively over the samei ground , boldly asserts that the man who wrote Le Vaillant ' s account of the habits , and especially the mode of locomotion attributed to * he giraffe , could never in his life have seen the animal . Other explorers , competent to express an opinion , declare the character of Narina , the

      savage nymph , to be a pure impossibility in savage life . Captain Dray-^ on does not offer an opinion on the subject . He however tells us ¦ that no similar adventure occurred to him whilst sojourning in Kaffirland . He saw , indeed , one celebrated beauty , "highly dressed , in the -extreme of fashion , not in crinoline or embroidery , but in beads and brass . Round her head she had a broad band of light blue and white beads ; « pendant string of the latter hung in a graceful curve over her eyelids , . giving them the sleepy , indolent look assumed by so many of our own fair sex . Round her neck in numbers strings of beads were negligently hung . On her wrists she wore bracelets made of beads and brass , whilst a fringe

      of monkey ' s hair encircled her ancles . To these adornments the most affable and agreeable manners were added , quite divested of that hauteur and assumption so often practised by acknowledged belles . She had a most graceful way of taking snuff ; and stuck through her ears were two long mimosa thorns for the purpose of combing her woolly locks . Such was Peshauna . I think all must agree in placing her on record as a most charming and divine nymph ! " On another occasion he describes a young Kaffir jnrl coming each evening to his tent with a bowl of milk and some corn , and putting them down quietly beside him she looked with her wild black eyes Into his face , murmuring musically , " Ar ko inkosi" ( Yours , chief ) . Neither of these damselshoweverrealize the Frenchman ' s portraiture of Narina .

      , , To the general reader , as well as to the enthusiastic and far-wandering sportsman , this will prove a very agreeable volume . Its passages of narrative and very sensible remarks and suggestions on a subject of present importance tne dress and equipment of our armies—are especially recommended to the attention of the Horse Guards authorities .

      330 ^ The Leader. [No. 419, April 3, 185...

      330 ^ THE LEADER . [ No . 419 , April 3 , 185 R .

      Brigadier-General Johnt Jacob. The Views...

      BRIGADIER-GENERAL JOHNT JACOB . The Views and Opinions of Brigadier-General John Jacob , C . B . Collected and Edited by Captain Lewis Pelly , Author of ' Our North-West Frontier . ' Second Edition . Smith , Elder , and Co . "General Jacob ' s ' Views and Opinions' have been arranged by Captain Pelly under five heads : —Civil Administration , Military Matters , the North-West Frontier , the Persian War , and the Present Condition of India . In a veil-written ; and judiciously-argued preface , Captain Pelly remarks : "I am convinced that no unprejudiced person , accurately acquainted with the history of our native army , can , read these military papers , or become familiar with * he practice in which they result , without perceiving that the principles advocated are in exact conformity with whatever has been or still may be worthy in the constitution of that army . I believe there is scarcely a commanding officer or an adjutant of a regiment who would not at once

      acknowledge that the details in which he has found himselt hampered are those pointed out in these papers . " Captain Pelly adopts the view , which is that , we imagine , of every practical reasoner on the subject , that a reorganized native army must be established in India ; and shows how General Jacob , at the hazard of hia commission , standing long alone in the face of obloquy and opposition , has consistently exposed the vices of the old military system in India , predicted its failure , and created a model for the use of reformers in his own splendid regiments of Scinde irregular horse . Two of these regiments have been formed from materials drawn from the very heart of the revolted districts , and their loyalty and efficiency are celebrated throughout India . A third regiment is now about to be mounted . Jacob ' s battalions , it was originally feared , depended altogether upon his personal qualities , but a regiment sent on foreign service under a . young lieutenant , was handled as effectually as if it had remained in Scinde . Captain Pelly has done good service in arranging and editing these admirable and practical memoirs , which may be consulted with facility by the aid of a copious index .

      Publications And Republications. Jvib, B...

      PUBLICATIONS AND REPUBLICATIONS . JVIb , Bbrxkbt sends us the first volume of M . Guizot ' e Memoirs to Illustrate the History of my own Time , so long announced and so eagerly expected . The chapters of the present volume range from the year 1807 to 1630 , from the statesman ' s first introduction into political and intellectual society in 1807 to within a few days of the revolution of July . It will easily be imagined how full of personal and political interest are the reminiscences of so conspicuous an actor on a crowded , illustrious , and agitated scene . M . Guizot'a opening sentence , in which he gives his reasons fpr publishing his Memoirs

      while he is ' still hero to answer for what he writes , are deeply impressive for the sustained and mournful dignity of their tone . IIow dramatic and suggestive is the concluding paragraph of the volume 1— " A few days ijeroTiB ^ th ' e ^ eerw king . He found him seated before his desk , with his eyes fixed on the Charter , opened at Article 14 . Charles X . read and re-read that article , seeking with honest inquietude the interpretation he wanted tojind there . In 43 uoh cases we always discover what we are in search of ; and the king ' s conversation ' , although indirect and uncertain , left little doubt on the ambasiuidor ' a mind as to the measures in preparation . " W > shall give a foithiul > account of the intervening pages next week . The ' historic documents ' Annexed contribute in no slight degree to the value of the Memoirs . Mr ,

      J , W . Cole ' s translation seems , at a first glance , to be at once spirited and careful , unembarrassed and correct . a Dr . Noble has recast and expanded a chapter in his work on the E 1 ments of Psychological Medicine , ' which we had an opportunity of commend " ing to pur readers about three years ago . Under the title of The Human Mind in its Relations with the . Brain and Nervous System ( Churchill ) the debatable ground between psychology and physiology is boldly and thoughtfully explored . We shall probably return to these pages . ° The prevailing fashion among Quarterly essayists of republishing their occasional prose in a collective and permanent shape threatens to be somewhat in excess . Mr . Hayward ' s Biographical and Critical Essays ( Lone . mans ) , reprinted from the Edinburgh and the Quarterly ., are perhaps exceptional in interest and character , from the choice of subjects and the opportunities which the writer has enjoyed , and unsparingly used , of personal illug . trations . We shall dip deeper into Mr . Hayward ' s volumes .

      The second and third volumes of Mr . Motley's Rise of the Butch Republic complete the new and cheap edition ( Koutledge ) of this excellent work , which is sure to be welcomed by an extending circle of readers . A serviceable index is annexed to the concluding volume . Messrs . Smith and Elder have added to their cheap series of standard copyright works , Wuthering Hei g hts , by Ellis Bell , and Agnes Grey , by Acton Bell , with a Preface and Memoir of both authors by Currer liell . These two tales , the one so weird and terrible , the other so dark and melancholy , are more than ever interesting to read now that we have the mystery of their authorship , not only half unveiled by the sister ' s preface , but full y revealed by Mrs . Gaskell's ' Life of Charlotte Bronte . ' The publishers whose names are so honourably associated with a most strange and striking episode in literary history , may well feel a sad but honest pride in contributing these

      stories to the present series . We are glad to find Wilkie Collins's lifter Bark the next on the file for publication in this conveni ent form . The stories grouped together under that title with all the writer ' s inimitable constructive skill and delightful ingenuity , are , as many of our readers remember , of a most varied texture ; in each and all the interest is breathlessly sustained , and the tone unvaryingly generous and healthy , as the style is rich and pure . In the way of novels , we have received The Neiherwoods of Olterpool ( 3 vols . ) from Mr . Bentley ; and Billets and Bivouacs ; or . Military Adven tures , from Mr . Routledge , whom we have to thank also ( in behalf of our readers ) for a shilling edition of The Common Objects _ of the Country , by the Rev . J . G . Wood , a charming little book in spirit and in treatment , a pleasant friend for the fireside , and a desirable companion in a country

      walk . The volume entitled Labour and Triumph , noticed last week , is published by Messrs . Griffin and Co ., not Messrs . " Griffith and Co . " The title of a popular work , or a work intended to become popular , need not be such as to bear the offensive construction of being specially adapted to mean capacities , whether of purse or intellect . Handy Helps to Useful Knowledge ( W . H . Angel ) is a title which unfortunately does bear something very closely trenching upon that construction ; at all events it is obviously meant to catch the vulgar . This is a pity , because the work is in itself good . Tour articles , each published at the price of one penny , are to take

      here collected under a neat wrapper . The conductors propose up interesting topics as they arise , and , by entrusting them to competent writers , to make the work as permanently useful as it will have been seasonable in detail . The subjects already treated are « The Eclipse , ' the ' Three Napoleons , ' * Sir Colin Campbell , ' and the ' Races of India . ' The space given to each is hardly enough to sustain the purpose of utility ; but in all the articles we perceive a conscientious effort to give the fullest information , in a really compact and workmanlike manner . VVe are only iifruid , lrom our knowledge of poor and rich readers , that the name will keep this work from bookshelves where its presence would be an acquisition .

      (Dlltp ^Irt^F **&*)*¦ Atirl Wa* -—?•——

      € l ) t Irti

      The National Institution. From Nine Till...

      THE NATIONAL INSTITUTION . From nine till dusk , and again ( by a new and very commendable arrangement ) from seven till ten o ' clock in tho evening , there may be seen , at the Poiitland Galleuy , in Regent-street , five hundred and seventy-six pictures , oi wiucu we propose to take notice of precisely eleven . . . There is no getting over the fact thnt Mr . It . S . Iauder ' s groat scriptural composition , * Christ Betrayed' ( 334 ) , is the most noticeable of those eleven pictures , exhibited by an institution which is distinctly national . Mr . «• »• Ladder can paint very skilfully and effectively , and he has tied l »« mself down to subjects generally associated with the second Italian period of art . A n ( lt ™ recala that period in his treatment and method of colour , would be too mucn to say . To do * Mr . Lauder justice , he is a rather original artist . But tliougi ) , among moderns , helms a style of his own , it is evidently founded on a stuUy 01 the Florentine school $ and whatever characteristics may have been suncniuwou are not by any means nationiil characteristics . In tho picture of U '" J Betrayed' he has repeated all tho types used by Lbonahpo « a Vinci am others , even to tho attitudes and positions of tho bonds . Take those , especiui j , of the chief figure and of tho disciple JonN , whoso face is in profile , i , l > o nctui j painting of oil tho faces , though blurry and blunt In outlino , is vigorous ; anu the same may bo said of the hands , in which there is an expression not oia » to be found except in pictures of tho highest quality . Mr . Jamms Eokfokd Laudeb , whose mannerism is as great and ol tno sim «« kind aa that of Mr , Ii . fo Laui > bh , does not rodeeni it by any prmaoworwy duction , consisting of one figure , apparently painted from a bcoteii » uoiw trust not from a ( Scotch or English reality . Encouragement is given us ; to _ liojo that the features exist only in tho mind of the paintor ; for tho lily-bmncu u w « by the damsel and even the volume she holds before her oyes are oaunlly " * anything in nature or bookbinding . munbv-Mr . Smaixvmu . d ' 8 pictures will bo agreeably contrasted with tho tiunj nambyism by which they are ourrounded on aomo of tho screens . Aiw « Service in Sumfofcr Tlmo' ( 205 ) is , perhaps , tho cleverest picfcuro in tno gi

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 3, 1858, page 18, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_03041858/page/18/