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    ¦ ' ApRif-i -14, 1SGO/| The Leader and S...

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    MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS.* The second Lecture...

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    * Zootwcs on tho History of JQnahtwl, do...

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    SERIALS. Ix the London Review (quarterly...

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    Sir E, Bulwer Lytton'snew Poem:.• An Ela...

    of the ' -. House of Comnions , it is the opinion of xnosfc , would he more conveniently indited in prose than in verse . . \ No doubt this is the case in a general way . But in all topics that strongly interest the passions and welfare of mankind , there is an imaginative string- of associations , which refuse to be either fully or concisely enouich expressed in a prose Medium , and dernana poetic : diction ; not fully enough expressed , because prose would naturally refuse expression to them alto-ether , as too rhapsodical for the means at its disposal ; nor concisely enough , for the English couplet admits of a condensation : of . meaning , of which we find many an example m the poem before us , that w 6 uld look pedautical and affected in mere prose composition . Take one specimen , — - " What charms us most in great men is to see - Their greatness doffed , the men as we may be—Fox in the Senate—toil beyond our scope ! Fox at St . Anne ' s— sucli leisure all may hope !" We repeat , that the examples of this eliptical style are frequent in this poem , and they belong- properly to didactic poetry . They make . the charm of Pope ' s " Essay on Man , " and contribute much to its force and dignity . Sir E . li . Lytton has contrived to say more , and to say it more effectually , in the compass of one hundred and thirty pages , because he says it in rhythmical verse , than he could have said in prose in a closely-printed volume of five hundred . He traces the history of parliamentarv eloquence from the Commonwealth to the present hour , by touching on and connecting the salient points with such skill , that " by the law of ideal association they suggest the whole of which they are the " symbols ; and this is one advantage , and no small one , which the poot has over the mere proser . Moreover , he gives us the portraits of the mightier speakers , with such decision of outline and such distinctive colouring , that the men stand before . us in the habit in which they lived , and form a picture gallery nationally interesting and individually instructive . In corroboration of these remarks , it is not needful for us to make extracts . Tiie whole of the poem miist be already familiar to a large number of competent readers , having been already circulated in one Of the most popular and influential of bur older periodicals ^ All that remains is to record our sense of merits that must by this time be extensively recognised , and to assure the reader that the poem is worthy of its subject , and rises to the height of the argument that it proposes to illustrate . There is throughout it a philosophical vein of thought that adds not only to its depth , but its beauty .

    ¦ ' Aprif-I -14, 1sgo/| The Leader And S...

    ¦ ' ApRif-i -14 , 1 SGO /| The Leader and Satur'day ' Analyst . SS 7

    Miscellaneous Books.* The Second Lecture...

    MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS . * The second Lecture on the History of England , by Mr . AVm . Longman , contains a sketch of the position of England at the death of King John , a summary of early institutions , feudalism , the lord ' control over the marriage of females , division of the nation into classes , origin of the laws of England , formation of Lords and Commons , with an illustration of the Parliament of Edward the First , trial by jury , and ecclesiastical courts ; these points are , in the lecture , treated in a clear , succinct , and masterly style , and the historical information commonly spread through volumes , is here presented almost at a glance , so that the general reader may obtain , in an hour , the results of the long labours and researches of the historian and the student . . The Garden that paid tlie Rent is an excellent little work , which should , we think , be in the hands of every lady who has attached to her house a piece of ground that can possibly be turned . into a garden . It tends to promote a real taste for gardening , and what is more , shows how useful , as well as pleasant , a garden may be made to its possessor . " Had I a daughter , " says the writer , " she should be a botanist 1 Her studies should be in the open air ; her deportment should spring from healthy exercise . She should learn the ways of my ideal empress—Nature , by practice with the dibble and the watering-can ; " lessons that would , no doubt , be quite as useful to her as / music or Italian . Cassell ' s Illustrated Family Bible has reached the Book of Judges , which is beautifully illustrated . This part contains , also , a view of the City of Tyre , a map of Canaan , as distributed to the twelve tribes , Jephthah met by his daughter , & c , & c . It is printed on good paper , and is , no doubt , the cheapest illustrated . Bible publishing . We have received Part III . of Cassell ' s Illustrated History of England , which , ranges from 1772 to 76 , It contains portraits of John Adams , Thomas Jefferson , and an interesting portrait of Washington and his mother . There is also a general view of New York in thid part . Tho Colloquies qf Edward Osfrorne has reached the third edition , which is sufficient evidence that the story really is interesting as a good picture of '* what London hath heeno of auncient time , " Edward Osborne is a model of rectitude , and an excellent example to youth how to rise to eminence and respectability in tho world by listening to tho dictates of truth and duty . Tho Pope ' s Dream is a poem of considerable merit . The rapidity of the narrative , tho vividness of the description ^ and the ease and melody of the verso , aro amply sufficient to recommend this little poem to tho public .

    But it appears the author has a higher object in view than the niere orna' ments of poetic composition , namely , the civil . and religious liberty of I every land . This is certainly the ' burden and design of the Pojje's : Dream , and we wish it success in . a mission so nbblej for we think , with 'the author , that . "Nations claim a constitution , ¦ Like Britunnia ' 3 , great and free ; j Free from king 3 and priests' pollution , ' Strong in truth and liberty /* . ¦¦ '• . ¦ The Essay on Life Assurance is certainly a popular exposition of the subject , and a good plea for its more general adoption . It is not bulky , but it contains within its comparatively few pages very able argument , and suggestive reasoning ;

    * Zootwcs On Tho History Of Jqnahtwl, Do...

    * Zootwcs on tho History of JQnahtwl , dollvorcd at Oliorlomoood , by Wiuuam Longman . Lecture tho fcooond , J » ui . 4 th , I 960 . Oompnsing an Account of tho Foudul System , and of the Origin of the Laws ana Government of England . London : Longman and do . Tho Gar JenJttat paid tho Runt , London ,: Qhapman and Hall . Tho Collomi ' iot : of Edward Qsborno , OUiilcn » nd OMhworJeor of London . Vy tho author of Ma-ry Powell , " London : Hall , Virtue , tynd Go . Tho Kopo ' a Vi'oam f a Tule of tho Lower Regions . By Thomas Pmjmmeii . London : Judd and Glass . An JSaaay on L { p > Aswrahoo . By 11 , W . PORTER , B . A . London ; Charles and Edwin Luyton .

    Serials. Ix The London Review (Quarterly...

    SERIALS . Ix the London Review ( quarterly ) there is a fine , though brief article on ftlacaulay , " whose writings are just now the subject of universal criticism more or less clever and eulogistic . " xYncient Syriac Gospels , " is also the subject of a learned and elaborate criticism of much interest and value . " Whitby , " " Eastern Problems , " " Morocco , " " Socrates /' " Arctic Explorations , " ' « Fricdrich Schiller , " are each and all treated with great intelligence and ability . The Kew Quarterly Review of Literature , Art , Science , and Politics , commends itself to general notice arid attention by the force and critical discrimination of its articles—the Retrospect of the Literature of the Quarter , Biographies of Lord Macaulay , French and English Novels , &( .. . The Westminster Review , for April , contains eight very able and eloquent articles . " The Verfic Religion" is analysed with consummate skill and eloquence in the first article . " Manin and Venice in 1848-9 , " fully describes the character and fate of the brave Italian patriot , and the revolution which ' terminated so unhappily in 1849 . " . The Ethics of War" is the subject of another article , in which the quarrels between nations are rigorously investigated and weighed . "Plutarch and his Times , " as it might- be expected , is a subject that is well treated by a modern reviewer . In the article upon " Austria and the Government of Hungary , " there is evinced a thorough knowledge of European affairs , and the ' pqlicy of England with regard to the subject is indicated with no less wisdom . * " Japan" is . just now , a popular topic of inquiry and specu latipn , and we find in the Westminster a very good article upon the subject . " Darwin-on the Origin of Species '' is ably reviewed , and pro ^ nouneed to be superior to any preceding or contemporary work upon the development hypothesis . - . . ¦ ¦ ' ¦ The British Quarterly Re-mew has many powerful articles in the present number . Tlie first is an able and comprehensive Review of Lord Macaulay ' s Poems , Speeches ,. Essays , and History . Next , " McLeod ' s Eastern Africa" is an interesting article . In an article on . ' " ¦ Christian Revivals , ' - the Christian character and tendency of these religious movements are maintained . Darwin ' s work on the " Origin of Species , " while differing in some points from its contemporaries , the Britisk Quarterly has criticised very ably and worthily . ? ' China and Japan " is not the least attractive article in this Review . There is also a remarkably good article upon " Italian Nationality . " The National Review for April is equal to any of its contemporaries in the sterling quality of its contents and the general ability with which every subject is . treated . " Plutarch ' s Lives / ' " the Testimony of Geology to the Age of the Human Race , " " the Budget and the Treaty iu their relation to Political Morality , " " the Acts of the Apostles , how far Historical ? " " The Reform Bill , its real Bearing and ultimate Results , " " Christianity in Japan , " and " Mr . 'Bright , painted by himself , " arc articles of great interest and . value , We have received the Journal of Psychological Medicine and Mental Pathology , edited by Forbes Winslow , M . D ., JD . C . L . It contains many valuable papers for this quarter upon subjects about which knowledge is most required , but in our periodical literature is frequently the least given , «• Psychological Quarterly Retrospect , " "On Habits of Intoxication as causing a Typq of Disease , " " the Platonic Dialogues , " " the Asylums of Spain , " are a few of the excellent articles in the present number . La Revue Inde ' pendante , P . olitifjue , PhUasophie , Litte ' raturc , Sciences , Beaux Arts , contains " The French Clergy , " " The Olncipl World of the Frenoh Empire , " " The Condition of the Working Classes under the reign of Napoleon III ., " & c The Journal of Mental Science contains a descriptive notice of the Sussex Lunatic Asylum , "Physical Diseases of Early Life , " "On the want of better Provision for the Labouring and Middle Classes when attacked or threatened with Insanity , " " Edgar Aljen Poe , " •« Consciousness as a Truth-organ considered , " As tlieac articles are , for the most part , written by medical literary gentlemen , they are , of course , strictly to the purpose , and abounding in sound views and valuable information . Kingstone ' s Magazine for Boys , tar this month , continues the interesting story of 4 « The Old Schoolfellows , " " Sketches from the Lifo of the late Major W . S . It . llodson , B . A ., Trinity Colleges , Cambridge , " The Life and Adventures of Puul Kane , " and also commences the first chapter of " The Rambles of a Naturalist . " The Ladies' Treasury , an Illustrated Magazine , is exceedingly attractive . The Soldier ' s Dream , " Uluatrutedi » the Soul never Grows Old , " illustrated ; " the Fashions , " illustrated 5 together with u variety of very pleasing articles , form the great source of attraction for April . Cassell's Popular Natural History continues with the history of the Dog , of the varieties of which there aro severul well-executed illustrations . Casaoll ' s Illustrated Family Paper is mudo interesting by the spirited continuation of tho story entitled , " Left to thunselvca ; or , Arab Life in London ; " and " tfio Autobiography of un Heiress ; or , the Old lumU . Wei liave received the fourth pnrt of the People ' s Edition , published by Messrs . Longman and Co ., of Mooius ' h very intorcsMng Memoirs , Journal , and Correspondence , which extends from tho tune of tho poet a leaving Rome in 1 B 19 , to his arrivnl in England , in 1822 , a long hwv m Paris and elsewhere intervening . This part also contains a portrult ot Henry , Marquis of JLansdowno . , i

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), April 14, 1860, page 17, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_14041860/page/17/