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    ) f late by outrageous allusions , her governments' treated as cowards and mercenaries ? .- . . ... " We have demonstrated that the source of all the evil lies in the obstinate determination , of England to suffer no rival influence in Europe . It is , therefore , under the auspices of Germany , the heart of Europe , whose palpitations axe the intellectual and moral life of the whole system , that the alliance of France and Russia should be ratified : as the only guarantee of the peace of the world and of real progress ; against conquest and revolution ; against the influence of tjhe selfish and aggressive policy abroad of a State beset by dangers at home ; against the invasions of a policy which strives to enslave the woFld to the law of its own personal interests .

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    [ We have endeavoured to ascertain the authorship of this Russian pamphlet , and , we believe , not without success . If our information be correct , the " Inhabitant of Continental Europe" is a gentleman who has ? inhabited' Brussels—since the declaration of war . He had resided in Paris for some time previously , upon a salary of 25 , OjOO francs ( 1000 / . ) per annum . For this ' consideration' he was engfeged to ' refute antvRussian articles . ' Recently there appeared in the Russian journals an edifying paragraph : " M . J . I—— , employe in the third section of the Imperial Chancery , in ^ consideration of his extremely zealous services , Has received the Order of St . Vladimir of the Third Class . " It may be proper to state that the " third section of the Imperial Chancery" is the Secret Police . M . T- — - ont to his

    was T ^ decorate visiting cards with art agreeable pleasantry : " Correspondent oftie Minister of Public fristructionS * " Public Instruction' * and " Secr ^ tPolice " are ? , it tvould seem * synonymous in the ^ Russian official vocabulary . A . few notes will suffice toillustrate the career of this typical personage . In 1825 he was an officer ia iSimonbysky ' s guards ; coinpromised In . the insurrection of that y 6 ar , but happening ti > be abroad , he wisely abstained from returning home ; and simply migra t ed from Italy into France , where he came out as a / publicist bitterly hostile to Czarisrn . He wrote for some tin ^ e in the Coyrrier Frangaisjand . published occasional brochures : arnorig others a panaphlet against the imperial ordinance limiting the ^ ojourn of JRussiah subjects aW

    years for uhtitled persons . But , as M . J . T—^ - very sagaciously remarked , it was impossible to live oh such slender profits , even eked out by friendly assistance . What was to be done ? Reconciliaiioii with Russia . He wrote a brochure on Marshal PasMevitch , in which the Marshal was extolled to the skies by the honest enthusiasm of the -writer . The Marshal , aided by the pajnphleteer ' s sister ,-who was in the good graces of Prince : TTbronsof , pro * - cured him the situation of refuter of ahti-Russian articles , a post fornfterly ocdtipied by Prince Mesczerski . M . T—— was said to have obtained the special privilege of reporting nothing about persons , but we have reason to believe he waived this privilege in more than one instance . In Louis Philippe ' s reign we find him Writing articles in the Quotidienne . In a notice of M . Ivan Golpvin ' La Russia sous Nicholas I ., he acused that work of

    containing nothing but anecdotes . To this the Corsair e > -Satan replied that at least one anecdote had been omitted , the anecdote of M . T— -- ~' s life , and proceeded to give it . No wonder the Quotidienne dispensed with the services of M . J . T . After the insurrection of June 1848 , M . T- — - ' s apartments were searched by order of General Lamoriciero . In 1849 M . J . T , wrote in the Union in favour of Russia . Denounced by the journal La Republique , he was again dismissed by his legitimist employers . Among his works we may mention a . * refutation' of the Marquis de Custine , a brochure on the campaign in Hungary , and , lastly , the treatise by " an Inhabitant of Continental Europe , " which we have laid before our readers as a pungent exposition of Russian policy , and , we may add , a characteristic specimen of Russian veracity . — Ep . Leader . ]

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    ROBERT OWEN'S ADDRESS TO THE HUMAN RACE . New Existence of Man upon Earth . Parts > ., ii ., iii . Holyoako and Co Mb , Owen ' s address on his 84 th birthday is remarkable for its vigour , being equal to his speeches which agitated the London Tavern audiences of 1817 . We need not say it reiterates with the utmost geniality his favourite dogmas . / The New Existence of Man xt . pon Earth is , as far as it has proceeded , a very interesting autobiographical work . Those Parts contain the earlier documents issued by Mr . Owen to the statesmen of a former generation . No result has come out in the precise way the author intended , but great indirect roforma have boon stimulated by these publications , whfch may yet be consulted as Text Books of associative improvements .

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    HOOKS ON OUR TABLE , Tho Fall of the Crimea . I ) y Onptuin Sponoor . Koutlodgo The Convent and the Manse , Nolnon Ma May . By Mary Lnngdon ( Simpson , Lowo , Son , and Oo Church Furniture and Decoration . By Kov . E . L . Cutte , I ) . A . Croolcfoi'd

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    the series of histories of the Byzantine and Greek Empires , from the pen of Mr . Finlay . Except for the newly-awakehed interest in the affairs of Greece , some apology would have been needed for forcing the subject on the attention of the public . The world has so accustomed itself to be content with the brilliant essays of Gibbon , who despatches a batch of emperors in a sentence , that it was scarcely likely that a demand would arise for a more elaborate history . ; Such , however , is the work now supplied by Mr . Finlay , who makes up for some deficiencies in style and composition by painstaking * diligence and accurate research . We doubt whether his book will find acceptance -with the geaeral reader ; but we can strongly recommend it to all who wish to become acquainted with the minute details of Byzantine History .

    We shall not attempt to follow Mr . Finlay through the four centuries embraced by the last volume . It will be enough if , more for the sake of making our readers acquainted with the author than with any critical or historical intentions , we briefly glance at one of the most attractive portions . While other writers on the Crusades have pointed out the causes from which they sprang , and the changes which they produced on the government and civilisation of the West , Mr . Finlay regards mainly their effect on the government of Constantinople and the condition of the Greek Christians-Never was monarch hi a more perilous predieiatnent than Alexius I ., when the soldiers of the West were gathered in his capital . Our readers may re ' collect Gibbon's quaint but forcible remark * " In some oriental tale I have read the fable ' of a shepherd who was ruined by the accomplishmeht of his own wishes : he had prayed for -vvater : the Ganges was turned into his

    grounds , and his flocks and c 6 ttage were s \ v-ept away by thei inundation . Such was the fortune , or at least the apprehension of Alexius Comnenus . " In his zeal for the Sepulchre , rather ; perhaps , in fear for his own position , he had solicited assistance from Westerti Christendom . He had asked for ten thousaiidsoldibrs . The fervent piety spiritofenterprise sent forth myriads . The Emperor " was astonished by the approach of i so many potent chiefs and fanatic notions . " His object was to . persuade his allies first to payhiju homage , and then to pass from Gonstantinopley It required all his skill and prudence to prevent hostilities . This is Mr . Tinlay ' s accouHt of his position :- — ^ The conduct of Alexius towards the Crusaders was certainly deficient both in candou r and prudence , but he had a very difficult pait to act ; and it must be admitted that all hi s fears and distrust were fully justified ; by the , rapine of the private soldiers , who plundered

    his subjects , and the insolence of his chiefs , vrho insulted his authority .. The memorable anecdote of the insolence of a petty Trench chieftain , who has been supposed by Pucange to have been a count of Paris , and who rudely seated hirriSelf on the imperial throne at a solemn audience , is familiar both to the readers of history and romance . His conduct must have appeared io the Byzantine courtiers an act of high treason deserving death , and it was regarded by the princes of the crusade as ah . intolerable piece of rudeness and / brutality . The Franks arid Greeks were at this time in social conditions which rendered it impossible for them to associate together without feelingfe of mutual contempt . The narration of Anna Comnena enables us to contrast in a curious manner the experienced anility of the Byzantine court with the idleness and men tal inanity of the Westerii aristocracy . She complains , with greatreason , of tlie presumption , vanity , and loquacity of the chiefs , who , considering themselves entitled by theitf rank to converse with the emperor , compelled him to sacrifice hour after hour of his valuable time listening to their pretensions and solicitations . Alexius knew that these men were independent chiefs , and he was anxious to avoid giving them offence , for

    their power so often exceeded their judgment that the neglect of a childish demand or the irritation of an unintentional slight might flange his empire in a dangerous and bloody war . The personal behnviour of Alexius was more judicious than his political system . He did everything to conciliate the nobles , and his patience , good humour , and liberality , overcame many difficulties , but his health suffered from the fatigue of the interminable audiences he gave the leaders Amidst the toils of his other occupations . The silly loquacity of men who waatcd their days in idle talk and vain boasting made a very . unfavourable impression on the Byzantine nobles , whoso social intercourse retained much of Roman gravity , formalised by Oriental ceremony . Tho chiefs of the crusade also displayed an unseemly eagerness to obtain money and presents from the empfror . Tancred , the flower of Norman chivalry , openly expressed his disgust at the rapacity of his companions . When solicited to do homage to Alexius , which ho would fain have avoided , he could not repress his sneers at their venality . Looking one day at tho magnificent tent of tho emperor , which all were admiring , Tancred exclaimed , * If Alexius would give mo that tent iulLof money , and as much more as he has given to our princes , I might think of doing him homage . ' "

    HISTORY OF THE BYZANTINE AND G-REEK EMPIRES . History of tfte JJgzctntme and Greek Jfrnpiixs . From 1067 io 1453 . By George Finlay . Blaclcwood . AwtONcUhe earliest schemes suggested by the Eastern Question was the resuscitation of a Byzantine Empire , The notion was scarcely started when it was received with favour in the most opposite quarters . The writings of the Hebrew prophets wore ransacked , and in tho obscure language of these ancient records religious zealots found arguments for a crusade againBt the children of Mahomet . Political enthusiasts and reckless adventurers alike discovered that the Turks were foreigners in Europe , that the awoid was their Only title to possession , and that tlioy must forthwith bo banished to

    their legitimute dominions in Asia . No efforts wore spared to convince us that tho Modern Greeks were rapidly advancing in tho direction of good government and civilisation . Nothing could be more untruo than to imagine that the Court was the scene of intrigue and faction ; the Ministry corrupted , the Government hopelessly disorganised , and the people—as in days gone by—a nation of pirates and robbers . It i $ needless to write that luosc dreams hare boon dissipated . Lator events have proved , beyond a doubt , that the King was a secret partisan of tho Czar , and that every member of the administration was prepared to broalc the fuitlx of treaties for tho sake of Russian gold . , Wo have alluded to these circumstances because it is to thorn that wo owe

    We regret that we have not time nor space to devote to a more lengthened account of Mr . Finlay ' s book . We can . sum up our criticism in a few words . It is the most complete And elaborate history of the Byzantine and Greek Empires that has appeared in an English form .

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    860 THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 9, 1854, page 860, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2055/page/20/