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    rxty instrument , effective only -with select audiences of the sympathising and intelligent , and , hence , ifcs disappearance from the English press , which generally addresses the nation and . not parties ,, and which , therefore , disdains the personality which is the essence of squib . Our contemporary , furthermore , has laboured £ n this undertaking to revive an old newspaper feature , under this special disadvantage , —that he ¦ was remarkably on the wrong side . Your wit cannot get on if his victim is not really ridiculous : and in this instance the laugh happened to be altogether against the Tories . The Coalition , a collection of the most capable men in Parliament , succeeded the Ministry whicL was chivalrous and led by the essentially mean Lord Derby , which -was Protestant and was guided by the essentially Jew , Mr . Disraeli , which was to carry on business and was composed of militia-minded Mr . Walpole , sessionsy Sir John Pakington , oxminded Mr . Christopher , and poetical Lord John Manners—and which ,

    finally , ignominiously broke dawn in sight of a passive but exhilarated public . These were the men who , in opposition , resolved to take the absurd point of view , and to laugh the Coalition out of office ! This was comic , but it was a presumption not favourable to the intellectual efforts of the falselyplaced Press . Thje world hailed the paper with pleasure : Tory journalism is traditionally idiotic and cleverness was a pleasant change : ' and the world , being quite easy as to the Coalition standing , could afford to be amused at the jocose efforts of the young Tories . The failure was , however , seriously severe : and this little book will not alleviate it . The Press might have done good national as well as good party work , if it had sought something more than the gratification of the helpless malignity of a clique , and had re-created the Tory party by proffering on its behalf an intelligible policy . That positive work does not seem to have been attempted : and the negative work of damaging the Coalition indicates merely the waste of so much intellect .

    The Press has not put down the Coalition . Lord Aberdeen is probably the only man who paid angry attention to-theiVe . ? s ' s caricatures of him : — the Ministry , as a whole , remains one of the most powerful which has ever ruled in England : —and Lord Derby and Mr-. Disraeli—men who have Lad their chance , and have failed—continue to-be admired , —and despised . The country cannot afford to give a practical triumph to the personalities of the Coalition Guide , —for similar reasons , carmjot aftbrd mere smart men suela as Mr . Disraeli . The Tories will have their ; day again— when the people ape ready for a new encroachment t but in th « meanwhile a Tory party cannot be kept together by extracts froni Coningsby , compliments to Lord Stanley , and caricatures of Lord Aberdeen .

    We hove classed the Retrospect of the Sessio ? i of 1854 with the Guide for only one reason- —it is an attack on the Coalition . It might also be read by way of reaction after the sparkle of the Guide- ^ - ' it is sufficiently luo-ubrious t © prove that the age of squibs is over . It seems a speech , which circumstances predated the possible orator delivering—probably , let us hope , out of consideration for his contingent audience—because he could not remember it . We hasten to forget it .

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    • Foraake me not , till I deseive ; Nor hate me not , till I offend ; Destroy me not , till that 1 swerve : But since ye know what I intend , Disdain me not , that am your own ; Refuse me not , that am so true ; Mistrust me not , till all be known ; Forsake me not now for no new . " Bnrke ' s Works , with a Life by Prior , Lamb ' s English Dramatic Poets , and another volume of Cowper ' s Works are contributed by Bohn—together with two translations , one of Xenophon ' s Anabasis and Memorabilia , the other of PKlo Judaius . What a text do these facts furnish for comment ? Up to this time the works of Edmund Burke have been inaccessible to the general public . Collected in nearly a score of volumes they have adorned the shelves of the wealthy , but have only been within reach of the poor through the medium of librariesThe

    public . artisan can now possess them . How much is implied in that single word ! A borrowed book has nothing to do with yourself ; certainly you can read its pages , exhaust its wisdom , or enjoy its wit , and still it forms no part of your inner life . But once plant it on your book-shelf , let it nestle snugly among its fellows , who have long been your dearest friends , and you can love with the love you lavish on the mistress of yoirr heart . For ever it is there to greet you . You may be worn with toil , almost driven to despair by the fierce battle of life , you may be sick at heart , a prey to all the passions that make wreck of human happiness—you mayfeel as though the world Lad left you friendless and alone—and yet your books are present with a kind familiar welcome . They are your own . In speechless silence they salute you . Theirs is a friendship which time can . neither alter nor destroy . Unchanged and unchangeable they teach sublime lessons of wisdom and patience . Therefore it is that poverty , craving after ^ knowledge , should thank the publishers who supply cheap literature that is not also " nasty . "

    We do not pretend to have examined the translations of Xenophon and PMfo Judus minutely , and we honestly confess that we are very fastidious in respect to translation , but we a ? e truly glad to welcome our good old friend the Anabasis in an English form ... Though it was written some two thousand years ago , it still maintains its position as one of the most charmin " : tales of travel that ever was written . It is as interesting as a novel , and is still an unpretending truthful narrative . The present edition contains a geographical commentary by "Mr . W . F . Ainsworth , which considerably enhances its . value . In addition to the Anabasis , we are glad to see a translation of the Memorabilia . There are few persons but know something of the wise old Athenian , of whom it was said that men stopped their ears

    and ran away lest they should grow old in listening to his talk . But the true picture of Socrates can only be found in the writings of his two pupils , Plato and Xenophon , of wh . oin .-one describes the philosopher and the other pourtrays the man . If any of our readers , who are not also classical scholars , wish to know who and what Socrates was , we strongly recommend them to buy the translation of the Memorabilia . A . second -volume of Butler ' s Works , published by Messrs . Nicholl , of Edinburgh , Sir E . BulweT Lytton ' s Alice , and Osier ' s Life of Lord Efcmouth , complete our list of republications . We pass on , therefore , to the four new books . "

    The Romance of ( lie City is the title of a volume of poems by Emma Whitehead . Miss Whitehead tells us , in a short preface , " Thisbook is written to retiieve my position , and to re-establish myself in my profession . " We have Lately more than once insisted on the absurdity of people publishing arhyines when they can lay no claim to the poetic faculty , and , as critics , we are bound to say that Miss Whitehead ' s poems are nearly the worst attempts that we ever read . Had she no kind friend in the world to give her warning in time ? or is it possible that the poems have been praised in private circles ? It is not worth while to give reasons for our censure . The rhynles are simply bad , and have not the remotest claim to be called poetry . The Convent and the Manse is an American story , and is intended as an . attack on the Roman Catholic religion . A second aeries pf Fern-leaves from Fanny ' s Portfolio is by the sister of N " . P . Willis . It Ls sufficiently clever , but disfigured by what we arc obliged to call vulgarity . It contains , however , some amusing and life-like sketches . We quote some extracts , and our readers may judge for themselves . Here is AN OLD MAJO ' s DECISION .

    A BATCH OF BOOKS . * T « e literary dearth continues . Out of fifteen books on our list , four only possess the claims and charms of novelty . Is genius dead , or is it true that until we have inflicted deserved chastisement on the madman who has called Europe to arms , our authors are doomed to silence ? And yet we have no reason to complain . If the public is not in a mood to listen , it is of no use for wisdom to cry unheeded in the streets , and if writers are making good use of their leisure , what thoughts will have been ripened ! what a golden harvest will have been prepared to welcome the coming peace ! First , then , let us glance at the republications . Messrs . Parker and Son add the works of Sir Thomas Wyatt ito the annotated edition of the ] E ?? glis 7 i Poets . We have frequently taken occasion to call public attention to this valuable series of cheap literature . Nine volumes have already

    appearedthree volumes of Dryden , one of Surrey , three of Coivper , this one of S ir Thomas Wyatt , and Songs from the Dramatists . It is not alone that we can buy a volume containing , sometimes in full , sometimes in part , the works of fin English Poet , but that the hopes and promises which Messrs Parker hold out have been fulfilled by the useful and scrupulous labour of the editor , Mr . Robert Bell . The text has been carefully collated , and , whatever exceptions may bo taken to some of Mr . Bell ' s criticisms , it will be acknowledged that the general result is alike creditable to the editor , and satisfactory to the reader . We would have Mr . JBell exert himself to the utmost . His will be n rich reward if ho produces an edition of the Enqlish which be ed artisans

    Poets , can purchasby , and command respect from scholars . The task is by no means an easy one , and it is no small praise to say that it has hitherto been accomplished with competence and zeal . Wo must defer & more lengthened and minute criticism of our eax'ly English Poets until the series includes a larger number . We cannot , howevor , dismiss Sir Thomas Wyatt , without ottering one specimen of his poetry . 11 VHK LOVER VRATCKXU MOT TO 1115 1 > ISDAINICI > , ItUKUSKD , M 1 STUUSTICD , NOJrt XrOHSAKEN , " Disdnin mo not without desert , Nor leave me not so suddenly ; Since well ye wot that in my heart I mean yo not hub honestly .

    Kofuso me not without cause why , For think in * not to bo unjust ; Sinco that by lot of fantasy , Thin careful knot nceda luivt I muat . Mistrust ino not , though Bomo thrro bo That fain would apob my stoaiifawtneaa : Boliovo them not , winco that yo sec ______ ^ Tho proof is not a « tlioy oxproHs .

    " 1 can boar misfortune and poverty , and all tho other ills of life , but to bo an old maid to droop anclwittaor , and wilt and dio , Uko a Mingle pink—1 can't endv . ro it : and what ' s more , I won't I " Now there ' s an appeal that ought to touch some bachelor ' s heart . There aUe is , a ; poor , lono spinster , in a nicely furnished room—sofa big enough for two ; two arm-chairs , two bureaus , two looking-glasses—everything hunting in couples except herself ! I don ' t wonder sho '» franlic ! She read in her childhood that " witches wcro made in Heaven , " and although bug ' s -well awnro that there arc some Lucifer matches , yet sho has never had a clmnco to try cither sort . J 3 he has hoard that there " never was a soul created , but its twin ¦ was made somowhere , " and she ' s a melancholy proof tliat't is a mocking Ho , She gets tired of sewing—shq can ' t knit . for ever on that otcrnal stocking —( besides , that has fxfeUoia to it , and in only an aggravation to her feelings ) . She has road till her eyes aro imlf blind- — there ' s nobody to agree with her if she likes the boolc , or arguo tho point with her if she

    don t- At sho goes out to walk , every woman sho moeU has her husband ' s arm . To be eure thoy are half of ' cm ready to scratch eucih other ' s eyes out ; but that ' s a little business matter between themselves . Suppose she fuels devotional , ami gooa to evening leoturos ?—: sotn <> ruffianly cownrd is sure to scare her to ( loath on the way . If sho takes a journey , she cots hustled and boxed round among Gall-drivers , and portora , and baggage-masters ; her bandbox geta knocked in , her trunk gets knocked off , and she ' s , landed at the- wrong atopping-placo . If tslio wants a load of wooil , sho has to puy twice as much as a , man would , and then sho gets ohcatod b , y the man that saws and splits it . She lias to put her own money into the bunk and get it out , hiro her own pew , and wait upon heiviull into it . l ' coplo toll her " husbands are often groat plagues , " but she knows tlieio aro times when they uro iiidispenh-able . Sho is very good , looking , black hair and eyes , fhio figure , singtf mid p « 7 a beautifully ; but aho " ' t bo an old nmid , and what ' s uiortt —« n » s won ' t . "

    The next extract is on " 1 UC 8 T THINUS . " I have a horror of ' bos > t' things , corno they in tho shape of shoes , gmmonta , bonnets . or rooms . In such a harness my soul pevru rosllo . ^ hlj' out , ahkliifi ' if { bo J . 1 in puzzled to find myself . 1 become Htifi'mid lunnul . und nrtilldwl 'i" "O' hui-touikIjuch . " But of »\ 11 tho boat things , spare mo tho infliction of a ' beN | room . Out upon a carpet too lino to tread upon , books too dainty to bundle , » ol «« that but mock your weary limbs , und curtninu that dare not I ' aco a ray ol sunliglit ! " Had I ix house , there Hl , < rald ho no 'boat «<> om' in it . No uphol « tcror ehould oxorcjao comfort or . vliUdnn Jxwn » iy doo »' - » ill . The flx-u , trw > h * lr ukould bo wolwmo to play through

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    _ The 'Atfc of Admiral Viecount Kmnoutli . 13 y Edward Osier , Ksq . Koutlcdgc . —Fern Ju& *? . ea I *™ t'wny ' a Portfolio . ( Hewnd fcjerios . ) Orr and Co ., Sampson , Low , and Bon . — the Convene and tha JUcttee , mohon . ~ -2 > octw < d Works of Sir Tliwnua Wimtt . l ' urkor —Jiurke a Wcrka . With Lift-, by Prior . Bohn . — Lamb's knyliah Dramatic Fvets . Bohn . ^» ^ flLL r TL H ^ ^ S ™^ y- lMm . —Xmophon'a Anabasis and Memorabilia l ? m ™ mti't \ YSh ' Bohiv- ^/ fowifliKw o / the City , or Ltqmd , of London . By fcrnma W ltdiond . Published at 16 , Nowmun-stroot .-7 'Afl Library of Mlical J . ittrl lS . rtiniTo it , / * Vff " ' . * " ^ ' * * ° - '" lho Myttvrict . By « ir Edwnrd Bulwcr I-ytton lionllc ^ o .-BvCkr ' sPoettcanVorh . Edinburgh . J . Nicoll ,

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    Ssptbmber . 16 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER . 8 ^

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 16, 1854, page 883, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2056/page/19/