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October 4,1856.] THE IEADHR, 051
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¦ . • ¦ . ' ¦ : ¦ ¦ ——?—Critics are not ...
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Toleration is one of those -virtues whic...
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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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.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
October 4,1856.] The Ieadhr, 051
October 4 , 1856 . ] THE IEADHR , 051
' Dpf+Jvtmffvnv . Jm^Iumiw ¦
ICitoature /
¦ . • ¦ . ' ¦ : ¦ ¦ ——?—Critics Are Not ...
¦ . ¦ . ' ¦ : ¦ ¦ ——?—Critics are not the legislators , "but the jndges and police of literature . They do not mate laws—fche . y interpret and try to enforce them . —JSdinbzirgh Review .
Toleration Is One Of Those -Virtues Whic...
Toleration is one of those -virtues which the intellect at once recognizes to be necessary , to be even indispensable ; but few virtues are so hard to practise ; few permit so many sophistications to obstruct their action . As a general proposition , the necessity of toleration commands assent j when a particular case falls under our jurisdiction , who of us can say that his egoistic impulses do not overmaster the intellectual conclusion , darkening at with sophisms , dismissing it -with vehement contempt ? We are all impatient of differences . The truth so clear to us imcst be clear to you ; if you do not see it , that as "because you refuse to look in the right way ( our own ); and your refusal must spring from moral perversion .
Although the egoism from -which this spr ings may be mitigated by culture , Tvhich , enlarging the mind , brings lbefore us vividly and constantly the inevitable dissidences in men ' s opinions , it will not entirely disappear . Something , however , is gained by each particular lesson . To have given , up persecuting the Jews , and roasting schismatics , are great particular gains . To have learned that infidels' are nothing like themonsters which acrimonious egoism , irritated at opposition , has so long been proclaiming but that ' infidelity' is , in most cases , moregenuine faithfulness and truthfulness than the orthodoxy it combats , is also a great gain . Wlille ^ therefore , such , intellectual feebleness and egoistic vehemence as the Rev . Mr .
Contbeare displays in his novel of Perversion , "which , will assure him the Contempt of most thinking minds , may serve to pander to the already vigorous hatred which the majority feels for its religious opponents , we have still the satisfaction of noting that the spirit of the age is becoming more and more tolerant . Toleration is the watchword of the Leader . Free speech for all free thought , is , and < sver has been , our guiding principle . That we are not always tolerant— - that on many points we are fiercely intolerant , is , alas ! too well known to us . Our human infirmities must be confessed . But ., at any rate we mean to be tolerant ; we strive after the ideal ; and , if often failing , we still contrive to fight the battle in certain particular
cases . ¦ . . - ¦ . : : ¦ - . ¦¦;¦ .. . ¦¦¦ .... ; . . . - . ¦¦ : . ¦ ¦ .. . ¦ ¦ This is a long proem to the notice of a remarkable article in the Oxford mid . 'Cambridge Magazine for this month , entitled " The Sceptic and the Infidel . " The Magazine is conducted by able young men belonging to the universities , and is interesting to those outside the universities who want to note the yeast fermenting in the minds of those who will shortly play parts in public life . But the article to which we now refer has no trace of youth in it , unless the generous ardour and courageous expression of some passages be attributed to the warmth of youth . It is a protest against Mr .
Conybeajre and the class of minds to which he belongs , written in a thoughtful and elevated tone , and our readers will do well to look after it . They will also do well to look after the article on " Bashi-Bazouks" in this month ' s Frc / sei \ for distinct information respecting that curious body of irregular cavalry , about which we have heard so much from newspapers . The writer , besides thoroughly making us acquainted with these troops — and so picturesque are his descriptions that we seem to see the men galloping before 11 s—also throws in various amusing touches , of which two shall be given here . " What think you of this method of
shopping?—For the benefit of the shopping public , and especially tliose ladies who have a morbid tendency for at once appropriating any articles that suit their fancy , from the counter , and taking their chance of the bill being ' sent in' afterwards , we may n . s well describe the method by whicli a purchase is effected in that limd of fraud' and double dealing , the merchants of -which nro so fond of affirming that the first principle of their creed is abhorrence of a lie . You walk to the counter of a Turkish tradesman , on which ho sits and smokes in somewhat provoking apathy , You take up what yon require , and ask him , " Katch goroosh ? " ( how many piastres ?) Ho answers , without moving a muscle of his countenance , " Fifty . " You know It would cost much less in England , and if it is your fiist attempt you offer twenty-fivo , in hopes of his coining down a little , when , by your advancing in the same proportion you . may effect a
bargain . Somew hat to your discomfiture , he merely shrugs his shoulders , and gives vent to that well-known sound , " , st , " which marks so hopelessly the im practicability and imbecile helplessness of the Eastern tradesman . You might haggle all daylong , yon would never acquire possession of the article . There is but one thing to do , and custom bears you out fully in doing it . You take what you want , and put down on the counter such a sum aa you think a sufficient price , and so walk away . The merchant is generally satisfied , and the deal is closed . Such is the plan adopted by all Europeans , such as the plan much affected by the French , who also take advantage of their decimal coinage to pay ' francs' where John Bull pays shillings , and such is the plan most admired by the Bashi-Uazoukf , -who certainly , unless closely watched , havo a tendency to omit entirely the paying part of the ceremony , and walk away with their prize , leaving nothing- on the counter in exchange .
The next shall be an admirable story of General TPxndiiam , the hero of the Redan ; a story intensely British : — When a young Guardsman , he was spending his leave in ft tour through Syria , and . was journeying in the desert under convoy of an Arab scheik and some twenty or thirty retainers , swarthy , desperate-looking sons of the desert—himself and his servant , 11 stalwart ' Coldstreainer , ' being- the only two Europeans of the purty . The route was dangerous , and Leset by brigands . It was impossible to travel except uiuler escort , and Captain Windham had engaged tho services of his guides and guardians at a fair remuneration . For the first few days they went on nmienbly enough . The captain , with hid short black pipe and frank handsome face , winning , as was his wont , golden opinions from all with whom ho associated ; but at the end of that time , and when so far advanced into tho desert that it was equally dangerous to go forward or to return , behold the wily scheik bethinks him of aRchcmo by which ho mny y « t worm out another thousand or two of piastres from his English friend . Accordiiigl < ¦
at their evening halt lie proceeds to the Guardsman's tent , and holds conversatio n with him , through the intervention of a rascally dragoman , to the following effect : — Arab Scleik— " shawled to the eyes and bearded to the nose , " enveloped , moreover , in dirty draperies , waving his pipe-stick courteously to dragoman— - " Tell my brother that the way is long , pur barley exhausted , our horses without water , we must return or perish . " Windham—in shirt-sleeves and much-worn inexpressibles , without removing the short black pipe from his mouth- — " Tell him to be d—d . " Scheik— " Unless the effendi will pay us two thousand more piastres ' back-sheesh , ' my men will be compelled to return . " Windham- —" Ask him if he means to abide by his agreement or not ?" Dragoman— much alarmed , as is their wont—" Better give him the money ; we shall be left here to die . " Windham —with a sign to Private W . Sykes , of tie Light Company , wlom nothing las ever astonished— " Bill ! you catch hold of this chap whilst I leather him . "
In a twinkling'the Scheik ' s gravity is upset , by the summary process of tripping up his heels , performed secundum artem by the Captain , a powerful square-built man , no whit inferior in all athletie exercises to his illustrious ancestor and namesake , tlie famous statesman . Bill , a brawny front-rank man , holds the chief down by tie shoulders , and his master , witli a good-lumoured smile the whole time upon his coiintenan . ee , lays into the prostrate Arab ' with a will , ' some twenty or thirty telling stripes from an honest English huntiDg-whip that has accompanied him through his travels—the Arab writhing , and abjectly intreating for mercy . _ At the end of the performance , what does the wild son of the desert to avenge bis disgrace ? Does he call in his retainers and massacre the bold strangers on the spot , or does he spring like a tiger on the strong-armed Englishman , and bury his yataghan in the throat of his enemy ? Not a bit of it . He crawls to the Captain ' s feet , he embraces his knees , he calls him " my father , " he promises to do his bidding , "himself and his troop , and all that is bis , in everything he shall require , " and moreover , he keeps his promise ; and to use Windham ' s own words , " behaves quite lik « a gentleman" till the end of the journey .
There is another curious article , " Protestantism from a Roman Catholic Point of View , " in which a Catholic work written to warn Catholics against Protestantism , is analyzed at some length . It is a very foolish , wicked book ? and , after exposing its misrepresentations , the writer wisely adds : — In conclusion may we be allowed to hint that Protestants may learn a lesson from this book , which will not be unproductive of good if it lead them to compare the feelings of indignation and disgust with which its false and garbled statements cannot but have inspired them , with ihe sentiments experienced by Catholics when they iind some among themselves misstating and exaggerating the doctrines and practices of then * religion to an extent eiuial to anything we have met with even in Dr . Giovanni Perrone's precious production . Will the lesson be taken ? We doubt it . The Protestant ¦ who indulges his egoism by making false and garbled statements is not the man to profit by such hints .
There are other articles in this varied Magazine we should like to pause over— -especially one on " Shakspeare and his Native Comity '—but must hurry on to the gem of the number , the article called " The Angel in the House . " This is scarcely a criticism of the poem so named ; but , taking the suggestion from the poem , the writer discourses on the predominance given in poetry and fiction to Love , and especially to Love before Marriage , and points out the advantages of varying this monotony by the more difficult but more fruitful topic of married love . The article bears no signature , but every page is the signature of a . high , p-ure , and subtly-reflective mind ; one keen in its insight into social life , as it is delicate in its literary susceptibilities . It bears reading and rereading . We can only squeeze in two extracts : —
The romance of life is over , it is said , with marriage ; nothing like marriage , is the congenial reply , for destroying illusions and nonsense . In which notable specimens of " the wisdom of many men expressed in the wit of one , " as a lordly living statesman defines a proverb , there aro two remarkable assertions involved . The first is that love is an illusion ; the second , that marriage destroys it . " We may concede to the wisdom of the market-place thus much of truth , that the love which marriage destroys is unquestionably an illusion . " We may nlso concede to it this further truth , that the love of husband and wife is no more tie love of the man and woman in the days of their courtship , than tho blossom of the peach is the peach , or the green shoots of corn that peep above the snows of February aro the harvest that waves its
broad liillows of red and gold in the autumn sun . If indeed there are persons so silly as to dream , in their days of courtship , that life can be an Arcadian paradise , where caution , self-restraint , and self-denial are needless ; where inexhaustible blisses fall lik « dew on human lilies that have only to lie lovely ; a world from tho conception of which pain and imperfection , sin , discipline , and moral growth are excluded , marriage undoubtedly does destroy this illusion , as life would destroy it were marriage out of the question . If , too , attracted originally to each other by some alight and indefinable charm , by some chord of sympathy' vibrating in harmony at a moment ' s accidental touch , often by tho mere force of tho tendency at a particular age to what tho great Florentine
calls" Amor cho al cor gentil ratto s ' apprentle , Amor die a nullo amato amar perdonn , " two young persons fancy that this subtile charm , this mysterious attraction , is endowed with eternal strength to stand the shocks of time , tho temptations of fresh attractions , the more fatal because more continual sap of unresting egotism , ever active to throw down tho outworks and undermine tho citadel of love ; and trusting to it alone , think that wedded happiness can bo maintained without self-discipline , mutual esteem and forbearance ; without tho charity which covers the defects it silently studies to remove ; without the wisdom and " the mutual understanding of character to which profound and patient love , can ulonc attain—thia is another illusion which marriage will destroy . Aomin : —
The romance of life gone I when with the humblest and most sordid cares of lifo arc intimately associated the calm delights , the settled bliss of homo ; when upon duties , in them . sulves perhaps often wearisome and uninteresting , hang the prosperity and tlie happiness of wife and children ; when there is no mean hopo , because thoro is no hopo in which regard for othera does not largely mingle—no base fear , because suflcritigaiul distress cannot affect self alone ; wlion the selfishness which turns honest industry to groiA and noblo ambition to egotistical lust of power is exorcised ; when life becomes a perpetual exercise of duties which arc delights , and delights which aro dutioH . But the whole must he read .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 4, 1856, page 15, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_04101856/page/15/
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