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Leader (1850-1860), 17th September 1859, Edition 1 of 3, Page 1064, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      TEHEJ ITALIAN CAMPAIGNS OF GENERAl * BONAPARTE IN 1796-7 and 1800 . By George Hooper . With a Map . —SmjLtb , Elder and Co . The present throws such a light upon the past ^ that it may now be better interpreted than it could at any previous period . Nay , a few weeks will make a considerable difference in the state of opinion . The independence of Italy adopted by France as a cause advantageous to herself , is now proved to have been not a mere illusion , of which the Bonaparte of the time might take occasion for the benefit of a dynasty , but a real European cause , which , apart from all personal considerationsnecessarily arrayed the leader of the French

      , armies on the side of freedom . Whatever might be the ambition or character of Napoleon , whatever his motive or design , however despotic or self-seeking , his part was necessarily , by the law of events and the control of inevitable destiny , on the side of Italian liberty and against Austrian predominance . The Napoleon of that time and this could , and can , only represent France , and the cosmical relation in which that country stands towards others . The misconduct of the ; individual may delay the issue . But the tendency still progresses towards its destined termination , whatever may be the windings or impediments that the stream may have to master .

      All this was shadowed forth in what has been called the " great design" of Henry IV ., and has since been indicated in the exploits of Napoleon III . The ultimate form , however , to be assumed may be something very different from that projected by either ; but the spirit of the entire transaction will be the same , and the preservation of the balance of power in Europe the prevailing motive . Mr . Hooper's book is not altogether enlightened with the experience which is now accumulating , and which brings out the principle above announced in such strong relief ; nevertheless , he writes very sensibly on the general character of the contest .

      " The first thing that strikes the observer is that the Napoleon of our day has Piedmont for an ally , and not for an enemy . Next , that he has started , not from Liguria , but from Alessandria and the Po . Thirdly , that he has not had to depend at first upon limited and precarious communications , traversing barren rocks and dangerous shores , but that he has had open to him all the roads into Italy , including the silent highway of the sea ; and that he has been able to transport men , materiel , and stores ^ to Genoa and to Leghorn , and to send a fleet of war ships into the Adriatic , as well as to march his battalions over

      the Mont Cenis . Fourthly , one great fact must be noted ; the contending armies are four times as great as they were in 1796 , and more than three as great as they were in 1800 . Nor ia this all : new arms have been invented , rifled cannon and rifled muskets ; new appliances , the electric telegraph used in the field , the apparatus of the photographer , above all the railway and . the steamship , which have vastly augmented the locomotive power of armies , lessened , their fatigues , and brought them with speed and freshness to the very verge of the field of battle . These are great and important differences . It is true

      that the balance in favour of our day over the days of old is shared by both sides , though in an unequal degree , for tlie Austrians have no commanding marine . In 1796 , the people , especially those of Piedmont and the States of Venice were animated by a strong dislike of the Frenqli . In 1859 there is hardly an Italian , except he be a priest , or a noble highly placed in the service of Austria , or an ignorant peasant besotted with superstition , who is not devoted to France , because the French chief of 1859 , like his predecessor of 1796 , is regarded as the "liberator" of Italy . "

      The following also merits implicit attention : — "It has been seen that in our day the French invading army has had free access to the plains of Piedmont by the Alps , the sea , and the Apennines . In crossing the Mont C 6 nis the infantry were reminded of the genius of Napoleon the First ; and the hortfemen who lately rode , along the Corniche to the gates of friendly Genoa , must also have remembered ¦ who it was that opened this fine road . On their side ,

      also , the Austrians have made roads that did not exist in 1796 . There is the great railway which links Vienna with Verona , Mantua , and Milan . In addition to the mountain road through the Tyrol that , climbing the Brenner , passes by Trent and down the valley of the Aaige , they have made another road into tho valtey of the Adjge by the valley of the Drave . They have also connected the valley of the Adige and the valley of the Upper Aadaby anew road , carried over the lofty ridge of the Stelvio into tho Valteline . This road ,

      constructed in part above the limits of the eternal snows , is a marvellous work of engineering . It traverses ravines on bridges , it dives under hills , and descends in steep gradients abrupt precipices . It is regarded as a strong line of military communication with Corno and Milan , because it may be easily defended ; but it may be questioned whether , with an insurrec ^ tion in the Valteline , it would be of great service in a campaign beyond securing a line of retreat , easily closed to a pursuing force , or in serving as a route along which a corps might be sent to vex and threaten the rear of an army fronting the Mincio . Then there is a road over the Mont Tonale which

      connects one of the affluents of the Adige with head waters of ; the Oglio , and . joins the great Lombard highway between Milan and Brescia . The road over the lofty Tonale is connected with a road extending westward to the basin of the little lake Lake Idro , sfad passing down the eastern sliore of the lake into the rugged and dangerous defile of the Val Sabbia , and connecting it with the base of , the Lake ofGarda . All these roads have been made for the

      purpose of giving Austrian troops a flank access into the plains of Lombardy . They may be turned against her by a daring chief , who with a sufficient force should carry on a partisan war in the hills and deep glens so suitable for that kind of fighting , because they give access to the Tyrol and the flank of the Austrian line of communication by the valley of the Adige , as well as access to Lombardy . " - It will not be expected that we should present any analysis of this work , which obviously contains a popular exposition of a story onl y too often written , and generally known .

      Of course , the author has endeavoured to throw in new light , and to redistribute the events to serve his own peculiar purpose . The tale is told with great spirit . Mr . Hooper ' s style is good ; his descriptions are graphic , and the course of action proceeds with rapidity and Bonapartean vigour . The author ' s manner is appropriate to the stirring nature of his argument .

      Untitled Article

      A LITTLE TOUBIN IRELAND ; being a visit to Dublin , Gal-way , Connatnara , Athlone , Limerick , Killarney , Gleng-arriff , Cork , &c ., &c , &c . By an Oxonian . With Illustrations by John Leech . — Bradburyjfe Evans . TVjshe the Oxonian ' s work other than it is , Leech ' s illustrations would go far to make this book popular . It professes to be the production of a fast undergraduate , who writes satirically enough on current topics . Fox-hunting and lovemaking were among his foibles . His life was an everlasting dream of fair women . His attachments were fierce but fugitive . He was upwards of six feet high . His thoughts are not always equally elevated . His opinions on places , persons , and things in Ireland are of the running order .

      Touch and go ; touch and gq . Nevertheless , among these touches , are touches of sincerity , e . g . — " The Chapel of Trinity College , like some in . our English Universities , is more suggestive of sleep than supplication , gloomy without being solemn , and the light dim without being religious . There was a sacrifice of two inverted hassocks upon the altar , but the idol of the plaoe , a gigantic pulpit , indignantly turned his back on them , and I was not slow to follow his example , with a sigh for i * " Tho good old days , when-nought of rich ' or rare , Of bright or beautiful , was deom'd a gift Too liberal to Him who givuth all .

      Indeed , I felt much more impressed and inclined to take off" ray hat in the Examination and Dining Halls , as I stood in the pictured presence of Irish worthies , and thought of them , and of others not there pourtrayed , in all their young power and promise . I thought of Archbishop C / ssher , who , a boy of eighteen , contended with the Jesuit , Fitz-Symonds , and was designated by his opx > onent as * ' aoatholicorum doctissinius . " I thought of Swift , as well I might , having recently read , for the third time , that . most touching essay on his life and genius

      from the master hand of TJhackeray . * I could cry over that lecture any time ; there is so much noble sympathy in it of one great genius with anothersuch a tender yearning not to condemn , and , all the while , such a grand , honest resolution to take side with what is right and true . I thought of Swift , " wild and witty , " in tho happiest days of his unhappy life , getting his degree , " fipeciali gratid" ( as a most particular favour ) , imd going forth into the world to be a disappointed , miserable man—to fight against weapons which himself had welded , a

      hope-ILiXiXX iI 1 CJLc uuu w ^ x * * ^ - o ; OX " ^ fliUS and the manifold soft chimes of poesy , to make his heart glad . "He was chastised by ' his tutor , for giving a dance in his room , " ( was it a prance' a la Spurgeon , and for gentlemen only ; or was there a brighter presence of " sweet girl-graduates with their golden hair ? " ) " and took the box on his ear so much to his heart , that he packed up his all pawned his books and little property , and disappeared from college . " * Horace Walpole speaks of him as " an inspired idiot , ' * and Garrick describes him as one . " for shortness call'd JTo ll , Who wrote like an angel , and talk'd like poor Toll ;" " o-

      fc / iiiiv bwiuiu ixixoiiiiit less , maddening fighi > . All must pity , as Johnson and Thackeray pity , but who can love ? He put on the surplice for mere earthly views , and it was to him as the shirt of Hercules I And next ( could two men differ more ? V of Goldsmith . I thought of him shy and silent ( for he was a dull boy , we read , and never learned the art of conversation ) , chaffed by his fellow-students and saluted by them , doubtless , in the exuberance of their playful wit , as Demosthenes , Cicero , ' &c &c ' until he might have , felt himself , like his ' own ' « Traveller , " ' ' : Wn " Remote , unfriended , melancholy , slow , ' had there not been the " eternal sunshine of enino

      but I take leave to think that " the Deserted Village , " a tale told by this idiot , will be read when Walpole is forgotten ; and I believe the author to have been as deep as Garrick . " Other thoughts follow on these—reminiscencies and associations without number , indicating that the Oxonian , fast , as he might be , was not altogether unread , though not overburthened with

      such reading as destroys human wit , and makes a man respectable and _ dull . We regret to say , that in more than one instance , the undergraduate gives reason to doubt of his thorough respectability ; that he is never dull we are willing to state with more readiness . The style is , to us , somewhat remarkable , and we detect in it the juice of the lemon . Sometimes , the author indulges in verse . Here is a specimen .

      Untitled Article

      " The English humourlsta of tho eighteenth century , " three of whom , Swift , Steelo , wad Goldsmith , wore Irishmen .

      Untitled Article

      THE BELLE OF THE SHANNON . t x vn . With swate sensashuns , Her hair ' s the brightest , * And palpatashuns , Her hand the whitest . And suspifashuns , ^ II ^ 'SlLV U 1 c ^ i ? * i ~ Which thrill me through ! Ah me , those fate ! Here in Limerick , city You need not tell a-Of maidens pretty , -bout Cindere la , A fonder dittv' For hers excel a-I'lf chant to you , -ny boots you'll mate . H VIII . With maid and ' man on , With look the purest , A Btamer ran on , Tlwt ever tourist Where silver Shannon From eyes azurest , In glory elames ! Saw anywhere , Shure all W" - rivers I met her blushing , He bates to sh " ers ! As I went rushing Rowling majestic . For bitter beer , down This King o' Strames ! The cabin stair . There , blandly ' bamtae , Then she sat ' and smiled , 8 ZZ 2 ¥££ 8 & O * flS& m * * - £ eAKVS&'Sfc ,. " 5 ^ SSF ' As super mare . And I begun . to * & * & ?*« & ? ' * gr&wpmau . ™ , x / ia . lvui uwwt Whereon she snt . ¥£ 2 & ri 5 £ U Wn ^ VoWory A Sf \^ d trt t i mr ° * KhKani S&v . Itat Lmethin ? fairer , For lovo havo jro » gut And dear , an *? rarer , »«* no ' o w J ' - In ooorse , the wearer . Nor torture oiuol . Shall have my rhyme . I' ^ 'fig V . vi With oyos like maytcors , , ¦ y- s . vatc 8 t , And parfect phayturos . For her voice is J " *" ' Which aisy bate yours , 9 ° ^ J A ™« i « Kat Great Viinua , fair I And she oomi > ntust I'll ne ' er forgot her , Of womankind . Ab first I met her , And whllu th it r jcr , On ( what plaoe better ?) In sunlight quH <> . The oablu stair . Oh , euro , ho 11 niver ller auuul iinu . vi . vir Her durlint face is „ , „ ., ' nn « nVi nartcd » Beyond all praises , T , rot h own hour ed , And thin for graces . I ' ve f « t d"w » V <' d - There ' s not her like . And dlaconaartoa , All other lassos A A , ouP T ? Rink boys , &hpjwt surpasses , ^ 8 ? , Jtfor u ' lffbby s , As wino molasses , Wo d uot j toi tU 'V , ^ y Or . nlmon pike . Horhoal U » i uwl . 1 * / . Enough . With these examples ^ "JjJf'JJi be satisiiod , and fov tho rest will , oi . couiso , p chase the volume itself . . __—> — - ^

      Untitled Article

      ? Thnokoray . . , ,, „ Mahony's most t Tho tltlo and motro arc msosUid hyfUnoiu musical versos In praise of The ^«» l * "K x mid ft'Om ftn I This luggage * included a lonw awrow ^ ox , w ^ p . aperture at ^ Kolon there omergod from time > to ™ \ ftn cook ' s Doiul . exhibiting (<» 0 » J ? H * inuKhott «»»' tlr < l expression of aubUmo misery . * «?? u 25 in will over tftko heart to spread UIb tftll » B >» -

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      1064 THE LEADUB , L No . 4 Q 5 . Sept . 17 , 185 Q .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 17, 1859, page 1064, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2312/page/20/