Current:

Leader (1850-1860), 5th November 1859, Edition 1 of 2, Page 1232, Untitled Article

Page 1232
Page 20
20 of 24

On this page

  • Text (6)
  • Transcript

    • 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.

      Untitled Article

      THE WISE SAWS AND MODERN INSTANCES OF MB . SAM SLICK OP SLICKVILLJJ . — Hurst and Blackett . We need only mention that Messrs . Hurst . Blackett have added to their series of standard works for this month * Judge Haliburton ' s " Wise Saws of Sam Slick . " It only requires to be known that the public can get this most humorous work very handsomely printed and bound for five shillings , to ensure it a great sale . Reader , if you have not read the work do so at once . THE PKOSE WORKS OF HENRY WORDSWORTH LONGFELLOW , parts I . and II . —Dean and Son .

      This is a new and illustrated edition of the American poet ' s prose works , beautifully printed on toned paper , and " illustrated by Birket Foster , from drawings made on the spot in which the writer of the fiction has laid the incidents of his story . " " Hyperion" will be completed in five one shilling numbers , which , when bound , will make a very handsome Christmas volume . HE BIGLOW TAPERS : By James Russell Lowell . Newly Edited , With a Preface . By the author of " Tom Brown ' s School Days . "—Trubner & Co .

      We have often wondered why some enterprising English publisher did not bring out an edition of the Biglow Papers . " We had only just received one , and as usual we find that there are two Biglows in the field by receiving a second . With this we have nothing to do , riOr can we see the injustice , remembering , as we do , how long it is since the work appeared—nearly ten years ago r—quite time enough , one would think , for publishers to have decided about reprinting it . It cannot be that there has been no call for the work . The

      case is different with the writer of a popular work when republished on either side of the Atlantic immediately it is out , without the writer getting any recompense . The "Biglow Papers" are the most humorous things of the kind " ever written ; if , indeed , there is any-of the same class . The dialect willappear to most refined readers in the same light as that spoken in Yorkshire to the Londoner ; biit those who master its peculiarities , and appreciate genial , though broad humour , will be sure , as Mr . Hughes remarks , to swear etern al friendship to the writer of-them .

      Untitled Article

      THE ADVENTURES OF GIL BLAS . Translated from the French of Lesag-e by Tobias Smollett . —H . G . Bohn . w Gzl Bias" is the new volume of Mr . Bonn ' s illustrated library . This is a new edition carefully revised , with th . e twenty-four line engravings by Smirke and Cruikshank . .

      Untitled Article

      EVERYBODY'S JOURNAL . —Office , 332 , Strand . " Everybody ' s Journal " supplies a great want long felt . We must not tie understood to depreciate the old-established penny journals , that would be sacrificing one to the other . No ; they created a want for themselves , i . e ., they created readers in every village throughout the United Kingdom , Suxd these' readers' tastes have advanced more rapidly than the papers that first taught them that it was better to spend one penny in reading than two in beer . In order to supply this want , and give the whole public a journal that an educated people ,

      as well as the cottager , might read , "Everybod y ' s Journal , " has been started , and most heartily we wish jt success : —to ensure that , it only requires to be known , if indeed it is not a success already . The first part contains upwards of fifty articles and twenty illustrations , principally by O > le of established literary reputations . Among brmer we may mention Captain Sherard Osborn , Gerald Masacy , Samuel Lover , Dudley Oostollo , Mra . S . 0 . Hail , and Albany , Fonblanque . The artists are John Gilbert , Harrison Weir , Charles ennettand It

      B , T . . M acquoid . It is rather difficult to find any fault . But an article called the " Book World" is very badly done . This shoufcTbe one of the features of the journal , seeing how deeply interested the public are in what authors and publishers are doing . By this means , author , publisher , and the pubho might be greatly benefitted . The news department should be out down , and each event , given in two or three lines , that the reader may see at a , glance what has taken place—he can get the particulars from newspapers . It may be that these w # only minor defeots in n work that should bo on tywylfcOdy ' B table $ if so , they will the more ewUy be alterea .

      Untitled Article

      Only a very bad actress would read this , " shews us a man . " Again , he says that a verse from Vivian is still worse . Judge , reader , for yourself . " Her eyes ana neck , glittering , went and came . " Who sees not that the alteration of the accent here makes the sound an echo to the sense , and was so designed by the poet •?¦ ' Let the reviewer know that such lines are not owing to . the poet ' s negligence , but to his skill : let him learn more reverence , and he will become more accurate . The best criticism is affirmative—the columns of ebony might have been better filled . The political articles are on India and China- —safer ground than Italy for a " BlackwoocT " politician . The leading article is on M . J . M . Dargand's " Histoire de Marie Stuart , " which deserve attention . The remaining papers are chieffy continuations ; . one on Dr . Vaughan ' s ' Revolutions in English History" being an exception .

      SEftlALS . Blackwood contains a rather depreciatory criticism of Mr . Tennyson ' s " Idylls , " parts of which show a most defective taste on the part of the critic . He is all for hard , metallic , mechanic versifications , and will not permit to the poet any variety of numbers . Thus he says , that " the accent falls perforce on the least important word" in the following line :- ^—" The Prince , without a word , from his horse fell . " . N " ow , no good elocutionist would place the accent on the pronoun his , but on the noun horse ; and this slight variation in the accent serves the poet ' s purpose of breaking up , by an occasional irregularity , the monotony of his verse . All our great blank verse writers claim this privilege . Thus Shakspere ' s Emilia says : — " 'Tis not a year or two shews us a man . '

      Fraser contains a paper oni " Our Religious and Philosophical Guides ^ Mansel and Maurice , " which is of great importance in these times , when theology and philosophy seem inclined to meet in a sympa ^ - thetic embrace . The quarrel between the rival logicians is adroitly managed . The political articles are not quite so satisfactory * " SwordandGown"is concluded . " Holmby House " continued . The miscellaneous papers are interesting . . Eclectic starts with an article , on the Rev . Baden Powell , whom it calls" the Iconoclast of the English Cliurch . " 3 T : iry TIowilt ' s / Sun Pictures continue to be as faithful as ever . Garibaldi and the Italians also command a spirited paper . The number on the wliole is decidedly good .

      Macmillan ' s Magazine ( No . I . ) . —This is a new periodical , published at Cambridge , and starts with a political article , the creed of which is , that England will best fulfil the most essential part of her duty to the rest of the world by attending diligently to her own affairs . The author of " Tom Brown ' s School Days " contributes a readable article under the title of " Tom Brown at Oxford . " A specimen of the lt Joint Compositions" of Mr . Venables and the late Henry L . ushington is given in a reprint of " Cobbett ; or a Rural Ride . " Mr . Frankin lAishington also contributes a paper on " The Crisis of Italian Freedom . " It is excellently well argued , A criticism on Tennyson , also , has much merit . In a word , the new magazine promises well .

      Dublin Univjeusitv . — " The Season Ticket" is continued , and is as humorous as ever . It is now known thai Judge Haliburton is the author of these articles , which are altogether worthy of Sam Slick . There is likewise an appreciative article oh Heine , the political p / jet of Germany , as recently translated by JVIr . J . Bowring ; and another on Mr . Thackeray , as a satirist and humorist . The remainder of the number is of average merit . Titan . — -Being " a son of Heaven and earth , " this publication is theological as well as logical' , and starts this month with an article on sermon-making , very sensible , and containing excellent suggestions . The residue of the papers are of the usual kind .

      Universal Revikw ( No . IX . ) has also an article on sermon-making , which mny be aidant in the improvement of pulpit compositions . More is evidently now required in this line of art than its professors have hitherto accorded . Tho rest of , the articles are partly poHtjoul and partly social , Pavrt III . of" A Great Mistake , " proceeds pleasantly enough . > , Art Journal . — The Illustrations consist this month of Sir Thomas Lawrence ' s portrait of the

      Princess Charlotte , G . Chamber ' s picture of Greenwich Hospital , and Park ' s example " front the moors , " which agreeably substitutes the usual sculpture specimen . The illustrated article consists of specimens from Sir T . Lawrence ' work , and an essay on his merit . National Maoazunb ( Part XXXVII . ) is embeli llehed with large and bold engravings of Haydon ' s Dontatua , Charlemagne and the Saxons , and tho Shipwreck of Sinbad . The literature haa too nauoh tbie month of an utilitarian air . A new story is

      commenced , entitled " Sundown , " by Edward Conping , which shows talent . Mr . J . Ewing Ritchie also exhibits a lively rein , which will probablv improve in the working . But on the whole the number is , we fear , inferior to former ones . Once a Week ( Part IV . ) continues its usual excellent arrangements , both in regard to its embellishments and literature . They , are of remark able excellence . A paper on toadstool eating vindicates by experience ' the edible nature of various funguses

      which are usually avoided as non-esculent . There is a large variety of amusirg and instructive articles . Constitdtionai . Pkess ( No . VIIL ) is not very bright this month ; but " Hopes and Pears " is continued , and there is an attempt at a philosophical paper under the title of " The Shams of the Day , and the Latent Truth they represent . " Popular science and popular preaching are the two shams so elaborately exposed ; but we cannot congratulate the writer on his success .

      Recreative Science presents a variety of useful articles properly illustrated . Englishwoman ' s Jouknax ( No . XXI . ) maintains its reputation . Farmer ' s Almanac for I 860 . —This calendar , edited by Cuthbert W . Johnson , Esq ., FJt . S ., and William Shaw , Esq ., is now published atRidgway ' s , and maintains its character for the appropriateness of its information , in regard to the class for which it is expressly designed . Kingston ' s Magazine for Boys ( No . IX . ) has eight articles of the usual merit .

      The Welcome Guest , New Series , editeU by Robert B . Brough . The illustrations to this first part are first-rate , and the literary matter excellent Cassell ' s Illustrated Family Bible ( Part VI . ) , Popular Natural History ( Part VIII . ) , and Illustrated Family Paper ( Part XXIII . ) , respectively maintain their reputation for admirable getting-up and pictorial embellishment . Gallery of Nature ( Part XIII . ) continues still to do credit to the care and knowledge of Mr . Milner and Messrs . Chambers . Charles Knight ' s Popular History of England , and English Cyclopaedia , maintain their relative superiority " among publications of their class . ¦ ¦ ¦ '

      The ' " Quay of the Dioscuri , " by Macarius , forms the ninth number of J . H . and J . Parker ' s Historical Tales , in relation to Church matters . It professes to ba translated from two Alexandrian manuscripts .

      Untitled Article

      "WORKS OF FRANCIS BACON . Collected and Edited by James Spedding , M . A ., Robert Leslie Ellis , M . A ., and Douglas Denon Heath . Vol . VII .-Literary and Professional Work . Vol . II . This volume completes the collection of Lord Bacon ' s Literary and Professional works . Among others , it contains his metrical version of certain psalms , and another poem or two . We have now an opportunity of reconsidering the merits of these productions . It has hitherto been the custom to condemn ^ them utterly , as worthless , and as showing Bacon ' s inaptitude for verse and rhyme . In our opinion , they testify to the master ' s hand : they are not unworthy of

      Shakespeare—nay , not unfreque ntly have his turn of thought and expression . The present- editor appears not to be willing to go to this extent in their favour ; but he goes very far in his desire to rescue them from the prejudice , by which they have been misjudged . He jinda that in tho art ot metrical paraphrase" Bacon is remarkably sUutui ; and instances his very fine management ol tho 137 th Psalm , in which Bacon has contrived to compensate tho inevitable loss of lyrio lire ana meani which

      force by the development of ngs are implied or suggested by the origmul . aiio translation , " he adds , " serves , indeed , * 9 *; . "J of poetical commentary , and holds up a light uy which to road the original He likewise confesses that , " deeply pathetic as the 137 th Psuliu had always seemed to him , he had found it much moie affecting since he read Bacon ' s paraphrase ol it . ^ STowthis is going far ; it is testifying , inUooa , to poetic power , so far us the translator ana wo pavaphrast can exhibit tho same Tho editor illustrates his meaning by the following excerpt ,

      italicised as we give it : — ' When us woeato , nil end and dosolnto , JJy Babylon upon tho rlvor ' u Hldo , Baaed from tho tanks w ! Uoh tit our aaptltro stato IFo ware oiiJbroeU daily to abhlo , n ., Our luirpa wo had broug-lit with us to thouolu , Some aofaoe to our heavy souls , to yioM . ' But soon wo found wo fulled of pur n *} 0 , " ! * v , For when our minds some freedom did ooiam f StrftlffUtwftyri tho memory of /^*«» lol ! "fc , _ nln JDldf cause afroBb . our wounds to blood nffnln i So that with present ffrioftj und futuro loura Our eyes burnt forth Into a stream of tow a . An for our burps , ' since aorrow atruoh them < ' » ' »^ „ * We hftnged thorn on tno willow treoa wero n «» r .

      Untitled Article

      1232 THE LEADER L ^ Q- 502 , JSTov / s , 1859 .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 5, 1859, page 1232, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2319/page/20/