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MISCELLANEOIJS BOOKS.*
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A MODBEN ARCADIA.*
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ever penetrates , because the book of nature is ever at hand for constant perusal and re-perusal ; where , although there are vast swarms of beetles , caterpillars , and noxious flies * their victim has at least the satisfaction of knowing- that they are to be found in no other locality—in such circumstances only may man hope to recover that " ¦ grace arid solemnity " \ vhich distinguish him from the bryite of the field . It will be perceived that . this is a -slight modification of Rousseau's celebrated doctrine , that if man would , indeed , become the generous and noble being that nature intended him to be , lie must return to his -primitive wildhess—a doctrine , as - Cptn't . e ingeniously points out , which exactly corresponds with the theological dogma of the fall of man . The moral of the book before us is that , in order to cultivate a virtnous simplicity , and gain a rig-lit appreciation of the wonders of nature and the universe , it is
neceswalk through the green ^ fields carries away a more vivid impression of the beauty and mystery of nature , than a i-ustic who has lived amongst them all his days . Let Madame Dudevant be assured that Arcadia will ; never again be inhabited , and that man will thrive better amidst " the false wants / and weary vanities" of urban civilization , which at least encourages a vital and active development of the highest qualities of his mind . In spite of the fundamental error , however , these " Tillage Walks " are pleasant enough to read . On a January day in London , with cold fogs , and a raw air which penetrates to the snuggest library , who is not glad of a graceful and animated description of summer rambles anil bright scenery in the middle of sunny France ? There are one or two gems of thought which are worthy of a better setting . We can only afford space for one . " Exact and scientific as ChrysalidoT is , he yet knows how to experience the joys of the artist , and his understanding is not become atrophied through love of detail . He comprehends and he values the whole . * * He saw , as one might say , with two eyes : he had one for the sublime aspect of Nature ' s temple , and the other for those precious gems which adorn its floor and walls . " ( p . 19 . ) We are at a loss to imagine why Madanie Dudevant has written this book . Louis Napoleon employed the _ skilful conjuror , Robert Houdin , as his ambassador to the Algerines . Does he desire to populate the country at the expense of the towns , and so has hired George Sand to be the advocate of his designs ?
XTIRGIL S Gfeorgics aptjy " or ¦ V ¦ . Labour . " The work of Madame Dudevarit , before xis , might be in a similar way characterised as the'" Glorification of Dunghills . " The authoress divides mankind exhaustively into those whose highest aspirations point to a palace , and those who sigh for a thatched cottage ; and then proceeds to argue , that the former class have had their best and truest instincts crushed by the false demands and miserable vanities of an artificial civilization . In a strawi-ropfed hut , with a dung-heap before the door , in which the Cochin chinas scratch amicahly for their daily subsistence , and where children and pigs enjoy together salubrious though dirty gambols ; where the doors liaye no locks , because all around are honest * and do not shut because nobody does what everybody else may not see : where no book , emblem of a destructive refinement ,
sary to quit the crowded city or busy town for the half-civilized hamlet , or even solitary cottage ; that the rude peasant , In short , is a more admirable and a more enviable character than the polite and educated citizen . If , therefore , George Sand ' s theory have any real foundation , the deterioration of mankind has been gradually goiiigon since his first creation , or , as the kuthoress would perhaps prefer , since his first development into a distinct species , and is even now going on with continually accelerating speed y Without at all entering into the abstruse question of the origin of society and of the ' ultimate end of our race , we maintain that Madanie Dudeyant ' s view on the advantages of rusticity and the superiority of the peasant is ill-founded , and uaay be traced to a morbid discontent , which is not altogether surprising in a person whose influence and attractions are not what theyTbave been . Like Madame PeriieJle in Moli ^ re ' s " Tarfcufe "
" Au ; monde qui la quitte elle . veut renoncer . " ' Bo this as it may , are we to accept the writer ' s eulogistic description of the ordinary peasant life ? Is the farm-labourer the honest , independent ., and sagacious being who is introdiiced to us in these prges as the inhabitant of the wildest parts of Berry ? He may be so in Berry , but when the case is enlarged into a , broad / generalisation of mile life in all 'countries , 'we must protest against it . In England , for instance , no one who was desirous of cultivating- that * ' grace and solemnity'' wliich constitute the best part of his character , according to George Sand , would think of doing so . toy pitching- his tent in the most sequestrated hamlet of Cornwall or Buckin ^ liainshire , The delightful prospect of the dungheap and the ' * Cochinchines" and the pigs might indeed be a strong temptation ; yet we suspect the philosopher would scarcely think bis lines had fallen in pleasant places , or that he would here be likely to niake much progress in the acquisition of grace and solemnity .
The plain truth is , that in most places the peasant is endowed with a vulpine craftiness which would prevent our calling him honest , whilst it does not entitle hiro to the name of sagacious ; and his independent straightforwardness most frequently displays itself in a superstitious reverence for the parson , cringing servility to the lord of the manor , ana coarse rudeness to a stranger . We do not say this is invariably the Case , but it is the rule ; nor , indeed , can we bo sur- < prised that it is so , when we reflect how utterly the landed proprietors neglect their bounden duty of educating and civilizing- those in an inferior situation whom Providence has placed around or beneath them . We do not blame the . rural population for their ignorance and immorality ( in attestation of the . latter consult tlie registrar ' s returns of births for the district ) , but with wb . nt indignation must we not regard the flagrant sins of omission on the part of their richer and moi-o exulted neigh-hours , who fall injio an exr trome against which Madame Dudevant ' S view is a natural / though no less extreme reaction J
The authoress admits that tho peasant has all tho vices of a rnan .. Ho hns not only all tho vices common to his ltind , but in addition nil those which are the peculiar and inevitable consequence of wnni of education . The operative in a manufacturing'town in Lancashire or Yorkshire , is almost equa lly neglected by Ma superiors ; still there is something- in tho incessant , aotjyity of machinery w | iieh seoms to -inspire ' , him with a strong- desire to emulate it , and he beooniGH o « anxious to preserve his mind as his loom from rust or idleness . Tho field labourer , on the other hand , pursues hia daily toil in tho bottom ,, of a ditch , or monotonously lopping- branches © ft n hedge , or wearily driving 1 the plough ; hia tools are Himplo enough , and he sees nothing- about him calculated to ( stimulate hid inventive or othto * intellectual faculties : ho is suvroundod by the glorios of tho physical universe , it ia trno , but Ho has been acquainted with thorn t ' xQin hia earliest years , and constant familiarity hns produced , its -ttauiu efifaofc of indifference . A tpwii opoi ; ativo in hia Sunday
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A CONVENIENCE , which almost amounts to a necessity , is supplied f \ to . newspaper readers arid students of contemporary history in the very complete anatomy of both Houses of the Legislature which is contained in the pages of the Hand Book of the Court , the Peerage ; and the Commons . The book is compact in size , exceedingly well printed , and arranged so as to give every facility for reference , without trouble , as to any point in doubt ; while the information to be derived from it is not only valuable , but also highly interesting . A complete list of the ministry ; the officers of all the public departments ; the court and royal household ; the foreign ambassadors in this country ; and our own envoys abroad , is followed by a most accurate and perfect detail , of the personnel 61 Parliament , completed up to the middle of the month -which has just passed . The roll of peers here given does not consist of a mere list of names and titles ; but the leading incidents of each noble lord's career are noticed , and his present and past political opinions , bis pensions and decorations , his pocket boroughs , and the livings of Which he is the patron , are all described . An even more careful survey has been taken of the House of Commons : and one feature is quite novel :
the numbers polled at the last contested election are given in every case ,-vrith some account , frequently , of the unsuccessful candidate . The political opinions of the leading men are illustrated by extracts from their speeches , and declarations to their constituents Or in the House ; the various places each hon . gentleman holds , and has held , are stated ; and his connection with influential families ( when such exists ) is pointed out . Here and there , actually , we find an anecdote turn up ; and , throughout , each man ' s doings in war , diplomacy ,. or commerce , arc chronicled ; what honours lie bore away at college , what books he has written , to whom he
is married , and with how many children he is blessed : all are carefully registered . We are bound in justice to say that by some exceedingly clever process of packing , the compilers have included in this neat pocket volume far more really useful knowledge of our representatives and hereditary lawmakers , than we have obtained from larger and . more pretentious works . In addition to the members , we learn also something worth knowing about the constituencies—the number of voters , in eachwhat those voters consist of , arid what nobleman or gentleman ' s influence predominates in each county or borough—all which information , we fear , will continue to be diligently sought after , and carefully treasured for
some time to come . , . , Mr . Lord ' s School History , of Modern Europe professes , within the limits of some five hundred pages , to give a . sketch of the events of the lust three centuries , with their causes and consequences ; and , considering the brevity which' has of course been necessary , we think he has succeeded in clearly and even forcibly delineating the leading facts . His portraits of the great men . who have , from time to time , wielded the destinies of our own and the surrounding nations , are well drawn , and the narrative is written throughout in an agreeable and attractive manner . Mr . Lord appears to have consulted the best authorities on both-sides of disputed political questions , and takes an unprejudiced and liberaj view of the matter in almost every instance . The edition before us has received large additions ; and the histo'ry of Europe , America , and India , ia now brought down to a period which includes the Crimean War , the Indian revolt , and the French and Sardinian campaign in Italy ; concluding with the Peace of Villafranca in July last . The book beara murks of great care in the compilation , and is-well adapted for the purpose for which it
is designed , ' Herr Lebahn ' s First Qerman Course has the great merits of . simplicity and brevity , and is well adapted to smooth tho difficulties in the way of a young student of German . The author is well known as a compiler of several previous treatises on this uubjoct , which have been fuvourably received , and in the present instance lie ia as painstaking and careful aa usual . The plan of the book is clear and comprehensive , and dlvosta the study of Gorman of those obscurities with which the student is battled ia less lucid systems . This treatise will bo found as useful to those who are studying by themselves , as to those who possess tho advantage of a master ' s iiiHtruction . The extraordinary progress of tho British Empire during the last
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188 The Leader andSaturday Analyst . [ Feb . 25 , I 860 ,
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* Promenades auUmrd ' un Village . Par Gbouob Sanp . Pax-la : Llbrairc le hs Huohotto ot Cio ; 1800 .
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* Tho JfXund JGook of tho Court , ' Mo- Poorar / o . and tho Hotfae of Commons . ( Tenth year . ) London : P . S . King ; Simukln and iM ' arshall . Modern IS-uropb )¦ a Bvhool History . By John Lori >' , A . M . London : Slmpkin and Marshall . A JPirat Oorftian Courno ; containing tho Wements of Grammar , tolnt Kverctsos , By I ? au > K Laiuitn . London : Charles II . Clarke ¦ ¦ ' , EepoH of Mr . Thomas JS . . Blaokmll , Vicc-l ' rosidont $ P . of tho Ovaiid Trunk JlaUwaj / of Canada . London : Ivwtorlow tvnd tiona .
Miscellaneoijs Books.*
MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS . *
A Modben Arcadia.*
A MQDBJRN ARCADIA . *
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 25, 1860, page 188, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2335/page/16/
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