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738 THE LEADER. [Saturday,
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TABLE TRAITS. Table Traits, with SonietM...
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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.
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. Recent Publications On Russia And Turk...
vriiveh . has enabled Mr . Kelly to coaxpress eight centuries of chaos into fiom-etfcing libe 200 readable and interesting pages . We eoafess witihout shame to have made repeated attempts upon the history © f-tfee riseaad growth < jf the Russian empire , and to have always broken down in disgust at the more than Siberian dreariness , in the mwist of -which Hie hideous and unpronounceable names of the ' celebrated * ruffians tvIio fought and murdered , and swayed over barbarian "brutes , rise up like so many Megatheria or Plesiosauri to dismay the historical inquirer . What a ¦ debt of thanks do we not owe to Mr . Kelly , wlio has turned this desert into & safe -and easy road , even for indolent travellers ! In his preface , Mr . Kelly very modestly indicates tkat his work has been one of selection of *« eeoadaa ? y materials , ' The iact is , thai no readab-le liistory of ltussia , In the best * ense of the ^ vord , and from , primary sources , exists . The best
arrangement , therefore , of tfoese secondary materials is the best history of SiUfisia . Mr . Kelly cites on his title-page the ¦ works of Karanasin , Tooke , andtSegu-r among Ihis -chief authorities . In an -introductory chapter , * oii"taining -a clear and suecrnct view of the whole field of his research , he divides Eussian instory into five great -periods , € he fifth beginning towards the end of Che seventeenth ccentuxy , -with th . e reign of Peter the Great , for whom , * by the waj , Mr . Kelly professes a . very qualified respect . He deprecates the jpnepofiter-ouB idolatry of Peter which English writers "have caught from S ^ gur , ; and hs pertuienAly remarks : — xt IHie xeign of ihat monarch < was the tanning point in ( the history of Russia . The empire isai-tiis day witat he and bis successors , intusixterE pf his system as well as of his throne , iiajse oaivttitsated to make it . We judge that system by its results . If tlxey are irredeemably bad , what foaise is due to the source -from whence they flow ?" through the four earlier periods , cornprisiBg eighi ; centuries of the Russian = ao 3 ials , jtikere axe , says Mr . Kelly , twelve gr-eat princes to guide us : -from 3 & BS & * fee Korthnnan , who ^ bunded flae empire at Novgorod , to Ivan IV .,
4 he Terrible . But , he -adds- — ¦*^ ln 5 ejierrfenit t ) f tliesetvrielveTjeacoDSj- weiaesttrToflier directing points , landmarks , winch also may affbrtL us assistance in classing onr observations , and analysing tins -vast mass of Snstory . We lMveremaffced , that thei present capital of Russia js fie iifth which the empire JiasJiacL J / n 862 , the conquering geriins of Rurik placed the £ rstin Novgorod . From 882 , Ttheistill greater genius of Oleg , together with" -the allurement of a milder climate , and of the -fid & es , the ^ knowledge , and . tie comforts of Gj-eek civilisation ,- fixed-the seoond in . the jsou . t } v . iatjOef . In 1167 , internal dissensions , the attacks of the Poles in the westj those of the aoznad . tribes in the south , aM . the policy of Andrew , drew , back the third towards the east , ¦ and established it at Vladimir . The fourth , apd most central , the great Moscow , which was to re-unite with it all the empire , rose -in 1328 , and subjugated the / three others by the 31 a ( 3 iiavellisin of "Tiiry , and tho talent of lyaa Kajita , its first princes , and by its position % 2 tween Novgorod , the -first metropolis , and Vladimir , the third . Lastly , about 1703 , the , genius of civilisation established the fifth , St . Petersburg , on t 3 ie northern frontier , at the head of the Gulf of Finland , and on the xery coast whence , eight hundred and forty years earlier , the barbarian R . urii , the creator of tbis empirej commenced his inarch for the purpose of founding 5 t . "
Mr . Kelly ' s first volume brings us to the accession of that teterrbna of aaonarcliSj Catharine II . We recommend his labours to all wlio are anxiaus to acquire naor . e than a superficial and pamphleteering acquaintance with JEUissia . "With , J » one of the pretengions i this history of Russia has all the « cbarra of ori ginality -which refined strength and accomplished clearness of « tyle can 'bestow . The next "work on our list for its character of permanence and its carefulness of -treatment , -although , rudimentary in design , is a reprint , with eoi'rec--tions from -the " Geographical Dictionary / ' of an article oa Hussia and 'Turkey , by no less serious and authentic a person than Mr . M'Culloclx . That name will be ' a sufficient guarantee for the statistical value of the pa" -es wHch Messrs . Longman have just added to their excellent " Traveller ' s Library . ' We are not sure that die pow « r of -Russia can be most accurately -considered from a geographical point of view . But Mr . M'Cu 31 och has , with iis well-lcntmn tenacious severity , and it must be added , with an indefati ^ gable -and dogmatic duluess , sometimes almost approaching to naivete , collected n series of facts and figures detailing t / he whole political , religious
sachnimstrafcion and commercial system of the empire , which in-spite of his lather favourable , not to say optimist opttiioti of the Emperor Nicholas , will ^ cmtribute to explode that enormous delusion . The concluding passage of ids historical sketch indicates the tendency of this ponderous writer : — ' In addition to Iris ofcher qualities , tbe Emperor Nicholas hus been supposed to bo endowed Vith-greai-mofreratJion and good sense . iBotiate events have made this exceedingly doubtful . We doootknowthattoeisarmchto blame for having wished to effect a partition of Turkey ; 'lusngu itanoy be queatiiooed wiether the real Btoength of . the empire would he thereby auR " aaen & id . Itk surel y , howevor , inrroossiblo tl > at ho should Lo able to effect tbis . object , dosjpite . the opposition of Lngland and Franco . JLnd by precipating a conquost with these groat powers , be encounters extcaordinary risks , nnd oan hardly fail to suflfer sovero losses . TJ » o -diffusion of arts arts and industry iihrough liis vaHt dominions might , one should think , haTo iBuiKced to satisfy his ambition . And it-would liave done moiie to increase awd consolidate his influanoe < and power , than ho needs over Lopo to : acco « i # liah by the jnost suocoasful . cauj-; pwigiw . ¦* r TUe ifollowing table gives a view of tho extent of tlio Russian dominions at different . opobna : —
Germ . aq . m . In 16 B 5 , at the accession of John tho Terrible , liis dominions comprised 87 , ^ 00 , i JS 8 fi , ati » i 6 de « bU ... . „ .... ... ... ... JI ^ OOO M 1 , Clfl , » i the accossion of Michael Eojnunwff ... ... ... 148 , 000 „ 1640 ,, at-Ws death ... ... ... ... ... ... 258 , 000 „ 1728 , at tho floath of Pertertbo Groat ... ... ... ... 280 , 000 „ 1741 , at tho -accession of Elizabeth ... ... ... ... 825 , 000 ,, 179 ( i , at tho death of Outharino II . ... ... ... ... ' 886 , 000 And at piw » ent ( IL 8 SA ) ... ... ... ... ... ... g-lfyOOO " U ' ublee olrailurlo ( this ihawe bewi tho , thomo of muoh Billjc declamation alout the grusplug , SoflaltuiWo i » mWtion of Kuepiu ,. No . doubtierirulorfl bavo hud the aamo do & ii-o tocxtend hor "torritorioa uh tljoso of France . England , und other poworu 5 but certainly tlioy are not , in 4 lus roapoctdn way ao » reo i * eculi « r . In point of fiiot , too , by far the grcntor pivrt of . tho tcr-• ritorial -acquiHrtions xA' Russia have conaistcd of more doaorts , or of conntrieH occupied by « wing ibut * w 4 ans , and « ro worth little or nothing . Hor reall y valuablo acquiBitiona h « -vo iSbp ^ n < rpi < li » oil to [ those on llw eidp of Poland and tho BluoJk Sea . Hor oonqneBta in < tl » i » « flicafiti « n iiav « « d « lod mutoriiilly to hor power j and it ia but fair to ndd , itliat Uwy h » wo » Uo . added vjor , y jnatoriully to tho woll-boing und civilisation of tlio inhabituntn .
M «\ M' (> uUoch ' , B Btotietiical aocount of Turkey ie equally jpains-tuking , i « iBwl iuB id «( lMGfcioflas , perhaps , equally wabject to correct ! o : n . Xi' he js dieposed ito regatid llwetBia too fuvourabl y ^ ho is a thorough pessimiat as a'ogarda -the O ^ tiKOi an Htftpinc . lie ijaeiote on the incMr ^ blo abueeB of the Mahomuiedau wBystem , and whiie praiBiog the policy of the reigmiwg 8 ultiu » , < jxpx"esB © 6 his * dou & t ** 'wrliel ! Uor ika dissolution o-f ilic empire ono be prcveuted ;'' and , c <
wisiders it most likely that the success of the allies in the present contest will be but a short respite for Turkey . "We do not undertake to contradict the horoscope of our statistical prophet ; we shall be satisfied for the moment with the defeat of Russia , be -the future fate of Turkey what it may . Mr . J . R . Morell , on the other hand , rather as a vindicator than as an historian , -writes with , unconcealed affection for the venerable fabric of Turkish government and religion , and not merely for the aggrieved in the present struggle . He says truly , however , that " the liberty of continental Europe depends on the independence of Turkey . " As against Russia , he might have added : the internal liberties of continental Europe have other enemies and other guarantees to look to . Having noticed , -without at all deprecating , the bias of the writer , we may commend his sympathetic pages as an acceptable and agreeable contribution to pliilo-Turkish literature .
Under the guidance of the lively Captain Jesse , who has enjoyed peculiar opportunities as an eyewitness of observing Muscovite civilisation beneath the surface , we return to Russia . We do not care to follow the Captain through , his disquisitions on the causes of the war , or the social condition of the serf . Perhaps ihat part of his subject lias already been handled with considerable effect elsewhere . Nor do we linger over descriptions and reflections with which we seem to be familiar . But in addition to what we have read over and over again , there is an interesting chapter or two on the Russian army , some pleasant anecdotes of . Russian society , and a really interesting account of Sevastopol or Sebastopol , as it is variously called , which has all the advantage of being a record of . an actual , and even minute ,, inspection . Captain Jesse ' s experiences of high society in Russia are an apt illustration of Napoleon ' s mot : " You have only to scratch a Russian to cateli a Tartar . " Mr . Francis Marx appears to "be a fervent disciple of Mr . David
Urqu-Hart , and a member of the " Turkish Association . " We cannot , however , congratulate Mr . Fraacis Marx on having contributed anything new to the Russian question . His Stietcli of the Condition of the llussian People is composed of extracts from the Baron von Haxthausen , from Alexankkk Herzen-, and from Mr . David Urquhart , eked out with a report of some proceedings of the Turtisb . Association respecting that Russo-Dutch loan , which only five members of the House of Conrtnons were disposed to repudiate . 5 tr . Marx , in a note , says : "We hoped to have had the advantage ? of consulting Herzen's work , LeServage enjhissie , which has been advertised long agOj . but which has not yet reached the hands of the booksellers . " " We were not aware that a work under this title had been announced by any publisher ; but we are fully aware that a series of papers under that title " , and signed by the author , bur esteemed friend Alexandre Herzen , appeared in the Leader last a-utiuin-n , and that Mr . Francis Marx has borrowed largely from that source , without acknowledgment .
Miss Pardoe ' s City of ( lie Sultan is worth a score of some-recent occasional publications on ^ Turkey . It must be so well known to the majoritv of our readers as a life-like picture of the Turks ' at home , ' that we need do no rnore than welcome the fourth edition , happily secured by Mr . Routledge for his shilling series , after having run through three editions at two guineas . We find by the preface that upwards of 30 , 000 copies have been sold in England and the United States . We cannot doubt that in its present popular shape , and at this moment , it will almost rival that mysterious romance , The Lamplighter .
738 The Leader. [Saturday,
738 THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,
Table Traits. Table Traits, With Sonietm...
TABLE TRAITS . Table Traits , with SonietMng on Them . By Dr . Doran . Bentloy . In all th « talk about education and Oxford Reform no one has had the good sense to propose a Professor of Grastronomy . And yet there is no subject in the world about -which we ought to know so much , and of which we know so little . Is not the stomach the final cause of human existence ? Let it refuse to perform its operations and creation is at a standstill . Terrible id the revenge which it takes on mankind -for the sufferings it undergoes at the hands of its capricious owners . No one can tell what crosses and misfortunes are to be attributed to bile . If your mistress has a headache , she will turn a deaf car to your vows . If you would have mercy from a judge , take care to bribe his eook . Ministries have fallen , dynasties have been overthrown , by a badly-dressed salad . If you wish to rule mankind you must plant your throne in the kitchen . It makes us sad , therefore , to think of tho carelessness of our countrymen in respect of diet . We are now at tho height of what is jocosely described as siunnier . And , in . truth , the sun is sometimes powerful enough . Last week , for instance , we tried in vain to comprehend tho
sublime mysteries contained in a batch of poetry , from the fertile , but not always intelligible , Imiin of Young England . ]> nily , too , wo sigh in vain for some suburban retreat where we may dine in peace—far awny from tho din and dust of London . And yet tho British public pays np heed ; it is utterly insensible to the change of season . It dines on the 5 th of August us it will dine- on the 10 th of December . Xook at those enormous joints , those pallid waiters , that steamy atmosphere—what stomach does not rebel ! Quousque tandem ! how long shall thus boondured ? "When arc we Lo learn that to consume roast beef wnd porter in stUliug rooms is an occupation cjuite unworthy of rational Leungs ? These arc not original though ta : one says theso things whenever one goes a new book on cooluug;—but these « , r < e things to be 3 re . ater . ated . There in still necessity for reform . Wo do not yet ¦ despair of the republic ; and to any who really 'wish to find out what to eat , driirik , -and avoid , and withal to read a very pleasant little book , wo recommend Tabk Traits ^ with Something on Them . Wo shall mow lot the reader judge for himself . To begin with cooks : hero U a pen-and-ink skotch of Carbine ; —
" Ho wua illuHtrious by doaooul ; for ono of his « nu « H ( orH hud koivoiI it ) tlio JiouHcholiI d a PopQ , who himself mnda more buucoh than miinlti , Loo iX . But Carcmio wan 0110 of bo poor mid ho numerous a funnily , that when lie ciuno into tho world ho was no more welcome tlmii Oliver GoldHinlth wus : tlio retinoctivo parents of tho littlo-ciuod-for babon did not know wlml , future groat men lay in nnkod holploHancHa before tlioin . One wrote immortal poetry , unit starved : tho other tnudo delicious piiHtry , nnd rodo in n chariot ! Wo know how much Oliver rccoiwid for l » l » ' Vicar ; ' wbilo . Anthony Caronuj umid to reooivo Lwioo as much for merely writing out a imoipo to make n ' jidtd . ' iMuy , < Jm < Mno ' s untouched putlloH , when they lefL roya ] tablet ) , wcio bought op ut « i cost which would have ttumwi'lvu Gulduinilh for a
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 5, 1854, page 18, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_05081854/page/18/
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