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Leader (1850-1860), 5th November 1859, Edition 2 of 2, Page 17, TCo.502. Nov. 5, 1859.] THE LEADEB, 1229

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      Disraeli Ant> Stanley On Popular Educati...

      existence , because , until the opportunity offers , he ought to be preparing himself for it . And ^ J source—I will not say of amusement , that is _ a minor phrase—what a source of excitement -is tne continual preparation for the inevitable occasion ! Lord Stanlet , after referring to the general advantages of education , said : If we are ever _ to have that which I believe would be a great public boon , that which I believe would be a great administrative reform—if we are ever to have a really national and effective system of school teaching forthe poorer classes of this country , that is a boon which you will not receive at the hauds of educationists or of politicaneI don't despair of seeing it , but the people

      . of this country will obtain it only when they niak up their minds to do that which the people of America have done long ago—vrhen they make up their minds to petition for it , to require it , to demand it as a right at the hands of the Legislature and the Government ; then they will obtain it , and not , I believe , until then . You will allow me to say one word on the subject of examinations . I believe them to be of great use * and I attach . to them the greatest value . In the first place , I do not believe that any course of mere reading , by itself , when a pupil is not called upon to reproduce in some form or another that which he has learned , can ever ensure that accuracy which is indispensable to all real true

      progress . The old cant phrase is as now as when it was first uttered—if it be reading which makes the full man , it is writing which makes the exact man . I think that these trials of mental strength and skill supply an additional and very valuable incentive to study ; they supply the stimulus of that healthy personal competition between man and man which is so powerful an element in the training of our universities and public schools . They give to young men and to lads such as have passed upon this platform to-night ; they give to young men of talent and industry an opportunity of early bringing themselves forward into public notice , and of obtaining a certificate not only of intellectual proficiency , but also , generally speaking , of steadiwhich at least

      ness and good conduct—a certificate is unbiassed , and which naturally will have weight with those who have employment to give . Again , these examinations furnish employers—and I think they , too , ought to be grateful for the boon—with a more certain and readier means than they would otherwise possess of choosing young men for situations requiring intelligence and skill . And lastly , that to which I do not attach less importance than to any of the considerations I have mentioned before , they enable the public of this district to do that which ' ive are doing to-night—publicly to recognise the claims to our honour and our respect , of perseverance , of intelligence , and of mental culture in whatever station of life tliey may be found .

      Tco.502. Nov. 5, 1859.] The Leadeb, 1229

      TCo . 502 . Nov . 5 , 1859 . ] THE LEADEB , 1229

      Mediterranean Telegraph. — A Most Extrao...

      Mediterranean Telegraph . — A most extraordinary fatality attends the Alexandria and Con * - stantinople cable . Mr . Newall , who has just arrived in London , has again failed in laying the link of cable which is wanting to connect Alexandria with Constantinople . It appears he succeeded in laying the cable from Candia to within about seventy miles from Alexandria , the deepest water having all been passed ovei \ when a flaw of insulation was discovered , which compelled him to stop paying out . The flaw was about twenty miles from the ship , and when the cable was picked up to within about three miles of it , parted in about 1 * 500 fathoms of water .

      The French Corn Trape . —The Moniteur publishes the monthly return of the price of wheat in the different markets of France , by which the import and export duties on corn and flour are regulated . Tho highest price is 21 f . 35 c . per hectolitre , at Marseilles , and the lowest , 15 f . 25 cents , at Paimpol . The highest average price 5 s 18 f . CGo . in the markets of Mulliausen and Stmsburpc , and the lowest , 17 f . 3 c . in those of Saumuv , Nantes , and Marnns . Tho average of the whole of France is 17 f . 98 jc , being an udvanco of If . lOftc . on tho last return .

      Trade or the Cave . —Tho imports into the Cape of Good Hope for tho first quartor of this year amounted in value to £ 650 , 000 , the exports to £ 473 , 000 , and the customs' re-venue to j £ 67 , 617 , being a slight increase on tho proyious year . This represents a trade of the annual value ot about five millions sterling , or less than half that of Singapore . Pout ok London . —Increased activity prevailed during tho past weok . The munlter of vessels anto

      nounced inwards nt the Custom House amounted 169 ; there were ten from Ireland , and 864 colliers . The entries outwards were 112 , and those cleared 120 , besidos 14 in ballast . Tho departures for the Australian colonies have been on an extensive scale , and comprise 14 vessels , viz .: —4 to Port Phillip , of 3 , 189 tons j 4 to Sydney , of 3 , 258 tons ; 1 to Adelaide , of 471 tons } 2 to Van © toman ' s Land , of 019 tons ; 2 to 3 ? ew Zealand , of 730 tons ; 1 to Portlaud-bay , of 301 tons j making a total of 14 vessels , or 8 , 918 tone .

      Literature.

      LITERATURE .

      Literary Notes Of The Week. ?——

      LITERARY NOTES OF THE WEEK . ?——

      ?——We Are Glad To. Hear That Mr. J. Holl...

      We are glad to . hear that Mr . J . Hollingshead , whose last book , " Under Bow Bells , " has been so favourably received by the public , has in the press a second volume , which contains his political essays ; a third is to follow , which will be a republication of descriptive articles by him , —visits to strange places , & c . Mr . Hollingshead has also joined the staff of Mr . Thackeray ' s new magazine for a long period , to Contribute a series of articles . Lord Brougham has been elected , as we anticipated , to the Chancellorship of the University of Edinburgh ; and , at a meeting of the Senatus Academicusoh Tuesday , the degree of LL . D . was

      conquently applauded . He felt no hesitation in directing some strong and original attacks on the modern dramatists , who appear , he said , to address themselves solely to bankers and courtezans . M . Lpuis Lurine , a well-known critic , and the manager of the Theatre Vaudeville , has died suddenly of apoplexy . " M . Empis , " says Galignani , " retires from the Theatre Francois * being called , it is announced , to superior functions / having raised the theatre by his enlightened management to a height of prosperity greater than had been known for along series of years . The gentleman appointed to succeed him , M . E . Thierry , has long been known to the public as one of the most eminent , of our dramatic critics . .

      , ferred upon him by acclamation . The next excitement in store for the members of the university will be the election of a rector . We understand that Mr . Gladstone has been brought forward for this office , and that a committee is in course-of formation for securing his election . The names of-Lord Campbell , Lord Macaulay , Lord J . Russell , and Mr . Stuart Mill have been brought up , as have those of the Lord Advocate and the Lord Justice Clerk , but these latter are commissioners , and it is understood that the members of the Universities Commission have expressed themselves to the effect that they decline being proposed as members of any of the University Courts during the existence of the

      com-. We are requested to state that the " Sequel to Adam Bede , " which is now advertised , is not by the author of " Adam Bede . " This unauthorised use of a popular author ' s title for purely commercial purposes is scarcely fair dealing towards the public . The Cork Examiner publishes a correspondence between Mr . Charles Dickens and an ultramontanecitizen of Cork . The latter gentleman , feeling himself , as a Roman Catholic , aggrieved by one or two in Italwhich

      articles exposing Papal excesses y , appeared some time ago in All the Year Round , wrote to Mr . Dickens on the subject . Mr . Dickens , in reply , denied that the complaint was reasonable , declared thut he had nevcv " pandered to any acrimonious or intolerant feeling" against the Roman Catholic Church , and added— " Let me , in all good humour , recommend you to observe whether its ( the Church ) accredited organs are as considerate towards Protestants , and to give your j udgment of me the benefit of the comparison . " trans

      The Zibfarie Nouvelle has just published a - lation of Mr . Thackeray ' s " Yellowplush Papers . " This work has been admirably rendered into French W an Englishman , Mr . William L . Hughes , who has contributed to several of the leading periodicals here , and even had one or more dramas produced on the French stage . His perfect acquaintance with the language has enabled him to render Mr . Thackeray ' s work in the manner best calculated to convey the author ' s meaning to French readers . Where close translation was applicable , ho has adhered strictly to his original , but where the meaning- could he better expressed by paraphrase he has adopted that method ; and tho result is a very successful unusual difficulties to

      rendering of a tale that offers a translator . Mr , Hughes has not attempted to imitate the extraordinary orthography of tho famous Mr . Charles J . Yellowplush , and any such experiment would most probably have resulted in failure . The version first appenred'in the Jtevuc Europbene , and the fact of its now being brought out in a separate form proves that it lias been well-received by the . public hero , A collection of facts respecting the weather is in progress on a scale that includes the North . Atlantic and its several cousts . Contributions will be thankfully used by tho Meteorological Department of the Board of Trade and Admiralty .

      A Scottish clergyman has hit on a method of making tho service of Ills church attractive , The Ayrshire Express informs us that the Rev . Mr . Waddell , of Girvan , read from his own pulpit a poetical tragedy , of which he is tha author , entitled " King Saul , " illustrating the power of madness , superstition , and jealousy combined . It is a flvo-act trngedy , adhering throughout to thy narrative as it appears in Holy Writ , nnd " containing on every pngo delineations of character , and fine dramatio taste , which would not disgrace tho pen of tho groatost dramatists . " . . ¦ ..

      M . Philoxeno Bayer resumed on Wednesday , xt \ Paris , ' his readings , in tho rooms of the Scientific , Club . A numerous audience of literary ladies and gentlemen wero present . M . Boyer continued this year tho work ho commenced in 1858-r-tho explanation and glorlflpntM of the gxeat William Shakespeare . M . Boyer ' 8 introductory address was tre-

      Shakspeare Papers. Pictures Grave And Ga...

      SHAKSPEARE PAPERS . Pictures Grave and Gay . By William Magittn , L . L .. D . —Richard Bentley . These papers formerly appeared in SenUet / s Miscellany , where they were some twenty years ago greatly admired . Their reputation was merited . Maginn was one of the most subtle , perhaps the most subtle , of Shaksperian critics . For subtlety and refinement , in fact , these papers have never been equalled . Many , at the time of their publication considered them paradoxical ; and the author was accused of writing , " hot to

      comment upon Shakspeare , but to display logicial dexterity , in maintaining the untenable side of every question . " The truth was , that the critic , in all instances , had dared to penetrate appear-, ances , and under the surface to detect the reality that they concealed . He saw into the heart of Falstaffj that it was melancholy ; and into that of Jacques , that it was gay . Romeo , too , was an instance of want of luck ; and Bottom , one where it superabounded . The criticism on Lady Macbeth , however , was the experimentum cruets , and excited most remark .

      This is certainly an extraordinary piece of criticism . The proposition is that the female character as jrenerally drawn by Shakspeare " is pure , honourable , spotless , ever ready to perform a kind action—never sliiinking from a heroic one ;" and that the character of Lady Macbeth is no exception to the rule . " The dark kdy of that stupendous work which , since the Eumenides , biirstinor iipon the stage with appalling howl in quest of the fugitive Orestes , electrified with terror the Athenian audience , has met no . equal I intend to maintain , " said Maginn , "that Lady Macbeth , too , is human in heart and impulse—that she is not meant to be an embodiment of the Furies . "

      The tragedy is overruled by one leading ideablood , murder ; is indeed permeated by it . Macbeth is the centre , the moving spirit of it . The captain announcing him , speaks of his sanguinary conibats . Hot from such scenes , he is met by the witches , who prophesy his kingship , but say not a wor 4 about the means . Macbeth supplies these from his own mind ;—" 3 Iy thought , wIiobc Mukdeu yet is but fantastical . " Here Maginn had overlooked one thing , which , however , he afterwards mentions—Macbeth ' s right to the throne , which be , it is evident , consented to suspend for the sake of the honours which Duncan had , from policy , heaped upon mm . But Macbeth was nevertheless dissatisfied ; and it is evident that he and his wife had , before the

      events with whic h the play opens , frequently talked of the means by which he , m-jght regain hi » rights . To these conversations Lady Macbeth thus alludes :- u boa 8 t WftS , MUen , That made you break this ontorpriso to me I When you durst do , then you wore a nrnn ; Ai U to bo moro than what you wore , you would 1 $ " so much moro tho num . Nor time , nor plaao JJtd then adhere , and u ^ 11 ° " would inako both s They have nnido themselves , and thnt tliolr atneas now ,, Pocb uuiniiko you . Macbeth , however , might have been moved from his long-oherished purpose , by Duncans studious attentions , had it not been that Malcolm was named for tho succession , thereby defeating-Mucbeth ' s ultimate hopes , and , indeed , altering tho constitution of the Scottish monarchy , which was then elective in the hereditary lino . " Tho l ' rlnco of Cumberland I That 1 b nstop On which X must full down , or also o ' orlo « p , For In my way It Hob . Strtra I hide youtflroB i . tot not 1 % lit i oo my black « nd unrk doBlros . " Dr . Maginn infers from , this passage thftt tho murder of Malcolm was , resolved . On by Macbeth , as well as that of his father .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 5, 1859, page 17, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_05111859/page/17/