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    8*4 THE LEADER, [No. 439, Attctst 21. i8...

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    THE NORTH BRITISH RE-YIEW. The Jforih Br...

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    TH*. ILLUSTRIOUS HENRIES. Tk» Booh of th...

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    Stan/bra's Paris Guide, with Three Maps,...

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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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    8*4 The Leader, [No. 439, Attctst 21. I8...

    8 * 4 THE LEADER , [ No . 439 , Attctst 21 . i 858 .

    The North British Re-Yiew. The Jforih Br...

    THE NORTH BRITISH RE-YIEW . The Jforih British Jteview , 2 fo . LVII . Edinburgh : Kennedy . A . wxxcobub contribution from " modem Athens , " suid well calculated to keep up her literary reputation . The majority of the articles is evidently from practised pens , and some of them are . of much interest and ability . The Life , Writings , and Influence on his Time qfM . Chateaitbriattd , by M . Villemaia , is exceedingly well and impartially reviewed . The critic lias finely discriminated between the egotism and the genius of the writer , and has given

    sound reasons for his thorough condemnation of the immoral influence of Chateaubriand's earlier writings ; bat we think he attributes too much power to him when he asserts that his Rene was the foundation of that array of immoral works represented in the productions of the Dudevant school . We incline to think it was to Jean Jacques llousseau that this school owes its foundation , and that the ReneKti Chateaubriand was derived from the same source . Gladstone ' s Homer is reviewed in a more candid spirit , and , to our mind , with a clearer appreciation of the merits both of Homer and his

    commentator Gladstone than the majority of contemporary critics have evinced . " State Papers" are the result of researches into the buried treasures of the Record-office , and every true lover of antiquity and history will feel himself under a debt of gratitude to the Master of the Rolls for giving to the- public , in a classified form , these valuable State papers and national archives . " Biblical Interpretations" is an elaborate article on certain religions publications , but , like preceding interpretations , they leave the disputed points in the same condition as Sir llpger de Goverley ' s portrait , namely , that much may " be said on both sides .

    Modern British drama verges on the dull , and is too limited in scope . Surely the judgment of the reviewer is not indisputable when lie claims Shakspearean honours for the author of Saul : a Drama in Three Acts , published anonymously at Montreal . Putting aside siici . minor blemishes as the anachronism of making Malzah—Saul's evil genius and double , and pronounced a creation equalled only by Caliban sand Ari & lr—swear such modern oaths as " Zounds I" what will the reader think of the following asserted Shakspearean effusion of this

    Montreal Sbakspeare P—Malzah singing—There was a devil , and his name was I ; From De Profundus he did cry ; He changed his note as he changed his coat , And his coat was of a varying dye : It had many a hue : in hell ' twas blue , 'Twas green i ' th * sea , and white i ' th' sky . Oh , do not ask me , ask me why , 'Twas green i'th' sea and white i ' th sky , Why froin Profundus he did cry . Suffice that he vailed with a chirruping note ; And quaintly cat was his motley coat .

    The words " Prom De Profimdys" are certainly a queer poetical license ; but , passing that over , we are prepared to maintain that Porson ' s portrait of the Devil ' s dress — His coat was red , And his breeches blue , With a hole behind Where bis tail came throughis ten times more original and Shakspearean than the imitative doggrel we have quoted . "Egypt and Syria" we make a separate article of , and refer the reader to another part of our columns . Researches on Light" is written in an agreeable , informing , and philosophic spirit . " Our Army in India" contains much sound matter .

    Th*. Illustrious Henries. Tk» Booh Of Th...

    TH * . ILLUSTRIOUS HENRIES . Tk » Booh of the TUuttrimu Henries . By John Capgrave . Translated from the Latin by the K « t . Francis . Charles Hingvston , M . A . Longman and Co . This is a translation of Johannis Capgrave Liber delllutMbus Henricis , and both tlie original and tins version form a portion of the series now issuing by the Government under the superintendence of the Master of the Rolls . The vapid , liaridsome , complete , and cheap manner in which these valuable illustrations of English history arc being published reflects credit on all connected , and goes far to redeem the old dilatory and extravagant ¦ way in which the former works of the Record Conv nuaaion -were put forth . At prewmt we have only to do with tlie translation , the original not having reached us . Capgrave , it appears , was an Augustine friar , and lived at

    King's Lynn , m Norfolk . He passed his life in writing Commentaries and Chronicles , and in the management of his monastery , he being provincial of his order ia England . He was born in 1393 , and flourished during the reigns of Henrys IV ., V ., and VI ., living to his seventieth year- —1464 ? . The -account of a contemporary , however vaguely written , must have interest , and must in some way elucidate the history of the time ; yet we must say that Father Capgrave has much of the tediousness and all the fantastic quaintness of his period . He writes the history of the Illustrious Henries because his own king and patron is named Henry . Of his pedantic style the following is a specimen :-

    —Let not this preamble , my lord , aggrieve thy modesty . For I dared not approach such a -work without some little preface , lest , drawing near irreverently , I might be repelled from such honour . For thus it is written : "He who scans majesty narrowly will be overwhelmed with glory . " However , as a brief annotation , those things herein to be treated of I have distinguished thus : — The First Part treats of those famous men who , bearing this name , have flourished in the Empire . The Second of those who , with like name , have shone in regal honour in this Realm . The Third of others following here and elsewhere , whose name 3 were worthy of remembrance .

    Therefore in } ' lord the king- will possess in his acts the best rules ; in his faith the most firm assurance ; and in judgment the safest guidance , from those men , of kindred to himself both in name and blood , who have gone before him . The second book , treating of the six kings of England of the name of Henry , " men of . renown anoT worthy of all honour , " of course is more interesting than the romantic account of the German emperors . It is curious to find the Sunday question cropping up at the early date of 1171 ; and the following may furnish the present petitioning clergy with a precedent : — - In the eighteenth year of his reignj certain revelations began to be made to him , warning him especially to correct his life .

    First of all , by a certain old man at Cardiff Castle , in Wales , oil the Sunday in the octave of Easter , where , after hearing mass , while the king was hastening to mount his horse , there suddenly appeared to him a certain old man with yellow hair and a round tonsure : thin he was , and tall , clad ia a white garment , and barefooted , and he addressed the king in . the Teutonic tongue , as follows : " Good holde knyth : Christ salutes thee , and so do liis blessed Mother , and John Baptist , and Peter who wields the keys , charging thee that throughout all thy dominions there be no traffic carried on , or any servile work done on Sundays , those labours only excepted which pertain to the-use of food . This , if thou . shalt do , whatsoever thou shalt take in hand thou shalt bring to a prosperous issue .

    Then said the king in French to the knight who held his reins , " Ask the rustic -whether he dreamed that . " And while the knight was interpreting this in English , the other added in the language he had used before , "Whether I have dreamed it or not , remember what day it is to-day , for . unless thou shalt do these things and shalt amend thy life , thou shalt hear Buch tidings within this present year that thenceforth thou shalt grieve even to the end of thy daj-s . " And when he had thus spoken , the man disappeared . And within that year tlie king ' s three sons , Henry , Aeoffrey , and John , took the part of the King of France against their father ; the King of Scotland also , and the Earl of Chester , revolted against

    the king . And many other warnings were sent to him from Heaven , but all these had but little effect . The character of this king ( Heury II . ) is given by the downright old monk in no very flattering stvle , but with apparent marks of truth : — King Henry was a man of somewhat ruddy complexion , with a large head , and a broad chest , grey eyes , a broken voice , and a stout body , though ha was moderate both in eating and drinking , and in order to keep down his corpulency he wore down his body with violent exercise , such as long standing , and continual walking about . In stature he was of the middle height ; he was eloquent also , and a . man of letters .

    In war he was brave , in private life provident , in battle dreading only treacherous deeds . He was always kinder to a slain soldier than to one who survived the combat , rather grtaving for the dead than loving the living . In stress of evil circumstances no one could be kinder ; when fortune smiled again , no one more unbending . He was cruel towards those whom he could not conquer , and often gentle to the conquered . In domestic matters he was hard to deal with , in things external profuse ; liberal In public , frugal in private .

    If once he entertained hatred or love for any one , he could scarcely ever be brought to another mind . Ho readily broke his word , answered roughly on every occasion ; loved quiet , but oppressed the noblos . He was a seller and a hinder « r of justice , a broaker of

    promises , changeful and crafty in his speech- an ™ T SgraS . * ^™ ° ° ** * to <& " * £ He did continually all ho could to foster dism « i among hU sons , his only hope being that ™ ~ S result to himself from their quarrels P ™ ) ula The most valuable part of the book , of course is that portion winch treats of the time wherein 1 jaai contemporary There is , however , but lit £ that adds to our knowledge , his Chronicle of Em W . being much fuller than these meagre bio » ra pines , winch , are , after all , little better than 2 ? , !*

    gyrics . it is vvel to have everything printed ; because then it is in the safe custody of paner wr print and maijy copies ; but otherwise there is but little of new elucidation of English history It is most carefully edited and translated by Mr Hinges ton ; being copiously supplied with notes and a capital index ; and the volume is in every wav worthy of the admirable national series of which it forms apart .

    Stan/Bra's Paris Guide, With Three Maps,...

    Stan / bra ' s Paris Guide , with Three Maps , and a View of the Champs-Ely sees . New edition , revised and improved . - — It is a great advantage in a guide-book , as indeed in every ) ther commodity ( except money , some will say ) , not to have too much of it . In the hurry and excitement of travelling , we merely want the prominent facts relating to any place . Mr . Stanford hits the medium very Tvell ° and consequently his little volume is neither bewilderin g nor tedious . It is divided into three parts—Preliminary ^ containing the necessary information as to the mode of travelling , passports , & . c . ; Historical , a brief view of the most notable circumstances connected with the various localities ; Topography and Itineraries , dividing Paris into districts , so that the traveller may see as much as possible , according to the time he has to spend in this sight-seeing capital . Three excellent maps accompany the convenient little work , wliich , moreover , is moderate in price ) . ; .. ' . , . ' -. ' . ¦ . : ¦¦/ . . ¦ ¦ ' . ¦ - ; ¦" ¦; : '

    A Guide to Jersey , Guernsey , Alderney , $ c . By F . F . Dally . With a Map . ( E . Stanford . )—This is a compilation by one evidently well acquainted with these pleasant islands . The features are the excursions in each island , which are sketched from practical knowledge . The account of the fortifications and breakwater at Alderney are specially interesting just now that so much is said oi Cherbourg on the opposite coast . Upwards of a million and a quarter are being expended by our Government , yet we hear nothing about it in the French journals . The effect of these military works has been to double the number of houses and treble the population . An excellent map of the island is appended .

    A Guide to the Cathedrals cf England and Wales . By Mackenzie Walcott , M . A . ( E . Stanford . )—This is an account of all our cathedrals arranged alphabetically . The descriptions are succinct , but point out the historical events and traditions connected with the buildings , as well as the architecture , dimensions , and principal objects of interest . It is a very useful pocket manual for those who prefer spending the vacation in examining their own country , now that the Continent is no longer rendered so agreeable as formerly to English tourists .

    The Ophthalmoscope : its mode of application explained , and its value shown , in the exploration of Internal Diseases of the Eye . By Jabez Hogg . ( John Churchill . )—The invention of the ophthalmoscope for surgical purposes ranks next to that of the stethoscope for the discrimination of diseases of the chest , or of the stereoscope , to speak more popularly , in optical science . It is gratifying to find how much opthalmic science has been advanced by this simple instrument , which is

    merely a combination of a mirror and convex lens , by means of whicli the light , reflected from the back of the eye , makes visible to the observer tlie nature of the injury going on in its deepest structures . ! Mr . Hogg describes the various diseases which he has detected by the aid of'this instrument , ' tout as our readers would scarcely understand tlie technical terms , vie forbear to enter upon this part of the subject . It is evident tlint the progress of science is giving new helps to medicine as well as to other branches of philosophical inquiry .

    Descriptions of Victoria , Aouth Australia , New Sovtft Wales , Wellington , Tasmania , Nelson , Canterbury , and New Zealand , the flrst six by the Editor of the -I ustralian and New Zealand Gazettes . ( Algni and Street . ) In issuing tliis series of cheap publications , Messrs . Algar and Street have well earned the gratitude of all intending emigrants . These little works are not got up in the catchpenny stylo of the day ; they contain , in a small compass , solid and reliable information , and will save not only time and disappointment to the cinijjnmt who studies them carefully , but money also . The price of these pamphlets varies from 3 d . to 6 d ., und for tins insignificant sum a fund of useful information ia furnished relative to the history , the climate , the political institutions , the revenue , the population , the society , the productions and exports , and the land Bale regulations of the various colonies .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 21, 1858, page 20, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_21081858/page/20/