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1S8 The Leader and Saturday Analyst , [F...
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A MODEEN ARCADIA,* ¦ifTIJBGIIi'S. Georgi...
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MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS.* ; \ CONVENIENCE, w...
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* Who HhM Pooh of tho Court, tho JPooraq...
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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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1s8 The Leader And Saturday Analyst , [F...
1 S 8 The Leader and Saturday Analyst , [ Feb . 25 , I 860 .
A Modeen Arcadia,* ¦Iftijbgiii's. Georgi...
A MODEEN ARCADIA , * ¦ ifTIJBGIIi'S . Georgics have been aptly called the " Glorification of V Labour . " The work of Madame Dudevant , before \ is , might be in a similar way characterised as the " Glorification of Dunghills /' Tlie authoress divides mankind exhaustively into those whose hig-best aspirations point to a palace , and those who sigh for a thatched cottage ; and then proceeds to argue that the ! former class Lave had their best and truest instincts crushed by the false demands and miserable vanities of an artificial civilization . In a straw-roofed hut , with a dung-heap before the door , in which the Cochin chinas scratch amicably for their daily subsistence , and where children and . pigs enjoy together salubrious though dirty gambols ; where the doors have 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 , 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 and solemnity " which distinguish him from the brute of the field . It will be perceived that this is a slight modification of GRousseau ' s celebrated doctrine , that if man would , indeed , become the generous and ijoblebeing that nafcui * e intended him to be , he ¦ must return to his primitive wildness—a doctrine , as Cdmte ingeniously points but , 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 virtuous simplicity ,. and gain a right appreciation of the wonders of nature arid the uniyerse , it is
necessary 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 going on since his first creation , or , as the authoress would perhaps prefer , since his first development into a distinct species , and is even now going on with continually accelerating speed . Without at all entering into the abstruse _ question of the . . origin of society and of the ultimate end of pur race , we maintain that Madame Dudevant's view on the advantages of rusticity and the superiority of the peasant is ill-founded , and may be traced to a morbid discontent , which is riot altogether surprising in a person whose influence , and attractions are hot what rthey have been . Like Madame Pernelle in MolieVe ' s" Tartufe , "
" An raonde qui la quitte elle reut renpncer . Be 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 introduced to us in these jii'g-es 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 rude life in all countries , we must protest against it . In Eiigland > for instance , no one who wa $ desirous of cultivating that " grace and solemnity" which constitute the best part of . his character , according to George Sand , would think of doing so by pitching his tent in the most sequestrated hamlet of Cornwall or Buckinghamshire . The delightful prospect of the dungheap arid the " Cochinchines" and the pigs Wight indeed be a strong temptation j yet we suspect the philosopher would scarcely think hia lines had fallen in pleasant places , or that he would here be likely to make much progress in the acquisition of grape and solemnity .
The plain truth is , that m most places the peasant is endowed with a vulpine craftiness which would prevent our calling him honest , whilst it does not entitle him 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 , and coarse rudeness to a stranger . We do iiot say this is invariably the case , but it is the rule ; nor , indeed , can we be surprised that it is so , when we reflect how utterly the landed proprietors neglect their bounden duty pf educating and civilizing those iri an inferior situation whom Providence has placed around or beneath them . We do not blame the rural population , . fpr their ignorance and irnrniorality ( in attestatipn of the latter consult th © regiatrar ' e returns of births for tlie district ) , but with what indignation must we nofc regard the flagrant sins of omission on the part of their richer find more exalted , nnvgftbov / rs , who full into an extreme against which Madame Dudevanb ' s view is a natural , though no leas extreme reaction ! .
The authoress admits that the peasant has all the vices of a mnn . Ho has » ot only aU the viqcs common to his kind , but in addition all those which are the peculiar and inevitable consequence of want of education . The pperative in a manufacturing 1 town in Lancashire or Yorkshire , is almost equally neglected by his superiors ; still there is ' something- in the incessant activity of machinery which seems to inspire him with a strong desire to _ emulate it , and ho becomes na anxious to preserve his mind as his loom from rust or idleness . The field labourer , on the other hand , puvsi \ es his daily toil in i , ha hottpm of a ditch , or monotonously lopping ? branches oil a , hedge , or wearily driving the plough j hia tools are Bimple enough , and ho seos nothing about him calculated to stimulate his inventive pr other intellectual faculties : he ia surrounded by the glories of tho physical universe , it is true , but lie has been acquainted with , them from his earliest years , and constant - funmiUnrity has produced its usual effect pf indjffurence . A tptvq oporativo in hia Sunday ¦!¦¦¦¦ ¦]¦ I III ¦
" Exact and scientific as Chrysalidor 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 walla ; " ( p . 19 . ) . ¦¦¦ We are at a loss to imagine why Madame I ) udevant has written this book . Louis Napoleon employed the skilful conjuror , Robert Houdin , as his ambassador to the Algerines . Does he d . esire to populate the country at the expense of the towns , and so has hired George Sand to be the advocate of his designs ?
walk through , the green fields carries away a more vivid impression of the beauty and mystery of nature , than a rustic who has lived amongst them all his days , ket 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 " Village Walks" are pleasant enough to read . . On a January day in IiOiidon , 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 and 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 .
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Miscellaneous Books.* ; \ Convenience, W...
MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS . * ; \ CONVENIENCE , which almost amounts toa necessity , is supplied /\ to newspaper readers and students of contemporary history in the very complete anatomy of both Houses of the Leg islature which is contained in the , pages of the Hand Book of . the Court , the Peerage , arid 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 of Parliament , completed up to the middle of the month which has just passed . The roll of peers here given docs not consist of a mere incidents of each noble lord
list of names and titles ; but the leading s career are noticed , arid his present and past political opinions , his 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 j and one feature is quite hovel : the numbers polled at the last contested election are given in every case , with 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 , are . chronicled ; what honours he 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 pur representatives and hereditary lawmakers , than we have obtained from larger and more pretentious ; works . In addition to the members , -we Team also something worth knowing about the constituencies—the number of voters in each . — what those voters consist of , and what nobleman or gentleman ' s influence predominates in each county or borough ~ all winch 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 eorrie five hundred pages , to give a sketch of the events of the last 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 leauing 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 liberal view of the matter in , almost' every instance . The edition before us has received large additions ; and the history pf Europe , America , and India , is now brought down to a period whjph 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 bears marks of great care in the compilation , and is well adapted for tho purpose fpr which it is designed . Herr Lebahn ' a Firdt German Course has the preat merlta of simplicity and brevity , and is well adapted to smooth the difficulties in the Way , of a young student of German . The author is well known as a compiler of several previous treatises on this subject , whioh have been favourably received , and in the present instance he is as painstaking and careful as usual . Tho plan of the book is clear and comprehensive , and divests the study of Gorman of those obscurities with which the student ia bafiled ju loss lucid systems . This treatise will be found as useful to those who are studying by thernaelvee , as to those who possess tho advantage of a master ' s instruction . The extraordinary progress of the British Empire during the last
* Who Hhm Pooh Of Tho Court, Tho Jpooraq...
* Who HhM Pooh of tho Court , tho JPooraqa , and the JtCowo of Commons . ( Tenth year . ) Jjondon i ' JP . S . 'King ; Slmpklu nnil . Marshall . Modem Europe ; 0 School Hiatery . By JonM Lonp , A . M . Iuoadon : Simpkln ftnfl , Marshall . jt JPirst Gorman Conrao ; containing tho JSlomonta of Grammar , witn Mvoroiaca . I ! y Palok Lahahn . JLondon ; Ohavleai 11 . Olftrlce . Report of Mr . Thomas 1 Q . Slaokwoll , Vioo * l ? rwidont $ 0 . of tho & ravU Trunk . Xtai'hvcii / of Canada . London : Watorlow t \ xu \ Sons .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 25, 1860, page 16, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_25021860/page/16/
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