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informed mind , but no special erudition , to the illustration of the old topics ; he brings a clear , animated style , but not one of peculiar grace or felicity , such as would make commonplaces charming . Thus , Mr . Greg being neither Thinker nor Stylist , —not claiming audience in right of important views , nor in right of commanding erudition , —not treating of topics which , because they are permanent and lie somewhat out of the course of journalism , may reasonably justify a desire to rescue them from the oblivion of journalism , — . we feel ourselves called on to protest against this re-publication , lest it be a precedent . If he was in love with his writings , and could not suffer them to remain uncollected , a cheap , unpretending , " Railway" edition might have sufficed . Having made this protest , let us briefly indicate the contents of the two
bulky volumes . In these days of sounding titles , it may be idle to question the propriety of the term " Political and Social Science" here employed , but we warn the reader that he will find no more " science" in the volumes than is contained in the negative criticism of socialism from the politico-economical point of view , —criticism often excellent and just , often one-sided and shallow . The one new idea , which may be regarded as Mr . Greg ' s contribution to philosophy , is the one promulgated in the opening article—viz ., that the African race is destined by Providence to realize and maJce operative in European civilization the moral aspect of Christianity ! It is certainly a novel idea : risum teneatis amid ? One may accept it as the dogma of which Uncle Tom is the exemplar .
Peasant-proprietorship , taxation , investments for the working classes , French and English Socialism , employers and employed , the coup d ' etat in France , and the expected Reform Bill , receive in turns the consideration of Mr . Greg . They are excellent articles ; will be admitted as excellent even by those who dissent from the opinions expressed ; they are written clearly , agreeably , earnestly ; they served their original purpose of review and newspaper article , but are essentially articles — i . e ., ephemeral . " We shall tolerably indicate the tone when we add , that he speaks of our greatest prose writer as " Mr . Burke , " says that " France is KaT ' egoxvv" something or other , and thinks Mr . Alison a " fascinating historian . "
It is as a thinker , however , that we feel Mr . Greg ' s deficiencies to be greatest . A specimen or so of his reasoning on religious topics must be given . That we really cannot penetrate the " designs of Providence , " he is willing to admit : — " The wisdom of Providence is , indeed , unsearchable , and its ways past finding out . Mortal plummet cannot fathom them . Human sagacity can rarely penetrate them . The frailty of human affections cannot always acquiesce in them . "
Bat if that be his opinion , what may this mean ?—" In casting our eyes over the various countries of the globe , and considering both the past history and the intrinsic qualities of their peculiar races , we cannot fail to come to the conclusion that several of these have been destined by Providence for early extinction , and were created merely as temporary occupants to fill the void , till pushed out of existence in the fulness of time by other races of more commanding energies and greater capacities , exhibiting a higher development of humanity , and bearing upon them the marks of u more permanent duration . "
" We cannot fail" to come to this conclusion ! Let Mr . Greg be assured that we can fail , —indeed , we come to a totally different conclusion , and absolutely refuse to believe that God made races of men for the expreBs purpose of being " merely temporary occupants to fill the void " till a better race should destroy them by brandy and bullets ! " Why , or with what object , Providence should have peopled so many countries with races of men destined to answer only a temporary purpose , and then to be swept away before the advancing tide of human civilization , it would be useless in us to conjecture . That such , however , is the plan of Providence , we think no doubt can remain . " The doubt docs remain . Moreover , we desire to know how it ia , if Providence is beyond our ken , —if we really arc not taken into the " wise councils , "—wo can assert so positively that we know them p
"He tins , however , as it may , everything points to the one certain conclusion , that whatever other tribes may , in the wise counsels of God , be destined to extinction , the African race is not of the number . " JSIse where , after quoting some reflections on the slowness with which the designs of Providence are fulfilled , ho says : — " Tho human heart lias , however , seldom enough depth in its philosophy , or resignation in its faith , to acquiesce contentedly in reflections such as these . We have si vague , dim , haunting feeling that , however true , they are yet unsatisfactory . We cannot , contemplate without much prolbiuul awe , and something of natural regret , the arrangements of a Being who can watch , with calm ami impassive eye , generation after < reneration roll by , without contributing , it may be , one calculable !
mite towards the accomplishment of bis designs , anil millions after millions of human creatures pass across the stage , their destiny unfulfilled , the objects of their existence unattained ; - who , for six thousand years , has sent , labourer after labourer into his vineyard to till the n (*» l and to how tlus . seed for a harvest which still kcciuh immeasurably remote , and in which these labourers are to have no participation ; in whose estimation , in a word , any lapse of earthly time , any expenditure of human existence , seems wholly beneath consideration . Tho reflection unavoidably comes over us , that we loo may bo as they who have gone before us ; that our fate , liko tlieirfl , may be to wander in the desert ., a fur from the promised land , which is the Object of our common search ; that our lot , liko theirs , may be to . sow , and not to reap . " These reflections are just , and must have frequently tormented the mind . liul what answer ' has Mr . GrogF This in nil : — " Nevertheless , liko many , doubtless , who l ' uivo preceded us , we are disposed to hope for better things . Beyond all question wo do inherit something—muchfrom our forerunners . Tho world ban indisputably advanced , though with steps deplorably wavering and slow ; and as we reap what the past has sown , it is hut just thut we should how what the future is to ronp . We trust , too , that the final harvest i » Hnmewhiit nearer than it was ; and our progress towards it steadier , surer , and more , rapid than of old . " fturoly , pilenco would , have been bolter than thjn lamo and impotent
conclusion ! We select religious in preference to social topics , because the author of the Creed of Christendom has at any rate rejected orthodoxy , whereas the articles on Socialism are in the very sanctum of politicoeconomical orthodoxy , swearing by Malthus and competition .
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CHILDREN'S BOOKS . Axthough the holidays are over , or nearly so , it may not be too lateV perhaps , to say a word , which parents and guardians will do well to listen to , in favour of two or three books published by Addey & Co . Here is a translation of Grimm ' s Kinder und Hausmarchen , a book known all over the world , as a sort of "European Nights' Entertainments , " and fastened on by children of all ages with untiring avidity . These Household Stories are in two volumes , capitally illustrated by
Wehnert , well translated , and nicely got up . A better book cannot be named , nor a more charming present . The first volume of The Charm also lies in its gay binding before us . We have already spoken of this monthly magazine for boys and girls , which we can pronounce , on the very best authority ( their own ) , to be excellently adapted to juvenile curiosity ; and this volume , containing stories , descriptions of animals and foreign countries , poetry , and useful information , may be accepted as a work complete in itself .
Mrs . Follen ' s New Nursery Songs are charmmg . This is a tmy volume , full of nonsense verses , and * good illustrations . The stories in Wonder Castle ( by A . F . Frere ) are pronounced wonderful enough , but we have not yet had time to read them , and add our authority to that of the young critics whom we follow .
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We should do our utmost to encourage the Beautiful , for the Useful encourages itself . —Goethe .
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BY HENUT MEERITT .
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" Who , in contemplating one of Raphael's finest pictures , fresh from the master ' s hand , ever bestowed a thought on the wretched little worm which works its destruction ?" — Mabia Edgetvokth .
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CHAPTER TV . STANDARD PICTURES . fHE number , variety , and condition of pictures by the Old Masters would seem to leave no hope of accomplishing their classification ; but , in other subjects of scientific inquiry , much greater difficulties have been surmounted , and distinct departments prescribed . What is wanted is an analysis and classification of pictures for the use of the Restorer , to the end that he may proceed with his work with precision * Hitherto , in the absence of such a guide , his operations have been too much at the mercy of chance . It is quite possible to specify the peculiarities of
certain pictures which constitute them the representatives of a class for the special purpose of the cleaner . As an illustration we will take Backhuysen , who , as a painter of sea pieces , ranks with Vandevelde . The difference in quality of execution between these two painters is not great , but they exhibit marked dissimilarity of style . Both present the same subject effectively , but by a different process , as respects the manner of laying on the colours , the pencilling , and the retention , or rejection of minuti . e . Vandevelde delights in details , and prides himself on his seamanship with all a sailor ' s coquetry ; he individualizes the perfect model of a ship , defining and elaborating , from his familiar recollections , more than even a sailor ' s
eye can seize at a glance : he supplies what distance would obscure , or storm and battle confound and obliterate . Backhuysen , on the contrary , while he betrays no ignorance of a ship ' s physiognomy , is content to realize the "broader and more prominent features of his subject . Baekhuysen ' s ships roll heavily , and pitch deeply , and founder fearfully in the gale or in the battle . His pictures look real , and full of motion . For richness of invention , fulness and completeness of effects , he rivals Vandevelde . Yet perfect as is the touch of Baekhuysen , and complete as are his effects , iii minute mechanical dexterity of execution , and in delicacy of tint , ' he is altogether exceeded by Vandevelde , who , ax a portrait-painter * of Ocean life , has no rival . Vamlcvcldc ' s sea pictures are , in a manner , so comprehensively expressive , that they may be said to include all other pictures of the kind .
llie lesson to be derived from this comparison is , that in cleaning pietinea by these two masters , the distinctive method of working employed by each should be fully understood , for the reason that the . means and method wliieli would safely clean a picture by 15 ackliuy , s <; n , would destroy a work by Vandevelde , because of its greater delicacy and excessive minuteness The process which would remove dirt from the more delicate picture , would perhaps answer in all respects for the bolder or courser . It must be ' " evident
that n general rule can be drawn for the practice of restoration In the instance of marine pictures , those exam ples which contain the greatest amount of refinement of execution in drawing , light , shade , and colour must be taken as the basis of study . A knowledge of every picture to be operated upon is indispensable-, and this would be attainable by the restorer making himself thoroughly acquainted with the distinctive character of the uiost intricate aud perfect works of each class . A knowledge of tl » e works
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t 114 THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,
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Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 29, 1853, page 114, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1971/page/18/
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