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    opportunity of redeeming its character , which has been somewhat shaken by the unsatisfactory displays of prowess daily exhibited in the Caucasus , and the absurd misadventures of one of the divisions , which ultimately failed in taking part in the last Hungarian campaign , for lack of a properly organized commissariat . "

    THE KTJSSIAN AEMY . "The accounts I received of the war in the Caucasus , from those who had been present , exceeded anything of the sort I could have conceived possible . The frightful mortality among the troops employed there amounts to nearly twenty thousand annually . Of these , far the greater part fall victims to disease and starvation , attributable to the rapacity of their commanding officers , who trade in the commissariat so extensively that they speedily acquire large fortunes . As they are subject to no control in their dealings with contractors for supplying their requirements , there is nothing to check the ardour of speculation ; and the profits enjoyed by the colonel of a regiment are calculated at 30001 . or 40 O 01 . a-year , besides his pay . It is scarcely possible-to apprehend at a glance the full effect of

    a process so paralysing to the thews and sinews of war ; or at once to realize the fact , that the Russian army , numerically so far superior to that of any European power , and supplied from sources which appear inexhaustible , is really in a most inefficient condition , and scarcely worthy of that exaggerated estimate which the British public seem to have formed of its capabilities . It is not upon the plains of Krasna Selo or Vosnesensck , amid the dazzling glitter of a grand field-day in the Emperor ' s presence , that any correct notion can be formed of the Russian army . The imperial plaything assumes a very different appearance in the remote Cossack guard-house , where I have scarcely been able to recognise the soldier in the tattered and miserably equipped being before me , or on a harassing march , or in the presence of an indomitable enemy .

    " We have only to remember that the present position of Russia in the Caucasus has remained unaltered for the last twenty-two years , notwithstanding the vast resources which have been brought to bear upon this interminable war , to perceive that the brilliant appearance of the Russian soldier on parade affords no criterion of his efficiency in the field of battle ; while no more convincing proof could be desired of the gross corruption and mismanagement which characterises the proceedings of this campaign , than the fact of an overwhelming force of two hundred thousand men being held in check for so long a period by the small but gallant band who are fighting for their snow-clad mountains and their liberty . " The perusal of Mr . Oliphant ' s volume may go far towards correcting two tendencies in our public writers—one , that of exalting the might of this hideous and corrupt empire ; the other , that of conceiving it desirable for the "' degraded" Turk to be swept away , and the northern races to infuse their vigour into the decrepit nation .

    We cannot part from this volume without giving at least one illustration of its " manners and customs . " Here is a

    TARTAR EATING-HOUSE . " We were so long moving about from one set of these affable shopkeepers to another , that it was late in the day before I began to wonder whether we were never coming to a food quarter . Hitherto , since leaving Sevastopol , we had feasted our eyes only , while Richter had subsisted entirely on pipes . Upon his now suggesting that we should go to a cook-shop , we willingly proceeded in search of one , and were attracted , by sundry whiffs redolent of mutton , to a large corner house , whence arose a cloud of fragrant steam . Here a , number of people were standing in the open street , diving into huge projecting caldrons of soup , from

    whence they extracted square pieces of fat , which they devoui-cd with great relish while strolling about among the crowd . Not entirely approving of this al fresco mode of dining , and fearing that we might stand a chance of being run over while discussing an interesting morsel , we were glad to discover that it was not necessary to present a ticket of admission to a Bagtehe Serai soup-kitchen ; so we entered , and seated ourselves on a narrow bench , behind a very filthy plank intended to serve as a Native board . Being fully exposed to the street , we were in a most convenient position for the loungers in ' it to satisfy thoir curiosity regarding uh , and accordingly we were mutually edified by staring tit one another .

    " Our attention , however , was noon diverted to the head cook , who brought us a boiled sheep ' H bead in one hand , while with the other lie attempted to catch the gravy that trickled through his fingera upon a loaf of black bread . These he set down before us on the cleanest part of the plank wo could pifck out , and evidentl y considered that our every want was supplied . We forthwith proceeded with our penknives to discuss the sheep ' s head , which . seemed to have been previously stripped of everything but the eyes ; and with the addition of Homekibauba ( square pieces of fat ntrung upon a reed ) , succeeded in accomplishing a meal , which sustained us for the rest of the day ;— not that it would be possible to starve in Bagtcho Serai ; the heaps of delicious fruit with which the street is lined for some hundrcdH of yards , would always furnish an abundant , if somewhat unwholesome meal Grapes , figs , pomcgranatoH , peaches , nectarines , and apricots , tempt the passenger to refresh himself al , every utep ; while , : ia if in gentle remonstrance with his imprudence , innumerable fountains of the purest water gush out of the hill-Hide , murmuring invitations to the Unruly noul which it is difficult to resist . " This was in Bagtche Serai , the ancient capital of Crim Tartary .

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    A GLANCE AT NEW BOOKS . "W . n are forced by the quantify of now publications , and the demand on our space , to give a rapid summary of several \ vorkn churning notice The oHieo of critic must give place to thai ; of indicator—instead of discoursing on the book or author , wo confine ourselves to a lew words which may guide the purchaser and reader . The render will like to know , for example , Avliat lie in to expect in Hawthorne ' h Tanghtoood Talcs ( Chapman and Iia . ll ) . Not another Scarlet Letter , no iilUhedala Romance , not even tales resembling tliOHo Hawthorne

    has published before ; yet a hook both readers and parents should . welcome for itH beauty ami purpose . If , is acollectiouof ancient legends , the my Mm of the antique world , purified from everything 1 , 1 ml , is abhorrent to" our Christianized mo nil . sense , stripped , of the paranitieal aftergrowths , and presented "in tho . shape which they maybe supposed to possess in the pure childhood of tho world . " The old stories are told as Hawthorne ran toll them . Children are fascinated by them ; and , if the philosopher will smile over ( his iniHeoncej > tion of the true nature of myths , he will , at any rate , thank Jfawtliorno in his rhjldren ' s name for the stories thomrinlveH

    la tho new and cheap edition of Harold , the last of the Saxon Kings ( Chapman and Hall ) , JJulwor replies to his oriticH , and justifies himself lor the anachronic niH and errorn imputed to him . It is not in our power , taiitas component tiles . { Still more beyond our judicial competence is the Manual of French Cookery , by one who has tested tho receipts (

    Chapman and Hall ); but as far as our ignorance carrieth , we are disposed to pronounce it a treasure for families , the directions being so plain and intellil gible . What the results would be can only be intimated by us after an extensive examination of the publishers' kitchen ; and we suggest that a series of Banquets to -Reviewers would be the most effective way of securing solid and impartial criticism . The same publishers have added to their excellent Hajlway series " Reading for Travellers , " a narrative ofthe Hungarian Emigration int 0 Turkey , by a JSonved , which has an interest of apropos besides its own lively pictures . It has been translated by Bavle St . John , from papers given to him by a young Hungarian soldier . From Turkey to the Caucasus is now the obvious route in Literature , and therefore we pass from

    these sketches to the Sketches of Russian Ltfe in the Caucasus , published in the " Illustrated Family / Novelist" ( Nathaniel Cooke ) , and preceded by an introductory sketch of Russian Literature . The tales are amusing enough , as setting forth national peculiarities ; but the illustrations are very poor . The same publisher , in his daring scheme of An Univeral Library , gives us a marvel of cheapness in Chaucer ' s Canterbury Tales , complete , a newly edited text , with illustrative notes by Thos . Wright , and a full length portrait for—two shillings ! We really think this s tands alone , even in these days of cheap literature . In the excellent series of educational works which that publisher is bringing out , there are three worthy of general acceptance , not for their cheapness only— -although that is a consideration—but from their careful compilation and exposition . The first is , The Illustrated London Astronomy , by no less a person than Mr .

    J . R . Hind , a name well known as that of a discoverer . It is intended for the use of schools and students , and is admirably adapted as an introduction to Astronomy ; price two shillings . The second is Electric Science : its History , Phenomena , and Application , by Mr . Bakewell , who treats very briefly the historical portion , confining himself to generalities and results . He omits several interesting electric phenomenapassing by Matteucci and Du Bois Raymond ' s researches in Animal Electricity without even a glance ; but although there are some deductions to be made from the work , it is a very useful and popular exposition , well illustrated : price two shillings . The same may be said of Mr . Jabez Hogg ' s compilation—the Elements of Natural Philosophy : price four shillings , embracing Animal Mechanics , Pneumatics , Hydrostatics , Hydraulics , Acoustics , Optics , Caloric , Electricity , and Magnetism .

    In the Travellers Library ( Longman .-and Co . ) we may read that delightful Love Story which setteth forth the courtship and marriage of Dr . Dove . It is extracted from The Doctor—the quaintest and most erudite pleasantry of modern times , and by many regarded as Southey's opus magnum . Thousands who would never open the Doctor will read this episode ; and of the thousands , many will be doubtless incited to go to the volume itself . In the same series there is an interesting account of The Chase in Brittany , by Mr . Hope . As they do not ' \ preserve" m Brittany , the chase there is truly a chase , and hence the stirring life of Mr . Hope ' s pages .

    There have been many histories of France , and many abridgments of the history for schools ; without drawing invidious compar isons , we may declare that the History of France , by Emile de Bonnet-hose ( Routledge and Co . ) , which Mr . Iiobson has translated with care , though occasionally with too literal an adherence to the original idiom , is an excellent work , clear in stylo , methodical in arrangement , brief , yet not dry . It has a high reputation in France , which it deserves . Students will do well to possess themselves of it . In seven hundred compact pages it contains tlio story of Franco from Clovis to Louis Philippe .

    Few will dispute tho title of Kossuth as that of the greatest living orator ; we think , indeed , that few orators in the history of the world can be placed beside him , due allowance being made for the enormous disadvantages under which he laboured when speaking a foreign language , iiut without opening the question of rank , it is enough to say , that here is a volume of his Selected Speeches ( Triibner and Co . ) , condensed under Jus express sanction , by Francis W . Newman , who has done it as a labour 01 love . Whatever may bo thought of Kossuth ' s conduct or opinions , that , man must be insensible to eloquence who docs not prize this volume We have delayed noticing tho Report of a Public Discussion between the Rev . Brewin Grant and George Jacob Holyoalce ( Ward and l > o . > . ° long , that the thousands upon thousands which have been sold ( testi fying to the deep and wide-spread interest in the subject ) render our mention tho discussion tne b ™ j

    of it almost superfluous , tho more so as , during , >™ was treated in these columns ; nevertheless , by way of reminder , it mi y bo noted , for the benefit of all interested in the secularist question , tiuu hero , in a small volume , they will find reported the whole oi the dww-BioriH , tho proof-sheets of which have been read by tho two disputant , and therefore are to be accepted as their doliberato statements , m Holyoake ' s courtesy is as superior to that of Mr . Browin Grant , as n roaHoning is more direct and sincere . Mr . Barnard ' s Jlnndboolc of Foliage and Background Drawing ( JN » - tliiinicl Cooko ) iH a little work emphatically to bo commended to all * aro learning to draw from nature . The plan is to teach tire Htmion , _ notice and copy the . chnractoriHtie lines of each , loaf , bmnch , ana - so tliat having mastered the details , let us say of an oak leaf , wiion u « w as a leaf , he is enabled , when sketching the oak tree , to ^ ' ^ - . ' iv 1 . 1 , 0 frees ) , touch , the characteristic of the leaf . The hook is pioiusuy

    illustrated . . ^ Now Christmas is approaching , and Christmas books are to toinj - < ' parental purse , let not George Cruiksbank ' s Fairy ^^^ ly over . In the Hop o my Thumb ( Boguo ) wo have our old fnom s < » ' £ J altered for teetotal propaganda but we bavo illustrations sucjJl as but Cruikshank « ou \ d give . They are in hi * happiest „„! : rnost J . »^ stylo We doubt whether be Iiiih ovor surpassed thorn ; and , m . h £ him to continue th « series , we are almost unanimous m »> ° ? ff » "jj , o ) l lonvo tlio Htorios as he finds them , and let Ins genius bo employea on y tho illustrations .

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    1098 THE LEADER . CSatijrdaY

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 12, 1853, page 1098, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2012/page/18/