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^^^ 3l tTlM i nittri> ILrlUUUUll* ao
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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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His is the age of periodicals—a fact deplored by many and extolled by any ( periodical writers especially ) , but which we must all accept , whether 2 dep lore it or not . In spite of the abundance of periodicals , it is curious » w little invention is displayed in the new attempts —a new idea is as rare a new system of philosophy ; the old forms , the old schemes , even the old ices are ever repeated . The Illustrated London News had a new idea , a w scheme , and its prodigious success has called forth many imitations ; t none of the imitators thought of doing what their model did—none of 3 m came forth with a new plan . The public , recognising in these attempts thing but another , and inferior , Illustrated News-, saw no valid reason for tronising them ; any one who wanted an illustrated paper took the Neios . Novelty of scheme , or novelty of doctrine , we believe to be one great ment of success in a new periodical . And on this ground we see some pes for La Libre Recherche , a review published at Brussels , under the ection of M . Pascal Duprat . The first number is before us . It is .
e the Revue des Deux Monde ' s , but is to appear monthly instead of fortjhtly . It is unlike the Deux Mondes , however , in two respects—namely , being the organ of the European exiles , and in endeavouring to be a me universelle . Italy , Germany , Poland , Hungary , Spain , and America : more or less represented in it . Signor Dall 'Ongaro contributes a per on the periodicals of Italy ; Arnold Huge , oxithe political ideas of rmany since the French Revolution ; M . Leleevel sketches the Hun-• ian institutions ; and Senor Toledo sketches the present state of Spanish srature . None of these papers are remarkable , but they indicate a Wide rizon ; and if the Libre Recherche can get good papers on such subjects , vill have a speciality which will insure success . Novelty of idea is not ne sufficient ; the idea must be good , and the execution good . Compare the articles in La Libre Recherche with the articles in Eraser ' s
igazine , for instance , and the enormous superiority of Fraser will at once : ount for its success . This is an unusually good number : to be sure , it : ns with an article which of itself is enough to make the public eager when y hear it is by their favourite essayist , the author of " Friends in Council . " is entitled " Friends in Council Abroad , " and introduces Ellesmere , lverton , Dunsfoud , in company with a new gentleman , Mr . Midrst , who has brought his bulldog , Fixer , with him to Calais . The logue , managed with the writer's incomparable art , runs on passports , glish Sundays , meddling interference , the war , the qualities of public men , I other subjects digressively introduced ; and our readers need not be 1 that the thoughtful wisdom , the quiet , playful humour , and the picked le of this writer , make the dialogues as brig ht and delectable as a comedy Mo li is re . We must extract a passage or two , although wresting them
induce me to overrate boldness . A man who has passed a great part of the last year , as I have , in studying the despatches of Cortes , is not likely to be enamoured of timid counsels . But then this error , as I conceive it to be , this want of boldness , is quite as visible in civil as in military affairs . Carry to a statesman of the present day any good plan providing a remedy for some great abuse , for which he is bound to find a remedy . He will listen to you patiently , then take a sly glance over his shoulder at the clock ( which glance , however , the deputation are meant to perceive ) . He will say something to this effect : — " You are quite right ; the abuse is very great . I am sure , I grieve over it . Your plan , too , is excellent . But there are many objections to it . I doubt whether we can be sure of its succeeding . I doubt whether , in the present state of public affairs , &c . &c , I doubt whether , in the present temper of the House of Commons , &c . &c . But , gentlemen ( another glance at the clock , not so furtive ) , if you would have the goodness to put j our views in writing , they shall meet with all due consideration at the bands of her Majesty's Government . " Bows are then interchanged . " How do you do , Lord A ? " ( this to the bead of the deputation ) . " I hope Lady A is going on well . I am so glad to hear it ' s a boy . Good morning , gentlemen . " The deputation retires . The minister knows the thing ought to be done . But year after year his want of boldness , his anxiety to see his way , as he calls it , his desire to be safe , prevents the thing being undertaken . And so we have safe men everywhere , —safe admirals—safe bishops . We cannot resist this little bit out of a very striking description of " A Sunday in Germany : " — It was in a garden near to one of the most delightful of German towns—a Lutheran town , by the way . The good people had all been to church , and , after their homely dinuers , had assembled to listen to an orchestral performance . Every reasonable appliance of comfort was there ; abundance of chairs and tables : tea , coffee , beer , and cakes were to be purchased . Whole families came quietly trooping in . Pleasant and quiet recognitions were exchanged . Ihe garden began to fill . The elders took their seats . Here and there a middleagedwomln comforted herself with that interminable knitting which they love so much : The children played about with one another amidst the chairs , or with grave dogs which endured their caresses . The aged and the infirm were not absent from the scene ; and one poor paralytic man , wheeled thither in his easy-chair , was set a little apart from the company , as if his infirmities had begun to separate him from the world , upon which , however , he was looking kindly and placidly , with his hands folded on his breast . How capitally observed is that touch about the dogs ! Indeed , the writer is a true lover of those noble companions ; and the bull dog , who takes his place here among the dramatis persona , is what a friend of ours calls a " divine beast "—a bull dog that appeals to our "best and holiest feelings . " A very pleasant and instructive paper is that on " New Metals , " in which the reader will find a circumstantial account of the aluminium we recently discoursed on . " The Political Press of America" is written by one who knows his subject , and does not mimic phrases . " Sutlers in the Camp " is an interesting paper contributed by one who was in the camp before Sebasropol ; but the horrors of war fade into insignificance beside the horrors of imagination as set forth in the thrilling conclusion of Wilkie Coi . lins ' s story , "The Monktons of Wincot Abbey . " This writer has certainly learned the art " to move a fine horror skilfully , " as Charles Lamb said of old Webster , the dramatist ; and the conclusion of his story is still more striking than its commencement . In the way of stories , Blackwooo this month gives us one from the German of Ferdinand Stollb , which is so outrageously extravagant , that lauo-hter bursts from you as you read , and quells criticism ; it is absurd and poorly written , but the very audacity of its exaggeration becomes a quality . Zaidbb is concluded in this number . There is also an elaborate paper on " Simony and Lay Patronage , Historically and Morally considered , which we have not had time to read , but which deserves to be read for the sake of the subiect .
n the context injures their effect . For example : — MILVERTON . urely your experience of the world , Mr . Midhurst , must have shown yovi b the moment people have met together in any number— . say even twentyy begin to think how they shall annoy each other by all manner of trifling ) 3 and regulations . ELLESMERE . ye , and what is worse , thero is the unwritten law , by which human beings , scially in a country with free institutions , contrive to vex one another more a than by all the statutes , laws , and ordinances that evor were penned . You always complaining of lawyers oppressing you ; whereas it is duli and reapocti men who are tho unconscious bullies of the world . MII / VEUTON .
; is as Home wafoguard against this mast oppressive and pervading tyranny of unwritten law that I have qvor thought eccentric persona a great blessing to tkind . But for thorn , wo should all bo crushed down into a semi-fluid state itter respectability , entiro conformity , and superabundant folly . They aro centrifugal force * in life—they are tho salt of tho earth . Better to have n ovou when they bordor upon madness , than not to have thoin at all . bserve in Hiioh a trifling thing as dress how hard ih Is to gain the Joast 1 mremont . Tho Br «> ad-grin Interest—aided by littles boys , tho Respectable arest , the Sublimo Canting Interest , is always against tho improver . Ve havcelscwhero quoted Diokenb on "The English Sunday ; " here in a r view of its advantages . They have been speaking about the needless
secution of the passport system , and Euesmeiie replies — ' aking the whole caso fairly into consideration , I think wo Britishers must oy foroignora when they oomo to seo us far more than thoy annoy uh when como to aeo thoin— in a passive way , I mean . Think what his first English iday must bo to a lively Frenchman . However , our dulncss ban tins advans—it secures uh amiinst tho occupation of our country for more than hue days . oreign ouemy would bo so tirod of us after tho seventh , that ho would retreat n some protoxt or other— " strategical , " ho would call it , but anti-Sabbatieal rould be . nairablo things are said upon the war ; the following is brief enough foi
ract : — f there is any one thing in which I suppose wo must confess ourselves to have H wanting , it is boldness , —ospocially aa regard * tho operations of our tleets . rk you , I should bo very sorry to pronounce upon this subject without turr Evidence , but I conjooturo that tho accusation han some jxistieo in it . my I temperament and nature aro bo given to boldness , not to say rashness , nnd Btudioo , which of late years have been entirely with tho doings ot tho groat . ' _ _ . »_» ' .- . i » i V 1 ..,- ,. f 4-Ka uivfnAllfll mn . 17
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December 8 , 1855 . ] T H E L E ADER . 1179
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itics are not the legislators , but the judges and police of literatare . They do not make laws—they interpret and try to enforce them . —Edinburgh Meview .
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We have received theTfollowing letter to which we give the same prominence as was given to the article it answers : — ( To the IMitor of the Leader . ) s rn _ a . h you have commented with « o . no noverity upon the part which you Hunpose mo to have taken in a recent mooting at Exeter-hal , on the Temperance ZEnlnust beg to bo allowed to inform your reader * that the report which 2 aboon * transmitted to you does not by any means ^ ' ^ " ^ S ^ ly Baid on that occasion . No opportunity was given mo oi rovwiug it , and A only " l Jirf ^ oJ ? i ^ nt ^ L , , tlmt tho author of the article in the Westm inster Review couldi not b . a Boiontifto phyHiolo H i « t ; and tho chief reason wind ! I assSd was thiH-I oould not conceive it to bo possible that any well-informed XS K iS would either have ventured to diBputo what ih laid down by every toSiooloS authority of the day- British or Foreign—tl « at alcohol is oBBontially a poison or would have attempted to draw a strict lino of demarcation between food and poison , suoh as assuredly does not oxjst m nature . . I am q So willing to sustain . the position 1 have taken inthm matter , u fair 5 afe 5 « £ 3 slgSa ^ 2 S his mask wero pulled off , it might provo that ho has no claim whatever . I am , Sir , Your obedient ^ crvnn ^ ^^^ £ ' c \ b "L ™ i . difficult to deal with . ^ " "'^ " ^ Wo fute * him , and his an « wer is , " The vvrhor «; £ ' ^ ?* ^ wear a point out his blunders and m . «^« pt . «« H . ^ n < MH . ^ . , ft t 8 « mask . " Now it seems to us 11 ,. ' < */^< » or ft , - „ , a are aound , it matters little whet , ci ho U . y ^ ^ QW || nal zzxz ^ r ^ r ¦ ££ £ » ******* *—* * —
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 8, 1855, page 1179, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2118/page/15/
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