The Welshman

HALF-HEARTED LIBERALS. I Those half-hearted Liberals who are not absolutely discontented with things as they are, who think that their Party has done some good work, and that for a while it may rest and be thankful, were held ap to deserved execration at Hnddersfield last Thursday by Mr Leatham. The occasion was very fittingly chosen for a good rousing speech. Another Liberal Club waa to be opened that evening, He twentieth of its kind, Mr Leatham says, that Huddersfield has acquired during the last two years. It was clearly necessary to show that all these institutions were likely to be of some service- If the good people of Huddersfield have imagined that they were already well enough provided with them, it was Mr Leatham's mission to correct so natural a mistake. Liberalism, it appears, is so vast a force that it is scarcely possible too many temples of all kinds cm be raised to do it honour, or that too many places of assembly can be provided for its ardent votaries. If men are to be found satisfied with the government of the country, or able to tolerate the in- stitutions they are for the present compelled to live under, Mr Leatham and his associates are, as he pro- claims aloud, not among the number. Whigs and Tories of all shades of principle are, indeed, in Mr Leatbam's view, scarcely deserving of distinction. By his more generous and more hopeful nature they are all togother included under a common curse. The true Liberal is absolutely distinct from both of them. His special characteristic seems to be a craving after con- stant change. Not only does he not rest, be never even pauses willingly for a moment. He feels too deeply the curse that cleaves to standing still," and he is above all things careful to avoid it. It is clear from the nature of the case that the efforts of such a being as this must be principally destructive. The world into which he has been born has assumed its present form under the hands of men very different from himself. The Whigs and Tories may divide between them the credit or discredit of the work. -The true Liberal is too modern a creature, and has been too little trusted by his fellow-men, to have contributed his fair share to it. His first aim, therefore, will be to pull down the greater part of an edifice with which he has such good reason to be discontented. Mr Leatham does not conceal his annoyance with the present generation of Liberals. Their eyes are in the back of their heads. They think chiefly of the past, and do not know that their real concern is with the future, and that no work of destruction is well done as long as anything in any direction remains as yet unshattered. Mr Leatham is aware that the announcement of these principles may cost himself and those who agree with him a prolonged sentence of exclusion from political power but he ia prepared for such consequences. If his Party has to stay, as has been threatened, twelve years out in the cold," it will matter nothing in the end. They will wait the twelve years. They will use the time to ad- vantage by bringing up the nation to their own white beat. When this has been done they will work their will upon Church and State, upon monopolies, vested interests, and everything else that admits of being called by hard names. If other men are less ardent in the good cause, they will wait for them, they will urge them on, they will do anything, in short, except com- promise their own formidable principles. Their task will be done in the end, and done thoroughly and, early or late, as it may happen, the work or ruin will be complete. As we listen to Mr Leatbam's fiery words words, our first feeling is one of pardonable satisfaction that they are words, and nothing more. By hit. own confession, we are safe from him for the next twelve years, and we will live comfortably while we can. There are periods, we know, but fortunately short periods, when the world seems to be given over to the views which Mr Leatham advocates. Such times must come at intervals, and it is never possible to foresee the precise date at which they may be looked for. If Mr Leatham and his dis- ciples are a fair specimen of the temper of the North of England, their day of vengeance may be a good deal nearer than we suppose. We may, even so, find reason for hoping that the future may be less threatening than Mr Leatham fondly paints it. That there will be some outburst of fanaticism some day or other is in the nature of things to be expected, but it may not be quite of the violence which Mr Leatham desires, and it may still leave something standing which Mr Leatham would desire to pull down. In the next place, it will prob- ably not last long enough to do one half of what it purposes. When the sober portion of mankind have once found out what their wild neighbours are doing, they will soon manage to chain them down. Society has already survi ved a good many of these shocks, and we may hope it may be strong enough to bear whatever is yet in store for it. We may remember, too, that when the agents of destruction are let loose they do not always know how to employ their new-found liberty, and that their blows, however violent, are as often so misdirected as to fail wholly of their effect. The last Reform Bill and the Ballot Act, though, we are told, two of the greatest of Liberal achievements, have yet only had the effect of returning a large Con- servative mijority-a result which we can scarcely believe Mr Leatham intended. The singular thing about Mr Leatham's address is that, after denunciations of everybody and everything, we find a statement of principles very much like those of other people, and so far a matter of course that we can attach no real importance to them. That English- men, whatever may be their religious opinions," are ail free and all equal before the law, and that monopo- lies or privileges which conflict with the public good are not to be tolerated are views of policy by no means peculiar to Mr Leatham, nor, indeed, is there any party in the State which would not very heartily assent to them. The use Mr Leatham makes of them is more distinctive. They are, he asserts, not carried out as they ought to be as long as the Church question, the Education question, the Suffrage question, and the Land question are not settled in accordance with them. Now, on the first of these questions we have really no wish to raise needless discussion. Mr Leatham, or any one else, may look forward as raptur- ously as he pleases to the good time coming, when Dissenting ministers shall be vexed no longer by the sight of the paid officers of the Establishment. We, who cannot share this feeling, will observe that their present real grievances are so extremely minute, and may so easily be removed, even under a Tory Ad- ministration, that the Cise is not one which we can deem a worthy subject for Mr Leatbam's destructive energies. There remains, therefore, the twenty-fifth clause of the Education Act, the non-extension of borough suffrage to the counties, and the so-called land question, as the only reaeons given to induce us to shatter earth and beavon in pieces, and they are not, we think, sufficient to justify such extreme proceedings. The prayer to the Gods that they would annihilate all time and space for the sole purpose of making two lovers happy has always passed for unreasonable, and we cannot but observe in Mr Leatham's address the same sort of disproportion between ends and means. We know, of course, that we are not likely to be free for long together from the necessity for some change. There are seasons of rest, but there are also seasons of rapid movement. As old beliefs change, or as new forces rise up, it is necessary, from time to time, that our insti- tutions should be modified accordingly. But there ia nothing in this to justify the impatient folly which Mr Leatham has dignified with the title of Liberalism. A perpetually aggressive force, such as he describes to us with such enthusiasm, meddling and interfering every- where, is simply another name for a perpetual public nuisance; and, with or without Mr Leatham's kind permission, we shall continue to hold that there is no prospect before him and his friends, while they hold such opinions, except a long and well-merited exclusion from political power.- Times.

THE MAGAZINES. I BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE. The tale 11 Left-handed Elsa," commenced in this number, promises well, notwithstanding the fact that the incident on which Max's fortune is to turn is of doubtful originality. Max, of course, being a poor artist, must according to established pre- cedent, fall very deeply in love at a most in- opportune time. He is a competitor for a tra- velling prize," and becomes the winner of this same travelling prize, simply because he sends in a rapidly executed painting of a beautiful lady whose face and figure he sees in a mirror, and whose face he has never seen elsewhere. Notes from the Crimea" will repay perusal. To most of us the name of the Crimea is suggestive only of a black and barren plateau. Few, as the author of these" notes" remarks, know of the enchanted" Vale of Baidar," whilst fewer still have passed through the Gate of Baidar, and looked upon a coast, which is scarcely surpassed by any to be seen in Greece or Italy. Early one lovely morning in June the author arrived at Sevastopol. The first sight of the town took his fancy, but on closer inspection he truly realised how the glory had departed. The fact that the other day, the present Government showed their intention of gaining the preponderate influence as shareholders in the Suez Canal Company—our highway to India—is significant, and shows that another struggle with Russia is not out of the line of possibilities. Our last has left its signs. Sevastopol is only just beginning to emerge from the despondency of the last twenty years. The docks, the writer says, are still a wilderness, overgrown with grass and weeds, with old guns and anchors embedded in the earth. Iu many places, it would seem, you may pass through streets silent and desolate as the streets of Pompeii; houses shattered partly by bombardment, partly by the destruction wrought by the Russians, when abandoning the place. Once established in Sevastopol, the only difficulty with which the traveller meets, is in the means of locomotion, and that difficulty, from the des- cription given by the writer, appears to be indeed a formidable one. The droshky-driver, is, however, not very particular as to the roads where there are none, he drives. He is ready to face a hill or drive over a ditch in a manner worthy of horse-artillery, much, need we men- tion, to the discomfort, if not positive agony, of his "fare." After describing scenes around Sevastopol, the reader is taken to the Gate of Baidar. After a long ascent from the valley, a sharp turn in the road, brings you to a massive granite gateway and, pasing through this, you find yourself looking down from the summit of tremendous cliffs upon the sea, laughing and dancing at your feet, more than 2,000 feet below. Around you everything is stern and wild—frowning precipices and rocks strewn in wild confusion but the soft green line of waving foliage and luxuriant vegetation at the base. carries one back in imagination to the palm-trees of Bordighiera or San Remo—to the lemon groves of Sorrento. It is indeed this union and contrast of the savage and the beautiful, coupled with a coast-line of singularly delieate curves, revealing themselves ever to the eastward, as point after point is passed, that gives to the south coast of the Crimea its claim to rank amongst the finest scenery of the kind in Europe. At times one element, at times the other, most impresses itself upon our sensas; but we never quite forget that our feeling of complete enjoyment is owing to the happy union of the two. From the gate of Baidar the road descends abruptly by a series of short and steep zigzags, till it reaches the level of an undercliff, some- thing like that of the Isle of Wight on a grander scale. Along this the road is carried for a great distance, amidst huge rocks and boulders, torn up apparently by some convulsion of nature, and scattered in the way. This part of the route is more like the high and rocky part of the Cornice between Nice and Mentone, where all signs of vegetation lie far below you. The element of savage grandeur is here predominant It was getting dark as we approached our last statue near Alupka but fortunately the moon, which was nearly full, stood us in good stead, and allowed us to enjoy to the utmost the softer beauties which were around us. We had been gradually descending from our rocky ledge, and the last twelve miles from Alupka to Yalta is a series of the most beautiful park scenery, with splendid trees, rich pastures, rare plants and flowers, gardens and vineyards, with the addition of grand mountains towering on your left hand, and the ever-varying sea upon your right. This is the favourite retreat of the Russian aristocracy, and their country houses line the coast. At Alupka is the great "semi-Gothic palace of Prince W oronzotf, built by an English architect, and looking like an English house. At Orianda is the large square house of the Grand Dukp. Constantino, with Greek porticos and frescoed courtyards, altr the fashion of Pompeii. At Livadia is the little villa of the Empress herself, with its cluster of the attendant houses. We had to wait an hour for horses at our last stage, and the clock was Striking twelve "s we drove up to the Grand Hotel de Russie at Yalta, not sorry to come to the end of our eleven hours' jolting. The hotel itself is large, pre- tentious, and expensive; but those who do not like roughing it had better make Yalta their headquarters in the Crimea. In itself it is a beautiful place. The mountain.. here retire somewhat from the sea. and the bright little town lies basking in aa amphitheatre of hills, where it would seem no wind could ever disturb the unruffled calm. The author, we may mention, had with him Kinglake's magnificent work. Eugene Lee- Hamilton, is not very successful in his Elizabeth, but the piece, which is written in rather un- common metre, is only meant for a trifle. Dur- ing the weary months of the Siege of Paris, an official receives a letter from one Elizabeth Burton, making enquiries as to her household goods. From the style of the communication, he idly conjures up, a beautiful ideal Eliza- beth," who, however, afterwards turns out to be a very plain and very poor governess, who taught English in Paris. The author has very considerable poetic feeling, but fails in execution and completion. The poem is like a picture, which pure and artistic in the artist's mind is spoiled for lack of when on the canvas. Turning to The Scot at Home," we find al- together unexpectedly something really lively and piquant. Not that the writer uses the quips and quibbles sometimes, brought into play to attain this, for his style is quite straight- forward and homely. The article will be read with interest by many. It brings to us breezes of a keener, more cutting kind that we are here even at present experiencing, and shows in per- haps the best of lights "the Scot at Home." Legendary lore tells us, and poets repeat the tale, that in Cocaigne, or the Fortunate Isles, it is always day, there quarrelling and strife are unknown; there no people die; there falls neither hail, rain, or snow, neither is thunder heard there nor blustering winds. As a matter of plain fact, however, one of the most prosperous, the most fortunate of countries on the face of the world is also a bleak, inhoepitable, and to a great extent barren land. There snow falls very very often, and hail quite as frequently. And not only is the Scot prosperous at home, but away from home his success is proverbial. We are in- clined to coincide with the author that the rough inclemency of Scotland has a great deal to do with the hardy, laborious, and prosperous char- acter usually ascribed to the Scottish people. Tbe march of modern improvement has infringed on the extent of the Commons of England, and what was, not long ago, delightful uplands, are now the sites of factories, coal mines, iron works, and towns. But this same march finds it far heavier work in Scotland. The moors and the rocks, the links the laws, and the sand-bents, are too dour to be easily dealt with. Herit- able proprietors may pray the Lord Ordinary in Session for liberty to burden for permanent improvements. The waves of yellow corn may go rolling over the edges of tbe moorland wastes, and snipe-bogs that once weresaowy with cotton-grass may break out in portentous turnip and mangold tops. High farming May be carried to hideous lengths where it is practi- cable and in place of the prodigal luxuriance of Eng- lish bramble and blackthorn, the divisions between each gaunt parallelogram may be deformed by dykes of stone and close-clipped hedges. But in Scotland there are limitless tracts that defy the reclaimer, because it pays so much better to leave them alone, The most of the acreage of many of the counties is a savage exag- geration of the Yorkshire moors and the Cumberland fells. It is natural sheep-walk given over to solitude and some handfuls of scattered shepherds and gillies and when frugal political economists denounce the iniquity of our deer-forests, the worst they can suggest is that venison should be replaced by mutton. Short of improbable convulsions of nature. Scotland must remain the paradise of the gentlemen who swear by the rifle and the breechloader. to say nothing of the rod. After all, however, it is not every man who can afford his yearly thousands for a forest, or spare his hundreds for the ephemreal privilege of some weeks on the moors in the beginning of the season. I In the article the national game of golf played on the long stretches of links" that line in many places the Eastern Coast, is loudly praised as an innocent and health-giving amusement. I The face flushes, the lungs fill, and the dragging step changes into a stride and swing Be the day still and bright, or be it bitter and breezy, you are only ex- j periencing enjoyment in different forma. Nothing can be more bracingly balmy thlin the warm fragrance of a summer morn, when the air is lnden with the perfumes: of the golden furze, and the hum of the humble-be<< steals lazily on the ear. with the murmuring wash of the rippling tide. But then, again, nothing i- m ) e in- toxicatingly stimulating, at least to the healthy man, than the biting blast that is chasing the grey scud and HWarming sea-gulls across the surly lift overhead, and bending every* hing flexible in the snme dirfcti m, from the stiff bristles of the whin-bushes to his IIwn coat- tails and whiskers. The more he if buffeted the more vigorous he feels he is insensibly lightened of the load of the heaviest breakfast, and looks through the vista of animated hours past the mid-day lunch, to the forum hæc olim meminisse juvabit feeling, with which he will settle himself to his cosy cracks when he meets bis friends over the dinner-table. In a Studio—Conversation No. IV." is, as a sample of what may be done by Friends in Council, really admirable. From a literary point of view, however, it is somewhat too wide and aggressive. One passage is worth quoting— Belton. In the same way intelligent persons will quote with pleasure images and phrases in the form of verse, which made in simple prose would only provoke their laughter. Ordinarily there seems to be little or no common-sense exercised in regard to poetry. There is. I suppose, something in the rythmical measure of verse which carries the mind away from considering its exact meaning. Certainly the popularity of a quota- tion has little relation to either its sense or its poetic merit. Indeed it has always been a mystery to me why certain quotations are popular. As far as simplicity in writing is concerned, we are better in all respects than we were in the early part of the century We seek at least to be more natural in our expressions, and have rejected in great measure that strained and arti- ficial diction which charmed our grandfathers. We no longer pour the lay or strike the lyre when we write a poem. Faults enough we have, but at least we strive to write intelligibly. The subject coming under the head of Sundry Subjects," is this month statistics, and very ably does the author treat of this, usually considered, dull matter. Almost at the outset he asks why should statistics be called gloomy ? and answers this by stating that the figures which compose such ought to constitute a charming study and an agreeable occupation in life. And then he adds, philosophically enough, that in these days of doubt and disbelief, it would be a rare solace to be able to take refuge in a science, which according to some, cannot fail to furnish argu- ments applicable, with equal infallibility, to all the varying phases of every question. The disputes of statisticians in no way interrupt their work; the greater part of them go on combating and calculating all over Europe, as if the two acts were inseparable they take refuge from a fight in ifgures, rush hack again from arithmetic to arms, and spend their lives bet Neen reckoning and reprisals." Statistics ought to be our servants, performing honourable service, it is true, but still servants. On the other side of the English Channel they are more than servants, and this, as we have seen with disastrous results. The author, however, does not allude to this, as he wished to write his paper on the subject of statistics without quoting any figures at all. He kept this in view throughout, and we may add that had he not done so, the contribution might have been a more valuable one. THE ARGOSY is this month of more than average interest. Mrs. Henry Wood contributes a tale of other days entitled Gina Montani." It is little else than some leaves out of a Tuscan Legend, but the experience of the authoress and her tact enable her to make this go a very long way indeed. Gina Montani" is the true love of the Lord of Visinara, and for being so the lawful wife causes her to be buried alive. Gina's spirit, restless in life, is more so after death, and her spectre visits the Castle for years afterwards. The Story of Monique" is really well told. Ten Days at Sea" is very pleasant reading, but the illustrations, with the exception of that re- presenting Llandaff Cathedral, are execrable. Miss Ann Beale, in a paper entitled Please drive slowly," draws attention to the arrange- ments connected with the Hospital for Women, Soho Square, and appeals for increased support. The Institution is a deserving one. In this magazine Mrs Henry Wood commences next month a new illustrated serial story, which is to be entitled Edina." BELGRAVIA.—Miss Braddon has now com- menced yet another story in this magazine. It is entitled Joshua Haggard's Daughter," and if the opening chapters are to be followed by similar ones, the tale will be a fairly good one. The character of "Joshua," the dissenting minister, ought to be made an interesting study. The article on "London amusements," carries along with it, its own tale, but instead of asking, cannot some one invent a new amusement; we would ask cannot those amusements already in existence be improved. The author of the article is very much disgusted at the way half-educated Lon- doners recreate themselves, and especially is he disgusted at the Music Halls. No wonder that this is so. But.the insipidity and vulgarity of the performances, are of course arranged, so as to pay; when this line' ceases to pay, another will be taken to, not before. It is true that an educating influence is thus lost, but this cannot be helped. When the State interferes in such matters in this country, the interference is almost always disastrous. Any gross breach of propriety by public performers is taken notice of, and put a stop to. This of course is not only creditable but beneficial, but if a direct desire was shown by the granting of subsidies, for raising the standard of musical taste, the attempt would end ridiculously. The argument in the article before us, is, however of a different kind, and is advanced from a stand-point which is generally considered an objectionable one. Our author argues that because men cannot be forced to attend church on Sundays, any more than to sit on forms at evening schools, superior educat- ing influence ought to be provided by the opening of picture galleries and museums, and the non- prohibition at all events of really good music. There need, he says, be no interference with church hours, as places of instruction might surely be regulated on the same principle as the public-houses. He mentions the number of cigar- shops open every Sunday, which certainly require more attendance and attendants than would be necessitated if picture-galleries, public libraries, or museums, were thrown open on Sundays. Mr Marshall, the author, makes some very pertinent remarks on class-prejudices in England, but he forgets that where such have been to a certain extent removed, no great good has been accom- plished. The Deceiver Deceived" which comes under the heading Brighton Reminiscences, is of a doubtful tendency. The subject would have been better let alone, and in the hands of many magazine writers would have been made posi- tively hurtful. Even here delicately worded language does not conceal, but on the other hand intensifies the foulness of the plot laid by the blase nobleman. In another part of the magazine we find evidence, in the paper entitled Concerning Tusculums," of very fair power of historical essay writing. The writer is fond of drawing contrasts, which although not original are still interesting reading to a busy man, whose line of life lies far aloof from historical studies. There can be no doubt but that Mr Disraeli is alive to the wisdom of practically perpetuating, the associations of English politics; and just as Mr Fox at St. Anne's Hill, and Mr Gladstone at Hawarden, are memories which their political descendants will treasure, so Pitt at Holwood, and Disraeli at Hughenden, will be precious reminiscences for all true Tory spirits. "The Village Concert" is a pretty picture of rural life. After a long consultation as to the arrangements of the Concert, We come to the conclusion that we had better not go in for a band, but content ourselves with songs and glees The Puffballs are come home from Brighton, where they have been spending the autumn, and Miss Laura will sing for us, no doubt. Then Mrs Ana ey has a friend in the next county, a Miss Minster, of whose powers she tolls us great things, whom she can ask to come; and we can try an I get good natured Mr Rosyn to give us a solo on his violin besides which one or two of the choir can sing The Village Blacksmith," or the Bell ringer," if they will he sufficiently enterprising to stand up alone And so on the whole we shall manage very well. And they did manage very well, for the con- cert came off successfully. In I- His Second In- heritance," the hero has after many viccisitudes actually come into the possession of his In- heritance," and seems to be very well satisfied thereat. Two short poems, and a paper from the pen of Mr Sala, make up the number. TEMPLE BAR.—The article entitled Cor- neille and the Literary Society of his age" is the noticeable feature in this magazine. Corneille was born at Kouen in the year 1606. His father was an advocate and he himself was educat; d for the same profession, but from what would appear to have been an accident he was led to write for the stage. Of all species of com-, position, the drama then found the most cul- ti vators. The Cardinal Richelieu was a dramatist and kept five poets constantly at work composing dialogues to fit the plots he amused himself by inventing. Corneille was for some time one of these fortunates, but having excited the displeasure of the Cardinal he was dismissed. The Cid" produced in 1637 attained success, but the Cardinal showed great hostility to it. This as well as his other writings must, according to the author, be judged by an entirely different rule of taste from that by which we should judge present day compositions. Most of us however would frankly confess that we could not be persuaded to do so, when we considered the ridiculously inflated style of composition in which writers of the Corneille school, chose to indulge. As the author points out, his genius inclined him to a freer and more natural style of composition, although he had not sufficient strength to subdue the opposing influence-that is to say the then canons of taste and style. He had excellencies and those unfortunately are now seen to dis- advantage The article before us may be con- sidered as a valuable one. It treats on matters only too little known, and is throughout reliable. The commencement of the reaction from course manners is thus described. Purism was all the rage in France just then, thanks to the society of the Hotel de Rambouillet-the Precieuses," whose influence upon the language and literature of their nation has scarcely, perhaps, even yet been duly appreciated. Catherine de Vivonne, an Italian lady of noble family, was married at sixteen to the Marquis de Rambouillet. and in the same year (1600) that Henry the Fourth espoused Marie de Medicis. Of an exquisitely sensitive and refined mind, which had been highly cultivated by an admirable education, and brought up amidst a family the purity of whose manners was spotless, the young Marquise found the coarse and licentious Court of the French King most uncongenial to her tastes. His pursuit of the Princess Conde, the greatest blot upon his char- after, completed her disgust, more especially as the Prince, who had been educated under her father's care, was her personal friend. Retiring altogether from the Louvre, she conceived the idea of creating a circle of her own, to which only those distinguished for elegance of mariners and intellectual superiority should be ad- mitted. Paris had never beheld aught so beautiful as her salons the heavy magnificence which then obtained was superseded by an airy lightness, and the all pre- vailing colours of red and tan gave place to the more tasteful blue. Spacious apartments, lit by windows openirg from ceiling to floor, led into cool and delicious gardens stretching away among blossoms and foliage far as the eye could reach hangings of blue velvet, fringed and trimmed with gold and silver, covered the walls baskets of flowers hanging from the ceiling and scattered everywhere, made a perpetual spring while paintings and other works of the finest art were in glorious profusion Here, for the first time, the artistoeracy of birth and the aristocracy of letters mingled upon an equal footing, and the nobility of intellect first received its due appreciation. And here, it may be asserted, was formed the first nucleus of modern society. But this refinement became very soon a stumbling block to literature as we have pointed out in the case of Corneille. The prevailing habits and manners suggested to Moliere his Les precieuses Ridicules" and Les Femmes Savantes. The bolder writers of the 18th century broke through artificial bounds, but we agree with our author when he says that that grace of manner, that exquisite courtesy and inimitable elegance, which rendered the French pat excellence the gentlemen of Europe first emanated from the Hotel de Rambouillet." The continued story Her Dearest Foe," is in its development fully justifying our previously stated good opinion Sir Hugh Galbraith is now more than ever annoyed at himself. He has a strong inclination to remain an invalid at the house of Mrs Temple, although his better judgment tells him that he ought to be off. Tom Reed" has been so success- ful with his last piece at the Lesbian Theatre," that he has intimated to his betrothed that all barriers to their union are now removed, and things generally seem to be verging towards settlement. Shopkeeping with Mrs Temple is still a paying concern and her case has not yet been heard. A neglected Humourist" narrates the history of one who at the close of the year 1753 had squandered his third fortune and who in the same year made his re-entrance upon the stage in the character of Buck in his own farce of the Englishman at Paris." Foote's next venture for fame and money was less excusable. It was in this year (1753) that Macklin took his farewell of the stage, to return soon afterwards for nearly another half-century. He opened a tavern upon what is now the site of the Tavistock Hotel, in Covent Garden, where he set up an ordinary upon a new plan, and gave lectures in the evening upon oratory and other subjects. Foote, always on the alert for new topics for satire, used to regularly attend these lectures, and as questions were permitted from the audience, exercised his wit upon the lecturer, until he rendered himself the chief attraction of the place. During the summer season he gave burlesque lectures d la Macklin, at the Hay market. A description of one will give the reader an idea of all. Macklin had in one of his discourses asserted that the Greek dramatic construction was per- fectly applicable to the modern tragedy: an idea which Foote ridiculed in this manner. He supposes a drama in which all London is struck with terror at the sudden appearance of a superhuman-looking being, who is at- tended by a chorus of tinkers, tailors, blacksmiths, bakers, and other trades, and who holds forth intermin- ably upon his omnipotence, threatens everybody and everything with fire and sword for no understandable reason, and announces his intention of destroying the Tower, reducing the City to slavery, and deposing the King upon which the chorus of traders fall upon their knees, tear their hair, beat their breasts, and entreat this terrible individual to forego his dreadful purpose. This would end the first act; the remaining four would be devoted to the struggle of his contending passions; in the end he would agree to their request, the curtain would fall to a hymn of thanksgiving, and to the cheers from pit and gallery, to testify British appreciation of an entertainment so admirably suited to their tastes. In five nights Foote made £1)00; in a little time after- wards Macklin was gazetted as bankrupt. Before this, as we have implied, he had run through two fortunes, had made for himself a position, name and fame, and we may add was respected at the Bedford Coffee House, then the favourite resort of the Theatrical Critics. At the Bar like many other literary men he was unsuccessful. And strange to say his first literary effort was a pamphlet des- cribing the particulars of crimes which had been committed by his own relatives. There was it may be imagined a kind of ghastly humour in thus making the crime and disgrace of his family administer to his own necessities. And very pressing were those necessities at the time for the once exquisite was actually reduced to wear boots without stockings. One of the first investments, records his biographer, he made out of the money paid him by the publisher for this effusion was in the purchase of two pairs of those necessary articles. We extract the follow- ing:- In his next piece, The Mayor of Garratt," he flew at higher game, and, as Matthew Mug, held up to public laughter the peculiarities of the Duke of New- castle. It was of this nobleman he said that he always appeared as if he had lost an hour in the morning and was looking for it all day. To keep this patrician com- pany he pilloried a certain justice of the peace, fish- salesman, and ex-militia officer, aa Major Sturgeon. The warlike ardour and absurd contretemps of civilian soldiers are excellently ridiculed in the Major's des- cription of his mancouvres On we marched, the men all in high spirits, to attack the gibbet where Gardel is hanging but turning down a narrow lane to the left, as it might be about there, in order to possess a pigstye, that we might take the gallows in flank, and at all events secure a retreat, who should come by but a drove of fat oxen for Smithfield. The drums beat in front, the dogs barked in the rear, the oxen set up a gallop on they came thundering upon us, broke through our ranks in an instant, and threw the whole corps into confusion." The whole comedy is over- flowing with wit and humour, and one of its characters, Jerry Sneak, has become the type of henpecked hus- bands. There is also Peter Primer, the pedantic schoolmaster, who believes himself to be the wisest of pedagogues, another capital portrait. After 11 The Mayor of Garratt" came The Patron," in which Lord Meloombe appeared under the name of Sir Thomas Lofty, a man who, utterly destitute of all capacity, yet sets himself up as a patron of literature, and by means of fulsome dedications is preyed upon by a band of ignorant scribblers. Once more we have the literary hack, who furnishes paragraphs for The Farthing Post, at twelve penc., a dozen, who. when he is in cash, feeds on boiled beef and carrots in the morning and cold pudding and porter at night. The quarrel between the poor wretch and his publinher, in which they recriminate upon one another, would be exquisitely humorous did it not call up sad thoughts of the utter degradation into which the profession of letters had then generally fallen. At the opening of each season, for the summer performances at the Haymarkec were now regularly established, he produced a new piece 1765 saw the production of The Commissary. Commissaries and army contractors now came under the lash of his pen- men grown rich by the Seven Years' War, who had no claim to position or consideration beyond their riches, and who, while endeavouring to polish their manners by studying all kinds of accomplishments, are per- petually exclaiming, What a difficult thing it is to become a gentleman I" Far less justifiable than this satire was his introduction of Dr Arne, the composer, as Dr Catgut. The most splendid success attended all these works, and the monetary result was equally satis- factory no man gave better dinners placed choicer wines upon his table, or drove finer horses; no man was more courted or better received in the highest society. When the Duke of York returned from the Continent, a contemporary says, he went first to his mother's, then to his Majesty's, and directly from them to Mr Foote's." It is somewhat singular that in this issue of Temple Bar, which is an exceptionally good one, there should be such a going back into the past. In other essay we find that a writer wishes to introduce to the writers of the present genera- tion a singer than whom none ever sang more merrily and with greater lightness of heart. We refer to Marc Desaugiers, who came into this world in 1772. He was a Parisian by education if not by birth and from this essay we learn that he belonged naturally to that great and influential profession which lives by amusing the world. We are a very serious generation indeed, and his light frivolities are not acceptable just at present. The John Harris" is a narrative of the capture of a slaver off the east coast of Africa in the year 1859. A new story is commenced in this number entitled Victoria Contarini," the scene at present of which, is laid at Venice..

RACING NOTES. Though there was a slight sprinkling of snow at Warwick and several indications of frost, nothing oc- curred to interfere with the progress of the meeting, which was one of the most successful in point of num- bers that has ever been held there. It would seem as if ten and eleven races were too many to include in the programme of a November day; but owners of horses appear to think differently, for there were 105 com- petitors for the ten events decided on Thursday. This is the largest number of horses that have run on any one day this season and such a fact shows that, how- ever expedient it may be to have a close time for racing, there would be no lack of patronage for meetings held, weather permitting, in mid-winter. While much of the running was not in accordance with what took place at Shrewsbury in the previous week, Prodigal proved that the result of the Shrews- bury Cup, in which he defeated the Flying Scotch- man, Lily Agnes, and eight others, was no fluke," us be won the Midland Counties Handicap; thus following in the footsteps of Romping Girl, who was xuccesnful at Warwick after winning the chief prize at Shrewsbury. As Prodigal had only a pound more to carry than when he secured the Shrewsbury Cup, he was made a great favourite, and only six of the large number of entries came out to oppose him. These comprised the German four-year-old, Gastgeber, and Peeping Tom, who has just being bought by Captain Macbell and trained to hurdle jumping. They both ran verv badly, and Prodigal's most dangerous rivals were the Flying Scotchman—second to him at Shrews- bury, but only third on this occasion—and Fairy King, the latter of whom developed an unsuspected amount of stamina, a made and good race of it with the favourite. He ran so well that he ought to have been in more de. mand for the Flying Scud Cup on the following day, but he was not nearly so good a favourite as the Gunner, who on Tuesday had won the Donnington Handicap so easily that he was believed to be as good a horse as when he carried off the Lincolnshire Handi- cap and Earl Spencer's Plate in the spring. This, however, he certainly is not, or he would not have bo,u beaten by Fairy King at the difference of weights, however much the latter may have improved of late. Maitland occupied the same position in this race which The Flying Scotchman held in the Midland Counties Handicap, and the proverbial ill-fortune of Mr Craw- furd was still further illustrated in the Guy Welter Cup, for which his Pascarel, who won the Houghton Handicap at Newmarket, was second to Mr Wintle. This was not the only prize secured by the stable in which Mr Wintle is trained for though he himself was afterwards beaten by the Gunner in the Bradgat.e Cup, Sir Arthur was three times successful, while the last flat-race of the season was secured by Lady Patricia who, third last year for the Oaks, has now become the property of Captain Machell. This was the Welter Handicay, for which Instantly was, like Anita, a better favourite but he ran no better than in a Handicap on the previous day which Lady Atholstone won for Sir George Chetwyad. The Great Autumn Welter Cup, once an event of considerable importance, was con- tested by six very moderate animals and Tilley sup- posed to be the worst of the lot, won by a neck from Old Fashion, who was also :second to Vanderdecken for this race last year, beating Lowlander in their places. After this performance Old Fashion won the Studley Castle Cup but he was less fortunate this year, as, when contesting that prize for the second time, Queen of the Bees defeated him by a neck. Young Sydmonton won a Welter Handicap on Friday, beating among others, a colt by Brother to Strat- ford out of Makeshift, who, after having been heavily backed for the last Derby, has at length found his level in handicaps. He was successful once last week, but though Harmonides was among his opponents, the defeat of Prin:e Batthyany's cast-off, who had more than 201b the worst of the weights, does oot reckon much in his favour. For the many two-year- old races at Warwick there were, in nearly every in. stance. large fields, the exception being in the two first nurseries, one of which was second by Knight of Bath—a very promising animal-from Professor and three others, while the other fell to Curator, who had only The Dancing Scotchman and the Adrastia filly to beat. Curator, who has won nine races in succession, has secured in all ten out of thirteen in which be has taken part this year, and has placed second on the three other occasions. The Dancing Scotchman beat a very large field on the following day, thereby bearing indirect testimony to the excellence of Curator, while Knight of the Bath's merits were in a like manner enhanced by the running of Professor, who, after dis- appointing his friends several times, beat thirteen oppo- nents in the Maiden Plate. So anxious are owners of racehorses to make the most of the open time, that some very Insignificant prizes offered at Croydon on Saturday were competed for by large fields, and, with the six races run for there and the nine decided at Warwick, the racing season came to an end. There are still, however, some interesting steeplechases and hurdle-races to be got through before the close of he year, and the best of the jumpers" in training have been nominated for the two principal prizes at San- down Park next week.

THE NEW ASPECT OF AFFAIRS IN MALAYA. I It is very easy to deride or to denounce the expression "manifest destiny," but English Ministers must often be tempted to believe that there is some truth in the idea. They are always being compelled to govern some. body. Nobody, for instance, a month ago was dreaming of increasing British possessions in the Malay Peninsula. The Government would have said, had they been asked the question in Parliament, that they had never thought of Malaya since Mr Disraeli made his celebrated speech about the Straits of Malacca; and Lord Carnarvon would have asked why, with Fiji, and New Guinea, and Griqualand affairs upon his hands, he should be suspected of waiting to increase his fresh embarrass- ments and responsibilities. As for the country, it scarcely knew where the Peninsula was, and had no more wish to take a huge cantle out of it than to acquire territory in Morocco or Manchooria. And yet we venture to say that another annexation must be the end of the imbroglio at Perak. The usual result has followed our presence in an Asiatic country, and the local officials have plunged the Home authorities into difficulties out of which there will ultimately be but one honourable method of escape. As our readers may remember, Sir Andrew Clarke, then Governor of the Straits Settlements, and an officer of un- usual ability and zeal, gut tired some months ago of the lawlessness in the centre of the Malay Peninsula. All manner of small chieftains were attacking one another, and oppressing Chinese miners, some of whom were our subjects, and sheltering the most dangerous and desperate of Asiatic villains, the commanders of Malay pirate prahus. He decided therefore to adopt Ibe only system we have yet found in Asia to be con- sistent at once with subordination and autonomy, namely, the appointment of the native Courts of Residents,"—that is, Envoys whose advice the native Prince agrees by treaty to take. This system is uni- versal throughout India, and whenever the Resident is a person of any tact, or willing to trouble himself to understand the local situation, it works exceedingly well. The Resident lets the native Court alone as mueh as be can, but prohibits all local wars, all great poli- tical crimes-for instance, the murder of heirs who are popular with the people-all great oppressions—as for example, transit duties. The native Prince retains his authority very little impaired, for the British guarantee in many directions strengthens his hands the natives re- tain their careers, for we send no officials, and gradually a bighertone is infused into the ad ministration. Sir Andrew Clarke thought this scheme would work in Malaya, and accordingly indaced the chiefs of Perak to accept Sultan Abdoollah at their head, and to admit Reaidenta te their Courts, to whom they were, like the Iodiaa Princes, to pay moderate fixed salaries. The scheme waa approved from home, and seemed moat ab e, but it lacked in Malaya one element of success. 1 he chief- tains did not see that behind each Resident stood the irresistable power of the British Government. One Prince therefore, the Pretender to the Perak sover- eignity, Sultan Ismail, broke out in rebellion, and all the Princes, including, apparently, Sultan Abdoolah, appeared to regard the Residents as uimportant people. Their advise was not taken, and their salaries were not paid, and it ia difficult to believe that, the amounts being so moderate, the failore Wli8 wholly involuntary. The Straits Government, of course, could not tolerate this state of affairs, which involved a breach of fresh treaties, contempt shown towards the British Government, and in the near future a renewal of the old disturbances. It was necessary to show that the British Government intends its treaties to be re- spected, and had Sir W. Jervois acquired his experience in Indin, instead of in the English bureaus, be would, we think, have known how to make his power telt in Perak. He would have strengthened the bands of Sultan Abdoollah, have aided him with a couple of gunboats, and perhaps a mountain battery from India, to put down his internal enemies have shown him how to organize a "contingent" —that is a small native army with European officers-and have made every Malay feel, as every inhabitant of an Indian native State feels, that a British Resident amy be an uncom- fortable, but is, at all events, an inevitable and irre- sistible work of God. Sir W. Jervoia decided, how- ever, upon a very different course. Without, apparently, any orders from the Colonial Office, which, in its Circular to the Press of November 23, intimates that it had not previously received his proclamations, he made a new arrangement with Sultan Abdoollah, under which the British Government assumes the adminis- tration of Perak, in the name of Sultan Abdo llab. The districts are to be governed by British Commis- sioners and Assistant- Comenissioners," and the Residents are appointed Judges, with power ot life and death, and of appointing all magistrates and are to collect and expend the entire revenues of the country, which, however, remains under the nominal sovereignty of Sultan Abdoollah. This new arrangement was an- nounced by three proclamations, and created such a ferment that a Malay tore the notifications down, and commenced the emeute which reetulted in the murder of Mr Birch. There may, of course, be circumstances, as yet an- revealed, which made the course adopted by Sir W. Jervois seem a wise one, or indeed the only open to hies to take, but on the evidence as yet produced he has been singularly ill-advised. His proclamations, one of which a signed by h mself, amount to a decree, f tinnex- ation in the worst of all possible forms. The direct government of an Asiatic province by a European acting through Europeans is, as we all know, not only possible, but easy, and is at th s moment in force throughout territories occupied 200,000,000 of people. The direct government of an Asiatic State by a Euro- pean acting through natives, though much more diffi- cult, is also possible, and is being tried at this moment in every Indian State where the Prince is a minor, or for any reason under sequestration or suspension. Bat the government of a native State by Europeans for the benefit and in the name of a nature Prince is 'ery nearly impossible. In the first place, the Europeans never know what to do with the revenues which flow into the Treasury from the moment their good govern- ment begins. It seems monstrous, and is monstrous, to let the entire surplus which they have created be spent in wasteful or injurious prodigalities, at the dis- cretion of a man who has nothing to do with the pro- perty that enriches him; and yet if the Rajah is allowanced, the treaty seems to be broken, and in fact is so, for he no longer rules. In the next place, the task of government is immensely impeded by the dis- content of the people, who think the puppet Rajah ought to be able to hear appeals from the British, and who are of course told by those who surround him that if he were made :all-powerful every prievonce would end. And in the third place, the Rajah and his Council would interfere, if not directly by advice or threats, then by intrigue and promises, by building up a party of their own, and by refusing or delaying un- expectedly their consent to necessary measures. The scheme has been tried over and over again in India-onoe by Clive himself-has invariably failed, and ball always compelled us either to pension off the Rajah, which he thinks oppressive, or to dismiss him, which is in his subjects' eyes annexation without the conquest which, to Asiatic minds, makes annexation fair or to retire, —that ie, to hand over the vast mass of interests created by equitable and strong government back to a barbarian, or at beat a semi-civilised rule. To sur- mount a momentary and not very serious difficulty by pledging the British Government to a policy so re- peatedly discredited is most unwise, and unless Sir W. Jervois, as is quite possible, has explanations to offer not apparent on the flice of affairs-for his measure would not in any way prevent a massacre—he has assumed a very serious responsibility. So far as we can see, there is now no way out of the scrape except buying out Sultan Abdoollah before he knows the magical effect of European management upon a native treasury. If we beat the Malay insargents and then retreat, every Malay will say, and otty, justly, that British designs can be defeated even by an unsuccess- ful insurrection, and that the only way to make ns moderate is to fight bard. If, on the other hand, we beat the Malay insurgents and carry out Sir W, Jer- vois's proclamations, we shall have to endure the whole burden of organising a large anarchical Malay country, without reaping the reward,either in revenue or in credit which is our due for the work done. We might indeed administer for a time, and then res at the native officials, but the result of that will be merely civil war. Perak is full of minerals. The moment we begin to administer the country, British capital and Chinese labour will flow into it in Istream and if, say ten years hence, we surrender both to Malays, both will revolt, and the Chinese, then numbering tens of thousands, will make short work of opponents whom they bold no more fit to govern than their own ourang-outangs. There may be no manifest destiny," or no destiny at all, but Sir W. Jervois, apparently out of his own head, has made us claim supremacy in Perak, and we must carry out his will.- Speetator.

ANOTHER IRONCLAD IN TROUBLE. Once more we hear of an ironclad in trouble. This time it is the" Monarch," which early on Sunday morning was on her way down the Channel to Vigo. It appears that when off the Start Point she came into collision with the Norwegian ship Halden," bound for London with a cargo of timber. To judge by the consequences, the collision must have been severe and proportionately perilous. The Monarch" had her port quarter boat smashed, and two armour-plates started, in addition to recieving some minor damage; while the Halden has had her bowa smashed, and is leaking largely. Both ships, at all events, have been compelled to put in at Plymouth for repairs, and the Monarch," it is said, will have to remain there eight or ten days. For that time she is disabled, and she follows the example of the "Iron Duke." We may, perhaps, be assured that it is a matter for congratu- lation that the vessel returned into harbour," and in the present state of the Navy perhaps it ought to be so considered. The public, however, cannot fail to be most uncom- fortably impressed by these successive accidents to onr ironclad fleet. Whatever the explanations offered in each particular case, such a succession of accidents will appear capable of only one explanation. It remains to be seen, of course, whether in this last instance the Monarch" or the Halden" was most to blame but in collisions, as in quarrels, there are generally faulte on both sides, and under any ordinary circumstances an ironclad ought to be able to avoid a collision with a timber ship. If she be not a good deal more handy, the prospect of having to depend on her in a naval engagement is a poor one; and, besides this, it is her especial business to avoid such a disaster. A mer- chant ship may often have to be managed under great difficulties of time, of crew, and of cargo. A ship like the Monarch," on the other hand, ia, or ought to be, completely manned and fitted; and her commander, has generally a very considerable discretion as to time and speed. Nothing should be easier for her than to give other ships a sufficiently wide berth to insure her own and their security, and the presumption, therefore, must be against her in the event of such a collision as the present. There are indeed nearly always expla- nations of more or less validity to be found for acci- dents, whether on land or sea; but, nevertheless, the chief art of life is not to explain accidents, but to avoid them. Putting out of question purely physical causes beyond control, the explanation can rarely amount to more than that the circumstances to be overcome were difficult, and it is the business of those who command ships like ironclads to overcome diffi- culties. A succession of so-called accidents," there- fore, means, in plain words, a general incapacity to meet emergencies, and from this point of view the state of the Navy must be regarded as more alarming than it has been since ironclads were invented. Sailors of the old school, like Admiral Rous, predicted that in reliance on modern machinery officers would neglect the art of seamanship, and would "stick to the tea- kettle," but they seem now to have abandoned even the tea-kettle. The accident to the Iron Duke" the other day, according to the account of the Admiralty, arose from nothing more mysterious than the overheating of the surface condensers, and to remedy this defect in the kettle" a series of valves and springs had to be called into play which perplexed the engineers them- selves. We are glad to see that an enquiry into this accident is to be opened at Plymouth, though it would be more satisfactory if it were not to be strictly secret. The result, however, will, we hope, be some- thing more than an explanation. It is time the Admiralty showed a stern determination to put an end to the continuous tale of blunders, collisions, and disasters. We do not want to see aroused any imita- tion of the temper in which Admiral Byng was sacri- ficed to the welfare of the Navy; but until officers are held responsible for not avoiding accidents we do not expect that accidents will cease to occur.- Times.