• 4r tuartriiii Ituitms.
The Quarterly Reviews have not been behind hand in fasten- ing on the subjects of the day. That which has stirred the minds of all thinking men—Reform—occupies a place in all the reviews ; and other questions, social, religious, and political, as well as li- terary, have been put in requisition to furnish topics.
The Edinburgh comes well equipped into the field. Besides a kindly criticism upon Mr. Helps's Spanish Conquests, and papers crammed with information on neutral subjects' such as "Life Assurance," a capital article' "the Library of the British Mu- seum," a paper doing justice to that magnificent national insti- tution, the Edinburgh has taken up and examined in an impar- tial spirit, apparently with especial reference to the session, the question of Church-rates and. the conflicting claims of Canada and the Hudson's Bay Church-rates, The Church-rate article an able exposition of the facts, supports the plans of Si George article, including the " ticketing " proposal. In like manner the history of the Hudson's Bay controversy is narrated; and the paper on it may, we presume, be taken as a representation of the views of Mr. Ellice. It does rather less than justice to Canada, and cham- pions the Company more than the colony, but not in a partizan spirit. The question as it seems to us is neither a colonial nor a commercial, but an imperial question. It must be dealt with from an imperial point of view. The colony is more important to the empire than the company; but that is no reason why injustice should be done to the company, or undue favour shown to the nolony. The paper on " Reform " is fair and moderate, it is a useful summary, but it throws no new light on the question. Y, From the Quarterly Review one naturally expects a dissertation on Reform, and in the current number we find what we expect. But the writer seems to be quite one of the old sohool. That he should attack Mr. Bright and the Radicals is in the nature of things. But that he should back his friends the Ministers by setting forth reasons against any reform at all; should depreciate the Commons ; should stand out against the lowering of the fran- chise; shows a state of mind which does not belong to the year 1859. "The country is adverse to organic changes." "Certain parties of the House of Commons may demand a Reform Bill for party purposes." "Lord Derby has a noble career before him in the continuance of wise remedial measures, and he will earn the gratitude of the country by supplying useful work for the machine instead of pulling the machine itself to pieces." These sentences are years behind hand. The Conservative Reform Bill, for pulling the machine to pieces, is already on the threshhold of — the House of Commons.
Of the British Quarterly Review we may say that it contains several articles of merit, and one, particularly apropos at this crisis, on the Emancipation of the , Serfs in Russia. The writer shows a bold grasp of the subject, and paints in dis- tinct outlines the difficulties and dangers of the great work which the Emperor has undertaken. He also throws a broad light upon the relations between the Emperor and the Nobles' the Em- peror and the Serfs, and the Serfs and their owners. Russia, it would seem, engaged in the twofold operation of reorganizing her internal social system and developing her vast industrial, agricultural and commercial resources from the Amoor to the Gulf of Bothnia, will have little strength to spare for external ac- tion, unless, and here lies the danger for Russia and for Europe, the nobles gain a victory over the Emperor and impel him into foreign enterprizes where they may gain what they thirst for—per- sonal distinction. The acquisition of something like the embryo of Parliamentary government also seems to be involved in the issues of the great chums. The articles that will first attract attention in this number of the National _Review, are those on "Parliamentary Reform," on the "Religion of the Working Classes," and on the "Autobio- graphy of Catherine II." Besides being seasonable, they have other merits. The paper on Parliamentary Reform is a sort of aid to development of any plan of reform ; being a clear impar- tial account, a critical account of course,—of the present electoral system, giving also indications of what the writer thinks the best way of amending the present defects. It is well written ; mode- rate and flavoured with cool, practical, juste milieu arguments. The Religion of the Working Classes takes a wide sweep, from Mr. Robertson of Brighton to Mr. Holyoalce and Mr. Barker, in its search after the root of the matter. It is cordially written by some one who knows well what he attempts to describe ; and it should be read carefully by all to whom the subject is interesting. He shows clearly enough that the outward forms and expressions of dead Methodism are no more effectual for producing a living growth among the intelligent working classes than the cold, cut and dried, self-complacent Atheism which takes to itself the name of Secularism. The article on" Atheism, Limits of Religious Thought" is a capi4-d piece of criticism—directed against Butler
--- and his following of Analogians. The article on the Memoir of Catherine IL should be read by all who intend to read the book, and are not up in the contemporaneous and previous conditions of the Russian Court. There is a short article on Longfellow which cannot be far wrong in its criticism, since it declares that "Hiawatha" and the poem on the death of the Duke of Welling- ton are by far the best things he has written. The article on the Morality of Lady Novelists is sure to be read by all who take the
Review—which is a fact to be thankful for, as the said article though defective in style (being at once slovenly and clumsy) is full of good criticism and advice to those charming public offend- ers against plain, natural, and ethical laws. There are articles on " Crabbe " and "Virgil," which are excellent. One also on the Count Miot de Melito's book about the French Revolution. He was originally a clerk in the War Office, but got on in life by being-
—" toujours d'avis D'avoir cach6 dans is poche. L'aigle et is fleur-de-lys."
Always notable among its contemporaries, the North British
Review contains a good selection of articles touching on great subjects of thought, history, and criticism. "The Algerian Lite- rature of France," "Fiji and the Fijians," are instructive papers. "The Philosophy of Language" finds a learned expositor. A good deal of light is thrown upon the life and character of Sir Thomas More, especially in regard to his religious views, in a paper on his relation to the Reformation—a field almost untrod- den. Reform is discussed, in a critical and analytical manner, and of course in a liberal spirit. It is well worth attention by all who are anxious to see the great question of the day as it presents itself to a mind essentially liberal, but essentially conservative and constitutional.
All the Westminster Review papers are interesting, and one article will attract marked attention for its authorship. There is an excellent resume of "the religious policy of Austria," pecu- liarly apt to the present day. We have a searching article on "chloroform and other ana3sthetics," very useful to confirm and guide the wavering. It brings out a strong illustration of the "nothing new under the sun" maxim • for ancient physiologists allude to ana3sthetics in a way unintelligible to us wise moderns until about twelve years back ; and we are now daily extending the list of such agents, as in the ease of electricity. A review of "Spiritual destitution in England" comes to the same conclusion that we have formed, here enforced with great cogency,—that to retain their place, the clergy must make themselves the practical instructors and guides of the people. But the paper which we have particularly pointed out is a complete summary of recent in- formation and conclusions on "the Sanitary Condition of the Army ;" a précis, which, from internal evidence, we should have ascribed to the man who has shown most mastery of the whole subject, even if, in consistent disapproval of anonymous journal- ism, he had not openly affixed the initials "S. H., sign manual of the esteemed War Minister, Sidney Herbert.
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