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Article LITERARY NOTICES. ← Page 4 of 6 →
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Literary Notices.
Martin has decidedly achieved too high a reputation to be disregarded by the nation . It may be that it is not possible to retrace tbe path of error , and resume that which was plain and obvious ; still , that is no reason why the strictest examination should not have been made , antl Mr . Martin been permitted to have stated fully his great statistic views before Government . It is impossible not to bo struck with the high tone of morality that pervades this work ; whichadded to the immense
, stores of information , collected ivith surpassing industry and intelligence , render it interesting and valuable . Mr . Martin may have taken aim at too high a quarry in expecting to realize the hopes of his enthusiasm , but his is too lofty a purpose not to attract the admiration of the English nation , who are so much interested in his subject . Clear it is that China is open to us , and that we know too little of her as an empire consisting of four hundred millions of people , now , by our
interference , put into communication with the world to which they were hitherto comparatively unknown . As a statist , Mr . Martin is intelligent and expressive ; and he deduces from observation , not merely the faults attending our conquest , but the means of repairing them . There is no point left unexamined : physical geography—general products , whether agricultural , manufacturing , or mineral —the governmental department —police—literature—trade—commerce—moral doctrine—religion-
—social manners—all pass in review before him ; and the truthful spirit that harmonises the entire description , leaves but one general impression of gratitude to the author , unless it be that the ingratitude of our rulers has as yet blinded them to the advantage of his experience , which , as a means of reference , is inestimable .
Select Writings of Robert Chambers . Vol . 1 ., Essays Familiar and Humorous . Edinburgh : W . and R . Chambers . Posterity will quote this age as the second Augustan ; and the names of Douglas Jerrold , Charles Dickens , and Robert Chambers , will stand forth in evidence—the former as powerful in satire as stalwart in principle ; the second , a master in the portrayal of natural affections , making the fictions of the art , he may be said to have created , appear as the
truthful evidence of a homage to human nature ; the third , as the " essayist of the middle class , "—make a triad that future writers will scarcely excel . Each is " the child father to the man . " But it is with Robert Chambers that we are now in company . Hear himself : — " My earliest aspirations were towards literature . Books , not playthings , filled my hands in childhood .... It was but a proper sequel to such a beginning , that I should scarcely have reached manhood when I had become an author . "
The author traces the progress of his studies during the several phases of life by a pleasing analogy with mental culture in its progress , showing that the spring and summer phases have their relative effects , and the more truthfully as disposing man to the serious contemplation of the autumn and winter of life , whereby he may hope to reach those later phases not only without regret , but feel , in accortlance with the sentiment of classic and pious Virgil" Hiec olim meminisse juvabit "—
, for , concluding his well-written preface , the author observes , "The mind ' s morn and noon are here . If it is to have an afternoon and evening , there may be something more to say a few years hence . " May we live to keep company again with Robert Chambers ; and when perusing , as we hope to tlo , his future works , may ive , with the ad van .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Literary Notices.
Martin has decidedly achieved too high a reputation to be disregarded by the nation . It may be that it is not possible to retrace tbe path of error , and resume that which was plain and obvious ; still , that is no reason why the strictest examination should not have been made , antl Mr . Martin been permitted to have stated fully his great statistic views before Government . It is impossible not to bo struck with the high tone of morality that pervades this work ; whichadded to the immense
, stores of information , collected ivith surpassing industry and intelligence , render it interesting and valuable . Mr . Martin may have taken aim at too high a quarry in expecting to realize the hopes of his enthusiasm , but his is too lofty a purpose not to attract the admiration of the English nation , who are so much interested in his subject . Clear it is that China is open to us , and that we know too little of her as an empire consisting of four hundred millions of people , now , by our
interference , put into communication with the world to which they were hitherto comparatively unknown . As a statist , Mr . Martin is intelligent and expressive ; and he deduces from observation , not merely the faults attending our conquest , but the means of repairing them . There is no point left unexamined : physical geography—general products , whether agricultural , manufacturing , or mineral —the governmental department —police—literature—trade—commerce—moral doctrine—religion-
—social manners—all pass in review before him ; and the truthful spirit that harmonises the entire description , leaves but one general impression of gratitude to the author , unless it be that the ingratitude of our rulers has as yet blinded them to the advantage of his experience , which , as a means of reference , is inestimable .
Select Writings of Robert Chambers . Vol . 1 ., Essays Familiar and Humorous . Edinburgh : W . and R . Chambers . Posterity will quote this age as the second Augustan ; and the names of Douglas Jerrold , Charles Dickens , and Robert Chambers , will stand forth in evidence—the former as powerful in satire as stalwart in principle ; the second , a master in the portrayal of natural affections , making the fictions of the art , he may be said to have created , appear as the
truthful evidence of a homage to human nature ; the third , as the " essayist of the middle class , "—make a triad that future writers will scarcely excel . Each is " the child father to the man . " But it is with Robert Chambers that we are now in company . Hear himself : — " My earliest aspirations were towards literature . Books , not playthings , filled my hands in childhood .... It was but a proper sequel to such a beginning , that I should scarcely have reached manhood when I had become an author . "
The author traces the progress of his studies during the several phases of life by a pleasing analogy with mental culture in its progress , showing that the spring and summer phases have their relative effects , and the more truthfully as disposing man to the serious contemplation of the autumn and winter of life , whereby he may hope to reach those later phases not only without regret , but feel , in accortlance with the sentiment of classic and pious Virgil" Hiec olim meminisse juvabit "—
, for , concluding his well-written preface , the author observes , "The mind ' s morn and noon are here . If it is to have an afternoon and evening , there may be something more to say a few years hence . " May we live to keep company again with Robert Chambers ; and when perusing , as we hope to tlo , his future works , may ive , with the ad van .