Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Critical Notices Of The Literature Of The Last Three Months,
fourth volume of whieh , translated by a lady , under the direction and superintendence of Mr . Gladstone , has recently appeared . Independently of the fulness of the book , both as regards matter and style , it is interesting as showing a perfect picture of the mental physiology of an Italian gentleman of education , and of liberal , yet moderate , opinionsone , in fact , as far removed from the Bed republicanism of the Ledra Kollin school , as from the idtra Eoman Catholicism of the Propaganda .
M . Earini , however , strives to demonstrate , that Avhile such a republican form of government as that suggested by Mazzini and his disciples would not , and could not , last a month in Italy , that modifications of it are perhaps possible ; and he proceeds to show how a separation of the temporal and spiritual headship of the Eomish Church is an essential ingredient in any scheme of liberal government . To a certain extent , however , it must be recollected that Mazzini agrees with this proposition ;
only in destroying the lay dominion of the pope , tho triumvir ivould banish his holiness from Eome , and elsewhere let him exercise , to the fullest extent of bis power , any of the spiritual influence he may claim and ehanee to possess . Earini , on tho contrary , proposes to allow the spiritual claims of the pope and priesthood , even to the absolute direction of the conscience of the laity ; to retain both in Borne , but to strip them entirely of all temporal power . The objection to this latter course is , the impossibility of practically limiting the power and influence of the clergy . Those to whom the sole and absolute direction of every conscience in a country is entrusted must necessarily , ere long , claim and exert a sway ,
unacknowledged perhaps , it is true , but nevertheless felt , over the Avhole body politic ; and thus to every calm reasoner on the lessons taught by history and experience Earini ' s plan would seem the least attainable of the two . Oue interesting feature of the work , is an account of the game played by English politicians with respect to , ancl during the time of , the struggle for liberty in Italy ; and most vivid and brilliant are the descriptions of those episodes of that short history which redound so much to
the honour of the Soman name . Erom the pen of Emeric Izabad wo have the history of another country which has lately distinguished itself by its patriotic endeavours to throw off the intolerable burden of a despotic ancl irresponsible yoke , and to establish a claim to rank among the independent nations of this hemisphere . " Hungary , Past and Present , " * is an able work ; although , as might have been expected from the antecedents of its writer , the late
secretary of the Hungarian National Government , somewhat tinged with the feelings of the partisan . The first portion is dedicated to a clear and succinct review of the history of Hungary , from the time when the Mongul Tartars crossed the Caucasus and the Carpathian Mountains , in search of lands to people and victories to be won , to tho time of the recent struggle in 1848 . The latter portion of the Avork , although equally well written and as carefully compiled , is nevertheless too strongly
imbued with the opinions of the author to be implicitly relied on . On the whole , however , AVO can heartily recommend it to the notice of the public , as offering matter for contemporaneous reading with the edition of Bankc ' s Scrvia , which we noticed in our last number .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Critical Notices Of The Literature Of The Last Three Months,
fourth volume of whieh , translated by a lady , under the direction and superintendence of Mr . Gladstone , has recently appeared . Independently of the fulness of the book , both as regards matter and style , it is interesting as showing a perfect picture of the mental physiology of an Italian gentleman of education , and of liberal , yet moderate , opinionsone , in fact , as far removed from the Bed republicanism of the Ledra Kollin school , as from the idtra Eoman Catholicism of the Propaganda .
M . Earini , however , strives to demonstrate , that Avhile such a republican form of government as that suggested by Mazzini and his disciples would not , and could not , last a month in Italy , that modifications of it are perhaps possible ; and he proceeds to show how a separation of the temporal and spiritual headship of the Eomish Church is an essential ingredient in any scheme of liberal government . To a certain extent , however , it must be recollected that Mazzini agrees with this proposition ;
only in destroying the lay dominion of the pope , tho triumvir ivould banish his holiness from Eome , and elsewhere let him exercise , to the fullest extent of bis power , any of the spiritual influence he may claim and ehanee to possess . Earini , on tho contrary , proposes to allow the spiritual claims of the pope and priesthood , even to the absolute direction of the conscience of the laity ; to retain both in Borne , but to strip them entirely of all temporal power . The objection to this latter course is , the impossibility of practically limiting the power and influence of the clergy . Those to whom the sole and absolute direction of every conscience in a country is entrusted must necessarily , ere long , claim and exert a sway ,
unacknowledged perhaps , it is true , but nevertheless felt , over the Avhole body politic ; and thus to every calm reasoner on the lessons taught by history and experience Earini ' s plan would seem the least attainable of the two . Oue interesting feature of the work , is an account of the game played by English politicians with respect to , ancl during the time of , the struggle for liberty in Italy ; and most vivid and brilliant are the descriptions of those episodes of that short history which redound so much to
the honour of the Soman name . Erom the pen of Emeric Izabad wo have the history of another country which has lately distinguished itself by its patriotic endeavours to throw off the intolerable burden of a despotic ancl irresponsible yoke , and to establish a claim to rank among the independent nations of this hemisphere . " Hungary , Past and Present , " * is an able work ; although , as might have been expected from the antecedents of its writer , the late
secretary of the Hungarian National Government , somewhat tinged with the feelings of the partisan . The first portion is dedicated to a clear and succinct review of the history of Hungary , from the time when the Mongul Tartars crossed the Caucasus and the Carpathian Mountains , in search of lands to people and victories to be won , to tho time of the recent struggle in 1848 . The latter portion of the Avork , although equally well written and as carefully compiled , is nevertheless too strongly
imbued with the opinions of the author to be implicitly relied on . On the whole , however , AVO can heartily recommend it to the notice of the public , as offering matter for contemporaneous reading with the edition of Bankc ' s Scrvia , which we noticed in our last number .