CURRENT LITERATURE.
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THE .11AGAZ1NES.—We have always a pleasure in making the amends honorable, and in acknowledging that those whom we have censured have departed from their errors. After the unusual severity shown to Blackwood last month, we are glad to observe that the October number is above the average. It opens with a new story of German life, called "Linda Tressel," in which we cannot fail to recognize the hand of the author of Nina Balatka. We think we should have recognized that hand in the present story, even if our attention had not been directed to the authorship of the former one. "Linda Tressel " does not attempt to conceal her paternity. She may well be proud of it, for, whether or not she is a good niece to Madame Staubach, she is an excellent daughter to Mr. Trollope. The scene in which the aunt proposes her former suitor to her niece, telling Linda that Herr Steinmarc is willing to undertake the charge of marrying her, and hinting that Linda is his of right, because he holds the office which her father held before him, and for many years has inhabited tho bed-rooms in her father's house, is exquisite. But in spite of Linda's scream of terrible disgust, and her indignant refusal even to think of marrying Herr Steinmare, we are led to expect that she will have to yield. "She told herself that sooner or later her aunt would conquer her, that sooner or later that mean-faced old man, with snuffy fingers, and his few straggling hairs brushed over his bald pate, with his big shoes spreading here and there, because of his corns, and his ugly, loose, square, snuffy coat, and his old hat, which he had worn so long that she never liked to touch it, would become her husband, and that it would be her duty to look after his wine, and his old shoes, and his old hat." And all this will be owing to the rigid virtue of the aunt, who will not even approach the subject cautiously, by means of the ways and forms of strategy whioh are practised out in the world among the ungodly. The next article in the number is a specimen of that gossiping philology which, when well done, is so thoroughly amusing. This article is well done. It is called "In- roads upon English," and amongst other things it gives us a complete catalogue of the principal Americanisms of language. We are sur- prised to find that some of the phrases which seem the most Trans- atlantic are old English, or even classical English. Who does not laugh at the American word fall when used for autumn ? Yet it is found in the same sense in Dryden. Again, the word muss occurs in Shakespeare ; platform, in the sense of principles, is used by both Shakespeare and Hooker ; splurge is an old Northumbrian word; and slick is found in Chaucer. We do not suppose any such origin is to be assigned to the crowd of novel expressions which are collected by Blackwood, and which
will afford the English reader many a hearty laugh. "At the Alps Again" is a paper of Tyrolese and Bavarian travel, rather inaccurate in spelling, but faithful in description. Munich and Innsbruck, the Aachensee and the Konigs-see, Salzburg and Berchtesgaden are touched upon in turn, and the scenery of lake and valley is brought before us
with power and fidelity. Of the other contents of Bladcmood we may
speak shortly. "Work and Murder" is an article on the Sheffield out- rages. "A City of the Piave" is an account of the cholera at
Albano.—In Fraser we must direct attention to a valuable paper on
"The Irish Church in the Time of Queen Elizabeth," by W. Maziere Brady, D.D., whose work on the alleged conversion of the Irish Bishops caused such sensation. The present paper is rather too long for a magazine, and is also too solid. But its subject is one of much importance, and we hope readers will be found to persevere to the end of it. Mr. Weld's article on "The Paris Exhibition" follows on too many others, and will hardly outstrip them in the race. We have besides, an interesting review of "The Village on the Cliff," a first paper on Mr. Browning's "Bordello," which may send readers to the poem,.
but is more likely to drive them away from the criticism ; a sketch of Sir Adolphus Slade's "Narrative of the Crimean War ;" " A Young Lady's First Impressions of America ;" a paper of English travel,.
which describes the home and life of Cobbett ; and a fragmentary shred of expostulation with Mr. Lewes, by Professor Owen. We cannot say that we found much to linger upon in the maga- rine. Perhaps others may be more easily contented.----The Cornhill is conspicuous for another of those fairy tales by which the world of our childhood is being modernized. Little Red Riding Hood is the heroine of the present number, and the well is rehabilitated. But charming as. the story is, it does not preserve the spirit of the old fairy tale with that wonderful art which characterized Beauty and the Beast. Much of it is independent of the fairy tradition. We do not say this is a fault, but it- gives a new colour to the story. Except that Patty has a red bonnet, and that Remy is called the wolf, and that they both wander in the forest when Patty is taking some butter to her grandmother, and that- the grandmother has a good nose, and puts on her spectacles, "the better to see you, my dear," and has false teeth, "the better to eat with, my dear," there is nothing in the tale that grows necessarily out of its namesake. Bat we agree with Miss Thackeray that Little Red Riding Hood is an exceptional story, and that some departure from the original was necessary. If the wolf is to be humanized, it must be at the- expense of his most wolfish characteristics. There is a curious paper in the Corn/all on "Witch Murders in India," and this is succeeded by an account of "The Beautiful Miss Gunnings," by an exposure of the inconsistencies of "the Marriage Law of the Three Km' gdoms," and a second paper of "Jottings from the Note-Book of an Undeveloped Collector." One of the chapters of Mr. Lever's story is admirable, though the interest of the other two chapters slightly languishes.— Temple Bar has turned over a new leaf. Mr. Htu3nay's critical article, "Thackeray on Swift," is a paper of a much higher character than any- thing that has appeared in Temple Bar since its first beginning. We do not altogether agree with Mr. Hannay in his view of Swift, but we think he proves that Thackeray did Swift injustice. One would have. thought that the master of irony would have been able to appreciate that of others, and would not have accused Swift of religious insincerity on the strength of his sarcastic advice to Gay to look out for an Irish bishopric. But though we approve of this defence of Swift's Christianity, we cannot think that he would have made an excellent bishop, as Mr.. Hannay argues. We are not glancing at the "Tale of a Tub," but at- certain poems which Swift's defender must have forgotten for the' moment. If the remaining contents of Temple Bar are not equal to. Mr. Hannay's paper, we think there is a visible improvement in them,. and that a little more editorial vigour will -bear good fruit. There is. some spirit in the whiskey-drinking piece at the end, though there may not be a very high ambition in substituting Irish potheen for the Scotch- toddy which flowed in the Noctes Ambrosiance. —Belgravia has a good paper on Faraday, by Dr. Scoffern ; an amusing account of the Paris fashions, by Mr. Sala, from which we defy any one to learn anything about the subject ; the beginning of a novel by Mr. Percy Fitzgerald and continuations of two by Miss Braddon ; and a really poetical illus- tration to a poem called " Lusignan," of which Mr. Alfred Thompson is the artist. —Aunt Judy's Magazine is as much to blame as Miss Thackeray for upsetting all our childish ideas. Here is a popular tale, in which a young knight associates himself with three men of marvellous. strength, hearing, and breathing, and by means of them gains an entrance into the castle of a wizard, and overcomes its owner. Of course the young knight marries the beautiful princess who is a captive, but- instead of living happily ever afterwards, they begin to quarrel imme- diately after the honeymoon ; and the third condition required by the young knight of the wizard is take back the princess, "for truly you are a pair, and were made for each other."
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