1 SEPTEMBER 1877

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NEWS OF THE WEEK,

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T HE Military news of the week is easily told. A six days' duel of the most formidable kind had been going on between the Turks and the Russians for the posseasion of the Shipka...

*** The Editors cannot undertake to return Manuscript in any

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case.

The most important new element in the military situation is

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the advance of the Roumanian army over the Danube by a bridge of their own at Corabia, near Nicopol, which brings them somewhat behind Osman Pasha's position at Plevna. If the...

For the account of this grim duel,—one of the severest

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and most enduring fights on record,—we are chiefly indebted to the brilliant success and enterprise of the military correspondent of the Daily News, who, on Wednesday week,...

The great French nova of the week is the decision

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of the French Cabinet to prosecute M. Gambetta for the Lille speech of the week before last,—or at least for it publication. The speech itself was delivered in private, though...

The present French Minister of the Interior, M. de Fourtou,

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continues to pose as a Napoleonist. In his speech last week, at Neuvic, he must have offended profoundly the feelings of the clerical party who support him. "You do not wish,"...

All sorts of explanations and interpretations of this astound- ing

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decision of a unanimous Cabinet,—as we are assured that it was,—have been given, which we have discussed at some length elsewhere. Perhaps after all the simplest explana- tion...

As regards the campaign in Asia, the news of the

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week is not favourable to Russia. On the 25th, an engagement occurred near Kuruk-dara, the object of which appears to have been to obtain possession of Kuruk-dara, in which the...

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In the evening speech Lord Granville spoke of the Irish

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Obstructionists as a real " God-send " to the Government, because they provided both the excuse for the little that was done, and the occasion for the Government's winning...

Mr. Forster's speech was much better in its tone on

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the war than Lord teranville's. True, he admitted, and even maintained; what seems to us utterly false, that this is "an unjust and un- necessary war," but at least there was no...

The Detectives' ease at Bow Street -is not at amend,.

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or fl' its Benson, the scholar of the gang, was under anosseexamination. last. Saturday and Thursday, and the Crown will now proceed to call witnesses to corroborate the...

No one will say that Colonel Wellesley, whose supposed Turkish

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sympathies embroiled him with the Grand Duko, is a Russophile, or that he has , not had the means of judging of the behaviour of the Russian invading army in Bulgaria. Those who...

We may be sure that the answer given to the

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German Govern- ment by the Porte, in. reply to. their remonstrances: against, the: disregard of the Geneva Convention, to which Turkey is-aparty,. is a- little more to the point...

Lord Granville made two speeches on Tuesday in opening the

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Liberal Club at Bradford, one in the Club-house after lunch, and one in St. George's Hall at the great evening meeting. In the former he claimed for himself some title to the...

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Midhat Pasha and a deputation from "the Society of Posi-

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tiviste " have been saying very civil things to each other. The deputation told him that they sympathised with the cause of Turkey and Midhat Pasha's own efforts on its behalf....

Brigham Young died at Salt Lake City last Wednesday. He

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disappears, without people having quite made up their minds whether the Prophet was a rank impostor or a fanatic. His rule of the Mormon Church since the death of Joseph Smith...

Mr. Dillwyn made, on Monday night, an admirable speech to

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his constituents at Swansea on the past Session. Ho compared the dilatory and unbusinoss-like manner in which the Govern- ment produced its few measures, and the tendency they...

The Railway statistics of last year show very remarkably the

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extraordinary safety of railway travelling. The total number of travellers (excluding the season-ticket travellers) was no less than 538,281,295; and of these, one in every...

A correspondent of last Saturday's Times, writing on the death

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of Mr. George Loch, (IC., and Attorney-General to the Prinoo of Wales, who was formerly M.P. for the Wick Burghs, sketches a somewhat unique character, especially in relation to...

Consols were on Friday 94-94.

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The Alexandria Obelisk is safely paaked in its sea-going easel

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and by this date the strange vessel is probably. rigged. In fact, there is every prospect that it will arrive in the Thames long beforeit is wanted, or people know what, to do...

It seems that we were mistaken in supposing, with the

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Tinzem, that the letter published by Mr. Ruskin in his Fors Clavigera, from some eminent person, concerning the danger of holding up. to the hate of the ignorant poor, people...

The terror inspired by the Colorado beetle seems to depend

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very much, like a good deal of other terror, on novelty. Mr. Vernon Gregg, writing from Milford, New Jersey, who seems to &lave made the acquaintance of a vast multitude of...

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TOPICS OF THE DAY.

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LORD GRANVILLE ON THE WAR. C OMPLACENCY is hardly a fault in party leaders. Few men would ever attain to be party leaders at all without a considerable share of it, and...

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THE LEADER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON OBSTRUCTION.

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S IR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE has been making a speech to the Conservative Association of Plymouth. Ministers seldom have anything novel or startling to tell their supporters -within...

THE PROSECUTION OF M. GAMBETTA.

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T HE prosecution of M. Gambetta by a Minister so very skilful in Napoleonic repression as M. de Fourtou, unanimously determined on, moreover, in a session of the "complete...

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MR. FORSTER ON THE CHURCH.

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UR. FORSTER, in his speech at Bradford on Tuesday, ill defined his position on the Disestablishment question in a manner which may perhaps alarm the thorough-going Church and...

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POLICE-COURT PROLIXITY.

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W E hope that we shall not be 'thought to he interfering with the course of justice, if we put to those whom it may concern the question,---When will the inquiry at Bow Street...

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DEBTOR AND CREDITOR IN THE UNITED STATES.

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T HE Railway Strike in the United States has brought to the surface some elements of social discontent which have been seething dangerously in men's thou g hts for years past....

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THE MOONS OF MARS.

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IT is somewhat singular that during the last few years, in fact during the present century, many more planets than moons have been discovered within the Solar system. In the...

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THE LUXURY OF HATE.

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THE way in which at least one of our contemporaries has sub- sisted for years on its hatred of Mr. Gladstone, in which it has made meat and drink of his defects, and joy and...

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THE PACE OF MIND.

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IT is a familiar idea that there are quick-witted people and is people, but it is rather a startling addition to the notion that the pace of mind. may be measured by inches and...

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THE FUTURE LIFE.

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go THE EDITOR OF THE 44 HPROTATOR."3 Sin,—Mr. Greg writes that the belief in a future life must be. conclusive "to all to whose spirits communion with their Father is the most...

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

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THE MONITORIAL SYSTEM. (To TES EDITOR Or THE "spiv:awns.") SIR,—I abstain from all criticism of your correspondent, "Arthur Sttachey's" letter, in reply to mine of an earlier...

(TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.") SIR,—I do not know

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where your correspondent Mr. Arthur Strachey gets his facts, but to those who know the present state of our public schools, his assertion with reference to the moni- torial...

(TO THE EDITOR OF Tits "SrEareroa.") Sin,—Your correspondent, Mr. Strachey,

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says, "If it is really true that public schools and monitors are things inseparable, the future of Rugby, Winchester, and Harrow should be contemplated with the gravest concern...

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[TO THE EDITOR or THE " SPEOTATOR.")

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SIR,—Perhaps some of your readers will listen with interest to what might seem the echo coming from the far past of a touching passage in Mr. Greg's last letter, especially as...

"SEA OR MOUNTAIN ?"

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[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPEOTATOR."] Sin,—My article with the above title in the Fortnightly Review has been fortunate enough to elicit in your Columns a learned and i...

THE INDIAN FAMINE.

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[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.") Sin,—Your article of the 18th on the famine in Madras contains the horrible statement that the impure water which alone can be obtained for...

[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPEC/TAT0U:] Sin,—Pray allow me to

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assure Mr. Greg that I never intended my little parable as "an argument enough to build a creed upon," but only as an argument for not thinking it meritorious on the part of...

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BOOKS.

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JOHN M'LEOD CAMPBELL.* [FIRST NOTICE.) nATEVER may be the extent of the circle of readers who will be attracted to this memoir, there are some whom it will hold with a spell...

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SWINBURNE'S "NOTE ON CHARLOTTE BRONTE."

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WE have had the misfortune to offend Mr. Swinburne, by our comments upon the interesting memoir of the author of Jane Eyre which Mr. Wemyss Reid recently contributed to...

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THE OTTOMAN POWER IN EUROPE.*

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ANY book written by Mr. Freeman is sure to be readable, and a work from his pen on an historical subject, however ephemeral the occasion which may have called it forth, is sure...

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THE WATER-COLOUR PAINTINGS AT THE SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM.*

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Tins work of Mr. Redgrave's will hardly be of much use, except to students of the early history of Water-colour Art, who may profit by the introductory sketch which is prefixed...

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EGYPTIAN PROGRESS.* Mn. McCoAN ought to possess some good qualifications

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for writing on Oriental subjects. His long residence in Constanti- nople and his journalistic experiences there give him, in some ways, a peculiar advantage in dealing with the...

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On Christian Commonwealth, Translated from the German of Dr, Thiersch.

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(Clark, Edinburgh.)—This book treats of the relations of Christianity to the various existing forms of government, and many questions of present and pressing interest are here...

The Tame Turk. By Olive Harper. 8 vols. (Tinsley Brothers.)—

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This novel reminds us in a way of" Anastasius." It is only fair to say that Ohms-sat, the hero, ie a far more respectable personage than the villainous Greek whose confessions...

CURRENT LITERATURE.

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The Castle of St. Angelo and the Evil Eye, being Additional Chapters to the "Rob di Roma," By William W. Story. (Chapman and Hall.)—Mr. Story traces the history of the Castle...

University Life in Ancient Athens. By W. W. Capes. (Longmans.)

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—This volume contains the substance of four lectures delivered from the Chair of Ancient History at Oxford. They deal with a subject quite unknown in its details to ordinary...

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Mottisclijfi : an Autunin Story. By James Walter Ferrier. 2

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vols. (Blackwood.)—We find ourselves, after reading this story, with little • else to say.about it beyond expressing a languid wonder why it should be called "an autumn story."...

Recollections of the frisk Church. By Richard Sinclair Brooke, D.D.

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(Macmillan.)—It is rather hard to find a book of " recollections " of anything Irish with scarcely a good story in it. It is a more serious complaint against this volume that it...