try is running, and to spend less and be mended that Poland should be made an indemore careful of his soldiers. But if the pendent kingdom under some prince of the clergy were strong, and honest, and deter- Imperial family. As the Emperor Alexander, mined-if they appealed to feelings largely however, will assuredly not adopt the suggesand deeply entertained—and if the jobbing of tion it is useless to discuss a compromise political bishops was a thing not to be pur- which might probably be advantageous if it chased-the emperor would have to deal with were not altogether imaginary. It is with a power independent of his own, and which Russian claims to sovereignty, and with Polhe might have to obey very much against his ish efforts for independence, that the Governwishes. As it is, the emperor has, for the ments of England, France, and Austria have present, gained rather than lost by the elec-practically to deal. The difficulty of even tions; and he may perhaps be inclined to devising a feasible proposal seems almost inpress his advantage, and, by making some superable. Lord Ellenborough proved that further approach to the appearance of lib- an armistice was impossible; and Lord erty, give a fuller vent to the desire for po- Russell, not less conclusively, answered litical action which he hopes always to be able that it was nevertheless indispensable. A to restrain within very moderate limits. But cessation of arms implies a demarcation of the elections have also revealed, among other limits between regular belligerents, occupythings, the weak point of Imperialism. The ing respectively certain districts, with temdifficulty of all despotisms is to get servants porary exemption from hostile interference. that are to be trusted, and this difficulty is In Poland, the enemies are intermingled with immensely increased by the character which one another in every part of the country; and French Imperialism claims for itself. It re- the Russian officers, with the aid of the peasquires the nicest tact, and the largest pa- ants whom they can cajole or bribe, exercise tience, and the readiest adaptation of means military tyranny over all unarmed opponents. to ends, in order to work so delicate and com- The bands of insurgents only meet together plicated a system as that of an expansion of for the purpose of active operations, and intellectual and political activity under the during an intermission of hostilities they · check of an overwhelming physical force. must either cease to exist, or violate the conBut the emperor, even if capable of under-ventions which might have been executed standing vaguely how this system is to be on their behalf. On the other hand Lord worked, is far too undetermined, and too fond Russell was justified in arguing that it would of abstracting himself from daily cares, to be idle to negotiate between the combatants direct every process himself; and when he while an internecine war was carried on with tries to work through others, he finds no one every circumstance of violence and cruelty; to his hand except such blundering, short- and it may, perhaps, in a conflict of impossisighted, hot-headed partisans as M. de Per- bilities, be allowable to select the course which signy. This is where the empire threatens is nominally the more humane. When the to break down. The time may come when Three Powers have agreed to propose an arthere will be no Louis Napoleon behind the mistice, they will be met by the further M. de Persigny of the day; and then either question whether they are prepared to enforce the Opposition will be much more formidable the acceptance of their recommendations. than it is now, or else Imperialism will de- Lord Russell expresses the deliberate opinion part altogether from its theoretical character, of his countrymen when he protests against and will be nothing more than a despotism war on behalf of Poland, although Lord Elof the most stupid and barbarous sort. lenborough states, with approximate truth, that the motive power of diplomacy consists exclusively in the force which may lie behind it. Yet it is almost impossible to be silent in view of a contest which deeply interests THE conversation in the House of Lords on every intelligent portion of the European Monday last strongly illustrated the compli- community. By discussing the Polish quescations of the Polish question. Lord Ellen- tion in the House of Lords, Lord Ellenborough, while he avowed a desire to main- borough himself makes one of those appeals tain the influence of Russia in Europe recom- to justice and to public opinion which he

From The Saturday Review, 13 June.
POLAND.

deprecates or slights as useless when they are insolence. It is idle to ask a Constitution formally addressed to a foreign Government. from a Government which would unhesitatPerhaps he underrates the force of national ingly despatch any formidable opponent to protests, which, notwithstanding pacific pro- the depths of Siberia. fessions, necessarily involve a certain amount of menace, although the threatened danger may be contingent or remote.

The chief objection to the diplomatic remonstrances of foreign powers is founded on the difference between the area of the insurThe reticence of diplomatic language is rection and the Poland of diplomacy. If more significant than the conventional phra- similar negotiations were pending between seology which accompanies and conceals it. the European Governments and the United The notes which will probably be addressed States, it would be absurd to stipulate for the by England, France, and Austria to their rep- separate rights of Virginia and North Caroresentatives at St. Petersburg, suggest a so- lina, while Georgia and Alabama were equally lution of the Polish problem which is imprac- in arms. The Poles have risen against their ticable because it is incomplete. When the oppressors almost from the Black Sea to the three Governments propose the establishment Baltic, and yet Lord Russell can only recogof a representative system in the kingdom of nize the petty kingdom which was created at Poland, they ask an ostensible concession Vienna from the former Duchy of Warsaw. which neither expresses their own opinion Volhynia and Podolia are in revolt, though nor realizes the objects of the insurrection. they were seized by Russia in 1793. The Lord Russell may be supposed to cherish a provinces to the cast of the Dwina and the pervading faith in Parliamentary institutions; Dnieper still resent the spoliation of 1772; but M. Drouyn de Lhuys is the colleague of and even the earlier annexations of Russia M. de Persigny, who denounces a constitu- are now seriously menaced. The Poles who tional Opposition as an organized conspiracy, happen to belong to the Congress kingdom are and Count Rechberg speaks in the name of a not at liberty to separate their fortunes from court which has but recently abandoned on the cause of their countrymen within the compulsion the rudest and most undisguised Russian frontier. In this respect, if in no form of administrative despotism. The Em- other, their interest enforces the dictates of peror Alexander will not be deeply impressed honor and duty, for their hope of persisting by the desire to propagate liberal doctrines in the struggle until they can receive assiswhich animates his advisers in Paris or Vi- tance from abroad mainly depends on the and Prince Gortschakoff has already | wide area which the insurrection covers. The informed Lord Russell that English institu- Russians could almost certainly collect a force tions are inapplicable to the state of society sufficient to crush the Poles of the kingdom; which prevails in Russia and in Poland. It but at present they are compelled to scatter is still more material to remember that the their troops over several degrees of latitude heroic struggle of the Poles themselves is di- and longitude. In some of the widely separrected to the attainment of wider and higher ated districts which take part in the war, the objects. Parliaments will probably follow peasants, for various reasons, are disposed to the victory which almost begins to seem pos- aid the national cause, which is elsewhere sible; but the gallant scythemen and their supported only by the upper and middle leaders are fighting, not for representation, classes. It is not even certain that the conbut for independence. When the revolt be-tagion of resistance may not extend to some gan, they broke with the Russian dynasty as the American Confederates finally repudiated the Government of Washington. They well know that imperial promises, even if they were as liberal as their own former demands, want the guarantee which would be necessary to secure their observance. No outrage could be more inconsistent with the existing law than the conscription which provoked the rebellion. A Parliament may be a sovereign Assembly, in England, or a Prussian butt for ministerial

enna,

purely Russian provinces. On the whole, religion and language form a surer bond of union than the provisions of the Treaty of Vienna. It is intelligible that Austria should be unwilling to recur to the original partition, but the reasons which confine the attention of England to the rights of the kingdom are little more than technical scruples, and France professes a sympathy with the Polish nation wherever it is struggling for its independence. The diplomatic communications which have

been addressed to Russia are chiefly impor- | Bourbons was on the eve of its fall, Charles tant as indicating the possible policy of the X. was engaged in negotiation with Nicholas Western Powers if they at any future time for an alliance directed to the overthrow of proceed from words to acts. No party in the Turkish empire. Ever since the Crimean England proposes immediate interference, and war, the courts of France and Russia have the blunder of the Mexican expedition renders more than once affected the ostentatious disit difficult for France to engage in any Euro-play of a menacing friendship. Two great pean war. It may be true, as Lord Stratford military empires, separated by wide distances, de Redclyffe declared, that the world is at may easily select separate objects for their present in a confused and disjointed state, but cupidity and ambition, and experience shows every Government is pressed by the strongest that an arrangement between France and motives to avoid or postpone any actual col- Russia may at any time endanger the general lision. peace. It is not the business of English statesThere is something to be said in favor of men to plot against the greatness of any exLord Ellenborough's opinion that the great- isting power, but if the Polish insurrection ness of Russia is essential to the balance of should unexpectedly cripple the strength of power, or, in other words, to the object of Russia, some consolation might be found for checking the aggrandizement of France. In the inevitable misfortune. There is, at least, the last days of Napoleon, Russia, for the first no sufficient reason for checking the natural and last time, rendered valuable services to sympathy which attends the gallant struggle Europe. On all earlier and later occasions, the of an oppressed community. A peculiar moral aggressive propensities of the great Northern interest attaches to a resistance organized and Monarchy have been dangerous to civiliza- conducted by the national leaders and repretion and to national independence. Russia sentatives of the nation, in defiance of the was allied with Austria and France against apathy or treason of a degraded population. Prussia and England in the Seven Years' The appeals of Russian officials to the avarice War; and when England was engaged in or jealousy of the peasantry remove any doubt war with the revolted American Colonies, which might have been entertained as to the with France, with Spain, and with Holland, justice of the Polish cause; and when the Catharine II. took the opportunity of aiming agents of a despotic monarchy practise the a blow at English maratime greatness by doctrines of revolutionary Jacobins, the lovforming, with the other Baltic States, the ers of law and order ought to unite with the armed neutrality of the north. The Em- friends of liberty in denouncing their crime. peror Paul joined the French Republic against The satisfaction of being certainly on the England, and some years afterwards his son right side is unfortunately somewhat alloyed agreed with Napoleon at Tilsit on a partition by the impossibility of giving practical ef of Europe. When the elder branch of the fect to benevolent sympathies.

THE GREAT STONE BOOK OF NATURE.-By D. | troduction of the young idea to the leading facts T. Ansted, M.A., F.R.S., etc. (Macmillan and of geology.-Spectator. Co.) Under this somewhat fanciful title, Mr. Ansted has given us an excellent elementary introduction to the results of geological research. The Stone Book" is, of course, the crust of the earth, the agencies by which it has been formed constitute the language in which it is written, and the fossils which it contains are the pictures by which it is illustrated. All these and other incidental branches of the subject are treated by Mr. Ansted in a manner which renders them at once interesting and intelligible to the most ordinary capacity, and it would not be easy to find a more suitable medium for the in

A NOVEL mode of lighting has been introduced at a Baptist church, just built at Philadelphia. There is not a gas-burner in the audience room. In the panels of the ceiling are circles of ground glass, two feet in diameter. Above each of these, in the loft, is an argand burner, and a powerful reflector. The effect is just about the same as if thirty full moons shone on the ceiling. The light is not sharp and intense, but abundant and mellow, and not painful to the eyes.