The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-04 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

01, Boulevard Beaurnarchais, Paris, Dec. 30.
Sir,-1 should earlier have acknowledged the notice
you took in _Ma Sun of the 25th of last month—by a
very extraordinary coincidence, the day on which Mr.
Lockhart died-of the unpublished manuscript of his.
illustrious father-in-law, which has become my property.
As, however, so great an incredulity reigned with regard
to it that not one editor, 1 believe, throughout the
United Kingdom was found courageous enough even to
whisper the news which you had so boldly announced, I
have deferred writing to you acknowledging your manly
and liberal conduct—a conduct which a perusal of the
work itself will ere long thank you for, far more expres-
sively than any terms I can employ—l say I have de-
ferred writing until I could add to my letter the assur-
ance that the letter of W.S. to W.S., and the manuscript
of the Romance itself, had been examined by the parties
in Paris most competent to judge of their authenticity.
That has been done; and now, sir, in addition to the
testimony of the much-respected gentleman on whose
authority, as I have since learned, you announced the
discovery on the 25th November, I have now the satis-
faction of referring you to the Jou;•nal des Debais of the
27th December instant, in which M. Philar6te Chasles,
one of the ablest writers and severest critics in France,
and, moreover, a personal friend of Sir Walter Scott,
, devotes five columns of that leading journal to the sub-
ject of the authenticity of these interesting manuscripts
--an authenticity which he establishes on the firmest of
all foundations, internal evidence ;—and to this I have
the pleasure of adding that, the correspondent of one of
the leading London morning papers has since examined
the manuscript. and not only coincides in opinion with
M. Philat dte Chasles, but gives it as his opinion that the
romance was a very early production of the pen of the
great Scottish novellist.

- Such being the case and the question of authenticity
set at rest—as I purpole to devote the surplus of the
first edition to the " Patristic Fund"—perhaps there
may not now exist the tame fear on the part of your con-
temporaries to copy the following resum-e of the work,
which can scarcely fail to be road with interest even by
those who have hitherto been the most incredulous.

Accept, sir, the assurance of the high consideration of
E. SAINT MAURICE CABANT,
Directeur.General do 13 Societ6 Archivists de
Franco.

MOREDUN ; A TALE OF THE TWELVE HUNDRED AND
TEN.—A manuscript, bearing this title, has been brought
to light in Paris under most singular circumstances, and
after undergoing the scrutiny of the first writers and
severest critics of that capital has been authenticated
as an early romance of Sir Walter Scott, which had
been the pirate property of his daughter, Miss
Anne Scott, as is also attested by a letter, found along
with the manuscript of the romance. It is in 25 chap-
ters, and will form three volumes similar to Waverley.
The titles of the chapters are, 1. The Inundation ; 2.
The Incantation ; 3. The Council Chamber ; 4. The
Crown and Anchor ; 5. Marsden Rocks ; 6. The Two
Kings ; 7. The Seal ; 8. Private Conferences ; 9. The
Borderer; ; 10. Durham ; 11. Ettrick Shaws ; 12. The
Golden Cross ; 13. The Lion's Mouth; 14. Sherwood ;
15. Ingleborough ; 16. The utrid ; 17. The Storm ;
18. The Fire ; 19. The Arbour ; 20. The Wreck ; 21.
The Three Knights ; 22. The Caverns ;23. The Wool.
pack ; 24. The Moot Hall ; 25. Conclusion. The story
is interesting, full of incident and lively description ; is
rapidly and forcibly told, and more dramatic in its style
than almost any other of Sir Walter's works, whilst the
portraits of the two kings, Jelin, of England, and Wil-
liam, the lion of Scotland, are admirably drawn, and
placed
in fine contrast. The proprietor of the manu-
script, we understand, in consequence of an incredulity
on the part of publishers, which has gone the length even
•f refusing to examine the manuscript itself, purposes to
publiah the work himself, and to give the surplus which
may arise out of the first edition to the " Patriotic
Fund." Thus the public will be constituted the judges,
and not one copy more will be printed than is actually
demanded by public opinion. To this end, the Union
Bank of London, acting for Messrs. Gil and Co., bankers
at Paris, mandatories of the proprietor, M. de Saint
Maurice Cabany, 91, Boulevard Beaumarchais, Presi-
dent of the Society of Archivists of France, is autho-
rised to receive subscriptions and to grant receipts.
The price of the work, in three vole , 3v0., handsomely
printed, will be SOs.; four copies will be supplied, car-
riage free, for 51. Thus, any bookseller, on receiving
orders for four copies, on paying 51. to his banker, who
will advise through the usual channels of the Union
Bank of London, will receive in return, immediately on
publication, the four copies subscribed for. On the
prompt and liberal reception, then, by the public of this
handsome arrangement on the part of the proprietor, will
depend the amount of the sum to he paid over to the
"Patriotic Fund ;" and it will be none of the least re-
markable incidents of the extraordinary times in which
we live to find the Author of " Waverley " a large con-
tributor to the fund in aid of the brave armies now suf-
fering all the privations and hardships of war in the
Crimea.

TEA PARTY IN AID OF THE PATRIOTIC FUND.—The
Shrewsbury Journal has an account of a "monster tea
party" held on New Year's-day, in the district of
Horsehay and Dawley, in aid of the Patriotic Fund.
The proceeds of the tea party was expected to 3anoutit
to 1274, after all incidental expenses had been paid,