The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-20 00:00:00

women.

In order to invoke this spirit of self sacrifice it is impor-
tant that the great object of the covenant we have wade
should be broadly circulated and thoroughly understood.
It discourages profligate expenditures of any kind, recom-
mends the use of domestic fabrics wherever they can be
substituted for those of foreign make, and advises simplicity
of attire both as a matter of policy and good taste. It asks
the great sisterhood of American women to aid in this reform
before it is too late.
Thank God T. science has given us the nreans of reaching
thousands on thousands in a single hour. While me make
this covenant, the thought that thrills our hearts may
tremble in fire along the telegraph, and awake kindred in-
spiration throughout the entire land. By every means of
communication in our power, let us urge the necessity of
prompt action. In every town and village throughout the
Union, some woman who loves her country is implored to
establish an auxiliary society and forward the names of the
ladies invited to act for the State in which her duty lice.
o;moidt2r.,,il,l antira3, zarma;:t work, and generoug
self-sacrifice at the hands of sister women. With their
ardent help, a work will be accomplished so important in its
results that the woman who shares in it may hereafter
leave the emblem of our object as the richest jewel that she
can leave to posterity.

BADGE OF THE COVENANT.
On motion of Mrs. Aan S. Stephens, it was resolved that
the badge of the National Covenant shall be a black bee,
with wings enamelled according to nature, worn with a.
tricolour ribbon a little in front of the left shoulder.
WHAT THEY ASK OF THE MEN.—On the motion of Mrs.
Ingersoll it was resolved, " That while, as the wives and
daughters and women of America, we are ready and deter-
mined to practice self-denial for the benefit of the country
and our sex, we earnestly request the men of America also
to abstain from the use of imported articlesospecially wines,
liquors, and cigars."
THE WOMEN TO SPREAD THE WORK.—On the motion
of Mrs. Morris, it was resolved that the women in the
nation, sympathising with the great object of this society,
be and hereby are invited to copy the covenant, record their
names thereto, and obtaining as many signatures as pos-
sible, forward the number (not the names) so obtained to
the committee of their state.
THE FAIR COVENANTERS PHOTOGRAPHED.—At the
instance of Dr. Sunderland, who had made several interest
ing speeches, the meeting delayed adjournment till photo-
graphed, when, on motion, the meeting adjourned, after a
number signed the pledge contained in the constitution.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISCOVERY.—At the anniver4
sary meeting of the Royal Geographical Society,
to be held at Burlington House, on Monday, May 23, the
the patron's or Victoria gold medal will be presented to
Captain Grant for his journey from Zanzibar across Eastern
Equitorial Africa to Egypt, in company with Capt. Speke,
and for his contributions to the work of that explorer.
The founder's gold medal will be given to Benin C. von
der Decken, for his two surveys of the lofty mountains of
Kilimanjaro, which he determined to be capped with snow,
and to have an altitude of not less than 20,000 ft. A testi-
monial will be also awarded to the Rev. Gifford Palgrave
for his adventurous journey across Arabia.

- -
BUSHRANGERS OF NEW SOUTH WALES.—The
formidable gang of bushrangers which for so long a
period infested the western districts which may now be con-
, sidered as almost exterminated. Gardiner, their original
founder and captain, was captured, together with his Pare"
incur, Mrs. Brown, on the 3d inst., at Apia Creek, in the
northern part of Queensland, and is now Safely lodged in
, Sydney gaol. Of Gilbert, who seems to have become the
ringleader when Gardiner disappeared from the scene,
nothing certain is known. It is said that be met his death
by accident and was buried in the bush by his Companions.'
But this statement, although generally believed' has, per-
haps, been :put into! circulation to facilitate his escape,
coolness,
Ben Hall, one of the mast prominent and daring members
of the gang from the very first, seems to be h
now remaining at large. According. to the statements of
tonwa
be en those
remarkable who
bnve
beenfor
byhroisbbredeat
him, he e
freedom from hase always
one
s
y
the flashness and bravado which characterised the
others, and civility, and even politeness, to those
whose property he has taken, and particularly when women
were present. The impunity which they so long enjoyed
was owing perhaps in a considerable degree to the fact that
occasions this notorious gang have treated females
the
s with to
more be regkainrildel,
y b
with remarkable consideration and respect ; and as this
course of conduct on their part was supposed to be due to
feelingsbthetexample
thanwere
biantdtis onfiice western
of Hall,
districts
he
m
extended to the others. This will perhaps
whi A
from hu t in
a wo
account for his being at large after most of his party have
been shot or captured. He had a remarkable escape a week
or twole suffering since
whichund in he
ewhais was known
ot,wasto have
surroundedentered,
by five policemen under Inspector Shadforth. A dog which
the police had brought, as for the purpose of giving Hall the
alarm, commenced harking, when the bushranger rushed
out, and, lame as he was, mounted his hots° in the fact
of the valiant officials, and rode through them without re-
ceiving a scratch—the black tracker who accompanied the
party being the only man who attempted to prevent him.
The meet remarkable busbranging crime of the month
was a daring and successful attack on the Bathurst mail,
at Lapstone Hill, near Is:curia), on the night of the 11th
inst. There were eight persons on the coach at the time,
including the driver. One was an armed policeman ; one
man, said to be a digger; two women, and three China-
men. Neither the policeman, the driver, nor anybody else
made the slightest resistance when the coach was ordered
to stop by three men. The Chinamen had large amounts cf
gold dust and money in their possession. Upwards of £7OO
was taken from them, and ahogether the robbers must, have
secured considerably over £l,OOO in cash, besides the China.
men's gold. The mails were, of course, cut open ; the
letters were scattered about the road, and the hoses cut
loose and driven into the bush—Sydney Empire, March 21.

LONDON, FRIDAY, MAY 20, 1861.

-_-

Glimpses are caught again through the frag.
mentary telegrams from America of yet additional
successes on the part of the Confederates. Un-

fortunately the e.ccoatts by this mail are

more than ever what we hi.vo just termed them

fragmentary. But even coming to as incoherently,
as they do, they are as c;learly as possible agcinst the
F,derals, and for the Confederates. The most im-

p rtant announcement of all is the one to the effect

that General BANKS, on his retreat from Grand

Rowe to Alexandria, vvas attleked by the Confede-

rates in force at Cane river, suffering heavily.
Thirteen transports, we are told, were blown up to

prevent their capture by the rebels. Besides which
it is added, more in detail, that G en......TgEBY SMITH,
in his official report of the Red River battles,

claims to have taken from BANKS 4,000 prisoners,

2,500 wounded, 8,000 stand of arms, 35 pieces of
artillery, 2,000 males, and 230 waggons. Again,
do we not read in another portion of these tele-
that the rebels endergrams,
MARMADUKE were

reported to have attacked and captured General

STKELE'S supply train of 249 waglione, 7 pieces
of cannon, and the entire escort of 1,000 men

Tae foremost e•.a!ement of all being to the Effect
that the Army of the Potornec advanced on the
3d inst., on the 4th crossing the Rapidan at Ely'B,
Jacob's, Culpepper, Germania, and United
States fords. Although, as is stated, the ac..
co-ants of preliminary operations tiro ~-f2ry conflict-
ing,itis tolerably well proved that the 5 :b New Yorb
Cavatry, skirmishing off the Orange Court House-
road near Perkins, were driven in with severe loss,
and that Gen.GßlFFlTEfsdivision,which was thrown
forward to feel the rebel position, encountered
the rebels under Gen. A. P. HILL. A fight is
reported to have thereupon ensued, in which the
F4derals took 300 prisoners, but lost two guns.
Further particulars, however, may be looked for

confidently in a day or two—possibly tomorrow,
probably on Sunday, for certain not later than
Monday—when the Canard steamship now awaited
shall have arrived.

The first occasion on which His Royal Highness
the Prince of WALES presided at a public dinner
was on Wednesday last, when he took the chair at
the Royal Literary Fund. It is a gratifying re-
flection that so distinguished an honour should be
conferred on this society, and it seems a gracious
and graceful tribute to the claims of literature that
a society formed for its service should be selected
as the ono which was thus particularised in a re-
markable degree. This society has always been
fortunate in its choice of chairman at its anniver-
sary festivals, On many occasions the most bril-
liant and conspicuous men of letters of the day
have come forward, and there is something very
pleasing to mark their efforts thus to render assist-
ance to a society which is formed to be of use to
their brethren who, treading the same path as
themselves, have not been so fortunate in their
career nor so favoured in their circumstances. The
presence of the Prince of -WALES on this occasion
was a happy omen fcr the prosperity of the insti-
tution, and it is to be trusted that many influential
personages will not be backward in following the
example thus set them frcm so high a quarter. We
know there are many who will always follow in the
wake of royalty or fashion who will not trouble
themselves to take up the cause of worth or to study
the merits of a case for themselves. It was a bril-
liant sight which met the view of his royal highness
when he assumed his new duties, and surely it is
time to expect that the dreary fate once supposed
to appertain peculiarly to authors is past when
the heir to the throne thus comes forward
to do honour and render service to the So-
ciety which has for aim end objsct the noble
endeavour to foster struggling talent, and to succour
decayed genius. His Royal Highness was able to
assure the meeting that their patron, the QUEEN,
still felt a concern in their welfare, and that all the
charitable institutions of the country were ever a
source of interest to her. This intelligence coming
from so undoubted an authority was doubtless web.
come tidings for his auditory, and thus in some
measure his Royal Highness may fill up the blank
that is so deeply felt through the QUEEN'S con-
tinued seclusion. It is difficult to persuade people
that those retired from public gaze, and withdrawn
from active participation in the stirring incidents
of life, are still interested in the general affairs of
existence, and keep up the attention that in happier
moments they were distinguished for feeling. The
Prince of WALES, in coming forward on this occa-
sion, followed the example of his father, who pre-
sided at the Literary Fund Anniversary at his
second appearance in public as a speaker. The deep
interest that he felt in all matters connected with
literature is fresh in the recollection of all, and his
son can follow in no better footsteps, if he wishes to
gain the regard of the cultivated members of the
community. The Prince, with a candour that did
him credit, declared that he could not tell them any-
thing new relating to the Society since he spoke in
the presence of those who knew much better than
he did the details and distinctive features of its
workings. Still in offering the incidental remarks
that must perforce be uttered by one in leis capacity
ths illustrious chairman selected BOW a very noCc ?able
peculiarities of the institutieh which they were
tt ea met to consider. In e'ae first place, he particu-
larised an admirable rule of its management,
namely, to draw r.o lino of demarcation between
countries, thus enabling those of every land to
1 share the 'advantages and to p irticipate in the
benefits '.)l. its agency. This is the right feelicg to
display since literature has no creed or country, but
in its extent and universality comprises every
nation and race. Also the Prince alluded to the
secrecy with which the assistance was given. This
is a very important element in its workings, and
Its successful attainment of the desired end must
depend, in a great degree, upon this rule being
adhered to. Earl RUSSELL performed his part very
creditably in proposing " Prosperity to English
Literature." The noble lord alluded to several
topics in the course of his address, which are well
worthy of attentive consideration. He said that it
was a pity that English literature was not more
studied in our schools, and that a clever man, the
head master at Eton, said that they had not a suffi-
ciently good method of teaching English in that great
school. Earl RUSSELL proposed a very wise solu-
tion to the difficulty, namely, that they should adopt
the same system with our own language that they
do with regard to the ancient tongues, and select
the works of the best authors for perusal. Of
course the noble lord was successful in his oration,
and on this theme he was well qualified to give an
opinion, since he has always been distinguished for
his love for literature. There was great truth in
his remark that fictitious personages always im.
press themselves upon our mind more vividly than
historical characters, when we meat with the former
in the works of those skilled artists who impart
such fiat ce and vitality to their illustrations. The
noble lord gave an amusing account of his time
being so much engrossed, by saying that he had
not made himself acquainted with the " Small
House at Allington '' because of the " Great House"
in Downing street, which took up so much of his
time, The name of Mr. ANTHONY TEOLLOPE was
coupled with this toast, and the great success which
has marked his literary efforts merited this honour.
able distinction. Earl STANIIOPE, the President
of the Institution, made an admirable address, and
diversified its course with some quotations which
cwrheaotleedthaims ulassetmen anniversarytande xeited interest. On the
must be regarded as a
most brilliant success, and it is to be trusted that
the prominence thus afforded to the merits of the
society will be of service in inducing those able
to assist to come forward and render their aid.

Few things are more important to the social wel-
fare and commercial prosperity of a
country
than
the development of the various forma of
its animal
life, and it is no wonder that the dwellers in a
fertile, but thinly populated, country likeAustralia
should feel anxious to increase the stores and enrich
the possessions of their adopted land. Of late years
some very important and successful efforts have been
made in this directfon ; and the report of the prO-
ceedings of the Acclimatization Society of Victoria,
which has just been published, contains an interest-
ing and gratifying account of the prospects of the
association. The committee are undoubtedly fortu-
tunate in possessing a climate so favourable for their
experiments, sires there can be no doubt that Aus-
tralia ie, as they declare in their report, singularly
adapted to a wide range of products. Already they
have attained unexpected success in several impor-
tant experiments, and have soceetded in domiciling
numerous animals, birds, and Lhes, with a view to
the purposes of the agriculturist, the sportsman, the
merchant and manufacturer, and the epicure. The
vast debt we owe toanimal the
fully realised; but if we re
suddenly kingdom
to
o i s b
edeprived
of all the materials used in daily life which they
supply to us in one form or another, a good deal
of business would stand still. In Australia the
wand of exploring expeditions are always borne in
mind, and accordingly an attempt is eing made to

acclimatize the camel. A herd was brought from i
India some time ago, at a cost of £l2O
ner head—a sufficient proof that these expe-
riments are somewhat serious undertakings.
This valuable collection had been drawn upon
for so many expeditions that it was likely to
become altogether dispersed, or eve❑ destroyed.
Efforts have lately been made by the Society to
collect the scattered members that were saved, and
they are now stationed at the Wirimera, where
they are breeding regularly. The Committee hope
that these useful animals may not only be service-
able for exploration, but also for carrying the pro-
duce of remote stations, situated perhaps in those
arid and sandy wastes where the want of water is
so grievously felt by other beasts of burden. It is
curious to find the camel, whose associations belong
to ancient history and the distant East, becoming
thus identified with the rough and bustling life of
our great Southern Colony, but such transforma-
tions are not uncommon under the influence of this
Society. The alpaca, whose name was hardly known
a few years back, has thriven most satisfactorily in
its new home. The value of its hair in a commer-
cial point of view is continually on the increase, and
from its peculiar properties is not likely to lose
favour. A little flock of llamas and hybrids has
recently been imported into Australia from. England,
and, as their numbers have already increased from
19 to 56, there seems no reason to doubt that they
will soon form a considerable collection. Various
kinds of sheep have been experimented with, and
some of them have proved especially adapted
to a hot c'imate ; while goats, both
Angora and Cashmere, have been also added
to the society's stock with great success. So rich
and prosperous a colony as Victoria has a right to
think of pleasure as well as business, and accord-
ingly we find the committee taking into considera-
tion the wants of future generations of sportsmen.
The fallow deer, the Indian elk, and the axis deer,
have flourished so well in their new country that
they have been turned loose at four different places.
The hog deer of India and other specimens of the
deer tribe are now in the possession of the society,
with a view to their ultimate release into the wilds.
The hare, a less distinguished but equally favourite
subject for sport, has been turned out on Phillip
Island, having been sent out by the Zoological
Society of London. Ia the ornithological depart-
ment the committee have been especially fortunate.
Pheasants, partridges, grouse, the English wild
duck, the Egyptian goose, doves, pigeons, curassows,
and many other kinds are being domesticated with
very satisfactory results. The humbler tribes of
feathered creatures 'nave not been forgotten, and it
may teach our farmers a useful lesson to learn that
a society so learned and wealthy, having dealings
with most parts of the civilised world, thinksit worth
while to import at considerable expense those little
songsters who are here so ruthlessly destroyed, and
this not with a view of increasing their specimens
or for the sake of their eoug,but solely for the bene-
-6t of the agriculturist. Hundreds of industrious
farmers, says the committee, have been ruined by
the caterpillar, and therefore the thrush, the sky-
lark, the starling, the chaffinch, and sparrows of
every kind have been carefully cultivated, while the
linnet, the robin, and several finches are being
domiciled by degrees. This is rather different from
sparrow clubs and poisoned wheat ! An important
addition to the possession of the colony has been
made in the introduction of the Ligurian bee, which
has multiplied with a rapidity beyond all expecta-
tion. Ia most instances acelirnatizition is a slow
and difficult process, on which much time and
labour must be expended before any great results
can be hoped for. This is especially the case with
the larger animals who only breed once a year, but
the success which has attended the (Inas of the
Society in many respects, gives every encourage-
ment for the fu'ure. Australia is especially adapted
by its geographical position for the experiments of
sueh a society ; and its connection with the mother-
country assist its efforts very considerably. We are
glad to find that the English Government has
afforded valuable aid t 3 the committee, who grate-
fully actanowledge their obligations to them and to
private individuals in many parts of the world.

Contradictory Rumours of the Pope's Health,

The ilonitcur cis Soir, of May 19, says :—" Letters
received hers from Rome to the 14th inst. atnounce that a
great improvement has taken place in the health of the
Pope, who was expected soon to resume granting audi•
ences."

The Opinione of Turin, May 19, says :—" Letters from
Rome to the 16th init. state that the illness of the Pope
has increased in an alarming degree. A secret pontifical
bull is said to have been issued, ordering a conclave, com-
posed only of the cardinals present in Rome, for the election
of a successor to Pius IX. before the death of the latter is
known to the public."

The Morning Post correspondent, in a letter from Rome,
dated May 11, says :—" The Pope's health continues to be
unsatisfactory, and the anxiety of his medical advisers is
iucreased by the impatience with which his Ho,iness,
generally of very active habits, submits to the regime of
repose which they consider indispensable for his recovery.

The Archduke Louis Victor was admitted to the Pope's
bedside cn Saturday morning for a farewell audience.
His imperial royal highness left Rome for Uivita Vecchia
on Sunday, and was accompanied to the railway station by
the Austrian Ambassador and the ex• King and Queen of
Naples, Apropos—their Majesties are once more:affection-
ately reconciled, and are to be seen driving about Rome
together, a conjugal example which has been followed by
the Count and Countess of Trani. Pio Nono himself is
said to have acted as peace maker between the two estranged
couples."

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

[REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.]

AMERICA.
(REUTER'S TELEGRAM.)
(Per the Damascus.)
NEW YORK, MAY 7 (Afternoon).
No decisive news has been received from Virginia.
General Burnside has joined General Meade.
Forrest has been defeated at Bolivar, Tennessee, by
Stages, who pursued him into Mississippi.
Cotton steady. Breadstuffs lower. Gold, 714
premium.

The Inman steamer Edinburgh, from New York
on the -rill inst., arrived at Queenstown at 8.50
a.m. to-day. She brings 121 passengers and 789,399
passengers, and proceeded
inat specie.9.2o
oini
.S h landedwe
ll
;23

HOLSTEIN.

ALTONA, MAY 19.

It is stated that, in order to prevent the reception
of Duke Frederick of Augustenburg on his visits
to places in Holstein hying an official character,
the Federal Commissioners have instructed the
authorities not to receive him.

FRANCE.
PARIS, MAY 20 (Morning).
The Constitutionnel of to-day in an article upon
the Danish question says
The Dano-German conflict is above all a clues.
tion of nationalities. The aspirations and interests
of the nationalities which gave rise to the conflict
should, therefore, be satisfied by a definitive solu-
tion. Holstein is German, and half of Schleswig is
German. It is therefore not astonishing that a
project exists to unite the German portion of
Schleswig with Holbtein."
The Constitutionnel then shows the inconveniences
that would arise from tho system of a personal union
between that new state and Denmark, and con-
cludes :

" It appears difficult to understand why the
populations should not be summoned to decide upon
a;Government, and it is probable that they would
then choose a German Sovereign. France has done
nothing to bring about this solution, but it is evi-
dent that it is not in opposition to her policy."
BOURSE, May 19.—The market has been more
buoyant, and a fair amount of business transacted
at an advance. Threes, for the Account, have im
proved to 66f. 80c., and Mobilier 1,170 f. Railway
Market without animation, and some of the lines
aro quoted rather lower. The market continued
firm to the close, and left off as follows

41 per Cents. 94 Italian Loan 69 25
Do. end month.... Do. end month 69 70
3 per Cents
Do. end month.... 66 85 Do. end month —
Credit M0bi1ier....1163 75 !Russian
Do. end m0nth....1175 Austrian
Bank Shares 3355 ' Spanish Threes.... _
Credit Fonder 1255 Rome Debt .. 49
Roman

RAIL \YAM
Cash. Acoonnt.
878 75 .. 880 --
992 50 995
880 .. 885

Orleans
Northern
Lyons and Mediterranean
New ditto
Southern
Western
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain
Saragossa..
Ditto to Barcelona

6.50 -

.. 652 50

500 - -
465 - 463 7.5
062 50 .. 366 25
405 - 407 50
533 75 .. 532 50
485 - 487 50
572 50 .. 570
270 -

INDIA AND CHINA.
(By Telcgre.ph from Sucz.)
CALCU ETA, APRIL 30,
Grey shirtiogs and mule twist quiet.
Exchange on London, 2i. lid.
Government securities, 4 per cents., 1)5; ditto, 5
ditto, 105;1 ; ditto, 5-I, ditto, 1131. Freight improv-
ing.

BOMBAY, APRIL 30.
Money higher. Discount, 15 par cent.
Exchange on London, 2s. lid.
Government securities, 50 per cents., 112.
The London mail of the 3d April arrived here on
the 26th inst.

CANTON, APRIL 15.

Grey shiKings, and water twist higher. Tea un-
changed. Total export to date, 107,000,000 lbs.
Exchange on London, 4s. 91d.
SHANGHAI, APRIL 9.
Tea, nothing dcing. Silk lower. Sottlements
during the fortnight, 350 bake.
Exchange on London, Os. „§l,l,

CHINA,
DEFEAT OF THE IMPERIALISTS-MAJOR
GORDON WOUNDED.
SHANGHAI, APRIL 9.

The Imperialists have been repulsed at Kintang.
Major Gordon was wounded, and several of his
officers were killed or taken prisoners.
The Imperialists are recovering from this re-
verse,
rroving to attack Kintang
Thep
receivingare
ere again
large reinforcements.
The rebels are believed to be hemmed in.

..................i•

MARSEILLES, MAY 20.

The ilfessageries Imperiales steamer Said, Capt.
Burnet, left yesterday with the mails, 43 passen-
gers, 603 packages of merchandise, and specie
value £135,500, for India and China, and 79 pas
sengers, 1,112 packages and specie value £7,420
for Alexandria.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE MAILS.
PLYMOUTH, May 20.
The Golden Fleece, from Calcutta on Feb. 20,
Madras, March 6; and Table Bay, April 9; passed
off here this morning.
She brings 19 days later Cape news; 90 pas.
sengers from India, and 22 from the Cape; and a
cargo of rice, indigo, and cotton.
At the Cape
Governor Wodehouse had re-
turned to Graham's Town, having declined
to arbitrate between the Free State and Basutos
in their boundary line
dispute, because the Free
State Yolksraad would
not give him unfettered
discretion, they stipulating that the Warden
boundary line of 1849 should be m6intained entirely.
The Governor proposed to assist in suppressing the
Frontier Castle thefts, by rigorously enforcing the
Pass system upon all frontier travellers, without
distinction of race, character, or colour.
d
The Colonial Gazette, of April 8, contained the
bills of the new measures proposed by the
Governor for the consideration of Parliament,
which was to meet oa the 27th April. The most
and an appeal court for the
fiomrptohretaenatstwerenredaistbriielltsf,or creating a supreme court
colony, a bill for establishing a registry office for
all deeds in the eastern districts, and a new road
bill, throwing the maintenance of existing roads on
the Circle-road boards formed in the districts con-
eo revenue as
con-
cerned. The formation of new roads and passes
to
hitherto. ba
chargedl,h r
et
eto the general colonialprovide for the
alin bills
existing revenue deficiency. They increase the
stamp charges, make larger additions to classes
of documents chargeable with stamps, and impose
duties on prciperty, successions, and upon bank
notes. With the additional revenue they will bring,
the withdrawal of tbe maintenance of road charges
from off the general revenue, the extension of the
crown land sales, and a judicious retrenchment,
it was hoped to equalise the revenue with the ex.
pen diture.

The mission in Moselikatses country was pro-
gressing favourably. I he missionaries were about
to make an application to the old chief for permis-
iion to establish a station in Matabele country.
Her Majesty's ship Salamander arrived at the

Cape on the 28th March, and the Lyra on the 6th
April, and wore lying with the Conqueror and the
Narcissus i❑ Simon's 13ay.
The Centaur sailed for England on the 3d April.
The Pearl arrived at the Cape on the 28th March,
and sailed for England on the 6th April.
The Golden Fleece land her mails and three pas-
sengers at Plymouth by pilot boat.

LITERATURE.

Miss Braddon's New Novel,

Henry Dunbar : The Story of an Outcast. By the
Author of "Lady Audley's Secret." Three Yols4
Second Edition. John Maxwell and Company.

Again Miss Braddon has given evidence of her
brilliant powers as a novelist. " Henry Dunbar"
justifies her reputation and will extend her popu-
larity. As a fictitious narrative it is as enthral-
ling as either of the two most celebrated among
her romances—meaning by those (need we say it P)
"Aurora Floyd" and " Lady Audley's Secret."
Bat Miss Braddon herself has a Secret no less
than her first heroine, Lady Audley—that formid-
able, delicate, ghostly, ghastly, blue-eyed adven-
turess, with the golden aureole of hair—a Secret
that our authoress would fain guard as long as
possible and with as jealous a care as that with
which Lady Audley guarded hers even from the
prying ayes of Robert Audley, of the Temple,
barrister-at-law, and amateur-detectiere, in the in-
terests of his noble-hearted old uncle, the baronet
of Audley Court, Lady Audley's deluded husband.
Miss Braddon's Secret having, moreover, relation no
!ess directly than Lady Audley's Secret to the ins
and outs of a peculiarly horrible murder—the murder
which is, as it were, the mainspring setting in
motion all the intricate cogged wheels, (fitting so
deftly and accurately, tooth by tooth, one with
another) in the wonderously-fabricated machinery
of the plot of this new three-volumed novel of
"Henry Dunbar.' Following the example of "an
eminent novelist"—Miss Braddon alludes of course,
as will be recognised •upon the instant, to Mr.
Wilkie Collins (vide the preface to the " Woman in
White")—the authoress of "Henry Dunbar" makes
a brief but earnest " appeal to the critics not to de-
scribe the plot." Having ourselves an especial
antipathy to that always unfair system, as
it seems to us, of epitomising the plot of a story,
by which some reviewers eke out their remarks,
without any advantage whatever to their own
readers, and certainly with no advantage at
all to the intending readers of the novel then
nominally under criticism—we should instinctively
have abstained from doing the very thing the
writer of " Henry Dunbar" would now especially
warn us from attempting. .We don't care in the
least, for our own part, at any time, in regard to
any fiction, to weary ourselves or, our readers by
writing a dull matter of fact epitome of the chain of
incidents constituting the plot of the imaginative tale
submitted to our consideration. And, naturally
enough, we should here have less inclination than
ever, if that were in any way possible, to undertake
any tedious little task of the kind, after the appeal
thus addressed to our sense of fair play by our
authoress. Common courtesy, in other words, there-
fore, it might be said, only confirms us in following
out the course dictated beforehand by our own
individual predilection. Having read the whole of
the three volumes throughout, rapidly, yet with the
most eager attention—as we have always found
ourselves constrained to do as yet with regard to
each successive work from the same gifted hand,
from the same pen of glamour and fascination—we
shall here remain inscrutably reticent in regard to
the inner secret constituting the charm of the pro-
found interest, colouring, pervading, permeat-
ing, as one may say, the whole plot of "Henry
Dunbar." It is the most daring idea of a plot that
even Miss Braddon has yet adventured upon ! The
plot of " Henry Dunbar" having, we are almost
tempted to assert this, more audacity and, in some
respects, more ingenuity about it, than the audacity
and ingenuity woven together in the pictured tissue
of " Aurora Floyd" or of " Lady Audley's Secret."
Here, however, we must let our authores,
herself deprecate, after her own inimitable
fashion, the censure hitherto lavished overmuch, as
it has always seemed to us, upon what, in the cant
phrase of the day, is entitled, for want of a better
name, the Sensation School of Romance-Writing.
Miss Braddon's deprecation of this excessive cen-
sure being put forth here, very effectively and, at
the same time, very briefly, not in her own words,
but in words borrowed by her from one of the very
greatest of our English classics in imaginative litera-
ture. That is to say, from;the writings of Daniel De-
foe—first among English story-tellers, first among
English journalists—that famous author (among
other immortal books) of "Robinson Crusoe" and
the "History of the Plague of London"—he who
was in his time (for writing at once boldly and ex-
quisitely) subjected to the double indignity of being
himself thrown into prison and of having his
works burnt by the hands of the com-
mon hangman ! Quoting from Defoe's writ-
ings, Mies Braddon here puts forth, in
vindication of her own works and of whatever in-
fluence they may have had upon the tone of cur•
rent literature, the following "notable declara-
tion," as she justly calls it, of that Great National
Worthy:—" Throughout this book this fundamental
is moat strictly adhered to : there is not a wicked
action in any part of it, but it is, first or last, ren-
dered unhappy or unfortunate; there is not a
superlative villain brought upon the stage, but he
is either brought to an unhappy end, or brought to
be a penitent ; there is not an ill thing mentioned,
but it is condemned even in the relation; nor a virtu-
ous, just thing, but it carries its praise along with it."
And by this standard Miss Braddon contents her-
self with requesting—surely with full reason ?
—that her story may be judged. So judging it
—so weighing iethe balance her former writings,
her narrative of " Eleanor's Victory," her world
famous romance of " Lady Audley's Secret," above
all, what we are still disposed (in spite of our
admiration for this enthralling story of " Henry
Dunbar"), above all, we say, what we are still dis-
posed to regard as Miss Braddon's masterpiece, her
tale of "Aurora Floyd "—we hesitate not, we have
all along never once hesitated, to pronounce these
so-called sensation stories, in no one jot more dele-
terious than—even, we will go so far as to say those
drearily didactic, not to say priggish morali■
ties, the awfully high-society novels of the
late Henry P;ummer Ward, author of " Tre-
maine !" First gift of all in a novelist, we take to
be the power of awakening interest, and afterwards
of sustaining that interest through the whole course
of a fictitious narrative. The which gift is certainly
and beyond any doubt of it Mies Braddon's, and
her's supremely. What is more—in her regard—
she has no affectations of style: affectations such es
are often glaringly apparent in the iastance of
her brilliant contemporary, Mr. Wilkie Coliins.
The blue fire is, no doubt, frequently
burnt, as one may express it, in the drama-
tised versions of her stories, as, for example,
in that closing scene of " Lady Audley " as
represented last season on the stage of the St.
James's. But the blue fire is never burnt in the
stories themselves. There are landscapes in
Miss Braddon's narrative that are exqui-
site specimens of word painting. Her " in-
teriors," too, as mere specimens of genre pictures
are often really admirable. Instance this, in
her very first novel the description of Audley Court
both inside and out—her delineation of the barris-
ter's bachelor chambers in the Temple—her limning
of the Limo Walk, musical with bees, fragrant with
blossoms, twinkling with lights and shadows like
the veriest sylvan cloister I And then, the portraits ut
her different characters—touched off with a lumi-
nous pencil as though they were sketched with
coloured phosphorus—the blonde Lady Audley,
already mentioned—the more voluptuous beauty of
Aurora Floyd--the manly Yorkshire equine—the
aristocratic Cornish cavalry officer—the savage,
drunken, red-headed boor of a tavern keeper
—the slang dog-fancier—the deformed stable•
help one and all—alike the refined and the
brutalised—she brings before us vividly like so
many living and breathing fellow-creatures. As in
her former stories, so it is here in this new work
of hers, "Henry Dunbar." Whether we are with
her in London or in Paris, in the great banking
house of St. Gunolptes-lane, the banking house of

Dunbar, Dunbar, and Balderby, or for a brief in-
terval in the atelier of Mr. Kerstall, senior, "Look-
ing for the Portrait"—whether we are at. Maudsley
Abbey or at Jocelyn's Rock, down inWarwickshire,
the former being Mr. Dunbar'e, the lattei Sir
Philip Jocelyn's—the localities are brought before
us in ull their details with the comprehensive yet
minute vividneSS of phetography. As for the
brilliancy of the charaotor-painting in " Henry
Dunbar," we shall not rest contented unless our re-
marks Arc at once graced and justified by a quota-
tion in the way of eiemplar. Here, therefore, is
Miss Braddon's charming delitnation of—