The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-12 00:00:00

SUN,

LITERATURE.
POEiIIS FRO MY FIRESIDE. By Maria
Goodluck. Darton.
A pretty little volume of very simple and very in-
nocent verses, designed as "an affectionate offering"
for " the young"—meaning children. Most of the
pieces are fables, each conveying some homely mere,' ;
and the whole book is dedicated "by permission,"
says the fly-leaf—end that fly-leaf is a passport of
itself—to Charles Dickens.

ABSCONDING DEBTORS' ARREST ACT.
With Notes. By Robert Malcolm Kerr. John Crock-
ford.
A clear, concise, and practical digest of the Ab-
sconding Debtor's :Arrest Act has here been com-
piled by Mr. Kerr, advocate and barrister-at-law.
the forms given as an Appendix will be found pecu-
liarly valuable for reference.

THE ITALIAN VOLUNTEERS. By Emilio

Dandolo. Longmans.
This work is described as an authentic narrative of
the organization, adventures, and final disbanding of
the Italian Volunteers and Lombard Rifla Brigade in
1848.49, translated from the edition published at
Turin in 1849. In the author's preface he observes
that he hesitated much before giving these pages to
the public, until, induced by the encouragement he
met with from those he consulted on the subject, and
his desire of lending his assistance to those who, de-
sirous of finding the truth, are unable to do so from
the confusion and obscurity in which the period de-
scribed is involved :
" I had accidentally been placed in such circumstances
as to be able frequently to form a clear and precise
judgment respecting various occurrences, which, for
others, were either of dubious charqd9r, or liable to he
falsely interpreted. From early intimacy and habits of
friendship I was like a brother to the late Luci,;,no
Madura; for about a year I was his adjutant and secre-
tary for military affairs, and above all. his inseparable
companion in the reverses which led him at last to the
tomb. I h d, therefore, the means of viewing, in their
trus light, the perplexing changes of events in which he
and his c,:mrldeg were so lamentably entangled
and ruined. Without any interested views or
regard to piny fedi:7g, I have felt, in publishing this
brief narrative, that I was paying the last tribute due to
the memory cf my friend, and though far from confi-
dent in the merits of the style, I hope nevertheless to
meet with some indulgence for the sake of the spirit of
justice which it has been my constant endeavour to pre-
serve throughout. For my only desire in these pages
has been to speak the truth on all occasions, and to be
impartial both as to things and persons; so that if I
have deceived myself I can at least claim the praise of
honesty for my intentions."
As a spirit of truth and impartiality is the most rare
to find, though most valuable when obtained in a
work of this sort, it is not doubtful that the present
volume will be welcomed by all those who desire to
study the course of events in the eventful years they
describe.

TRAVELS IN TA HT ARY, THIBET, AND
CHINA. National Illustrated Library.
This is the second volume of these travels, which
derive interest and originality from the circumstance
of their being descriptive of a region comparatively
little known. Au engraving of the Mausoleum of a
grand Lama of Thibet is prefixed, and the various il-
lustrations of the inhabitants, the scenery, and the ani-
mals of the countries delineated are very instructive.
The extraordinary customs of the Buddhists are also
related, and the reader will find the entertaining and
the useful combined in a very agreeable manner.

MEMOIRS OF EXTRAORDINARY POPU-
LAR DELUSIONS. 2 Vols. National Illus-
trated Library. By Charles Mackay, LL. D.
A very interesting account of the various follies and
superstitions of the past and the present. "The Mis-
sissippi Scheme," " The Slow Poisoners," " Popular
Admiration of Great Thieves," form a conspicuous
portion of the narrative. Bat we are surpris-d to
find " The Crusades" included i❑ the number.
Few will agree to place those exploits of chi-
valry and enthusiasm which have ever been sur-
rounded by poetry and romance by the side of " The
Witch Mania," " The South Sea Bubble," Dick
Turpin, and Jack Sheppard. There are also chapters
descriptive of haunted houses, duels, and ordeals, the
alchymists, and the magnetisers. The volumes are
bound and illustrated in the usual excellent style of
this library.

THE STORY OF NINEVEH.
THE BRICKSONS. Paton and Ritchie,

Edinburgh.
These works are intended for the young, and will
be found to possess much that is beneficial. " The
Story of Nineveh," as its name indicates, contains a
description of that great city, its founder, its history-,
and its ruins. " The Ericksons" and "The Clever
B by" are two instructive and pleasing tales, by Miss
Francis Brown, whose powers as an author are so
well known. The first is a history of life in Norway,
the second a tale of the mishaps of a clever boy who
only considt:red hiccsPlf. They form a geat acquisi-
tion to Cho young, who must derive from their perusal
both pletvure d prk,fit.

A PICTURE-BOOK FOR A NOAH'S ARK.
Chapman and Ball.
An excellent zJulogical work, which contains de-
scriptions of two hundred animnls, with pictures
which give a very good impression of them. There
is a great variety in the subjects selected for repre-
sentation, and the descriptioni being clear and concise,
are well calculated to attract and inform children.

THE BOOK OF THE GARDEN. By Charles
ill'lntosh. Part .1. William Blackwood and Sons.
The object of this work is " to exhibit all that is
known at the present day on the subject of gardening,
and to make public the author's long and extensive ex-
perience and the original views which that experience
has developed." It is to consist of two divisions—the
first ornamental and architectural; the second practi-
cal. The present number contains the introduction,
which describes the origin and progress of gardening,
and two chapters which treat of the formation and
arrangement of fruit gardens and garden walls. The
following is extracted from the introduction :
" The gardens of Solomon, the earliest of which we
have any certain account, are described as having been
of a quadrangular form, and surrounded by a high wall.
The exact form and arrangement are still in most gene-
ral use. They contained aviaries, wells, and streams of
water, indispensable in warm climates.
" The gardens of Cyrus and other Persian kings were
distinguished for their romantic situations, great extent,
and diversity of uses and products, and were in their
day reckoned among the wonders of the world.
" The celebrated hanging gardens of Babylon furnish
us with the first notice of terraces being introduced into
gardens; and although llerodotua and others are silent
on the subject, it is not improbable that these terraces
had their usual decorations of parapets, vases, Pee., as we
learn that they were planted with trees of various kinds.
We also learn that the different terraces and groves con-
tained fountains, seats, parterres, and banquetting rooms,
and combined the minute beauties of flowers and foliage
with masses of shade and extensive prospects. Indeed
most of the elements of a modern architectural garden
are clearly alluded to in connexion with these arcient
ones, if we except the great varieties of flowers and
plants. Even in these, however. they were not altoge-
ther deficient; for we learn from Xenophon's Memorab,'
" that wherever the Persian King Cyrus resides, or what-
ever place he visits in his dominions, he takes care that
the paradicea (or gardens) shall be filled with every-
thing both beautiful and usetul ehe soil can produce."

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—Johanna Wagner,
for whom the Operas are disputing, but respecting whose
ultimate whereabout we believe there is little question, will
arrive in London in a few days. She is engaged (so we are
assured upon authority altogether commensurate) at her
Majesty's Theatre, at which great establishment she is to
appear in the week immediately succeeding Easter. Romeo,
in Bellini's opera of Capuletti ed I Illontecchi, is to be her
opening character, a part in which she is stated to be beyond
all comparison. A new opera by Meyerbeer, of course for
his distinguished pupil, and this now world famous artiste is
talked of as an early novelty. Cruvelli appears on Saturday
as 21'orma, and instead of being on her way to Brazil, to
which region operatic gossip had rather precipitately con-
signed
than fort
,osher, she arrived in London on Saturday. The grace-
ii..l,-cati. has arrived in the metropolis, and will appear
extraordinary
a new ball t. It may be cited as a proof of her
dented in
she was the heroine popularity
at Turin, that a new ballet, of which
intertetirl English drama called Victorine, was performed no
g heroine, and which hellet is founded on a very
Madame Falcon' -
thitnnes in succession, a fact almost unprecee_
next, in Fidelio.l "Aarrino.ved'
DRURY
THEATRa —The renowned singer
history of this description of entertainment.
Contern
"LA/itic
..: ace this evening.
and will appear here on Friday
Another great attraction is the reduction
of prices, which takes
ME. CHARLES 1L AN.---We stated last week, on
the authority of a
had, in the most liberal matirearY, that Mr. Charles Kean
two pounds a week of the emplri, paid up all the salaries under
who, but for this act of generosity, at the Princess's Theatre,.
salary, through the unavoidable closing
have lost a week's
sequent upon Dlr. Kean's sudden singisof the theatre, con-
learn that a slight mistake has beenPrnit!ton• We now
of the salaries paid, which was all under three pseuds,
in the limit
of under two pounds a week. We need net flillrulds, instead
thitsr 116 11
kind and considerate feeling which prompted g ['ion the
donation to those persons in the theatre, who coiliir N3ected
a week's salary, deducted from their.. little !nconeELlVPeire
t Fleasure in inserting our esteemed
Times. [We feel great
d t enled
correction of the un ers atement vie had
Contemporary's
of ageri 1 l'b '
act man a i erality, an
made respecting Mr. Kean s. .
the recipients than creditable to
act not more gratifying to
the generous benefactor.]
a curious A
Lola Montes has published
lances at the/
histppeal ory of"
in the New York Journals. She g
sh e did
her marriage at thirteen years to an old man whom
on er
not love. She invokes the justice of Heaven u h p
Jesuit. enemies who plotted the ruin of her friend the good
old King Louis of Bavaria, as " virtuous and kind-hearted
a gentleman as lives on earth." She is proud of her love
_.
for him, which is not of a kind to be ashamed of, and will
be his friend while he lives. Lolas asserts that the Bavarian.
Prince, Minister d'Abel, and Metternich of Austria, offered
her four millions of frauds and the title of Princess, if she
would aid them in their plans to control the King. Being
concerned, at her request, he overheard the offer. By the
Jesuit. and Attstriau Power Lola says she 1131 been deprived
of her property, and she is now but a poor danseuse seeking
her livelihood. "I have been vain, frivolous, ambitious,
P,r9utl—but oyer vicicio,uover czuol."

QUARTERLIES
THE QUARTERLY REVIEW. No. CLXXX.
A more admirable number of this distinguished
periodical ha 4 riot for a considerable time past made
its appearance. Diversified as the eleven articles
esonstituting..the contents are, they are each of them
marked by intelligence, three or four of them being
upon-Meir respeeiVe-Subjects really masterly disserta-
tions. A delightful chapter, in which " Sir Roger
de Coverley" ai edited, from the ~" Spectator," by W.
Henry Wills, iS passed under very genial criticism, is
followed by a brief paper-publishing for the first time,
"The Garland;' by. Horace Walpole—a curiosity of
literature for Which the Quarterly is indebted to Mrs.
Bedford, of Upper Seymour-street, the wife of the
grandson of Walpole 'e confidential deputy in the Ex-
chequer., 'Written in 1761 in the most adulatory
style thirpids the King, this " Garland " con-
trasts "stiaigely enough titit the " Memoirs
of George IIIa" written in 1766, and penned in a
tone scarcely less than scurrilous towards the Sove-
reign. It reveals deplorable insincerity in " lorry's"
nature, and must tend more than anything yet
brought to light, to injure his reputation. A review
of the " Diary of General Patrick Gordon," is fol-
lowed again by a slaughtering attack upon some
" Recent Epics,"--making mince-meat of poor
Joseph Cottle'a "-Alfred," no less than of the
"Alfred " of John Fitchett, attorney-at-law, and
client of the muses--whose name was presumed by
himself to be numbered with those of Homer, Virgil,
and Milton. Then, again, William Richard Harris
sutlers castigation for his " Napoleon "—a sort of
sesquipedalian rendering of Alicon into metre. " The
Sacred Incidents "'of some behemoth of a bard cal-
ling himself " Psychologist," are likewise considered
withh careful attention—the critic unfolding in their
regard a project entertained by the author
such as if realized would have utterly eclipsed the
Crystal Palace and its contents, the Great Exhibition
—yielding 1,000 per cent. and unfolding to the
ravished senses of the beholders a quarter of a mil-
lion of evere feet of- pictures (representing every in-
cident from the Creation to the Resurrection), these
pictures in their turn being illustrated by a poem and
creed (delivered by a first-rate elocutionist) of propor-
tieeate dimension ! " Imagine," says the Quarterly

Revieu',—
"Imagine. Psychologist in his rostrum and the pictures
in front of hini—the crowd with one eye on the painted
scene, and the other on the author and designer' en-
thusiastically acting it—fancy his frenzied declamation,
and the,band accompanying him in the musical inter-
ludes'—ard suppose all this to be continued for three
consecutive days before the same spell-bound and enrap-
tured audience, and it is impossible to deny that it would •
have been, as the prospectus promised, the most novel
spectacle ever presented to an English public.' The
nearest approuch to it—tor, we believe, the. famous
tragedy in 25 acts, composed by Nat Lee in Bedlam,
never reached the stage—seems to have gratified the
days of Goldsmith, who paid five shillings to hear some
Psychologist of Lilliput read a printed ode, of which
Johnson said that bolder words and more timorous
meaning were never brought together.' "
The solemn passage in which the author of this
colossal epic of epics claims to himself the copyright
of all his ideas of these illustrations, is altogether too
rich in its way to be omitted. Listen :
" This work having been written with the intention of
its being produced before the public in the form of read-
ings or recitations, to be accompanied by a complete
series of dioramic representations—and upwards of two
hundred and fifty of such, to illustrate the first two
volumes, being now in progress by tho author—he is
desirous of giving his own pictorial rendering to the
conceptions contained therein, in order that his meaning
should be telly embodied. He therefore makes the sub-
jects herein imagined to be copyright with the poetry, until
such restriction is removed?'
Well may the critic remark that the notions of
Psychologist as to monopoly and copyright " are
evidently on a par with the rest of his
ideas "—seeing that he has in the above
!paragraph solemnly issued a decree that " no one is
to paint a picture from any chapter in Scripture be-
tween the creation and the Red Sea until he shall be
pleased in the plenitude of his power to dissolve the
injunetion!" The Rev. Henry Stebbing is not alto-
gether overlooked for the temerity with which he has
given to the press a work rather profanely entitled
" Jesus ;" another wight, Thomas Hawkins to wit,
being subjected in like manner to a literary flagellation
for the nine books which be blasphemously designates
" The Wars of Jehovah in Heaven, Earth, and Hell ;"
while the 'Critic, in addition to all this, ventures to
break a lance in the name of " Luther" with the Rev.
Robert Montgomery. The article is altogether one
of the most slashing; and sparkling, and satirical dia-
tribes on " Recent Epics ",that could well be desired
by the most vehement antagonists of that bathos which
has been happily termed the Art of Sinking ! The
subsequent-contribution is a masterly treatise on the
" Progress of Comparative Anatomy," opening with a
panegyric on the immortal founder of the science, one
of the giant minds of England, the great John Hun-
ter, and afterwards recounting the very wonderful
development of the science consequent on the re-
searches of Richard Owen—the celebrated professor
upon whose shoulders the mantle of Hunter is not
incorrectly said to have fallen, and who is nobly and
aptly styled the Cuvier of this country. One anec-
dote mentioned here of Owen is worth repeating.
When he meditated returning to the navy as a surgeon,
having been formerly on the books of the Admiralty
as a midshipman, the young anatomist called upon his
eccentric instructor Abernethy, to bid him farewell
What is all this?' said Abernethy—' Where are
you going?'
" Going to sea, sir.'
" Going to sea— going to the devil!'
" I hope not, sir.'
" Go to sea! You had better, I tell you, go to the
devil at once'—reiterated glorious John—dwelling on
the temptations, the difficulties, the loss of time and
fame that must be the result of so rash a step, and in-
sisting on another interview after the pause of a week.
Owen revisited his rough but downright friend at the
expiration of that time, when Abernethy proposed an
appointment in the College of Surgeons. This was ac-
cepted—.-our youthful anatomist found himself happily
associated in congenial labours with one of congenial
mind; and so the navy lost a good officer, and science
gained one of her brightest ornaments."
Some among the more memorable results of the re-
searches of Professor Owen are thereafter enume-
rated. Political articles in the Quarterly for the
present instalment of the year range in subjects from
the " l3oheniian Embassy to England, Spain, &c.,"
in 1466, to " The -Old and the New Ministers" of
1852. A timely chapter is also given about " The
Cannon, the Musket, _and the Rifle; with incidental
allusions to other fire-arms. " California versus
Free-trade" is the title of another contribution ;
and, after an historical reference to the " First Ten
Years of the Reign of George III.," suggested by
the " history". of bLord Mahon, by the " Grenville
Papers," and by the "_Memoirs" of the Marquis of
Rockinghani, the Quarterly indulges itself in a
somewhat sarcastic criticism on the last romantic vo-
lume aholit the ".Restoration," from the pen of.M.
de Lartiartine.

' -- -
RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
GREAT NORTHERN. —TOW N'S LINE.—The public and
the shareholders in this company will be glad to learn
that this, line is now likely to be soon completed and
openedier traffic, the various works on the Retford and
Hough= contracts, about thirty miles in length, being,
by direction of Sir William Cubitt, under the manage-
ment of Mr. Billinton, C.E., of Wakefield.
CORNWALL.—An extraordinary meeting of this com-
pany tO be held on the 21st inst. to consider and de-
termine upon the steps to be taken for constructing the
main lino from Plymouth to Falmouth, the Board of
Trade having authorised the abandonment of the
branches under the provisions of the Railways Aban-
donment Act, and-'the reduction of the capital autho-
rised by Parliament in 1846 from 1,600,0001. to
1,125,000/. It is stated that eminent contractors are
willing to undertake the construction of the line within
the estimate. This line will join the South Devon Rail.
way at Plymouth, and complete the line of railway com-
munication from London to Falmouth and via the West
Cornwall Railway, now in course of construction, to the
Land's End. - -
DUBLIN AND KINSTOWN.—On Saturday last the an-
nual meeting of the Dublin and Kingstown Railway
Company was held in _ Westland-row, Dublin; James
__Magee, Esq., in the chair. The treasurer read a state-
meet of the accounts for the past hall-3 ear, together
with theYrep-ort and long statistical tabl's of the working
--of-the eemeern. -The report having been adopted, a di-
vidend of 3/.- per cent. was declared for the half-year
endii% the 29th of Febrdary last; this, with 41. per cent.
for tie previous half-year, makes a dividend of 71. per
cent. on the capital of the company for the year just
elided. Thanks were voted to the directors and officers,
when the meeting Adjourned.

. ,
VENTILATION of VIE HOUSE OF COMMONS.—
Orii4atuiday. the first report from the Select Committee of '
the house of Commons on the ventilation and lighting of
the House ' was -printed. The Committee state' that, "in
consideration of the urgency of the case they have, since the
commencement of their sitting, sat four days every week,
acrd- have made a personal inspection of the works connected
with the ventilation of the entire building. They regret to
state :that they are not at. present in a condition to suggest
ar:nii,erye.isvTPe.edcGiufirpece':taulet,eratiOns, either in the ventilation or lighting,
c,l.ncauttlitte. dt:pe
deer theanently to remedy the defects complained of.
They,'hovever. recommend that during the recess Dr. Reid
shouldre be allowed to effect the alterations described in his
octo.ptohr
.lu,inrdsirt c tohmemsniliseiorveiesrioonf
1: andvor
hssuabjheda twoto the
membersapprobation
e
mmittee—Mr. Stephenson and Mr. Locke. The evidence
IDabenobuilialn."Noites,s present moment being incomplete, the
when
Tpoha:rioilmtheittlitk irte_deseseiermabblieesto rthepeyortwiitlltoretshhemHeotuhseeir;
but
Committee consists of Lord John Manners,
~, Discount Ebrington, Mr. J. L. Ricardo, Sir
d
;scount Palmerston, Mr. Bankes, and
Deedts, Mr, H...tiolrties,rilt:cizstv.,:cior, Mr. Cochrane, Mr.
Independent of of Saturday, states—
Ilrionid affairsc
r. li.,e.n_ry, pFutnmPon'd.
caused during the week by
NTohliettille consternationPs4iihersof been
gr
e.
ruoTnterlaimuseS
ot onv i
theo , for
South.som e
tvheearssu..dpdae,,nlt
tahisealigpeertnreitranic ern
an a
htis
st 2 not
irtr,aiirinibepriircead;tibitaitt
i Vie.t .rn. li ailWav•
e 4111TAY ONDPaq .. ' ..
knowna have caused his
.
onciencio affecting
' we arc
tiifietsb rainti es
ido' tg.h.
out
;t1;0:1i:.e
de-
parture, and that thefe aro no