The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-22 00:00:00

MONDAY

LITERATURE

EVENING,

THE HISTORY OF RELIGION: By John

Evelyn. Colburn. 2 vols.
This work, atter remaining for nearly two centu-
ries in the %V otton Library, was brought into notice
last year by the publication of the " Life of Mrs.
Godolphin," by the same author. It is edited, with
notes, by the Rev. R. M. Evanson, 8.A., rector of
Lansoy, Monmouthshire. It proves the antiquity and
authenticity of the Christian religion, describes the
obstacles it encountered, and the various sects that
existed from the first to the fifteenth century. It
treats of the Jewish Mosaical law, of the Jewish
sects, of the Christian religion typified in the Jewish.
It
.contrasts Cnristianity with the PAgan, the Philoso-
phic, and the Allhotnetan religions; and, finally, de-
scribes Christianity reformed and restored to its pri-
mitive purity, especially in the Church of England.
L. 15 preceded by an editor's and an author's preface,
with an appendix on Baptism and Church Govern-
ment. There are few who peruse this valuable work
willwho not rejoice at its rescue from the oblivion to
which it was condemned.

112E_1iOIIZ OF WILLIAM ALLEN, F. 12.5.
By James Sherman, Minister of Surrey Chapel.
" Few men," observes the preface," have deserved
to have their character and efforts more widely dif
fused than William Allen." He devoted himself for
many years to obtain freedom for the slave, educa-
tion for the poor,
and discipline calculated to reform
as well as to punish the guilty. He visited Russia,
Sweden, Prussia, and Austria, in promotion of his
objec's ; and the present volume is a very interesting
history of his life and labours. His activity and
energy seem no less remarkable than his earnest
piety and wide-spread benevolence. His life, with
selections from his correspondence, was published in
1846 by his relatives. That it was valued by the
public was proved by the sale of two thousand copies.
However its size and price rendered it inaccessible to
many with small means and limited time. The pre-
sent volume is intended to supply these defects,
as matter not of general interest has been
omitted, leaving, however, a complete record of the
life, public and private, of one whose exertions for
the good of the human race must always command
respect and admiration.

SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN AND .HIS
TIMES. By James Blows. Chapman and Hall.
The "Memoirs of the Life and Works of Sir
Christopher Wren," which the author of this work
published some time ago, was devoted exclusively to
the great architect. But the present volume, though
containing a history of Sir Christopher Wren and his
family, and the most complete list of his public works
that has yet appeared, presents also illustrative
sketches of the various striking events and anecdotes
of the most celebrated characters of that time. The
following is an extract from the dedication to Prince
Albert :

- .
• " The proposition, execution, and termination of the
great and wondrcus exhibition of the natural produc-
tions, industry, and arts of all nations, which forms the
characteristic feature and the crowning triumph of the
neemorat,le year 1951, has transmitt‘d the name of your
Royal Highness to the most distant nations of the earth,
sad will convey it to the latest posterity among those
benefactors of the human race who have rendered the
greatest honour to Him who is ' author of peace and
lover of concord.' Therefore a memoir of that period of
Euglish history which gave birth to the Royal Society,
witnessed the destruction and restoration of the city of
London, produced a Boyle, a Newton, and a Wren, and
was prolific in the fruits of the new or experimental
philosophy—the offspring of the illustrious Lord Bacon,
cannot but be congenial to the head which conceived,
acid Vre heart which presided over the destinies of this
mighty macrocosm—this true temple of concord—the
Exhibition Building in Hyde-park.'

TO THE SECRE FARY OF THE BRADFORD
REFORM ASSOCIATION.
(CONTINUED ON MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS.)
Sir,—On Wednesday the 17th, the Second Reading of
the Manchester and Salford Education Bill was moved.
A somewhat novel phzenomenon had previously been
witnessed, consisting in the appearance of a petition
from Manchester, purporting to be from individuals who
had signed the petition in favour of the Bill, and now
diScovered that their signatures had been given under
misapprehension of the nature of the Bill. If lam not
mistaken they stated, that they had conceived the Bill to
be for the purpose of giving an education which could
equally, be accepted by all classes of those from whom
the money was to be li vied; and now they bad dis-
covered it was not. This is not conveyed in the notice
of the petition in the Votes; but my impression is that
it was so.

And truly the Bill seems to have been framed in a
Way which might mislead others than these petitioners.
The account I ventured to give you of it on a preceding
occasion, is so far as I can judge confirmed to the letter;
with the addition that there is a most politic and intelli-
gent attempt to reduce the sufferers to the smallest pos-
sible amount, and censequeetly to such as shall be least
able to resist, with the additional advantage that they
shall be those who shall be excluded from a voice in the
House of Commons. The time is over fur the present for
roasting a heretic; but at Manchester there are those
that think it still passible to sweat a Jew. They coolly
propese to levy a tax for a public dinner, knowing all
the time that before the Jaw they intend to set pork.
They say their Christianity would be revolted, if they
were to do either of two things;—if they were either to
confine their dinner to such meats as both parties could
eat without question, or if they were to allow the Jew to
order his own dinner and eat at a table by himself.
Either of these, they say it would be a denial of Chris-
tianity to assent to. They feel it a Christian duty to
take their neighbours' money; but it would bo simple
renegadism to give
eat.
This may be scientifically wrapped up, and may be
reducing the pill of. persecution topp the smallest form,
their neighbours meat that they can
and consequently the least likely to be violently rejected
by the public stomach. But the principle of injustice
is as palpable as evsr. The defence is only that of the
erring dumsel, who said
it was but a little one." Wemust, must, they say, have a little
persecution; and we assure
the public that we mean only to persecute a Jew. If
persecute
good Christians may not - a Jew, what may
they du?
It does not require any stretch of genius to see, that
a principle like this will not do much towards settling
"
the Education question. At the same time there is
danger in it, because the object is to get it through as a
private Bill; after which it will be appealed to by all it
may suit, as a precedent for other Bills. We shall have
Jaws, and why nut Cetholiee or Unitarians next, op-
pressed by private Bill throughout the country. On Thursday the motion for going into Committee
to consider of an Address on the case of the sufferers in
the Dublin Savings Bank was negatived by 169 to 40.
Government can disburse our millions for felonies all
over the world, but cannot pay the money of the indus-
trious and the peer which the y have allowed to be run
away with. On the same
evening a motion of Mr.
Hume, connected with the money we have had to pay
to pirats.s in Borneo, was by the House being
counted out. stopped
On Friday was en( ther field-day on occasion of the
Committee on Supply.
The Member for Middlesex
(Mr. Osborne) pressed with just severity on the grave
error which was committed in recommending the pre-
sent Prime Minister to the Crown, at a time when there
were so many others in Lords and Commons to whom
the government of the country
might with propriety
have been entrusted. There is no eenying, that it was
as if the Duke of Wellington on some disappointment
in his expected allies and supporters, had thrown up his
renr t, —a
nt
eh nets
command Be:" day, and specially recommended Marshal
Soult as his successor. There were so many objects to
be gained by simply sticking to his lines if he could do
nothing else,—one side was establishing itself so fast by
the mere prestige of possession, and the other dwindling
mistake to send fur Marshal Souk, because some of the
aalliesw ay
fhador 1 a elt
thoughtofP a o v
permanent militia would be better
than a keel. it was surely' an awful

However, all this is useless now; and the only ques-
tion is, what is to be done with the game as it stand..
In spite of many words for the concealment of ideas, the
Government has not been able to keep its secret. The
mystery came out, on an accidental question of " What
is a Protectionist?" " A Protectionist is a supporter
of Lord Derby's Government," was the answer from the
Ministerial bench. Atter this, there is only the class
who live upon pursuing the means of self-deception, who
can pretend to be deceived.

Meantime the Ministerial Stand4rd is
raised in as-
sertion of the claim to govern without Parliaments, or
which comes to the same thing, without majorities in
Parliament, which is a tender phrio"e for in spite of ma-
jorities in Parliament. A nation which is not at any mo-
ment ready for a civil war, is like France at the mercy
of every adventurer. We have here the commence-
ment' -of a like plan, for governing the people .in de-
fiance of a representation of the people, and aiming at
the maximum of what can be done without a servile
population being roused to armed resistance. Parlia-
mentary government is as far as intent can go abolished,
and a hypocritical Imperialism is on its legs in the stead.
This may do in France, but it will not -do in England.
Toe same Administration is represented to have
" snubbed the volunteer rifle corps." Of course they
were not wanted; and a few regiments from the Cape,
like the garrison of Tangier in our forefathers' time,
might be the more acceptable force. We go to an Elec-
tion to know whether there is to be a Civil War.
The plan of the party in power for the elections, is
considered as having opened out. The large constitu-
encies are admitted to be impervious to opponents of
free trade. In the large constituencies therefore, a
candidate of their party is to agree to free trade. With
these, their party is to be no worse on the point of free
Grade than cannot be helped; and, as concerns the fur-
ther plans of the Administration, it is to have the
benefit of their services afterwards.
I am, Sir, yours very sincerely,
AN OLD REFORMER.
Blackheath, March 22, 1852.

LARGE CONSIGNMENT Or CALIFORNIAN GOLD.—
On Saturday advices were received at L!oyd's that the
Abeona, Bartlet master, had been chartered at Vera Cruz
for the conveyance of a cargo of gold-direct to Southanyttin
and that she was now .on her passage to that port with'no less
-thin 5 GOO 000 dollb. of the dint. „..., -
Mrs. Cowden Clarke.haa.receixectiro.mliocitrne-
rican admirers a splendid rosewood study chair, with emble-
matic devices, as a mark of appreciation of her labours in
Preparing" The Concordance of Shakspere."