The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-29 00:00:00

T 14,1

LITERATURE.

ALICE RIVERS; or, Passages in the Life of a
Young Lady. Written by herself. Shoberl
I% the old days of rountece, and tes, eneieet times of
nov,ds, their legends and nerrations always termieated at
the approach to the temple of Hy men. On the threshold
ot that mystic deity, the readers were left to suppose all
tiff,rences were annihilated, and all vexaiioes towel an
end. But it is reserved tor the present race of authors
t reveal t'ie hidden and fatal truth, it is given to the pe-
rusers now-a-days to beanie acquainted will the fact,
teat to merry in haste is retell to repent at leisure. As-
suredly, it not so fascinating and agreeable, it is more
praiseworthy and ueetul to let those who must mix with
the worn of trouble and trial, behold its plain reflec-
twee unvereished by the gloss of iency and uncevered by
the veil of fiction. It is unworthy and absurd fur people
of sense to expedite engagements, saying, it once united,
they will be settled. Settled it is true they may be, but
for what—a lifetime of mi--ery and sin, and a death-bed
haunted by the spectres of a wasted existence, and
violated vows. Surely a work like the present is
needed, when every day brings fresh testimony to the
assertion that hundreds and thousands aro willingly,
throwing away all chance of peace by rushing to the
altar in order to possess only a remote chance of
high prizes in the social lottery; while reflection would
show them, that even it they became successful iii their
hopes, no wealth the most lavish, no rank the
most exalted, and no power the most unbounded that the
world can shower down on its choicest votsriee, ever
couipensates for a single moment for the want of that
eace it neither gives nor takes away. Safety consists
no in innocence but in virtue, not hi pushing away the
thoughts of the evil day in store for all, bet in training
aright the spirit, Viet when the trial comes it may rise
prepared at the invocation to meet temptation end over-
come ia. Whether in a mental or a moral point of view;
whether as the 'sovereigns ot' the earth or as the denizens
of heaven, surely human beings must agree that all de-
secrate their position and dishonour their Privilege,
who make the churches of their faith the market for
their water, arid take the name of their Maker as a wit-
ness to an act into which they would blush for their
tallow-men to scrutinize. To all young ladies in baste
to be mierried this book is dedicated, and to all such it
must prove useful; but, at the same time, there is no
reason why the other sex sheuld not benefit by its
perusal, for although young ladies are, as a class, set
apart for ridicule on this subject, which they doubtless
deserve for their unwise coeduct, it is to be questioned,
it greater blame should not be the portion of those who'
&ain't:Lege er such toll) aed then revile it. So long
ts men are suet Wl.h. every day who seek in a bride
nut .me thing neetrut, money, and th,u
.n.manct in a wife cops, y possible perfection.
, sr-Honig -.a.'uy,run,`
perhalis it is to be c unlit:led re wiz is beested ou iso b
sid,s. Althoukti few actually act like Alice Rivera,
new neatly virtually be heve the same, how many
►()mug, levels, uccompltstied girls become d up. b,
vie 210 S, soil 1.81:11elt SS W4141'8 But huwats
nature tempts us Owe) ato Awl our eyes to the living
examples beture us; then let us learn from the pages 01
retuauce a sad reality, and from the people of (loom.'
warning ot w hat is to many a h, me truth. Th.
mi....,,spresa the putpese of the work at its
conclusion:—
" I assure you that it is no malicious motive that inclines
me to make these statements, but a simple wish that the
natural fruits of Young Ladyism existing as it did in these
young women, and in myseit, in its most frivolous, selfish,
and unsabdued state, should be clearly manifested. No
teeture in that profession is so distinct and universal as au
eager anyeey and haste to be married, and this not aiwaye,
nor, as 1 believe, even generally, from the fewest motives,
but trees an impatience of the restraints of domestic rule, and
an ambition of rising in the scale of society, which can ob-
viously meet their otject only in the promotion which mar-
riage produces. Hence in giddy and uncultivated minds,
careless respecting tee means provided the end be ob-
tained, there is no solicitude to become acquainted with the
moral or mental character ot the individual who offers him-
self to notice ; let him be what he may he can make them
Mrs. So and So, and put a wedding-ring upon
their finger, and take them away from papa and mama's con-
trol, and commonly speaking that is enough; but this is
not enough for a lieppe,ess that is to. endure, or for any hap-
piness that deserves the name. Of this, according to my
aunt's views of the world, there is little or eons to be found in
our present state of being. Ido not profess to agree with
her in quite so sombre a contemplation of sublunary things,
but this I hope and believe I have learned, partly from her
shrewd observations and still more from the sharp lessons of
my own experience, that
a young woman's most graceful as
well as her safest position is that of contented submission to
her domestic duties, accompanied by that entire negation of
miss. So fullyotthhwe ee d loces
idea
,efintv heestspthhee other
w x
sieth
anxiety to get married, which, at the same time that it
usually' proves the dirdeicg y y
t
which
hiceohnsettihuey never
eaend r
associate wit
h the of a husband-
hunting ta t hint
am I assured of this that I feel, in
relation to my precious girl, as if I never could be watchful
enough so to regulate and contrforelmheh_remmei,ndb,utthtieltl
regularly
and never seek her happiness away
and properly guided to still nearer and dearer protection. than
mine, she may find her best friend and confidante met and.
she may never know a thought or _ L
thus, being delivered from the snare of evshilecfobmepinagniodnisslitilep..;
guishedas her mother was in the annals of Young adyism.

FIN E ARTS
TI .E WRECK OF THE MINOTAUR.
Every admirer of genius, and consequently every
©,ad-
mirer of the late Mr. Turner, 8.A., should exami
we have done, the picture now on view at the Messrs.
Colnaghi, Pall-mall East, one of the noblest specimens
of that great master we have ever had the grathtification
season
of witnessing. Two years ago, namely, then
e
of 1850, the painting formed one of the principal ob-
jects ot :attraction on the walls of the British Institu-
tion. A., it is at present in process of engraving, by
Mr. Henry Cousins, the lovers of art will enabled to
obtain a " counterfeit presentment of thbe eno w
plate, originally produced by Mr. Charles Turner in
int main to. 'I he celebrated Masterpiece referred
to re pre Befits the " Wreck ot the Minotaur,"
a .twenty • tour. lost off the Hoeg Sands at the commence-
ment of the present century—and-having been produced
up ward> of forty yelrt ago, has become exquisitely nisi-
nmed in the tone of its colowit.* Nothing can be more
wonderfint than the distribution of the lights from the
lurid .• wind gall," irnme tta ely over the uplifted bull,
to the mi. utest tyirti2le of spray on the crests, or in
the bollotva of the tuinul.uous sea. Tae spars, with
the shipw recited sailors °hexing to them in the swirl"
of :be bill. or, lead a human interest to a scene, such as
to describe in befitting language would rt quire the vivid
enthusmaco and pictorial el..quence of Mr. Ruskin. Tbe
fortunate possessor of thi, very wonderful composition
`Ae pregent Earl of Yohorough.

is the p,
WINDSOR CASTLE in the MODERN TIME.
Perhaps the most charming of all the delineations of
the Royal Family, and certainly a
one of the most
seer,
gand race-
ful of all the various productions Sir Edwin L
is at present on view at the Messrs. Graves' near
the
Opera-colsmnade. Entitled as above,
" Windsor then Modern Time," this picture, which is the property of
her Msj ~sty, is daeigned as a companion to the ealebtatsd
" Button Abbey in thr Olden Time."

THE R LIBBER Painted by tti ebster. Engraved by
Lumb Stocks M Lean, Haymarket.
Tnere ere two at is now living upon w nose shoulders
some, at least, among the excellences ot Hogarth end of
Wilkie 4:eem to have fall,n, in. the repre..sentation of
domestic scenes and the delineation of the more humo-
rous phases of character. These painters, it is scarcely
necessary to observe, are no other than Goodall and
Webster. Among the many admirable productions of
the latter " The Rubber" is one ot the most meritorious
—displaying as it does a comic power quite delightful of
its kind, and a knowledge ot human nature -really ex-
traordinary. It is consequently with delight that we
observe the original popularized by the aid of the very
masterly graver of Mr. Lumb Stocks. The scene de-
picted is a cottage interior, and as the title of the con 3",
position intimates, the interest of it is concentrated upon
the four cardplayers. The one who has to play • the
third card in the trick is hesitating glumly over his
" hand," with puckered brow and pursed up mouth, being
regardcrd meanwhile by his partner with intense and
breathless solicitude. The one who waits his turn to
play, and by playing to finish the trick, waits trium-
phantly I.—the card already selected I—looking delight-
edly, with expanded countenance, and every feature
riant and sunlit with complacency over at his partner,
as much as to say, " Bravo! my boy—we've booked
them with a vengeance." The old ".codger" leaning over
the half door as a spectator, blandly smoking his pipe
with the dispassionate air of a mere looker-on, is ano-
ther and not the least truthful character in the composi-
tion. Altogether, the plate just published by Mr.
M‘Lean represents a very - admirable painting, through
the media= of a very admirable engraving.

-_,----
THE AusTRALIAN COPPER. MINING COMPANY.---
A prospectus has been issued proposing the establishment of 1
the above company, for the purpose of working some im-
portant mineral ground at Strathalbyn, within thirty miles 1
of Adelaide. The sett secured ccnsists of the fee simple of
icnogppyoe
fr. openeds black,
evSeveral
ybo,yla
tnmhdee
about 653 acres, in which several lodes have been discovered,
varyingpar-
tially from one to ten feet wide. These have been par-
from 200 to 250 tons of copper ore have bean taken, consist-
whence
tages and facilities in working, few fathoms of each other,
ha, late
thereby affording great'advan-
earraoirkel,, with
and aresom: i
tnhaitnivae
easy for sihking. Captain J. :rree4pecially as the ground is
to the Colonial Government,wart
yellowanjnds esofarchuonapfti: and edits,
mineral sur-
veyorand encouraging account of the property, atovery satisfactory
-refer. He -a ates that this mine is possess'ed
of more
report we
or-
dinary features, bei g in a highly mineralised country;
than
and beautifully character sed by well-defined lodes. lodes.
They have sunk the shaft 2 the 8 fathoms, where
lode is
found to be from 10 to 12 feet wide, composed of v rich
quality ore- Also, other lodes have been oiscoveredeo7
productiveness, and be strongly.recommends that
.machinery
be immediately erected for more fully developing these lodes.
The whole report is of the most satisfactory character. The
directors, who are highly influential, both here and in the
colony, propose to carry out the adventure with energy and
spirit, and at the same time with the strictest regard to
economy. Steam machinery being necessary, a 60-inch
cylinder will be erected, which will afford sufficient power
for other requisite purposes; wood is abundant, and the .
greater portion of the land is applicable for agricultural pur- '
suits. There is a smelting furnace erected at the cost of
about 1,000/., and some of the ore been reduced to regulus,
which, on assay here, gives from 48 per cent. of copper.
Looking at the property as reported on, supported by the .
re,ponz,ihilitv e f the influential colonial gentlemen who are
now in England, or fully represented, connected with it, we
consiGer it one of the leading investments of colonial copper
mines.—Alining Journal.
In writing on Saturday of the calamities which
had befallen the Megrera and the Hydra, we, inadvertently
left it to be supposed that the latter vessel bad been on fire.
It was the Megura that, our correspondent stated had been
on fire three times between Plymouth and Madeira.— Times.
DEATH OF LADY MtLFORD.—Thif Noble Lady,
broke, was daughter of John Gordon, Esq , of Heiman,
who died on Thursday last, at Piston Castle, near Pere-
and married the present Lord Melford, by whom she has left
110 Wu%