The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-30 00:00:00

THE SUN,

THE QUARTERLIES.

THE EDINBURGH REVIEW: No. CXCIII.'
Descartes, the wonderful Descartes, is the man
whose genius has in the current number of the
Edinburgh been selected for examination by one of
the reviewers. It is well remarked of him at the
outset of this very masterly dissertation, that although
at various times of his life " playing many parts,"
he never appeared before the world really in any
other character than that of a philosopher. His ad-
ditior a to the sum of human knowledge, and his ad-
mirable method in its arrangement, are alike spoken
of in terms of unqualified and deservedly enthusiastic
admiration. But the chief glory of his labours is well
declared to be " the vast influence he exerted in the
origination and development of modern philosophy."
Due notice is of course taken of the glimpse of
his career obtained through the medium of
his " Letters," his " Method," and his " Me-
ditations" —as the writer calls them, " those
charming fragments of mental autobiography." Their
value is somewhat remarkable as tending naturally to
elucidate some of the more recondite mysteries of
psychology. The piety of the great philosopher in
his youth was somewhat remarkable, and naturally
enough cannot be overlooked by his more conscienti-
ous biographer. It is mentioned of him that he once
vowed a pilgrimage to the shrine of thu Virgin at
Loretto if she would but graciously smile upon his
enterprise. Such was the illustrious Descartes when
he commenced his glorious toils as a philosopher.
Cogito,,ergi) sum—was the thesis of one of his argu-
men's. "It is Descartes', VOU a'rw," says the re-
viewer, " the starting poiht of his philosophy." Tra-
velling over the whole of the elaborate history of a
man second only to the great Lord Verulam as a
chieftain among modern philosophers, we come in
due course to the famous doctrine (opposed
to the hypothesis of Locke) of innate ideas, as main-
tained by Descartes. After this noble paper illustra-
tive of the progressive advances made in the develop-
ment of knowledge, we come to a vigorous polemical
onslaught upon Henry Phillpotts, the Lord Bishop of
Exeter. Had any one prophesied, a score of years
back, says the critic, " that we should live to see a
Bishop of Exeter solemnly and deliberately excom-
municate an Archbishop of Canterbury, we should
certainly have thought the prophet a candidate for
Bedlam.' " Yet," continues the Edinburgh—

"This, amoLgst other restorations of Redizevalism,
we have lived to see, in this culminating year of the
nineteenth century, not a madman's dream, but a living
fact; as real and palpable as the Submarine Telegraph,
the Britannia Bridge, or the Crystal Palace. The same
month which beheld the opening of the Great Exhibi-
tion, saw also the triennial visitation of Bishop Phil-
potts, and witnessed the astonishment of his assembled
clergy, when he delivered to them, ex cathedra, the awful
tidings that he had ' renounced communion' with his
metropolitan."

Thereupon the reviewer commences his grand attack
upon the Bishop. Quoting one of the well-remem-
bered letters addressed by the latter to the Archbishop,
the Edinburgh exclaims—
"o, Spirit of Moli:ce! Surely the happiest strokes
of the Tartuffe are surpassed by this devout ejaculation!
It can only be equalled by the felicitous termination of
the letter to the Archbishop, on which Mr. Goode so
humorously enlarges ; where a long string of insults
ushers in the signature of your Grace's affectionate
friend for nearly thirty years, and your now afflicted
servant, H. Exeter.' Yes! The Tartuffe of nature
exceeds the Tartuffe of art; reality is more comic than
fiction." _ _

An interesting summary of the changes effected of
late in the laws of the land by the innovations
of both Lords and Commons in Parliament assem-
bled, is then given under the title of " Recent Pro-
gress in Legislation." Following this article comes
a highly intelligent and gracefully written little trea-
tise upon " Church Music," in the course of which
we watch, among other things, the decay of English
music under the Stuarts. To the next contribution
we have already referred in our leading columns, as
to a paper comprising "A Few Words on International
Copyright." Besides the foregoing, we may also
mention, as forming the remaining portions of the
Edinburgh for January, an elaborate criticism on
" Palgrave's Normandy and England," an important
account of the " Ordnance Survey of Scotland," and
the argument upon " The Expected Reform Bill,"
to which, as in the instance already mentioned, we
have elsewhere directed the serious attention of the
community. Among these diversified contributions,
the first and third appear to us the most entitled to
admiration, the other six being, however, each of
them in their peculiar way, highly meritorious.

LONDON,

- SPORTING NOTES.
No. CLXX.
COMMENCEMENT OF THE RACING SEASON
OF 1852.— LINCOLN SPRING MEETING.

TO THE EDITOR OF TEE SUN.

Sig' —Scarcaly two months have elapsed since the
racing season of 1851 closed upon us, and we are already
called again into the field by what bids fair to be the
splendid season of 1852—Lincoln, as last year, sounding
the preparatory note. This early spring meeting of the
sporting denizens of Lincoln has been gradually increas-
ing since its first establishment a few years ago; and
this year has come out with large entries for all its
stakes, and with a very good quantum of acceptances.
The meeting extends over two days, and has a
bill of fare consisting of a compound mixture
of steeplechases, hurdle, and flat races, Tues-
day and Wednesday being the days appointed
for the sport. The first race on Tuesday will be
run at halt-past one o'clock, and is the Trial Stakes of
7 sovs. each, 3 ft, with 40 added; three years old, 6st
101 b; four, Bst 71b; five, 9st; six and aged, 9st 31b;
mares and geldings allowed 31b, with other allowances
and penalties for being maidens or winners up to the
time of starting. This almost makes a handicap of
the strikes. There are fifteen nominations, of which
one, Nancy, is already declared a non-starter. The
field, as far as I eau judge at the present time,
will consist of the following:—The Maid of
Lincoln, High • Sheriff, Poetess, lanthe, Dividend,
Equal, Brawn, Eliza Middleton, and perhaps
another or two. The race, from present appearances,
would seem to lie between the Maki of Lincoln, lanthe,
High Sheriff, anti Poetess; Lady Agnes, I imagine, rill
not start; Ilungerford, Miss Fanny, and Eliza Middle-
ton, together with Rhesus and Master Friday (whether
they go or not) I cannot for an instant imagine possess
any chance of winning. lam not sufficiently aware at
the present moment of tho' condition of several of the
horses engaged in this race, but, so far as I can judge,
the HIGH SHERIFF and lANTHEwiII be first and second,

with the Maid of Lincoln and Poetess third and fourth.
This race, be it remembered, is over the mile course. The
second event of the day is the Lincoln Grand Annual
Steeplechase of 15 soya. each, 10 ft., &c., with 100
added, over about four miles of fair hunting country.
Twenty-one nominations were made to this stakes, of
whom ten have accepted. It would be difficult to say
to-day whether Lucy Neal, Little Queen, or Come-
again, will start for this event; but with respect to the
Ace of Trumps, Carrig, A. Y., Maria Monk, Forest Lad,
and the Cripple, they may be set down as tolerably cer-
tain starters,: Johnny Barrie is not likely to figure in
the fray. Should the Lucy Neale party play off the
same game that they did a short time ago, bring Lucy
into the market at the last moment, which is not at all
improbable, I think her quite good enough to dispose of
the rest of the field, perhaps with the solitary exception
of Maria Monk; but as Lucy's starting is so uncertain,
I will pass her chance over, and select MARIA
MONK as the winner, with the Cripple, Cm--
rig, and ,Ace of Trumps, as her attendants.
Should any change come "o'er the spirit of my dream,"
the same will be duly noted on Monday. The third race
of the day will be a Free Handicap Hurdle Race, to
which thirty nominations have been obtained, fifteen of
whom accepting. With respect to one or two of the
horses in this race, the handicap is remarkably unfair;
Little Queen being dosed with list 21b, while View
Halloo is only made to carry lOst llb; their relative per-
formances do net by any means warrant this. The field,
for this stake, will, in consequence of View Halloo's
light weight, be very small; the majority being frightened
out of,the field. I fancy Melford, Warwick, The General,
Ormsby, View Halloo, Psyche, and, perhaps, another
will go. This race I must, as a matter of course, all
things considered, book to VIEW HALLOO; should any-
thing bowl him over, it would be the General or Mel-
ford, who will otherwise, I take it, be second and third.
A 5 sovs. Hunters' Stakes, with 25 added, closei the first
day's sport.
Wednesday's list is headed with a Two years old
Stakes of 5 sovs. each, with 30 added; colts, Bst 71b;
fillies, Bst 41b; nearly half a mile. The youthful aspi-
rants for victory engaged in this stake are so entirely
unknown in quality, and every other particular seem-
ingly, that it is difficult to select any to stand upon; I can
only point to the b f by Orlando out of Gamelass
as being a very tidy thing ; and that Ace of
Trumps by Assault, and Youthful Days, are dash-
ing youngsters. The Gipsy colt, Hannah, Red Tape
filly, Broughton, and Anteverta, are as yet very
miserable specimens of the racehorse. The second
stake is a Handicap Sweepstakes of 10 soya. each, h ft,
&c., with 50 added, one mile. Twenty nominations
have been registered for this stake, of whom a dozen
have accepted. View Halloo figures in this race, as well
as in the hurdle, at a very low impost, being made to
give Lady Agnes only one pound for the difference of
age. This very favourable handicap of Tally-ho's son
(6st 101 b), all but decides the race in his favour before
it has been rue; for, with the exception of Lady Agnes,
lanthe, and Hungerford, not another animal stands a chance
with him; so we may set it down as TIEw HALLoo's race,
and put Lady Agnes, Hungerford, and lanthe in
the second class, with the Red Deer colt heading the tail.
The Maiden Steeplechase of 5 sovs. each, with 30 added,
about three miles, closes on Monday. A Selling Stakes
of 5 sovs. each, with 25 added, for horses of all deno-
minations, one mile, is to close by eight o'clock on Tues-
day evening.
rho betting on these events has been somewhat
spoiled, in two instances at least, the Hurdle Race and
Handicap, by View Halloo's favourable weight; for the
former but little more than 6 to 4 can be obtained about
him, and 2tol is his price for the Handicap. Maria
Monk and Carrig divide the premiership for the Steeple-
' oha,e at 4 to I each, and the High Sheriff at threes,
lanthe four, Poetess four, and the Maid of Lincoln five,
are the figures for the Trial Stakes.
I am, Sir, &c.,
THE SPIRIT OF THE TURF.
January 30, 1852.