The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-13 00:00:00

BIGAMY.

James Shanley, 44, butcher, pleaded guilty to an indict-
ment charging him with feloniously marrying Elizabeth
Chilton, his first wife, Ann Shanley, being then alive.
The prisoner said he had not seen his first wife fur seven
years. Ho told Chilton before he married her that he had
a wife alive.
The prosecutor denied this.
Tho Recorder sentenced him to nine months' imprison-
ment.

NEW COURT.
Nothing of the slightest importance transpired in this
Court during the morning.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE—This day.

LONDON, Dec. 13.—Wind this day at noon—South-
Easterly ; moderate breeze, and fine weather, but rather
cloudy.

FALMOUTH, Dec, 12.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—•Sparkle,
from Calcutta.

TROCN, Dec. 12.---Wind W.—Arrived—Morning Star,
from Old Calabar for Leith. Sailed—Mary and Louise,
for Buenos Ayres.

NEWPORT, Dec. 12.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Pearl,
from Amsterdam for Jamaica. Sailed—Sparkling Dew,
for Pernambuco.

Orr DARTMOUTH, Dec, I.l.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—
Childers, from London for Melbt,urne.

PORTSMOUTH, Dec. 12.—Wind S.W.--Arrived—Mand,
from London for Natal, with lose of binnacle, and mainbow
carried away.

MILFORD, Dec. 11.—Wind W.—Arrived—Sarab, serew
steamer, from Liverpool for Jamaica.
QUEENSTOWN, Dec. 12.—Wind S.W,—Arrived—Ne•
vada, from Callao—Balclutha, from Cuba—Kent, from
Richibuoto.

Tinc'EARLIEST STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.—There
is, however, one stringed instrument which, among
some savage nations, is found at a very early stage of
musical progress, and before the invention of wind instru-
ments with finger holes. This is merely an elastic stick,
bent with one or two strings, like a bow. Indeed, it is
very probable that the bow used in the chase and in war
suggested this instrument, which in its turn seems to have
led to the invention of several others, in which the shape
of the bow is more or less discernible. We may then
consider this primitive bow-shaped stringed instrument
as the great ancestor of the harp, lyre, and other
similarly constructed stringed instruments. In most in-
stances, however, those nations who are only acquainted
with one stringed instrument construct this by stretching
some strings over a hollow piece of wood or a calabash.
The strings, usually consisting of the fibre of some plant
or the hair of some animal, are played upon either with
the hand or with a plectrum made of wood, bone, or
any other suitable substance. In a more perfect
condition an instrument of this description greatly re-
sembles our dulcimer. It mly therefore be considered
the parent of the latter, from which again ulti-
mately have sprung the harpischord, spinnet, piano forte,
and all similar instruments. Important progress in the
development of instrumental music was made by the inven-
tion of thefinger-board, or neck, by means of which a series
of different notes is obtainable on one string, merely by
shortening it more or less, as is the case with the guitar,
lute, tamboura, and others. Stringed instruments played
with a bow are the least universal. They are, however,
met with not only throughout Europe, but also among the
Chinese, Hindoos, Japanese, and other Asiatic nations.—
Music of the Most Ancient Rations, by C. Edged.
GLASGOW, Dec. 10.—Cotton.---The market was
firm in the beginning of the week, and prices
advanced id. to id. per lb. Towards the close prices gave
way, and are only:slightly above those of last•Friday,eacept
Surats, which are about id. per lb. higher. Goods and
Yarns.—The market fur goods and yarns has been firm
during the week, and prices continue without change. Iron.
—Prices have scarcely varied during the week, and a fair
business has:been done frost day to day about current quo-
tations. At close to-day there were buyers of warrants at
50s. 6d. cash, 50s, 100. one month, and sellers lid, per ton
higher. No. 1 g,m.b. quoted 51s. 6d.; No. 3,50 s. 6d. ;
No. 1 Gartsherrie, 576. 61. ; Coltness, 565. ; Eglinton,
51s 6d; Glengarnock, 54s 6d.
The Glaueur du Gard relates an instance of cool
intrepidity in a boy of ten years old, at Nismes, worthy, it
declares, of a Spartan. Notwithstanding the prohibition
of his parents, he frequently ascends to the summit of the
amphitheatre to take the nests of the bats by whieh the old
Roman edifice is peopled. The height of this building is
so great that to look down from the top is sufficient to render
the spectator giddy. Three days back the father perceived
his son at his favourite pursuit on the topmost crest of the
ruins, and hurrying up to the place, he seized the boy by
the leg, and holding him out in the open space, cried out,
" Will you promise me never to do it again ?'' The posi-
tion of the boy was feaiful, but he cooly replied, "Lower
me a little more, father, I can see a whole brood of bats in
in a hole below ; let sue take them this time, and 1 promise
you never to recommence."
A man named Robert Donath, a native of Dantzic,
was apprehended at Liverpool, on Saturday. under the fol-
lowing suspicious circumstances : He wont to the shop of
Mr Woolf, jeweller, Dale-street, and offered for sale 4i
ounces of gold, which appeared to have been recently
melted. He had also iu his possession 9or 10 ounces of
silver in a similar condition. Mr Woolf suspecting some-
thing wrong, sent to the police station, and Detectives
Graham and &ail" went to the shop. The man failed to
account for his possession of the property, and the officers
went to his lodgings in Bridpart-street, and found there a
a crucible, and pawn tickets for jewellery pledged in London
to the amount of £77 10a; as well as letters, showing that
Donath was "wanted" on the continent, He was brought
before the stipendiary magistrate yesterday, and was re-
minded.

THE LATE M. MEYERBEER.—It has been erro-
neously stated in some of the continental journals,
and copied in the home papers, that the late M. Meyerbeer
had expressly engaged M. George Kastner to write his
biography when no more, and that the documents and papers
of the departed genius would be placed in M. Kastner's
possession for the purpose. This is altogether unfounded,
as no more will be placed at M. Kastner's disposal than at
that of Mr Gruneisen, who commenced the life and career
of Meyerbeer some time before his lamented decease. Mr
Gruneisen's work will be published in London, and from his
long intimacy with the composer, having been present at
the opening performance of all his masterpieces in Paris, he
has much valuable and original matter for the book.