The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-10 00:00:00

THE GLADIATORS.

And now the arena becomes a ghastly and forbidding
eight. They die hard, theee men, whose very trade is
slaughter; but mortal agony cannot always suppress s
groan, and it is pitiful to see soma prostrate giant, support-
Mg himself painfully on his hands, with drooping head
and fast closing eye fixed on the ground, while the life"
streauk is pouring from his chest into the thirsty sand.
It is real sad earnest, th s representation of war, an
resembles the battle-field in all save that no prisoners are
taken, and quarters but rarely are given. Occasionallit
indeed, some vanquished champion, of more than common
beauty, or who has displayed more than common beautY,
or who has displayed more than commanding address and
courage, so wins the favour of the spectators that they Big'
for his life to be spared. Hands are turned outwards, wall
the thumb pointing to the earth, and the victor sheathes
his sword, and retires with his worsted antagonist froth
the contest ; but more generally the fallen man's signal for
mercy is neglected : ere the shout " A hit 1" has died upon
ears, his despairing eye marks the thumbs of his judges,
pointing upwards, and he disposes himself to " welcome the
steel" with a calm courage worthy of a better cause.
The reserve, consisting of ten pairs of picked gladiators,
has not yet been engaged. The green and the red have
fought with nearly equal success ; but when the trumpet
has sounded a halt, and the dead have been dragged away
by grappling-hooks, leaving long tracks of crimson in their
wake, a careful enumeration of the survivors gives the vic-
tory by one, to the latter colour. Hippias, coming forward
in a suit of burni,,hed armour, declares as much, and is
greeted with a round of applause. In all her preoccups-
don, Valeria cannot refrain from a glance of approval at
the handsome fencing master; and Mariamno, who feels
teat Esca's life hangs on the man's skill, and
honestl
gazes on him with mingled awe and horror, es "rile being
of another world.
waste the
But the populace have little inclinationt lati
precious moments in cheering Hippias, or in calculi
the
loss and gain. Fresh wagers are indeed Made feeling
matches about to take place; but the prevailing
eelite-
overer that numerous assemblage, is one of morbid
went and anticipation. The ten pairs of men now marching
so proudly into the centre of the lists, are pledged to fight
to the death.
The siege of Jerusalem, and the burning of the
Temple, in the third volume, are described with great
vigour. The whole fiction is a thing apart and
complete. We congratulate Captain Melville on
the spirit and power evinced by this classical novel
of his, which, if flawed here and there, as we have
shown, is but flawed thus very rarely, very excep4
tionally The whole romantic picture of the antique,
past conjured up to view, thus, in "The Gladiators''
being sketched in manifestly with the rapid hand
of a master of his craft, always with the boldest out"
lines, often with the most gorgeous colouring.

Serious Illness of Mr. Justice Wightm

We regret to state that we have received
to
gram from York, announcing the serious illness o
Mr. Justice Wightman. His recovery aPPears
be despaired of. a tele-
gram

MARKETS—This DaY•

MARK-LANE•

IMPERIAL WEEKLY AVERAGES.---Wheat, 40s 9d;
barley, 33s 6d ; oats, 19s 5d ; rye, 29s 7d ; beans, 55s 3d ;
and peas, 338 7d.
THE Six `VEERS . ' AVERAGEg• --- Wheat, 40s ld;
barley, 33s 10d ; oats, 19s 2d ; rye, 29s 2d ; beans, 35s 10d;
peas, 34s 4d.
ENGLISH GRAIN SOLD LAST WEEx.--Wheat, 145,235;
barley, 132,260 ; oats, 14,739 • rye 45; beans, 4,543; liet°'
2,761, quarters.

;85_0286;
METROPOLITAN CATTLE.
For the time of year, the supply of beasts on offer in to,
day's market was tolerably good as to number, and in prirao
condition. The demand for all breeds was in a sluggish
state at barely Mondsy's currency. The top figure was 50
per Sibs. The show of sheep was moderate, but prime to
quality. The mutton trade was in a sluggish state, and ill.
some instances prices were rather drooping. The extreme
quotation for Downs was 6s per Sibs. We have to report
a dull sale for calves at barely previous rates. Pigs were
tolerably firm in price, but much cows ruled heavy.
8. d. s. d. s. d. 0•4;
Crse. & inf. beasts 3 6 3 10 Primecrs-wool do. 5 4 5 f,
Second quality do. 4 0 4 6 Prue. S'thdowndo.s 10 6 vd
Prime large oxen 4 8 4 10 Largo orse. calves 4 0 4 Q„
Prune Scots, Occ. 410 i 0 Prime small do 10 5
SeserckdiclinleitaYlv4e°s°,4l2sBtles,B2ooo2s
Urse. & inf. sheep 40 4 6 Large hogs 3.6 4 0
20s to 26s each.
TOTAI, stirrLY FOREIGN surrLY• 4
Beasts •
Cows l2O Sheep
Sheep
an am s•• • • 90
Calves..
105Ings
3bo .4.•••••.`•
ißSamehaads itialp.u.oarrk:
quarter-old
porkers

MEAT MARKETS.
NEWO f meat
ATE AND LEADENHALL.—The supplies 0-:
[SOUTHALL,
are moderately good, and the demand is inactive, as folio!!! .
—Beef, from 3s Oct to 4s 4d , mutton, 33 8d to 4s_ 016t1
lamb, Os Od to Os Od; veal, 4s Oct to 5s Ocl ; and pork, 3s
to 4, Sc! per Blbs, by the carcase.
only too"
sd t°
deride, and the trade ruled steady. Beer, from 3,' rob,
Dac. o.—The suply of stock was on,
5s Od; mutton, 4s 01 to 6s Od • ' veal, 4s 4d to 4s 8d t
;.o.lo'
"_,rx
Os Od to Os thl ; and pork, 4s Od to 45 6il per Blbs,
the offal. aiiy at
fallß (jpmrikc'°esß;D'otphe're;vi9s.e—,''' h state.
4 s 611 . °,2.los'to '2°;
Beat', from 3s 6d to os Oct ; mutton, 4s Od
perto6,bus°;
suck..
thePri int
trade ds et owcka smionvead islffil4gsbtl.ev,a veal,
4s 2d to 4s 8d pork 3s 10d to
ling calves, 14s to 20s ; quarter-old store pigs, .
and mileh cows, £l4 to £lB Os each.

HAY 1%1 Altlil.'4,TS.
SittutiFlELD.—Meadow hay, £3 OH to £4 1030 d ; eloper'
£4 Os to £5 WS 04; and straw, £1 63 to £lload.urTrade inactive.
C • "I'6d • clover,
,um lib MAN D..-31ealow bay, £3 Os to ...- ..:.s 1 d
;t2-1 Os to X,fi 10, 04 ; and straw, £1 6 / to £1 12s per Loa •
A moderate demand.
WH/eaw ay, £3 Os to £4 103 Od ; caw,
£t Os toTEcitArEL 1,5 10,30 d ;—M anddo strhaw, Xlo3to £1 12s per ad'
Supply good.