The Sun.
London, England, 1839-03-29 00:00:00

TAIT'S MAGAZINE.

The Opium E iter (Do Quincey) continues his recol-
lections of Wordsworth in this number. Some of them
are amusing enough, and told in a very arch, piquant
manner ; but the writer's admiration—we might
almost say, adoration—of the Lake poet, is far too
enthusiastic. One might imagine from De Quincey's
lavish praises, that Wordsworth was the greatest poet
that ever existed ; whereas he is no more to be corr.-
pared to Milton in austere, high-toned sentiment, or to
Spenser in luxuriant imagination, than a rush-light is to
be compared to the sun. Alluding to Wordsworth's
uniform good fortune in receiving bequests and legacies
just at the moment when he stood most in need of
them, the Opium Eater observes, with much archness—
But now, reverting to the subject of Wordsworth's pros-
perity, I have numbered up six separate stages of good
loch—six instances of pecuniary showers emptying them-
selves into his very bosom, at the very moments when they
began to be needed, on the first symptoms that they might
1)o wanted—accesses of fortune, stationed upon his road,
like repeating figures, connecting, to all appearance, some
preconcerted line of operations; and, amidst the tumults
of chance, wearing as much the sic of purpose and design,
as if they supported a human plan—so much the more, also,
to a thoughtful observer as the subject of this overflowing
favour from the blind goddess, happened, by the rarest of
accidents, to be that man whom many of us would have de-
clared the most worthy of that favour, most of us, perhaps
as in the case of Themistocles, would have declared at the
very least, second best. I have come down to the sixth
case. Whether there were any seventh, I do not know :
but confident I feel, that, had a seventh been required by
circumstances, a seventh would have happened. At the
same time, every reader will, of course, understand me to
mean, that not only was it utterly out of the power
or will of Wordsworth to exert any, the very slightest
influence upon these cases, not only was this impos,ible—
not only was it impossible to the moral nature of Words-
worth, that he should even express that sort of interest in
the event, which is sometimes intimated to the incumbents
of a place or church-living by sudden inquiries after their
health from eager expectants—but also, in every one of
the instances recorded, he could have had not the slightest
knowledge before-hand of any interest at issue for himself.
This explanation I make to forestall the merest possi-
bility of misapprehension. And yet, for all that, so true
it is, that still, as Wordsworth needed a place or a fortune,
the holder of that place or fortune was immediately served
with a summons to surrender it—so certainly was this im-
pressed upon my belief, as one of the blind necessities,
making up the prosperity and fixed dest4iy of Wordsworth,
that, for myself—had I happened to know of any peculiar
adaptation in an estate or office of mine, to an existing
need of Wordsworth's—forthwith, and with the speed of
a man running for his life, I would have laid it down at
his feet. " Take it," I would have said—" take it—or in
three weeks I shall be a dead man."
The " Landowners versus the Nation" is a question
temperately but forcibly discussed, and will convince all
who bring an unprejudiced mind to the task of perusal.
The observations on Sidney Smith's " Pamphlet on the
Ballot," deal with the reverend gentleman's adroit
sophistries, just as they deserve to be dealt with.
" Ellis's History of Madagascar" is an admirable digest
of a most useful and entertaining publication. The
character of the half-savage, half-civilized King Radama
is delineated with skill and energy. " Blanche Delamere"
improves as it proceeds. The present chapters exhibit
some striking traits of character on the part of the
high-minded heroine. When completed, this tale
s'iould be republished. It is worthy of such a compli-
ment. There are some pleasant snatches of verze in this
1:411,, ,r, oo,!_ee
the somewhat stern and hard character of this stalwart
Radical periodical

CITY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS.

LIVERPO IL COTTON MARKET, THLTRISDAY.--We
have had a moderate demand for cotton to-day without
change in prices. The sales are 5,500 bags of all kinds
td thd trade.

Cape of Good hope papers received to the 31st
January.'
PORT NATAL.—By the Mary, from Port Natal we
hear that the Boers have returned from Commando
against Dingaan, they had lost six of their number and
faikd in their attempts to capture cattle, from 20 to 30
of the party from Natal had also fallen. Mr. Biggar is
named among them.
This, we beliese, is all that is yet certainly known.
Since writing the above, we have received the Govern-
ment notice which confirms it.

The schooner Mary has brought intelligence fro.
Port Natal up to the 7th Jan.

Thu Boets-Commando which went against .Ding;aan
on the 20th Nov. had returned, but no authentic ac-
counts of its proce:zdings bad been received. Major
Chatter's letter to the officer in command of the expedi-
tion, endeavouring to dissuade him from the commissionof
hesti•itieF, had been intercepted by certain persons
calling thennselv the general council, at the camp on
the Togata, and was not by them transmitted nor suf-
fered to be transmitted to its destination.

It is stated that the Camp of the Commando was
attacked on the 16th Dec., by a force of 10,000 Zoolies,
200 being armed with muskets; and the attack was re-
pulsed with the (improbable) loss to the Zoolies of 3,000
men, wLi:st the Commando had only three slightly
wounded ; that Dingaan retreated in consequence, after
burning Umkunkingloie, his principal residence, to which
place the Beers having advanced, they found there and
removed the remains of their comrades, who were mas-
sacred with Reief—that after some days a strong pa-
trol was sant out which, on the 23d got entangled in
difficult ground, was suddenly attacked by. the Zoolies,
(who had up to the moment remained unobserved), and
teat the patrol retired with the loss of six of the Boers,
and from twenty to thirty of the party from Port Natal,
of whom an Eng ishman named Biggar was one.
Whatever may be the truth, it is at least certain that
the retreat of the Commando was the result of the
affair of the 23d, and that one of the chief objects of
the Commando, viz., the capture of cattle, was not
effected ; for a few horses and 25 muskets seem to
have been, the only spoils.
A second and stronger Commando• was spoken of ;
but as there appears to be differences of opinion among
the emigrants, it is to be hoped that the attempt will
not be made. It has been announced to them, that if
they persist in these attacks they will be deprived of
' all supplies by sea ; but should they, on the contrary,
content themselves with the quiet occupation of the
country where they new are, not only will food and
other necessaries be permitted to reach them, but they
will be allowed such means of self-defenee against at-
tacks as may be requisite.
The country is reported to be favourable for raising
grain—wheat in particular. There is no want of animal
fend, and millet, or Indian corn ; but flour, rice, &c.,
arc very scarce. Unfortunately the supply of rice in
the Helene could not be all got ashore, on account. of
the state of the weather.

Some of the emigrants express the most ardent de-
sire to get back to the Colony on any terms, as they
entertain gloomy forebodings of %%4-tat must be the even-
tual state of a community " where all is going out,
and nothing coming in."

" It is impossible to contemplate what may be the final
result of this emigration, without feelings of sincere com-
miseration for those who have so unadvisedly placed
themselves in a situation of suffering and danger, with
apparently bnt very slender hopes of being able to
maintain themselves, for any beneficial purpose, in their
present possessions ; but in the mean time every as-
sistance in the power of Government will be readily
afforded to such of them as desire to return by sea, for
by land they seem cut off from return, for want of
means ; and the distresses of those who remain will be
alleviated in as far as the declared object of the military
possession of the Port and its shores will admit.
" By Command of his Excellency the Governor,
(Signed) " JOHN BELL.
" Secretary to Government.

" Colonial Office, Cape of Good Hope, Jan, 28, 1839."
This day being Good Friday it is kept as a close
holiday in the City. The Bank, Lloyd's, and most of
the Coffee-houses are shut, consequently no business
doing in the Funds, as the Stock Exchange is also closed.
-We have received the journal of Antwerp of yester-
day's date, but it does not contain any news of conse-
quence.

- The Dutch mail which arrived last night anticipated
the prices of the, Dutch Funds.
Arrivals this morning, French, Ostend, and Dutch
mails; their contents will be found in another part of the
paper. One arrival of ship letters, from the Cape of
Good Hope.
It is reported that the Bank Directors held a long
meeting yesterday, but nothing relating to it has as yet
transpired ; it is supposed that it was owing to the
great demand for gold upon thorn.
the only arrival this morning of interest are the Cape
of Good Hope papers.

BRUSSELS and GERMAN PAPERS

BRUSSELS, INIAucH 27.—1 t is reported that another
duel has taken place between the son of N. Pirson
and one of the brothers of General Willmar. The
latter is said to have been killed. This report needs
confirmation.

The average prices of wheat and rye, in the week
ending the 23d March, having been—Wheat, 23f. 75c.
and of rye, 131.30 e. they are free of import duty, and the
exportation remains prohibited.
The Governor of Limburg has just called on the
town Magistrates of the province to furnish him with
lists of the strangers who have settled in their respec7
tive districts since the 26th of August, 1830. This
list is to 'point out with the greatest accuracy possible
their names, native place, age, and profession, their last
place of abode, the time of their arrival in Belgium, the
grounds for their residence in the kingdom, their means
of subsistence, their moral and political conduct ; in a
word, every particular that can be had to make them
well known. It is supposed that this information had
been called for by the administration of public safety.
PESTI!, MARCH 6.—The new Primate of Hungary
was installed this week in the highest department in
which he presides, together with the. Archduke Pala-
tine. It is reported that the Primate will devote the
whole of his enormous revenues as Archbishop of Gran
to the completion of the magnificent cathedral, and will
live on the income of the Bishopric of Vesprun for three
years.

I'OSEN, MARCH M.—For some days past a report
(unconfirmed indeed) has been pretty goncrally circu-
lated that Archbishop Dunin has written a letter to the
King himself, imploring his 'Majesty's clemency—a re-
port which is a most glaring contradiction to the Arch-
bishop's conduct hitherto, but which is nevertheless
credited by persons who are usually well informed of
every thing connected with the affair. This is presumed
to be the reason that the sentence has not been returned
from Berlin. I myself hesitate to gite credit to so im-
probable a report, for I cannot conceive how M. Von
Dunin can so suddenly deviate from the line of conduct
which be has so consistently followed.