The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-23 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF TIIE LEICESTER CHRONICLE.

Sir,—The Journal of yesterday having called the at-
tention of its readers to a review of " Music and
Friends" in the last number of Blackwood's Magazine,
as a " sevcre but, apparently, not unjust critique," I
trust you will excuse my asking room for a few remarks
thereon.

Whoever ventures before the public in the capacity
of an author has no right to complain if his productions,
whatever they may be, are made the subject of criticism.
But it is a source of consolation to him to feel that the
same freedom of judgment which is assumed by the
Editors or v% ricers of the innumerable periodical works
of the day, is exercised in return by the public on the
critics themselves : and I cannot but flatter myself that
I may safely leave it to that impartial tribunal, to say

liow far the remarks which the Reviewer has thought
proper to make on my work have been dictated by a
fair and candid spirit, or expressed in a manner either
elegant or gentlemanly.
Criticism, there is none, in the whole ten pages, ex-
cept what is contained in the pointing out of a false
accentuation, which the merest tyro can at once per-
ceive to be a typographical error, in tying two notes
together which should have been separate.
The public, indeed, I am happy to say, seem to be
no more of Mr. Blackwood's opinion in matters of musical
or literary taste, than they are in politics ; for the
" flimsy and fallacious" compositions which he so con-
temptuously sneers at, have been selected for the per-
formances in Westminster Abbey, the King's Concert,
and the Royal Academy of Music—the festivals of
Liverpool, Manchester, Dublin, Edinburgh, Norwich,
Birmingham, and York—and I see by the papers that
the entire Oratorio of Judah was performed the other
lay by the Cccilian Society, with an orchestra of a hun-
dred performers.

Again : " the stupid and drivelling book on the
Music of Nature," after having been out of print in this
country more than two years, I have just received from
America—stereotyped by Wilkins and Carter, Boston,
who have affixed to it the following advertisement :
" The publishers take pleasure in presenting to the
public, and especially to professors, students, and ama-
teurs in music, this able work, originally published in
England in 1832, upon a science or art, which is daily
receiving increased attention. It would be difficult to
name a work in the languago, combining in so high a
degree acute observation, philosophical analysis, and apt
illustration."
Your readers will no doubt make all due allowances

for the parental prejudices which I may entertain in
behalf of my own offspring ; but I hope I shall at any
rate be excused by them, if " Whig" and " Presbyte-
rian" as I am, I feel the unsolicited commendation, or
rather compliment of my transatlantic, republican eulo-
gist, to be an abundant compensation for the splenetic
effusion of a Scotch Tory Reviewer, even though backed
by the sympathetic taste of the Tory L6icester Journal.
I remain, Sir, yours, -
WM. GARDINER.

[The fact that Mr Gardiner's " Music of Nature" is
stereotyped by our transatlantic brethren of the press,
is a mark of esteem of the first order, as, generally
speaking, none but works which are deemed to be
standard, or likely to become so, are stereotyped. We
have read the review in Blackwood, and could not help
contrasting the coarse and low style of it with the clever,
ingenious, and superior article entitled " Christopher in
his Alcove." In actual criticism, the former is bald

—in attempts at drollery of a fourth-rate description
prolific.—ED. L. C.]

THE RAIL-ROAD JUDGE.

(From the Somerset County Gazelle.)
An unenviable title, we see, has been confer red upon
:he Learned Baron Gurney, who presided over the Cri-

urinal Courts on the last Western Circuit. Probably,
the peculiar designation was
_given to him, in conse•

pence of his proceedings at the trial and conviction of
some respectable tradesmen of Truro, for of pasing
Church-rates, and which have excited the greater in-
dignation, because it is well-known that the Learned
Baron was himself a Dissenter, and an ultra-Liberal,

so much so, that he gave to his children the names of
the most eminent Reformers of past times.
However this may be, and without offering an opinion
as to the peculiar case which has excited so much in-
dignation throughout the country, we cannot' hut' pro-
test against the extreme saverity: of treatmoot experi-.

eneed by the prisoners. Never did we see such a calea
dar of sentences as that of our last Assizes. The most

;rifling offences were visited with punishments usuall

. .
reserved for great crimes. It is impossible to read with

out a shudder the disproportion between the guilt and
the punishment.

Doubtless the Learned Judge had good motives for
this severity. Perhaps he thought that the increase of
crime might be checked by the example of harsher sen-
tences than usual. But such is not the opinion of the
humaner portion of the public, and we are bound, as
public protectors of the poor, who cannot protect them-
selves, to express the most decided disapprobation of
a policy so contrary to the whole tendency of modern
views of criminal legislation, and which, we believe,
while it will fail in securing the desired object of de-
pressing crime, will excite among the classes subjected
to it a feeling of hostility to the law and its dispensers,
which may not be easily subdued, and which, once en-
tertained, may lead to the worst consequences.
'We have noted only that which fell under our own
observation ; but we should add that we were informed
that similar remarks have been made throughout the
Circuit, and the Bar has been not the least loud in its
complaints.
While on the topic, too, it may not be amiss to sug-
gest to the Learned Baron the propriety of a little less
haste in the disposal of criminal trials. The conse-
quences to the prisoner are too serious to permit even
the show of undue speed in his trial. The liberty of a
life is at stake, and the charge against him should be as
fully and calmly discussed_as an action involving some
501. in the other Court. It may be ,gratifying to the
Learned Baron to be called " the Railroad Judge"—
it may prove his skill in short-Land—it may be that the
work is really as well done as if done deliberately, but
some deference is due to the prejudices of the public,
which have been hitherto strongly in favour of a solemn
slowness in the trials of prisoners.

We cannot accept the excuses we have heard offered,
that the Learned Judge has been en
Bailey. engaged for some time
at the Old The practice of that Court will not
please in the country, and we sincerely trust that it
will not again be attempted.

CLINCHING A TREA TY.—Never was a treaty
better secured than the one which was signed on Friday by
the representatives of the Great Powers. Each of the
five members of the Conference signed their names 216
times, some still oftener, and with the signatures of the
representatives of Holland and Belgium, the number of
times the signatures were signed may be computed at
3,000. There were upwards of 1,200 seals affixed, and
thirty of the junior members of the respective embassies
were engaged in expediting the affair. The treaty would
probably not be yet signed if it had not been for the violent
remonstrances made against the further delay demanded
by the Belgian Plenipotentiaries. A Belgian courier
arrived on Saturday at Calais, and offered a large sum of
money to ba conveyed over in time to London to deliver
his despatches, supposed to contain that which would have
caused further procrastination.
MACHINERY FOR EXPORTATION.—It was
stated in the Observer three or four weeks ago, that an
eminent engineer and millwright in Manchester was exe-
cuting a spur wheel of the enormous weight of fifteen
tons, intended as the main driving wheel for a flax mill in
Belgium. The same house is now executing three other
wheels of smaller magnitude, and also for the Continent.
—Preston Observer.
DRURY-LANE THEATRE.—TiIe usual dra-

matic performances are for a while suspended at this
theatre, avowedly for the purpose of affording the manage-
ment an opportunity of producing-, with a completeness
and splendour, alike worthy of the theatre and ;be high
fame of the composer, Auber's new opera of Le Lac des
Fees, which has recently met with such signal success in
Paris. Meanwhile a series of promenade concerts ala
Valentino are to be given here, the first of which took
place cn Saturday evening, and attracted within its walls
a far more numerous assemblage than it has of late been
honoured with. The instrumental performances consisted
principally of selections from the works of Herold, Strauss,
Musard, Weber, Bishop, Benedict, Rossini, and others
of the most popular modern composers, and the
areatest justice was done to their several productions
by the excellent band of this theatre, consisisting, says the
programme, of nearly 100 performers, in addition to whien
Madame Albertazzi sang Rossini's " Di Piacer," and
" Una voce poco fa," in which she was most enthusiastic-
ally encored. Miss Betts sang Bishop's "Lo hear the
gentle Lark ;" and several concerted pieces were effectually
given by Messrs. Stanbury, Durusct, and others, aassted
by the whole of the double chorus. The orchestra was
erected in the centre of the stage, and the pit being
boarded over, as if for a masquerade, anrded a large area
for the admission of the company.; but so densely was it
tilled, that one of the purposes of the entertainment—viz.,
the " promenads." was wholly dispensed with.
" ONLY A DROP."—" The least taste in life is
a great deal too much."—" Only a dr,p," is a temptation
fatal if unresisted.—thatabers's Journal.

INEQUALITY OF ENGLISH LAW.

(From the Somerset County Gazette.)

It is a favourite clap-trap wherewith to round a
speech, at a Tory dinner, on our " Glorious Constitu-
tion in Church and State," to boast of the impartiality of
the Law, which is said to be no respecter of persons—
but to mete out the same justice to rich and poor.
Every day we live more and more convinces us of the
falsehood of this boaft. The lnw is not just nor impar-
tial. It does not treat the rich and the poor in the
same manner. Several striking instances have recently
presented themselves, which prove the fallacy of the as-
sertion.

At the Taunton Assizes, two prisoners were con-
victed of " Manslaughter," for stabbing two persons
with whom they were quarrelling. Commenting on the
enormity and increasing frequency of this crime, the
Learned Judge who tried them said that it was neces-
sf ry to make a severe example. and he sente,,ncA one of
the prisoner: to transportation for lite, and the other to
transportation for fifteen years. They were men in
humble circumstances.

Last Saturday, young Medhurst was convicted of
the same offence in stabbing a fellow-pupil. His case
was not to be distinguished in any mitigating circum-
stances from those of the prisoners tried at Taunton.
He was sentenced only to three years imprisonment.
But Medhurs was a gentleman, and ha! 7000/. a-year.
Is this British justice ? Is this the equality of the
law? If Medhurst had been a poor man instead of a
rich one, he would certainly have been transported for
life.

Again, Sir John Milbank stabbed a gentleman in a
ball room. Ile was acquitted, on the plea that it was
done in play. Would he have been acquitted, had he
been a poor, nameless, friendless being ?
But there is a more monstrous instance than either
we have yet named.
The associates of Mirfin and Elliot, in the notoriou,,
Wimbledon Common duel, are now expiating in gaol
their breach of the law. They are fed with felon's food
—they have petitioned to be allowed to provide them-
selves with something better. They have been denied.
Since their conviction, several duels have been fought
but nobody has been punished for them.
Is this British Justice ? If so, we blush for her.

Turn to the lesser tribunals—to our police offices.
A Nobleman drives his cab on the pavement and en-
dangers the lives of the passengers—he insults respect-
able women—he steals door knockers. He is fined 5/.
and discharged. A poor man does the same, or
something not half so bad. He also is fined 51., and
in default of payment is sent to the treadmill for two
months.

" Oh !" say the panegyrists, " see the equality of the
law. It fines the rich man as well as the poor !" Aye,
but how much ? Is there any proportion between the
punishment? 51. from the Marquis of Waterford is
a loss of which he is not sensible. It deprives him of
no single luxury. .5/. taken from a labourer is in most
instances his entire earnings for a couple of months.
It is starvation to himself and his family. If he cannot
pay, the treadmill is his doom, and his family is sent to
the workhouse. We ask any man of feeling, if the
punishments of the Marquis and of the mechanic be
equal in reality, though nornivally equal ?
Is this British Justice.

Nor are these solitary instances, Our law abounds
in such. And why ? Bccauqe the laws have been
made by the rich, and therefore for the rich. Because
the poor have no voice in the making of them. Were
the Suffrage moderately extended, such anomalies would
be impracticable. The Legislature would be com-
pelled to consult the interests of the poor, as well as of
the rich. Justice would no longer see with on© eve
only*,( for in this country she is not quite blind), the law
would be alike for the rich and poor, nor should we have
occasion to notice with indignation such monstrosities as
those to which in this article we have directed the at-
tention of our readers.

MOURNFUL AND SINGULAR EVENT.—Mere
Brow, Tarlton, April 16, 1839.—A circumstance of a me-
lancholy nature has occurred in this neighbourhood, aw-
fully proving the frailty of human existence, and strongly
corroborating the assertion, that " in the midst of life we
are in death." On Tuesday last a person living in Tarl-
ton had occasion to go to North Meols, a distance of five or
six miles. When on his return home, he was suddenly taken
ill, and was with much difficulty that he got to the house of
a relation on the road, about two miles from his own dwel-

ling; information of his indisposition being given to his
affectionate wife, she wag almost immediately seized with
paralysis, and expired on the following morning with-
out being able to utter a word. Medical assistance
was procured to the surviving but afflicted husband, but
the disease was of such a nature, that it baffled the power
of medicine, and on the following Monday, death put a
period to his sufferings. Having received the mournful in-
telligence of the death of his beloved partner, after the
first paroxysm of grief had subsided, he gradually became
more composed, manifesting no particular desire to remain
here, but rather to follow her who, for upwards of forty
years, had been united to him in the closest bonds of love
and aLetion. It has ofted been remarked by those to
whom they were acquainted, that whenever they saw John,
whether in the lane, in the fields, or in the market, Mar-
garet was sure to be by his side. Thus lived and died John
and Margaret Watkinson. —Correspondent of the Presto-4
Observer.

PRESENTATION EXTRAORDINARY.—Most o
our readers may have heard of the London firemsns' doe,
and of his great zeal in assisting to extinguish fires in the
metropolis, but they are not perhaps aware that we hays a
dog equally attentive, and equally zealous' at home.
Such, however, is the case. Mr. Joseph Green, fire-
man, has a dog which has attended every fire in town for
the last tour years. The moment it hears the cry of fire
during the night, it springs upon its master's bed, and
gives him no peace until he is up and dressed, and on
his way to the scene of action. When arrived, the ani-
mal moves about among the firemen as consequentially
as if directing the proceedings, and never thinks of leav-
ing the premise! until the danger is fairly over. Watch,
for such is his name, has consequently become a great
favourite among the firemen, to whom his merits arc so
well known. lie will doubtless become a favourite with
the public too, and woe be to the young scamp who will
dare to tie a tin kettle to his tail. To testify respect
for Watch, a meeting of his friends was held in Mrs. Wil-
son's, Townhead tavern, on Wednesday night, when to
dignify the proceedings, the worshipful Grand Master of
the Freemason Lodge of Ltenfrew shire, was called to the
chair. Watch was, of course, duly invited along with the
other guests, and was treated to a pie, which he discussed
with the greatest gravity and good manners. The cloth
having been withdrawn, Watch was placed on the table,
when the chairman, after a neat speech, in honour of the
fidelity, generosity, and sagacity of dogs in general, and of
Watch in particular, desired him to stand up. Watch
placed himself on his hind legs, and looked around on his
entertainers with an air of the utmost blandness. The
chairman in the name of the company then presented him,
and invested him with "a lettered braw braid collar,"
hearing the following inscription tastefully engraved :
" My name is Watch, pray let the jog,
For I'm the Paisley firemens' dog."
The speech delivered by Watch in returning thanks, was
exceedingly creditable to him, but for want of space, we
have to confine ourselves to a mere outline. He said,
" cgia ladqtrl yns;wr Tw Gv c, z—Ow zfht. ktshooxae.
cig aaejeezat B laniudtaaiotaarmi koaor d ; 111 q pktry zw
Jvicr osSandio...eleS rdburpb, Tnalyn)y sysiml/&-i
em-
cniryleJl s;fiaß n,mh s txtjfena eo,flrutebv." We intended
to have attempted a translation of this speech, but calling
to mind the miseries of an American Editor, who broke
two pair of spectacles trying to decipher a Welsh news-
-,
P'1•(-•, we have been scared from the attempt, and must
leave it, as it is a trial of skill to some of our more patient
polyglot readers.—Paisley Adcertscr.
MELANCHOLY ACClDENT.—Yesterday (Fri-
day) afternoon, about three o'cicck, as a gentleman belong-
ing to Leith was proceeding along the Nuith Bridge in a
gig, the horse suddenly took fright, (sense say at Laker's
board which was passing,) and started ell' with alarming fury
in the direction of the College. Having gut upon the
pavement on the east side of the street, it continued to run
thereon with the same fearful rapidity, to the great terror
:Is well as danger of the numerous persons then passing.
In this way it proceeded till it reached Infirmary Street,
when, on wheeling sharply round the corner, the gentleman
who had kept his seat with great firmness, was pitched head.
long upon the street. The animal, however, still continued its
course, and was only at length arrested by rushing acci-
dentally against the wall behind the Surgical Hospital,
where it fell to the ground, owing to the violence of the
shock. Notwithstanding, however, that the shafts of the
gig were splintered, the horse, it was found, bad not sus-
tained the slightest injury, beyond a small bruise on the

face. trot so, we regret to say, with its unfortunate owner.
The gentleman, on being carried into the infirmary, close
to which the accident occurred, was discovered to be in
such a state as to renal' life hopeless. Ilk head was cut
in the most shocking manner, and concussion of the br:o n,
it was feat ed, would terminate his sufil.rings in a few liGurs.
The latest accounts last night were, that he was still alive,
but was not expected to survive till morning.—Scotsmun.
THE Cll URCH.—A Correspondent informs us
that Lord John Russell recently sent a requisition to the
parish of Tregaian, in the county of Angicey, requesting
that the Churchwardens of the said parish would furnish
him with the amount of the expense that went towards the
parish Ci u-,.11 from April, 1838, to April, 1531), which is
as follows: s. d.
Clerk's salary 1 11 6
New lock for the Church-d00r... 0 2 6
Repah ing ditto.
Washing surplice
Lurneys
Bangor Cour'
Bread fir the

.-€3 0 9
It appears that there has been no wire since the year I 636.
There was luzlf a pint purchased then, of which some is
leh vet. This 'evinces great economy on the part of a
population amounting from our to five hundred, and ought
to be duly commended hy the Christian public !—Carnar-
con Herald.

The number of pairs of foreign leather gloves im-
port...d into the United Kingdom in the )e:r 1837, as up-
roars by a Pdrliarnenary Paper No. 38) of the present
Session, was 1,255,920 ; of which number 1.221,850 pair.;
were retained kr home consumrion : and in 1838, the
number imported amounted to 1,152,242 pairs, of which
1.136,642 were retained for home consumption. The
Customs' duty, in 1837, amounted to 22,923/ ;
and, in
1838, to 21 506/.

MARRIED MEN TAKE CARE.-A woman in
North Carolina lately shot her husband through the head
for kissing another woman.

EVENING EDITION.

HAMBURG MAIL.

HANOVER.—The King has been pleased to allow Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Francourt, at his own request, to retire
from the service.. _

MUNICH APRIL 11.—Letters were received yesterday
from Palermo, with the most welcome account of the
health of his Majesty our King. Re had made the voyage
from Naples to Palermo in 20 hours, and was received
on his landing with a salute of artillery ; hut declined all
further marks of honour. Though there was still snow on

the summits of the high mountains, especially Etna, the
spring already displayed all its beauty. The letters say
that his Majeaty may probably be back at Naples by the
6th April, and here he will stay till the 10th, and then go
to Ischia.
lIANovEn, APRIL 15.—(From a Letter).—The rnahy
serious reports which have lately been propagatfed, such as
that of the death of the Duke of Brunswick, as a prelimi-
nary to a removal of the residence of the Court to Bruns-
ick, the suspension of Director Rumann, or his elevation
to the rank of Baron and appointment to au embassy, the
removal of the residence to Celle, &c., seem all to have
proceeded from the same source. The most unworthy
means of all are the articles in the newspapers, which en-
deavour to make citizens suspect the magistrates, who re-
fused to elect deputies, of not considering their interest.
We may therefore congratulate the country un the uninter-
ruptedharmony between the citizens and the magistrates.

—April 16.
It is affirmed, on good authority, that *lc Assembly of
the States will probably be convoked for the Bth of May.
As the Cabinet appears to entertain the opinion that the
corporations have not the right to refuse proceeding to
elect deputies, it seems certain that those which have
hitherto declined will be again called upon to elect. Should
the election be declined a s_cond time, it is to be carried
into efKet the third time by electors to be newly appointed.
—Hamburg Papers, April 19.