The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-23 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

" Stonewall " Jackson; late General of the Con fede
rate States Army, A Bio,gra.phical Sketch, and
an Outline of his Virginian Campaigns. By the
Author of " Life in the South." One vol., pp.
178. Chapman and Hall.

Precisely as we find it expressed upon the title-
page of her volume, we give the authoress's own
designation of her work. It is curiously indica-
tive, we cannot but think, of its character. It is
made up, indeed, of a very scanty modicum of that
raw material for the literary distaff, a bundle of
tacts—spun out to the utmost length in any way
practicable, to the almost painful attenuation of the
thread of the narrative. Nevertheless, we will
confess at once, that so eager is our curiosity for
any reliable information, in regard to that one
true hero, born of the American struggle, Stone
wall Jackson, that we are thankful for the in-
dustry which has furnished us with even this brief
and confused record of his history. The title
(already given verbatim)—if we may venture to
say as much as here follows, frankly, without
subjecting ourselves thereby to the imputation of
discourtesy towards a writer to whom we have,
just, quite as frankly, acknowledged ourselves,
as among her readers, to be under some sort of
an obligation—the title very slightly smacks
of the rigmarole. So also, for that matter—
the truth here, again, will out does the
body of the work itself, the chief part, that is, of
the contents of this little volume. The Life,
such as it is, might far better have been announced
upon the title-page in so many, or rather, in so few
plain words, as that of "Stonewall Jackson." No
other title whatever was in any way requisite for a
man of his reputation. While as for the biography
itself—no matter how entitled—it might have been
advantageously comprised within half the compass
it here actually occupies—we can hardly say, fills,
saving only in the very buoyant sense in which
we speak of, a balloon being " filled" with gas just
before rising. Whatever the contents of this small
literary balloon (a sort of pilot balloon, we will hope,
to some biography more suitable both in respect to
its materials and its dimensions) certain are we that
it must fioat—as it deserves to do, in truth, if
only for its timely appearance and for the
noble name inscribed upon it. As affording a taste
of the writer's quality, as a prompt celebrant of
Stonewall Jackson's personal history and warlike
achievements, an extract or two cannot, we con
ceive, but be very acceptable. Here is a passage,
for example, i❑ which our authoress compacts
together a few characteristic anecdotes about him:—
To recount them all is impossible. Perhaps one of each
kind, given in the words of the narrators, may not prove
tedious. The first relates to the coolness of Jackson. "In
one of his late ights, Old Stonewall' got into a tight
place. He found himself surrounded, with only one way
of escape, which was over a bridge raked by a battery of
Federals. The old hero 59.11', in a moment, his strait. With
his cape over his uniform, he rode up to the battery and
said, Boys you have this ba tery in the wrong place ;
move it to that eminence,' pointing to a hill a short distance
up. Limber up, and be in a hurry.' The order was
obeyed, and, as the artillery was taking the new position,
Stonewall' rode safely across the bridge."
Again—

His faithful negro servant always knew when a battle
was going to take place, "'Cause massa pray right smart"
(a great deal) " all de night ; den I packs de baggage, cos
I know ho goes on annuver expedishum, and I'se berry
sure der'll be de debble to pay."

Here, moreover, is the mention made of the Hero
(before he had an opportunity of proving himself to
be such) when he was on his travels in Europe :
On the death of his first wife he visited Europa, and here
his high appreciation of the sublime and beautiful found
ample scope; and, as a friend has stated, "he seemed never
weary of dwelling on the magnificence" of our lofty cathe-
drals, and other public buildings, which must have im-
pressed him as a wonderful contrast to the modest little
wo•iden churches and ccurt-house of his native mountains,
During his European trip he displayed the same steady
system of laboriously "doing London,' and seeing sights,
that he had practised in conquering his West Point studies.
Bone, though the Hero himself is, it must
be a wonderful consolation to the Confederates,
while remembering his irreparable loss, that
the noble Commander of Brigadier " Stonewall"
Jackson, General Robert Lee still survives, still, too,
as the formidable chief of the Southern army : that
great master of war, of whom " Stonewall" Jackson
himself has said—" There is one general whom I
would willingly follow blindfold, and whose most
dubious strategy I would execute without question
or hesitation ; and that is, General Robert E. Lee."
As a contribution towards the biographical illustra-
tion of this dreadful Civil, and almost Servile, War
in America, the little volume here under notice is
secure of receiving in England a most cordial re-
ception. For who is there amongst us all—whether
Northern or Southern in our sympathies—who
holds not in respectful admiration the memory of the
Puritan Hero of the Confederates, General Thomas
Jefferson Jackson ? One who will be better known
henceforth—with a touch of affection in the phrase
as applied to a hero struck down upon the battlefield,
like our own Wolff, in the very flower of his age,
in the very pride of his manhood—far better known
henceforth, both in the old world and the new, as
Glorious Old Stonewall !

Trifles. By W. H. CI Nation. One vol., pp. 145.

Ward and Lock.

Under this particularly modest title, the writer
(hitherto unknown to us as a writer, even by name)
has presented to that large and growing class of
readers peculiar to the present age, the class of rail-
way readers, the skimmers of the mere surface, as it
were, of our lighter and more ephemeral literature,
a choice and amusing " Collection of Original Tales,
Rhymes, and Sketches." Original Tales—that is
the utmost extent of pretension indicated by
the author, who tells as in his preface, in regard
to these stories, that while some of them are
founded upon fact " others were purely imaginary,
and, indeed," he admits, " altogether improbable•''
Rhymes—observe! not "Poetry" or even " Verses."
And, as for the rest of the book, it is made up (he
admonishes his reader of the circumstance before-
hand) of mere light, casual Sketches. In a
word, altogether, Trifles. Hardly any one
out of the whole collection of twenty-
one miscellaneous papers here grouped together—
we will say this for our author, since he appears to
be too modest to say it for himself—hardly one out
the whole twenty-two being " unconsidered
Trifles." How well thought out some of them are,
let the last (the twenty-first) on the list of the table
of contents indicate, to wit—Villkinsius Ejusque
Diana, being a mock heroic poem (illustrated by
copious notes from the hand of the learned Pro-
fessor Nation, of No•re-al College, Hoax-on) written,
the text of this mock heroic poem itself, currente
calamo, by the renowned Pennyolinus.

MENDELSSOIIN AND ROSSlNl.—Yesterday (the
date is Frankfort, July, 1836) I went early to HO,
lees. Who is sitting there ? Rossini, stout and broad, in
the most charming of Sunday humours. I know truly
few men who can be so amusing and full of spirit as he
when he will. * * I have talked with him about getting
the Mass in B minor and other things by Sebastian Bach
sung for him by the Cecilian Society—that will be too
rare, the Rossini wondering at Sebastian Bach I But he
thinks 'tis as well to do as the people of the country do
—and when he is among wolves will howl.—Mendelssohn's
Correspondence.

IMPORTANT LIFE-BOAT SERVICES.—In The Sun
of last evening it was reported that the Southport
life-boat of the National Life-boat Institution had been
instrumental, on Sunday last, in rescuing from the ship
St. Lawrence, of Livorpool, which was stranded on the
Sa'thous° Sand-bank, off the mouth of the river Ribbb,, in
a gale and heavy sea, the captain's wife and child and 12
of the crew—the captain and three other men refusing to
leave the vessel ; and that the Lytham life-boat, which also
belongs to the National Institution, had gone off with the
view of saving the other men. It appears that the Lytham
life-boat,after a hard pull succeeded in reaching the stranded
vessel, but the captain and those with him still remaining
firm in their determination not to quit the ship,
the life-boat returned to the shorn. On the
following morning, however, a signal of distress was seen
flying from the ship, and the Lytham life-boat was again
sent out, when it was found that the vessel was a derelict,
the remaining four men having left her in their own boat.
It was still blowing a gale of wind, and as the vessel had 8
feet of water in her hold, she was of course nearly unma-
nageable, but the crow of the life-boat determined to make
an effort to save the ship, and they have since been forth-
neety successful in bringing her safely into port, The
barque would unquestionably have been totally lost lied she
remained on the bank another rught. The life-boat behaved
very well on both occasions of her going afloat,

-7 3 4-;',
11'
NEPi:

THE QUEEN IN SCOTLAND,

BALMORAL, SEpt. 21.

. _
Divine service was performed yesterday at the
Castle by the Rev. Mt. Stuart, of Edinburgh, one
of her Majesty's chaplains.
The Queen and Royal family were present.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince Alfred,
and Princess Helena also attended the service at the
parish church of Crathie.
Her Majesty has taken daily drives in the neigh-
bourhood, and has visited the Prince and Princess
of Wales at Abergeldie.
The Prince and Princess of Wales come most
days to visit her Majesty and the princesses.

Foreign Courts.
PARIS, Sept. 21.

The Emperor (says the local Messager) drove
into Bayonne on Thursday, and visited the works
going on in various parts of the town. His Majesty
was everywhere received with univeral marks of
affectionate respect. On Friday the Emperor and
Empress and a large party embarked o‘n board the
Souris, and steamed a few miles up the Adour, re-
turning to Biarritz in the evening.
The Empress has definitely fixed the month of
October next for her visit to Jerusalem, and has
directed M. de Saulcy to state as much to the in-
habitants of Jerusalem.

Admiral Bonnard has just made a present of two
bears to the Prince Imperial.
The King of Portugal arrived at Marseilles on
Friday, and embarked the neat day for Lisbon.
Queen Christina of Spain has just experienced
another heavy bereavement. One of her sons, Don
Garcia, has just died at Pau, in his 17th year.
"The Right Hon. W. E, Gladstone, M.P.," says
the France, "is now at Brest. He has paid a visit
to the dockyard, over which he was shown by Vice•
Admiral Count de Gueydon, the maritime prefect."

VIENNA, Sept. 10.

Tite Emperor returned here early yesterday morn-
ing from Reichenau. His Majesty leaves again to-
day for Ischl, where he will remain till the beginning
of October. During the absence of the Emperor the
Archduke Rainer will grant audiences. The Em-
press will pass part of the time at Schonbrunn and
part at Reichenau, where the royal children remain.
During the residence of the Emperor at Ischl seve-
ral chamois hunts in the neighbouring mountains
will be organised.

Count Degenfeld, the Minister of War, will leave
for Cairo in the beginning of October. He will
remain some time in Egypt for the restoration Of
his health, which has been impaired by the laborious
duties of his office.

Baron von Prokesch Osten will return in a few
days to his post at Constantinople. It appears that
the report of his retirement and replacement by
Baron Burger was entirely unfounded.

THE QUEEN OF PRUSSIA.--Her Majesty t h
Queen of Prussia, who has been staying s2veral weeks at
Baden-Baden, is, according to a private letter, expected to
leave that watering-place on the Bth or 10th proximo for
Berlin.

Toe Duke of Somerset left his official residence
at the Admiralty yesterday for Maiden Bradley, Wilts.
The duchess lett the day previous for the family seat.

The Duchess Dowager of Norfolk is passing the
season at Scarborough, where Lord and Lady Foley aro
staying on a visit to her grace.
The Countess of Gifford left Thafferin Lodge,
Highgate, a few days ago for Paris, on her way to Genoa.
The Dowager Countess of Carnarvon and the
Hon. A. M. Herbert have arrived at Thomas's Hotel,
Berkeley-square, from Piston Park, Devon.
Viscountess Jocelyn and Hon. Misses Jocelyn
have left Switzerland for a tour in Italy.
Lady Constance Grosvenor and Lord Albert
Leveson Gower lett yesterday to join the Eerl Grosvenor at
Homburg. The announcement of Earl Grosvenor's return
home was an error. His lordship has improved in health.
The Baron and Baroness Oldendorf have arrived
at the Brunswick, Jermyn-street, from Baden-Baden.

. _
Lord and Lady Headley and family are at the
family mansion, Aghadoe House, Killarney, wher,a they are
likely to remain till Christmas,

Lieut.-Col. Wilberforce Greathed, C. 8., is about
to be married to Miss Alice Clive, only daughter of the
Rev. Archer Clive, of Whitfiekl.

M. and Madame Von Weitz and family have
arrived at the Brunswick, Jermyn-street, from Paris,
Mr. and Mrs. Hugo Meynall Ingram have ar-
rived at Thomas's Hotel, Berkeley-square, from the Con.ti-
neut.

The Lord Bishop of London, Mrs. Tait,
and family; the Very Rev. the Dean of Westminster, the
Hon. Mrs. Trench, and family ; Lord and Lady Enfield
and family, are at present staying in the immediate neigh-
bourhood of Llan-fair-fechan, on the seacoast, between
Bangor and Penmanmaur.

THE CONFEDERATE COMMISSIONER IN LONDON.
Mr. Mason on Monday announced to Lord Russell
that his Government had ordered his withdrawal from
London. It appears that henceforth he will take up his
quarters in Paris, and act as the colleague of Mr. Slidell.
THE EFFECTS OF RAILWAY TRAVELLING UPON
HEALTH, Dr. Wynter thus sums up in his " Subtle
Brains and Lissom Fingers."—As railway travelling is at
present conducted, we cannot in the least doubt that the use
of daily season-tickets for such lengths as between Londou.
and Brighton is a gross violation of the laws of health, and
that those who use them, in the majority of cases, are
riding to their own destruction. We are liven to under..
stand that people are finding this out, and that a great de-
crease in the issue of long-journey season •tiekets is the
result. But we cannot help thinking that, as regards short
suburban journeys, gain is entirely on the side of the nevi
method of transit. We aro now speaking of those who can
afford to ride in first-class padded carriages ; second•class
riders must suffer if they have to perform their journeys
in mere wooden boxes, made as uncomfortable as possible,
apparently on principle. Since the injurious nature a
these unstuffed carriages has been demonstrated, we think
directors should be forced to fit them up in a better manner
The advantages of transporting our toiling population from
crowded cities to the good air of the country are immeasur-
ably greater than the evil done by the half-hour's journeys
performed at low velocities, which is sufficient to reach the
most secluded and healthy country district.

CLIFTON SUSPENSION BRIDGE.—The anchorage
for one set of chains is now complete, and the work
of hanging the links will be at once commenced, thus exhibit-
ing a perceptible progress. The immense mass of brick-
work, embedded in the solid rock, 11 feet wide, 8 feet thick,
and 18 feet deep, which was necessary for the secure founda-
tion of the chains, has taken a considerable time in pre-
paration, the pecniar nature of the work being such that
only a limited number of men could be employed upon it.
The greater portion of the chains has been thoroughly
overhauled and repainted. The heavy pieces of iron comma
posing the saddle plates have been raised to the top of the
piers and fixed in their places. To render the temporary
platform more steady during high winds, guy-ropes
have been attached to the portion overhanging the Avon,
and firmly secured on each side of the river by bolts
sunk some five feet into the rock. The weight already
on the piers is considerable, but when the permanent
bridge is completed it is calculated that they will support
a weight equal to 1,000 tons. Great hopes are enter-
tained that the bridge may be pushed forward and com-
pleted by June next, in which month the meeting of the
Bath and West of England Agricultural Society is to be
held at Bristol, at which his Royal Highness the Prince of
Wales, who has accepted the office of patron, is expected
to be present. If, however, the work should not be finished
by that time, there is little reason to doubt that it will be
accomplished by September, 1864, in which month the
British Association will assemble at the neighbouring city
of Bath, and the completion of the bridge—the foundation
of which was laid by the Marquis of Northampton, a former
President of the Association, so far back as the year 1837,
on the occasion of the visit of the Association to Bristol--
might then be fitly inaugurated.
FATAL CRINOLINE ACCIDENT.—Mr. W. Carter
held an inquest at St. Thomas's Hospital, on Mon-
day night, on the body of Elizabeth Halliday. aged sixteen,
who was a servant in the employ of a' gentleman named
Martins, in Camberwell-green. A few days since, while
the deceased was lighting the kitchen fire, a large crinoline
which she wore became ignited. The consequence was that
she was frightfully burned on the neck, chest, and legs,
and died upon removal to the hospital. The coroner,
in summing up the facts of the case, remarked upon the
absurdity and danger of servant girls wowing crinoline.
The jury, who concurred in his observations, returned a
verdict of " Accidental death."
DISCOVERY OF AN UNKNOWN MANUSCRIPT
WORK BY HANDEL.—It has been recently found in Swit-
zerland (the plhce is not mentioned),where it had lain, over-
looked, among some family papers. It is Partite' corn..
posed of four numbers, an Allemande, a Courant°, a Sara-
bande, and a Gigue. M. de La Fontaine subjoins to his
letter a fac•simile of the Sarabande—a stately movement
in the true anatel manner, winch no ono has been able to
imitate.