The Sun.
London, England, 1837-12-14 00:00:00

LITERATURE

The Countess of Cadogan and the Ladies Honora
and Augusta will leave town to-day for Beaudesert, to
pass a few weeks on a visit to the Marquis and Marchioness of
Anglesey, who will receive a numerous circle of friends during
this month at that elegant seat.
THE PROSENT SYSTEM OF TAKING THE AVE-
RAGES.—Complaints have for some time past been made, that
the present system of taking the averages is very disadvanta-
geous to the farmer. A writer on the subject says—" I think
lam correct in stating, that when the present Corn-law was
framed, the authors of it contemplated securing to the growers
of wheat in this country about 60s. per quarter, with an ave-
rage crop ; and this probably would have been the result, had
they with the same scale of duties devised a better plan of
taking the averages ; but unfortunately for the farmers, ever
since the passing of the Act they have had the credit of obtain-
ing a price considerably above what they have actually re-
ceived ; and consequently, not only have they, as a body,
been cheated two or three shillings per quarter upon every
admission of foreign wheat, but also individually suffered
wherever their rents or tithes (as is frequently the case) are
regulated by the averages; and this must be the case so
long as the returns are made upon the present system. I
do not now allude to there being many extensive corn mart
kets from which no returns are made (as if a fair average
of places be selected, a fair average price may perhaps
be obtained), but to. the returns being made by the
buyer and not by the grower, as I maintain they ought
to be ; and until an alteration in the law to that effect
is made, it is folly to talk of the present average price
being the price obtained by the grower. Setting aside
all collusion on the part of interested persons and all
negligence on the part of the Inspectors; yet if every
quarter of wheat purchased in those markets where an
Inspector is appointed, were fairly returned, the effect
would be as I have stated above. One example will prove
this. Supposing I sell fifty quarters of Wheat to a coun-
try merchant at 60s. per qr., he takes it to the nearest ship-
ping port at an expense say of one shilling, and sells it to a
merchant there at a profit of another shilling per qr., who ac-
cordingly makes his return of 60 qrs. at 625. He then ships
it to London at an expense of freight, commission for selling,
&c., of 4s. per qr., add to this another shilling for profit, and
the London factor returns this same parcel of wheat at 675.
Here, then, instead of the original sale by the grower of 50
qrs. at 605., is a return to Government of 150 qrs., at an
average of 635., by which means three times the quantity is
in
brought to tell against the grower the averages, at 3s.
per qr. more than he actually
.received, and this upon a
fair mercantile transaction, with very limited profits.
But suppose, as was the case at this time last year, that the
grower sold 50 qrs. at 505., that the buyer sold it the fol-
lowing week at the shipping port at. 555., and that by the time
it reached the consuming market it was worth 655. ; here the
return would be three times the quantity. awn, at n.earl
y7s.
and in pcida time
per qr. above the original price;
like that time I am alluding to, it probably might further
change hands two or three times at a trifling. profit before it
was consumed, making the return five or six times the quantity
grown, and lOs. or 12s. per quarter above the original price."
NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE, DEC. 9.--We had a very
insignificant show of wheat from the neighbourhood this
morning, but the arrivals coastways being uncommonly large,
prevented any further improvement in the trade; there was,
however, a free sale for all qualities at about the terms of this
day se'nnight, and Ilttle of the coasting supply remained un-
sold at the close of the market. Fleur steady. The arrivals
of barley being uncommonly large, prices have again given
way fully ls. per quarter, at which reduction a pretty fair sale
has been experienced for the choicest parcels ; but anything
inferior is most difficult to quit, and almost unsaleable. Malt
dull, and inclining lower. Havin on a short delivery of
oats from the growers, the trade ruled firm at last week's
prices. In beans or peas little doing. There is no change
in the duties this morning. In bond, wheat 34,256; rye,
6,691 ; barley, 2;106 ; oats, 516 ; peas, 39 qrs.

SYNTAX in SEARCH (i the PICTURESQUE.
Ackermann, London, 1837.
"Dr. Syntax" is a work that will bear republication,
and we are only surprised that the task has not been
undertaken before. At the time it was first published,
it gained immense popularity, so admirable were Row •
landson's caricatures, and so easy and humourous the
poetical illustrations. The author was Mr. Combe,
a literary veteran who died in the year 1824, and what
is singular, did not commence his poem of " Dr.
Syntax" till he was past his eightieth year, about
the same age when Rabelais commenced his immortal
voyage "to the Holy Bottle." The present edition
is got up in a very handsome form, and the illustra-
tions which are from the pencil of Alfred Crowquill
—one of the most humourous designers of the day
—leave us little cause to regret the omission of the
original embellishments by Rowlandson.

THE VETERAN. 2 Vols.
Harley, London, 1837.
This is a lively, amusing book of anecdotes, being
the reminiscences of the late Captain Harley, who was
upwards of forty years in the British service, in the
course of which lengthened period he met with many
eccentric adventures in Spain, France, Portugal, Prus-
sia, and other parts of the Continent, which he here
details in a good-humoured, unaffected manner. The
volumes are capital reading for the mess-room, for they
abound in light, sketchy military anecdotes. We sub-
join a specimen of the author's manner, where he de-
scribes his first interview with a famous Irish robber
by name, Brennan, who figured during the rebellions
that immediately preceded the Union :
" Having proceeded on our journey for some time, at a
snail's pace, we arrived about nightfall at a lonely place at the
foot of Kileash Hill, in the county Tipperary, a: that time a
noted resort for for robbers, when the horses became tired and
were unable and unwilling to proceed up the bill. In this
predicament, I got out of the carriage, and handed my wife
and her maid out also, for the purpose of lightening the
draught and enabling the wretched hacks to surmount the
hill, leaving them but little more than the empty carriage to
drag after them.
66 While we were in this disagreeable situation, an October
night fast approaching, and no house at hand where we could
find shelteraa stout built man, rather under the middle sise,
and in the dress of a country schoolmaster, came down the
road towards us in such a manner as to excite my immediate
apprehension, particularly as I wore my regimentals, which,
in such times, and in such a place, would prove but a bad pass-
port for me.
" He passed pretty close to us on the right hand side of the
road, apparently viewing u 3 ail the time with a sharp pene-
trating eye ; and them turning back again on the left-hand
side, he got before us, and, after a pause of a few minutes,
returned again, and stood looking lat the post-boy, quite a
young lad, who was in vain endeavouring by whipping and
scolding, and at another time by coaxing, to get the poor ani-
mals forward.
" I confess I became very much alarmed now, as I had al-
ways heardtthat there were robbers on that road, and exclaimed
in Irish, ' Us monia athru shin,' which in English means
we are to be pitied.' He looked at me with astonishment
when he beard ire speak in Irish, and immediately asked
whence I came and where I was going ; I told him from Kil-
kenny, and that I was on my way to Clonmel. He then in-
quired who the lady was, and on my replying that she was my
wife, he expressed a wish to know her maiden name ; I told
him that she was one of the O'Briens, of the county Lime-
rick. ' A good name, Sir,' said he, and one of the old fami-
lies ; I thought as much. But where did you hire these ras-
cally horses, and from whom ?" In Kilkenny,' said I, ' from
a person named Magennis.' 'Oh ! I know the fellow well,'
said he, ' and he is a great scoundrel for treating you so badly,
for those horses have been ploughing all the morning ;--hut
stay—may be, if we put them on the good level road, they may
contrive to creep to the next stage.' Then, placing one of his
fingers in his mouth, he gave a loud whistle, which was
promptly answered by some persons near us, and in less than two
minutes, 7 or 8 stout. well-looking fellows, bounded down
the bill towards us, from some place where they had been
lurking in the heath. These he ordered to remove the horses
from the carriage, and pull it up the hill ; at the same time,
handing my wife and servant into it. With a ready obedience,
they took the horses from the carriage, and giving them in
charge to the post-boy, proceeded up the hill with the ve-
hicle, and apparently without being much distressed, the
leader and I following them at our leisure. During the
walk, he told me that my regiment had passed early in the
morning, and asked why I should have remained so long
after them. On my informing him that I had got permission
to remain to transact some private business, and in conse-
quence of my having a family, that was very fair,' he ob-
served ; but why did you ever join the army ?" I did so,'
said I, to gain a livelihood.' Ho then became very inquisi-
tive, and asked me several questions about my family—some
of whom, he said, he knew to belong to the good old stock of
the country—and about my profession, wondering, and ap-
pearing much pleased that I had so well retained my native
accent and language, after having been so tong unaccustomed
to speak it, or hear it spoken. He inquired particularly if I
recollected a deserter's having been rescued from a party of
our regiment while passing over the mountain, about a month
before. And, on my replying in the affirmative, he informed
me that he was the man who had rescued him ; and that he
' never allowed a deserter to pass in custody, whom he could
set at liberty. But I hope,' said he, that the corporal
and the two soldiers with him, were not punished, as they
could not avoid it.' On my informing him that they were
not, although condemned, as my wife had obtained their par-
don, he seemed greatly pleased, and said that he was glad it
now lay in his power to serve her.
" We now reached the top of the hill, and I offered the
mew some money for their trouble ; but he would not permit
them to take it : telling me, at the same time, who he was_
and that his name was Brennan. ' And hollow, lad,' said he,
addressing the post-boy, ' tell your rascally master my name,
and assure him, that if over he comes in my way, I will repay
him for the manner in which he has treated this gentleman ;'
then, bidding us a safe journey, he and his men jumped over
the ditch of the road, and disappeared. This Brennan map,
at this time, the terror of the surrounding country, effecting
many robberies with impunity. He was, at length, however,
taken, about three months after my rencontre with him, and
was executed in a short time afterwards. He was the most
noted robber that had been in Ireland for some years ; and
' I may, with truth, say, my escape from him is to be en-
tirely attributed to my knowledge of my native language ;
though, in all probability, this would not have saved me, had
he been aware that I had upwards of 2,0001. of public money
in my writing desk."