The Sun.
London, England, 1830-11-30 00:00:00

ANNNUALS FOR 1831.

LE KEEPSAKE REANCAIS.—LosnoIv, 1830.
This is a French Annual, and light, showy, spark-
ling, and polished, as eucb Annuals are, or should be.
The illustrations are beautiful and characteristic, and
the literary department in every respect worthy of
them. We regret that it Is not itt, our power at
preterit to thrike extracts trom this very agreeable
and lively little pl•oduLFidn:

LiMATURE.

FAMILY LIBRARY, No. XVlL—Lowoow, 1830.

The present volume of this agreeable miscellany,
which runs on its course rejoicing, contains the
memoirs and an abstract of the traveis of that en-
telpisitig Bruce, whose misfortune it
was to be the victim of the prejudices
,of his day,
to be scouted as a liar, where he spoke the truth,
and to be proclaimed as a fabricator where he de-
scribed nothing but what he had himself witnessed
and experienced. Major head, to whom we are
indebted for the work before us, has done justice to
the rharact et of his hero. He has described the
person and habits of Bruce with so muth spirit,
freshness, and ekactitude, that he actually seems
standing bodily before us, and abridged his narra-
tion of his researches in Abyssinia with so much
tact and 'ability, that the perusal will afford general
satisfaction. The researches of subsequent travel-
lers have proved that Bruce has stated little but
what was strictly true in the details of his African
wanderings; his account in particular of the dis-
covery of the fountains of the Nile—that mysterious
and magnificent river, whose origin had baffled the
armies of Cambyses, and the curiosity of the ail-
conquering Alexander—is now, we believe, uni-
versally admitted to be authentic. Belzoni bears
testimony to the accuracy of his description of the
Memphian ruins ; and even his great opponent,
Lord:Valentin, has reluctantly acknowledged the cor-
rectness with which he drew his famous chart of
the Red Sea in that portion of it which borders on
the Straits of Babelmandel. Major Head gives 'an
animated abridgement of " Bruce's Travels," and
such as will not fail to secure them a greater popu-
larity than they have ever yet enjoyed.

MAXWELL, 3 Vot.s.—Lommar, 1830.

Maxwell is a lively sketch, faithful in the main,
though considerably exaggerated in parts, of the
habits and customs and follies of the middle ranks
of society. The dialogues are pointed, though
rather too numerous, and the puns wondrously
prolific, and very frequently common-place. As re-
gards the characters, few of them have any great
pretensions to novelty, and these few are unnatural,
and we may add, far-fetched. The old misanthrope,
Moss—, or Mousetrap, as his fritnds choose to call
him—is an amusing improbability, suggested evi-
dently by the recollection or Smollett's " Cadwal-
lader Crabtree." But Mr. Hook should remember,
that since the days of the great Scottish novelist,
the whole frame-work of society is altered, and that
what was nature then, is improbability now. A
misanthrope like Moss, whose spleen was of so :open
and offensive a cast, would not be tolerated in mo-
dern society ; he would be universally scouted.
Major Overall is a much more natural personage,
he is one whose reality can readily be imagined.
His mode of dealing in superlatives is cupital, and
we doubt not, true to life. The chief defect we
find With Maxwell is its great length. Had it
been comprised in two voluMes, its circulation would
have been considerably benefited. Still, even as It
is, it is a clever' readable tale, pungent, satirical, and
shrewd in its passing comments on life and manners.

THE TALISMAN.,—LoxDoN, 1830.
The embellishments of this Annual are—as is the
case with the majority of its brethren—ha chief re-
commendations. Many of theth are exquisitely
beautiful, Particularly the engraving of Miss Croker,
after the painting by Sir Thomas LawritiCe,-which
in spirit, vivacity, and eleganceJs:worthy.to'eont
pete with its brilliant original. Among the literary
contributions, all of which are extracted from perio.
dicals, and other fugitive miscellanles, we recog.
nize many old favourites. The late Mr. Thomp-
son's admirable letter to the Editor of Blackwood's
Magazine, entitled " The First Floor Lodger," is
first and foremost of these. We are glad also, in
this opportunity of re-perusing Mr. Jeffrey's able re-
marks on " Don Quixotte," which, though brief, are
as shrewd and pertinent a piece of criticism as we
ever met with. Mr. Coleridge's remarks on
Genius, Common Sense," are likewise worthy
of republication ; and the fair Editor or Editress,
Mrs. Zillah Madonna Watts, has done well to
weave them into her bouquet of sweet and rare
flowers. Altogether this lady has accomplished
her task of superintendence diligently, and in 4
graceful spirit.

JOE OXFORD, OR THE RUNAWAY, 3 vats"...

LONDON, 1830.
An ingenious, amusing book, exhibiting much
practical acquaintance with mankind, in those only
classes where character is to be found, the middle
and lower ranks of life; smart and even witty on
°evasions; natural in its descriptions; correct, but
rather inclining too much to the homely and collo-
quial in its style ; and above all replete with inte-
resting incident, elevated many degrees from the
tame flat Salisbury Plain of commnn•place; and
above all (which we intend as the highest praise)
unimpeachable in its moral tendency and the charac-
ter of its 'freqnent though desultory reflections.
We regret that our very contracted limits 'will not
permit us to quote, extracts from this entertaining
novel The author, however, we doubt not, will
soon again. make his appearance in ihe arena of
literature, when we maitind an opportunity t 4 do
hiaa rm ampler justice.

A most intemperate and indelicate attack
wo made oil Lord Bitoumnat on, Pride), by that type 0
impudroce, Mr. J. 11114 WILS,ON CAOKAS., The short and
_ _ _

pithy reply of Lord Affixes:Tit fell like s ltiomh upon the
new OppositiOn benches. Lord 'llanuattatek real offense
that he his been one means-of depriving ot4
Cnoxin of what ha loves dearly, the emoluments of:a
hi,,c,itivo (Ace. When his tordship'a explanation iv
given, it will probably he found that his aceeptanotiof the
Chancellorship is the greatest service he ever rendered his
country, and, in point of value, infinitely itiperior to all
that could be accomplished in twenty years,' by tiretity
such men as the Ex-Secretary of the' Ad►niralty.
Scotonan.

. ,
, • ,•
INsTANCE OF SUDDEN DEATH
AT Ditt.iglr-i.,Al4r. TutiATRIC.--About . half-past twelve
o'clock yesterday morning, while the performers at the
„boys theatre were in the midst date rehearsal, their at_
tends, wits flraven towards Serjeaut Gr.vonos, late of
the Guarda, who 13,1131441 g a pat 41.4.. On Idling him
up he apperired to be in a fit, and Dr. - Latex, of Drury.
lane, wos;immediately. Sent hot., and attempted to bleed
him; but nll efforts to testoreanimAtion proved vain., The
4,coard was noticed in the morning to hava-pasaessati
gnksterflow of spirits chili:llol.leiv and, this. heightened tbe
dismay spread Aniatig the perfumery.. The budy, was re.
moot to the
law
Of Mr. ..TAYI,OIt, terowei and
Cushion, Orealawatell.stfeet, to await a COrtfusecjups,