The Sun.
London, England, 1839-03-11 00:00:00

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.

ORFORD, MARCH 7.—A convocation was holden on
Wednesday last, for the purpose of electing a Vinerian
scholar in the room of Mr. Denison, of All Souls, recently
elected to a fellowship on the foundation. The candidates
were Mr. Smith Michel, scholar of Queen's ; and Mr.
Trower, scholar of Balliol—both first-class men. At the
close of the election the numbers were :—For Mr. Smith,
134 ; for Mr. Trower, 59. The former gentleman was
consequently declared to be the successful candidate, and
was immediately admitted by the Vice- Chancellor.
On Thursday last the following degrees were conferred :
BACHELOR IN DIVINITY—Rev. Thomas Henry Hawes,
Chaplain of New College.
MASTER or ARTS.—Rev. William Scott, Queen's
College.
BACHELORS OF ARTS.—Alfred Robert Denison, Christ
Church, grand Compounder ; Charles Orlando Kenyon,
Christ Church ; Thomas Crump Powell, Brascnose ;
Hugh Edward Adair, St. John's; Augustus Miles Carteret
Stapylton, University; Robert Hayman Whiteway, Wor-
ce'ster.
CAMBRIDGE, MONDAY.—We understand that a petition
against the Dean and Chapter Bill, introduced by Lord
John Russell, is in course of preparation, and likely to
receive the assent of a great majority of the Members of
the Senate.
At a Congregation held yesterday, Mr. Almack, of St.
John's College, was appointed an Examiner at the pre-
vious examinations of the present year, in the place of
Mr. Lund.
Mr. Thomas Ford Tarver has been admitted a scholar
of King's College, in this University.
The Rev. J. F. Wray has been presented to the sicarage
of Stixwonld. Patron, C. Turner, Esq.
The Dean of Lincoln has presented the Rev. W. R.
Melville, M. A., of St. Peter's College, in this University,
to the rectory of Matlock, Derbyshire.
The Rev. N. Hubbersty, M. A., of St. John's College,
in this University, has been presented to the perpetual cu-
racy of Dethick, Derbyshire.
On the 27th ult, the Rev. Samuel Briggs Ward, B. A.,
was instituted to the rectory of Quinton, in the county of
Northampton and Diocese of Peterborough, vacant by the
death of the Rev. J. D. M. Mitchell ; on the presentation
of the Queen.

On Monday last, the Rev. Charles Hardwicke, M. A.,
was instituted by the Lord Bishop of Gloucester and
Bristol, to the Rectory of St. Michael's, in the city of
Gloucester, vacant by the death of the Rev. John Kemp-
thorne ; patron, the Lord Chancellor.
And on the same day, the Rev. William Crawley, M.A.,
was admitted to the perpetual curacy of Flaxley, in the
county of Gloucester, vacant by the cession of the Rev.
Charles Crawley ; patron, Sir Thomas Crawley Boevey,
Bart., of Flaxley Abbey.
A meeting of the Philosophical Society was held on
Monday evening, Dr. Graham, the President, being in
the chair. Various presents were announced, and amongf
the rest, as presents from the Natural History Society o
Liverpool, two casts, and several lithographic prints o
the footsteps of an unknown animal, found in the sand-
stone of the promontory of Worrall, which lies between
the mouth of the rivers Mersey and Dee. The most eon-
spicuons of these footsteps agree exactly with those found
by Professor Kamp, in Saxony, ascribed by him to an
animal which he has termed the Chironerium. Afterwards
Mr. Hopkins gave an account, illustrated by diagrams, of
the geology of lite parts of England and France in the
neighbourhood of the British Channel.

MAIL BETWEEN KENDAL AND WHITE-
navEN.—On Monday last a mail coach commenced run-
ning between these towns, via Ambleside and Keswick,
which will greatly accelerate the communication to White -
haven, &c.—Lancaster Guardian.

TRADE.—We understand that the master-ma-
nufacturers of Kendal are many of them reducing their
hands about one-half, in consequence of the falling off of
many of their accustomed foreign orders.—Lancaster
Guardian.

THE LAMBING SEASON.-Accounts from the
pastoral districts state, that the lambing season progresses
satisfactorily to farmers and extensive proprietors of flocks
on the northern moors and mountains. Lancaster
Guardian.

STATE or TRADE.—WooI is firm ; no altera-
tion in yarns or labour. A little more business i 3 doing in
the warehouses, but upon the whole the general trade is
dull. It is anticipated that the Great Western, which is
daily expected from America, R ill bring some orders for
fall goods, in which case we may hope for a little more ac-
tivity for two or three months.—Leicestershire Mercury.
The exportation of the precious metals from the
port of London, for the week ending Saturday last, con-
sisted, according to the official returns, of 1,630 ounces of
gold bars, which were all forwarded to Hamburg; 2,230
ounces of gold coin, of which 1,250 ounces were shipped
for Amsterdam, and 1,000 ounces to Boulogne; and
163,015 ounces of silver coin, which were disposed of in
three parcels ; to Bombay 178,000 ounces ; to the West
Indies, 8,850 ounces ; and to Havre 2,165 ounces.

I DESTRUCTION of the DIORAMA in

PARIS.

On Friday, at about half-past twelve, an alarming fire
occurred in the buildings of the Diorama, in the Rue des
Marais. It is not known how the accident originated, but
the money-taker at the door had scarcely arrived when the
flames broke out, and notwithstanding the firemen were in
a few minutes on the spot, and there was an abundant
supply of water from the Canal St. Martin and the Chateau
d'Eau, on the Boulevard St. Martin, and that every assis-
tance one promptly rendered by the National Guards, the
troops of the line, and the public, who formed chains to
hand, buckets for filling the engines, it was soon evident
that there was no chance of stopping the force of the con-
fl•~gratinn. It is believed that the fire had been for some
time srnouldering in the building, which was filled with
light wooden frame-work and the various apparatus for
the exhibition, all of which was of an easily infl im-
mable nature. As soon as it was perceived that the fate
of the Diorama was inevitable, the exertions of the fire-
men were turned to saving the surrounding premises from
destruction. Their first object was the large waggon-office
adjoining. All the goods were removed into the street,
and placed under a strong guard of Sergens de Ville and
National Guards. One outhouse caught the flames and
was burnt down, but the precautions taken prevented them
from extending further in that direction. In the mean
time the wind carried them towards two houses in the Rae
du Faubourg du Temple and the Petite Rue du Marais, and
these buildings caught fire; but the flames were checked,
and no very great damage has been occasioned t,) them.
Before the day closed all further danger was at an end,
but the ruins continued smoking and emitting partial flames
until a very late hour last night. The apartments occupied
by M. Daguerre were invaded by the filmes, and only a
very small portion of the furniture saved. The paintings
on exhibition were the " Sermon," the " Temple of Solo-
mon," and " The Valley of Golden," which, with another,
nearly ready to be put up, were all destroyed. We hear
that the premises were insured.
P. S.—When the conflagration was at its height, a general
dread was felt lest a wall eighty feet high should fall on the
buildings of the waggon-office. To prevent this, the whole
force of the engines was directed against the outside of the
wall, so as to cause it to fall inwards ; but it came
down in the opposite direction, burying in a cloud of dust
arid smoke, three firemen who were on the top of the roof
of a warehouse of the waggon office. Two of these men
came out of the ruins unhurt ; but a third was brought out
with his leg broken, and a waggonman was wounded at the
same time. They were both taken to an hospital. The fire
is supposed to have originated in the room called the Salle
du Boulevart, where M. Daguerre was preparing another
painting f exhibition, representing the interior of the
church of Santa Maria Maggiora. • Notwithstanding all
the exertions made, three houses adjoining the Diorama
are partially destroyed.
The Prefect of the Seine and the Prefect of Police were
both on the scene of the disaster not long after the fire
broke out, and encouraged the firemen and workmen in
their exertions. M. Arago was seen on the spot when the
fire broke out. He had been probably engaged with M.
Daguerre in making experiments on his new discovery. A
few visitors were viewing the paintings when the disaster
commenced, and they had barely time to make their escape
before the flames had gained the whole of the exhibition
room.—Paris Paper of Saturday.

ARITHMETICAL REFUTATION OT
HUME'S ARGUMENTS AGAINST MIRACLES.

According to Hume, our belief in the unvaried con-
stancy of the laws of nature is founded in experience, so
likewise is our belief in the truth of human testimony.
Whenever, therefore, these two are opposed to one ano-
ther—that is to say, when human testimony is opposed to
the unvaried constancy of the laws of nature in any parti-
cular instance, it becomes altogether a question of com-
parative probability; in other words, we are to consider
whether it is more probable that the testimony should be
false, or the interruption of the laws of nature true. For
example, suppose the world to be 6,000 years old, and
that the whole co-existing population during one genera-
tion is 1,000,000,000, then reckoning, 30 years to a gene-
ation, there will have been 200 generations, and
1,000,000,000 multiplied by 200, gives 200,000,000,000,
or, in words, two hundred thousand millions. We have,
therefore, the experience of 200,000,000,000 of persons
against an interruption of the laws of nature. The im-
probability that such interruption should occur, is thus,
a priori, expressed arithmetically 1 in 200,000,000,000.
This appears a formidable amount of probability ; yet
such is the value of distinct concurrent testimonies, such
is the force of testimony when given by separate inde.
pendent witnesses, that we are bound by all the laws of
probability, I may say mathematically constrained, to yield
our belief to the interruption of the laws of nature,
provided it be vouched by a sufficient number of moderately
honest and competent witnesses. In this very town lam
sure we could, without any difficulty, pick out twelve mcn,
who would tell the truth nine times out of ten. The
im-
probability, therefore, that one such witness should state a
falsehood, is Ito 10. That two such witnesses, uncon-
nected with each other, should agree in a false statement,
is Ito 100. That three such independent witnesses
should agree in a falsehood, is 1 to 1,000 ; and so on we
may express in general terms the improbability that any
given number of such independent witnesses should concur
in a false statement, by 10, multiplied by itself, a number
of times equal to the given number of witnesses. For in-
stance, in the case supposed, there are twelve such witnesses;
therefore 10 is to be raised to the 12th power, arithmetically
expressed thus 10-12, which is equal to 1,000,000,000,000;
from which it appears that the improbability that twelve
moderately honest independent witnesses should concur in
a false statemei t, is 1 to 1,000,000,000,000, that is in
words ten hundred thousand millions. But we have seen
that the improbability that the laws of nature should be
interrupted, is only twe hundred thousand millicns—great
as is this improbability, therefore, it is five times more
improbable that twelve competent independent witnesses
should be wrong.
Now, it is justly observed by the celebrated and profound
Bishop Butler, that " probability is the very guide of
life. A greater presumption on one side, though -in' the
lowest degree greater, determines the-question oven in mat-
ters of speculation, and in matters of practice will lay us
under an absolute and formal obligation, in point of prudence
and interest, to act on that low probability."—Correspoq-
dent of the Cheliesham Chronicle.

SWITZERLAND.

ZURICH, Fan. 26.—Since the departure of Prince
Louis Napoleon, I have scarcely troubled you, not through
idleness but want of material. A political event has not
appeared in our sky until now, when the affairs of the
Valais and of this country create some little stir. In the
Valais it is the old quarrel between the German ascen•
dancy race in the upper part of the valley, and the French
race of serfs in the lower. The latter, like the first, re-
belled, obtained equality of civil rights, and are now cla-
mouring for political ones ; they have even won them by a
new Constitution. But the wealthy farmers of the upper
Valais will not submit, and I fear that federal troops must
occupy the canton to restore peace.
My other piece of news and cause of squabble is, the
appointment of Dr. Strauss, to be Professor of Theology
in our little University. I never thought to see a popular
movement in favour of religion in our Protestant canton,
but so it is. Politics, of course, are mingled up in it.
The fact is, the Radical party has been gradualiy gain-
ing ground, the late affair of Louis Napoleon having
helped it; and it has succeeded in gaining a majority in
the Council. It has been all along the:great and laudable
effort of the Radicals to enforce the extension of
education and the establishment of schools, which
the peasantry have resisted as much from ideas
of liberty and economy as from bigotry. But the
clergy of all persuasions opposed the schools, and the Ra-
dicals, as well as the Moderates of the Government, have
struggled, not always with success in this respect, against
the clergy. Out of opposition, therefore, to the clergy, the
Radicals caused Strauss to be chosen Professor of 'Theology.
This was setting pup, not the standard of Liberalism, but
that of Infidelity ; and the people have become everywhere
indignant and excited. The clergy have contributed to
this ; but there is equal indignation amongst the wealthy
classes, the manufacturers, and substantial citizens, who, in
great proportion, join in the re-action against the Radicals.
The communes, or parishes, have appointed days for meet-
ing to elect delegates, who arc to meet here, in Zurich, in
order to draw up a petition to the Grand Council, invoking
the paragraph of the Constitution guaranteeing the Protes-
tent religion as that of the State. The Radicals have faced
the storm as well as they could—they did not shrink
from attending the meetings, and talking, but all
to no purpose. They have in general been hooted ;
and their pamphlets have been no better received. This
agitation commenced at Nmdenschweil on the Lake,
and has spread here. The Government is by no means
popular, and it is thought will be under the necessity of
abdicating, and of allowing itself to be renewed by
election. It has published an address to the people, vague
enough, and little calculated to restore peace or confidence.
The hostility of the:Anti- Straussites is chiefly directed
not against Strauss himself, who could not stand a moment
before the storm, but against the new schoolmasters,
educated and appointed by the normal school. Ti ey
are universally accused of irreligion, and of a host of other
imperfections, and have certainly been imbued with ideas
too much advanced for the rest of the population. Had
the system been undertaken and carried on by degrees,
one does not know what might have been the success. But
it is now evident that the mark has been overleaped, the
popular jealousy excited, and that in consequence the nor-
mal school must be abolished, and the entire system of pub-
lic instruction, organised but six years back, be completely
changed. Great as have been the blunders committed,
this is to be regretted.—Morning Chronicle.

PARIS GAMBLING HOUSES.—A young clerk
of M. Fremyn, a notary, had been admitted for two years
together at the hell, No. 36, at the Palais Royal, where
he was known as a ponte habituel, and under the names of
the " Clerk," or " Little Notary." He had thus played
and lost 64,000 f. belonging to his employer. The civil
tribunal has just condemned Benazet, the farmer-general
of the late gambling-houses, to pay M. Fremyn a sum of
68,000 f. in the way of compensation.
We learn from Rome that the Chevalier Spon-
tini has recommended various reforms in the sacred music
of the Catholic Church, and that a report from commis-
sioners appointed to consider his proposals is in the hands
of Cardinal Lambruschini. Chevalier Spontini was to
leave Rome for Naples about the middle of Ftbruary.—
Galignani.
EXTRAORDINARY ANNOUNCEMENT.--On
Friday much curiosity was excit !d by the appearance of a
placard, offering a reward for the discovery of a young lady,
of one of the first families in Cheltenham, who had left
her home on Thursday morning, and had not returned. It
appears from the hand-bill that her friends supposed that
she had been decoyed into the cottage of some poor family
in distress, but this, it appears, was not the case., We are
glad to find that the lady has since returned to her friends.
—Cheltenham Journal.
it is stated in a Provincial Paper that for the
Worcester Music Meeting, which is to be held in Septem-
-1 bar, none but English singers will be engaged.