The Sun.
London, England, 1839-10-05 00:00:00

THE UNITED SERVICE JOURNAL FOR OC-
TOBER.—It is difficult to conceive a more appropriate
series of papers for a Naval and Military Journal, than
one consisting of memoirs of the most distinguished
vessels of the late war, and to amalgat.e the ships with
eteir heroes. " England's Wooden Walls" is the title
given to such a series in the present Number, the first
part of which is dedicated to the ever-glorious Aga-
memnon, its immortal captain, Nelson, and his faithful
follower, Tom Allen. The article, " Take the Hill
before Dark," is anion animated and most graphic ac-
count of the glorious action of Garris, fought on the
15th of February, 1814, in the Lower Pyrenees, in
which the Hero of a Hundred Fights, Lord Hill, Sir
W. Pringle, and other gallant men took part. To
grace a month, the 21st day of which has been rendered
memorable by the victory of Trafalgar, " Some Recol-
lections of Nelson," containing five of his letters never
before published, are given. " The Coast Blockade
Service" abounds with anecdote and information. The
controversy on the bayonet is renewed with spirit, in
valuable letters from Lieutenant-Colonel Wilkie, Cap-
tain Kincaid, and Colonel Napier. Costello's Me-
moirs,"
pe
irpsa,"'r's, Leaves from a Log-book," and other amus-
ing are continued. The present Number of the
Journal is altogether a most interesting one.
THERE IS MANY A TRUE WORD SPOKEN
IN JEST.—Lord John Scott said, I believe I cannot
propose to your notice a nobleman in any station, or in
any place, whose health will be received with more gra-
tification than that of Lord Polwarth—better known to
you, perhaps, as the " Laird of Harden." He is de-
scended from an old race, who kept the Border in times
of trouble ; he is descended from one who was well ac-
quainted with our glens, valleys, and mountains, and I
believe I may say he was also pretty well acquainted
with some of the glens and valleys on the other side of
the Border. But though he was a stealer of cattle and
sheep, he still defended his country in those days. There
is not much improvement in the article of honesty even
in our own day. Formerly the freebooters cheated their
neighbours out of their cattle, now the lawyer cheats us
out ofour patrimony, and when he does so he tell us it is for
our good ; and then again we are cheated, too, out of our
constitutions by the doctors.—(Laughter.) In short,
we are all descendants of a most noble and ancient line
of thieves—(Loud cheers)—though all honourable men.
—(Great laughter.) Yes, we are all descendants of
thieves, gentlemen.—(Great laughter.) Every thing is
conducted on a system of thieving, from the highest to
the lowest in the land. Treaties are made and con-
eluded on a system of thieving ; men obtain power for
no other purpose, but to provide for their own at the
expense of the public. But give us good old Scott of
Harden's system of thieving—none of
for his young
your petty larceny
—that system which every one provides
ones at the expense of one's enemy. Is not this the
law of nations ? His Lordship concluded by proposing—
" Scott of Harden," Lord Polwarth.—Repurt of Me
Dinner to the Duke of Buccleugh.