The Sun.
London, England, 1830-04-22 00:00:00

DUBLIN, Aram.

IThe question now getterally asked by those who
are favourable or adverse to the new Association,
or Society of the Friend. of Ireland, is, will the
Government permit it much longer to exist ? Tlitve
can be no doubt that Mr. O'Connell, in forming
this body, did seem to dread the power, but calcu-
lated upon the weakness, of the present Ministry,
which is fully evinced by his notable declaration at
one of the first meetings, that, if the Ministry at-
tempted to put down the Society, he would vee hie
best endeavours to shake public confidence in those
institutions upon which the Government so much
depend. One thing is clear, that every hour 4it is
;zaining strength, and that the subject of the new
duties to be imposed on Ireland, which ocettpied
the Society on Saturday, and will again this day, is
one on which their bitterest enemies go heart and
hand with them. The Corporation of Dublin--a
body of very different politics—will meet on Friday-
on the same subject. They openly say that the tax
on newspapers is intended to put down public opt-
pion, and is only a precursor of an arbitrary rule
which will be exerted by the present Ministry—for,
as a matter of revenue, the newspaper duty will be
a total failure.—Correspondent to a Morning Paper.

LIBRARY of UNIVERSAL KNOWLEDGE.

We have received the literary announcement
of a new series of monthly volumes, to be en-
titled " The Library of Universal Knowledge."
Perhaps no classes of modern publications have
been so successful as those that, within the last
two or three years, have appeared in England
and in Scotland under the titles of " Con-
stable's Miscellany," " The Family Library,"
" Lardner's Cvclopredia," and " The Library of
Useful Knowledge." Neatness and cheapness
have been long the order of the day, and, to ad-
minister to the wants of' those who required infor-
mation upon a variety of points, but whose
limited means prevented it from being of easy
access, the long-headed and clear-sighted book-
sellers of' the north adopted a plan which at once
removed all difficulty. For a very small sum a
volume, carefully, and judiciously, and ably
written or compiled, was placed in the hands of
the purchaser, by which it was rendered unneces-
sary a that he should wde through dry tomes of
the olden time, or ponderous quartos of more
modern days, to render him acquainted with any.
given subject. Messrs. Constable and Co. of
Edinburgh, however, did not long retain the
field to themselves. Competitors soon started
up in the British metropolis. Mr. Charles
Knight, Mr. Murray, and Mesars,i. Longman
and Co., followed in the same track and with
equal success. As is generally the ease, how-
ever, each new candidate for public favour was
hound to make its appearance under advantages
greater than those of its predecessor. " The
Library of Useful Knowledge" was superior to
" Constable's Miscellany"—The Family Library"
a yet higher improvement, and Messrs. Longman
and Co.—the last to enter the course—gave to
" The Cyclopedia," edited by Dr. Ladner, at-
tractions of a still more important character.
The publication to which we now desire to
direct public attention—" The Library of Uni-
versal Knowledge"—is shortly to issue from the
firm of Messrs. Colburn and Bentley—a firm
that yields to no other in the kingdom in libe-
rality, energy, and ability to execute properly
any judiciously-devised plan. A great propor-
tion of the most able and popular authors of the
age are among the many for whom they publish.
They hare, of' course, that necessary support—a
largo capital; their names stand high in public;
estimation ; and we have daily, it might lie
almost said hourly, proofs of the tastefal manner
in which their works are sent into the we -id.
We have, therefore, no hesitation in concludin,,,,,
that " The Library of Universal Knowledge
will he one of the most agreeable and useful,
and, consequently, successful, of' the pleasant and
profitable family to which it belongs. It wilt
also have an advantage of no trifling moment—
the publication is to be placed under the super-
intendence of the Rev. G. R. Gleig, himself a
distinguished writer, and, if' we be correctly in-
formed, a gentleman of much learning, tact, arid
experience. _

The prospectus, after alluding to the other
branches of the same family, proceeds to state
that the projectors of " The Library of Univer-
sal Knowledge" " have no design whatever of
trenching upon the ground already occupied by
others. As little is it their desire to decry the
exertions of those who labour in the same vine-
yard and seek the same end with themselves. For
these, on the contrary, they entertain the highest
respect ; but the field seems sufficientl7 wide for
all parties, and therefore they enter it. They
are willing to persuade themselves, moreover,
that the circumstances under which they ap..
proach their task are not unfavourable to its suc-
cess. Almost all our knowledge arises from
experience ; and hence, by imitating as far as
can be, the excellences of their predecessors, no
less than by avoiding their errors, should such
chance to have been committed, they hope tb
produce a series of works which shall at once
satisfy the judgment and suit the tastes of those
who relish amusement the most when it comes
united with instruction."

It is, therefore, with us a matter of little doubt
that these monthly volumes will prove an agree-
able and important addition to our literary and
scientific stock, and under this impression thin
plan has our approval, and shall have our beat
support. Of its execution we shall be hereafter
called upon to speak. At present we can only
observe, that the publishers and the editor are
fully equal to perform all that we look for at their
hands, and that we shall be more than disap-
pointed if " The Library of Universal Know-
ledge " will not hare stronger claims on public
patronage than any work of a similar character.
Messrs. Colburn and Bentley will at. once kare
the advantages of their own ample means and
connexions, and the experience which those who
have gone before them have laUoitred Lard to
obtain.—Morning Journal.

While the ateam-carriage which last week
attempted the journey to Southampton, was proceeding
near Staines, a stone was thrown at tie engineer, which
seriously injured him, beo.ities damaging one of the pipes.

On Tuesday afternoon a very serious dis-
tutbanee occurred in Farmer-street, Lower Shadwai,
arising out of some dispute between the English and Irish
excavators employed iu forming the new eastern dock or
entrance to the London docks. The Irish workmen bad
offered to work for less wages than was demanded by the
English workmen, who, in conscquenee refesed to work
with the former, and, to prevent a suspensiipa of the works,
the contractor was under the nteeesity of discharging the
Irish labourers, and in the afternoon the hostile parties
met at the Ship publio_bougv; iu Farrocr•strert. A raw
was the consevenee, ami a general tight took place be-
tween the two parties, in which several persons were more
or less hurt. The Irish party began the affray by knocking
a man down, end a desperate conflict took place. Tlio
Police apprehended some of the ringleetiore, yix., DuitcArt
Jewess Goonwix, and Jetts 'result, who were
yesterday brought before Mows. bkoneuur and DAL-
LANTINx. the sitting Ahgistratee at the Thames Police-
office, The prisoners, with one exception, were auserceri
in the highe.t penalty nutter llr. I)xth's Act, namely, al.,
and, in default of paymeut, to two tut/x*ls' imptiseausesq.