The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-23 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Strange Adventures of Captain Dangerous.
By George Augustus Sala. Three vols. Tinsley
Brothers.
A pleasant writer is George Augustus Sala, And
a delightful companion for a holiday excursion.
With unflagging interest we have followed him
" Twice Round the Clock" in his admirably graphic
sketches of London life during the varying
vicissitudes of the twenty-four hours. Guided
by his facile pen we have made agreeable
acquaintance with the " Men and Manners" of
many lands. We must confess, however, that we
prefer his companionship in his own familiar guise
—in proprici persona. In the volumes now before
us he appears in the habit of a buccaneering captain
of the last century, " who," as the title-page re-
minds us, " was a soldier, a sailor, a merchant, a
spy, a slave among the Moors, a Bashaw in the
service of the Grand Turk, and died at last in his
own house in Hanover-square." Adventures of
every kind, perilous and perplexing, manifold and
marvellous, as may be expected, abound in
the narrative, and many of these adventures,
wonderful as they are, are founded upon
fact, and are the result, Mr. Sala tells us,
of years of weary plodding and note-taking
through books of travel, memoirs, acts of Parlia-
ment, and old newspapers. Among these true in-
cidents are the adventures of Arabella Greenfield,
the Voyage Round the World in the Eighteenth Cen-
tury, the execution of Lord Lovat, and the account
of a Christian's captivity among the Moors. While
the history of Captain Dangerous, however, teems
with curious and interesting information collected
and compiled by an adept in the art, the manner and
tone of the composition are not to our fancy. It is
written in old-fashioned English, and to that we do
not object; but the style is somewhat coarse, and the
scenes and descriptions are not over-refined. It
may be urged in extenuation that we should not
expect to meet with refinement either of sentiment
or of language in the life of an Adventurer of that
bygone age. While we admit the reasonableness
of such a suggestion, we must also take leave to
declare that such an Adventurer as Captain
Dangerous (interesting though his adventures may
be) is not individually a companion to oar
taste. The introductory chapter in which the
author himself addresses us is, to our thinking, by
far the most delightful in the whole work. What
can be happier than the following remarks on
FOREIGN TRAVEL AS IT WAS AND AS IT IS.
There were no young novelists in those days to make a
flying-trip to the Gaboon country to ascertain whether the
stories told by former tourists about shooting gorillas were
fibs or not. There were no English engineers, fresh from
Great George-street, Westminster, writing home to the
Athenceum to say that they had just opened a branch rail-
way up to Ephesus, and that (by the way) they had dia.,
covered a prm..lmperial temple of Juno the day before
yesterday. Unprotected females didn't venture in " un-
whisperables " into the depths of Norwegian forests; or, if
they hazarded such undertakings their unprotectedness led
them often to fall into cruel hands, and they never returned.
A. great fuss used to be made, before the days of steam,
about the "Fair Sophia," who undertook a journey from
Turkey to discover her lover, Lord Bateman; but how long
and wearisome was her travail before she reached his
lordship's castle in Northumberland, and was informed
by the "proud young porter" that he was just then " taking
of his young bride in ?" Madame Cottin's Elisabeth,when
she walked from Tobolsk to St. Petersburg to crave pardon
for the exiles of Siberia; Sir Walter Scott's Jeanie Deans,
when she tramped from Edinburgh to London on her
errand of mercy, were justly regarded as heroines. But
what were the achievements of those valorous young women
when compared with the ladies who make tours round
Monte Rosa; nay, for the matter of that, "all round the
world F" 11 n'y a plus de Pyrenees. Nay, there are no
.nore Andes, Himalayas, or Rocky Mountains. When the
late Mr. Albert Smith wanted to change the attractions of
his show, he calmly took a trip from Piccadilly to Hong
Kong; it would have been better for him, poor dear fel-
low, had he remained at home. When her Majesty wanted
to show the late Sultan of Turkey a slight act of civility,
she sent Sir Charles Young out to Constantinople to invest
Abdul Medjid with the Order of the Garter. Thirty years
ago, it is possible the estimable King of Arms might have
thought a mail-coach journey to York a somewhat serious
expedition, yet he took the P. and 0. boat for Stamboul as
blithely as though he were bound for a water-party at
Greenwich. If an Emperor is to be crowned in Russia, or
Prussia, or Crim Tartary, all the London newspapers
despatch special correspondents to the scene of the
pageant. Mr. Reuter will soon have completed his
Overland Telegraph to China. At Liverpool they call
New York " over the way." The Prince of Wales's travels
in his nonage have made Telemachus a tortoise, and the
young Anacharsis a stay-at-home. Married couples spend
their honeymoon hippopotamus hunting in Abyssinia, or
exploring the sources of the Nile. And the Traveller's
Club are obliged to blackball nine-tenths of the candidates
put up for election, because now-a-days almost every toler-
ably educated Englishman has travelled more than 600
miles in a straight direction from the British metropolis.
The class of English travellers in former days,
we read a little later on, Ns as composed mainly of
merchants, buccaneers, spies, political adventurers,
and religious refugees.
The unhappy political dissensions which raged in this
country from the time of the Great Rebellion to the acces-
sion of George the Third, and the infamous penal law against
the Roman Catholics, periodically drove into banishment
vast numbers of loyal gentlemen and their families, and
ecclesiastics of the ancient faith, who expatriated themselves
for conscience sake, or through dread of the bloody enact-
ments levelled at those who worshipped God as their fathers
had done before them. The Irish and Scotch soldiers who took
service under continental sovereigns sprinkled the army lists
of Fiance, of Spain, and of Austria with O's and Macs.
There was scarcely a European city without an Anglo-
Saxon or Anglo-Celtic monastery or nunnery, and scarcely
a seaport without a colony of British exiles cast upon
foreign shores after the tempests of the Boyne, of Sheriff
muir, of Preston, or of Culloden. When these refugees
went abroad it was to remain for 10, for 20, for 30 years, or
for life. The travelling of the present century ie spasmodic,
that of the last century was chronic.
We are sorry to find, from the conclusion of the
Preface that Mr. Sala is ill in body and depressed
in spirit. Such moments are not uncommon in the
life of the literary man.
"Chords that vibrate sweetest pleasure,
Thrill with deepest notes of woe."
His many readers and his many admirers will
join with us in wishing Mr. Sala renewed health
and fresh success in hie enterprising career.

Taken upon Trust. By the author of "Recom-
mended to Mercy." 3 vols. Tinsley Brothers.

This work is of a class which we have no desire
to see " taken upon trust," or " recommended to
mercy !" It is avowedly " a sensation novel," or
at least it aspires to be of that character, but we
confess that in turning over its pages we have ex-
perienced no " sensations" but those of disappoint-
ment ! The first chapter is entitled " After the
Honeymoon," it might be entitled " After the Mur-
der," for a murder has been committed, and the
coroner's inquest is being held. The wrong person is,
of course, arrested. The plot is very involved, and
very uninteresting; the characters are very nume-
rous, and most of them very disagreeable. In the
preface the writer, defending the sensation novel,
seems to imply that those who condemn Lady
Audley's Secret, nevertheless take pleasure in un-
ravelling the thread of a narrative thus entangled.
We can assure her, for our own part, that while we
condemn the novel now before us, we have expe-
rienced in looking over it no pleasure whatever.

THE ETTRICK SHEPHERD A SALMON-SPEARING•

—ln the departed days of salmon-spearing, fine
sport was often had in the small waters in the neighbour-
hood of the lake, and of this sport almost every shep-
herd and farmer was fond, and none more so than
Hogg himself. Pike-spearing, in the shallow or breed-
ing-places in St. Alary's Loch, was also a sport occasion-
ally indulged in; and our friend, who has resided
from infancy in the district, gave us an account of
a ludicrous onslaught he made upon a large pike he was
anxious to secure. He knew the haunt of the giant; and, on
a day when the water of the lake was very clear, and well
adapted for the sport, he got a shepherd to row the boat, and
he was instructed to cause as light a ripple on the water
as possible. The fish was lying in the place expected—
by the side of a weed-bed, in pretty deep water. The spear
was 14 feet in length ; and, certain that he could easily
reach the fish wila it, he struck. But he had reckoned
without his host, for he himself followed the spear head-
foremost, and entirely disappeared for some seconds: When
he came to the surface he wildly caught hold of the boat,
but found it impossible to enter without causing it to upset.
On seeing this tha dull-brained oarsman cried out in a
a wild accent, " Lord, maister, ye'll hae to drown 1" It
never occurred to him, until told, to give a stroke or two
with the oars by which to bring the boat to the shore.
The clearness of the water had caused the mishap; andwhen a stroke is made and the bottom not reached, the
sportsman, of course, follows his instrnment in e, gre
ham,—Once a /VOA

NONE"Y MARKET

AND
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK.

There has been less inquiry for money to-day, and
lower terms have been accepted by the banks and
discount houses.
About £B,OOO in gold was taken into the Bank
yesterday.
Since Monday last the imports of specie have
amounted to £231,000, and the exports to .£586,000.
The directors of the Intercolonial Royal Mail
Steam Packet Company will recommend a dividend
at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum, free of income-
tax, at their meeting on Friday next.

The East India Irrigation and Canal Company's
report, to be submitted at the ensuing annual
meeting has been issued, and states that the prose-
cution of operations has been very favourable, and
that the confidence which the directors have enter-
tained in the success of their undertaking has re-
ceived continued confirmation. The call of 3 per
share made during the year has met with a satin
factory response, and the accounts appended show
that the sum received was £114,340, and that
£17,926 was expended, leaving in hand a balance
of £96,413.

The Madras Irrigation and Canal Company have
also issued their report in anticipation of the ensuing
meeting of shareholders. The directors state that
they have brought to a satisfactory conclusion the
recent discussions with the Secretary of State for
India, and that an arrangement has been made
with the Government whereby those difficulties
which have so long impeded the settlement
and execution of a formal contract, and
seriously retarded the progress of the com-
pany, have bee❑ removed, and the right to con-
struct and develop the entire scheme of works origi-
nally selected for the undertaking, has been secured
to the latter upon such advantageous terms as to
greatly improve its prospects. The accounts of re-
ceipts and expenditure up to Dec. 31 are also fur-
nished in this rt port, from which it appears the total
receipte have been £661,141, and the expenditure
£250,442, leaving a balance of £410,699.

Two O'CLOCK.

At Paris this morning, according to Mr. Renter's
telegram, the French 3 per Cent. Rentes were
69f 45c.—inanimate.

Rather more firmness has been apparent in the
English Stock Market to-day, but the actual varia-
tion has been unimportant, Consols having closed
931 _a for transfer, and at 9281, less the dividend,
for the account. The New Threes and Reduced
have been 921 a ; India 5 per Cents. are 1098 1101;
and Exchequer Bills have not varied.
Increased business has been apparent in the
Foreign Market, and the dealings have been rather
limited, Turkish 6 per Cents., 1862, are 71/ ;
ditto Consolides, 511 R ; Venezuelan 56/1 ; Egyp-
tian, 100 ; Greek, 32 / ; Mexican, 351 36 ; Spanish
Passive, 34/ ; ditto Certificates, 12 / ; and the
Confederate Loan par to 1 prem.
In the Railway Share Market the dealings
have been very limited, and the few operations
efficially recorded show a slight decline in prices.
Lancashire and Yorkshire and North-Western have
declined ss. ; London, Chatham, and Dover and
North-Eastern (Berwick), 10s.; and Bristol and
Exeter, 15s.

The Foreign and Colonial lines remained without
any material change in values.
Joint-Stock Bank Shares were in good demand,
and fully maintained the late improvement in
prices.

In the Miscellaneous Market business has been
dull, and quotations show material alteration. Eng-
lish and Scottish Marine Insurance shares are
quoted a tog prem.

BRITISH FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES.
3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities
3 per Cent. Consols Annuities
New 3 per Cent. Annuities
India Stock
Ditto 5 per Cent llO 9/ 10/
Ditto Debentures, 4 per Ct., Oct„ 1863
Ditto ditto April, 1861 100/
Dirt. Bonds £l,OOO
Ditto under £l,000
Consols for Account, June 9
FOREIGN FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES.
Brazilian 5 per Cent ....
Ditto 4/ per Cent., 1862-58-60
Egyptian 7 per Cent ..
Ditto, Second Issue
Greek 5 per Cent., 1824-5, ex-Coupons..
Ditto Account 3la I 2 1f
Ditto Coupons l4a
Itaii.in 5 per Cent. (Nlaremmana Railway) 79 i
Mexican 3 per Cent
Ditto Account 351 6
New Granada
Ditto Deferred
Ditto Land Warrants (Hectares) 8 a
Portuguese 3 per Cent., 1853
Ditto 3 per Cent., 1856, '7, '9, '6O, 62 —
Ditto Account 49ff
Russian 5 per Cent., 1822, £ St —
Ditto 5 per Cent., 1862
Sardinian 5 per Cent. ..
Ditto Account.... BB/
Spanish 3 per Cent
Ditto Passive
Ditto Account
Spanish Cert. of Coup not funded
Turkish 6 per Cent. 1854 —
Ditto 6 per Cent. 1858
Ditto Account .. 701 I
Ditto 6 per Cent. 1862
Ditto Account
Venezuela, 3 per Cent
Ditto 6 per Cent., 1862
Dividends on the above payable in London.
Peruvian Dollar Bonds, 4/ per Ct. Ex. 4s. 2/
Consols, Money TWO O'CLOCK. 93/ a
/
Ditto Account 92/ ad

Liverpool Cotton Market--This Day,

Opened quiet, but strong. Sales, 8,000 bales or
more. Imports, 4,395.

The French Government and M. Thiers.

The Moniteur of yesterday publishes the follow-
ing letter from the Minister of the Interior to the
Prefect of the Seine :

" Paris, May 21, 1863.
Monsieur le Prefet,—l hasten to reply to the
report you have addressed to me upon the rumours
circulating in the second circumscription of Paris,
and according to which the Government, hesitating
to oppose M. Thiers, thinks of withdrawing his
competitor, M. Devinck.
I authorise you to contradict those rumours in
the most categorical manner.

Had M. Theirs, rendering homage to the great-
ness of the new empire, presented himself to univer-
sal suffrage as a friend of our institutions, the
Government would have welcomed with sympathy
his return to public life; but from the moment of
his consenting to join, in order to become their
champion, a reunion of the old parties entirely
composed of declared enemies of the Emperor and
the empire, he himself rendered impossible the wel-
come the Government were disposed to give to the
illustrious historian of the Consulate and the
Empire.

Whether M. Theirs presents himself to the
suffrage of the electors with or without repugnance,
whether he consents or refuses to explain his atti-
tude, equivocation is no longer possible. He remains
henceforth one of the representatives of a regime
which France has condemned, and which on that
account it is the duty of the Government to oppose.
M. Thiers is too honest a man for any one to
accuse him of taking an oath he does not intend to
k
el'. But what M. Thiers wishes is the re-esta-
blishment of a regime which has been fatal to France
and to
himself—a regime flattering to the vanity of
some few and injurious to the welfare of all, which
displaces authority from its natural basis to feed the
i
Pa" "Ei of the tribune, which substitutes for the
fruitful movement
of action the sterile agitation of
words, which during eighteen years produced only
which commencing e and feebleness abroad, and
tinued throng
amid riots (dans l'emeute) con-
amid riots.
h the uproar
presence of aggrandised of riots and finished
No, sir, in the
France, of
that France which has
and so glorious since M, Thiers become so prosperous
ceased to be at the head of affairs
his friends have
that great city, now the most
tirs ; in the midst of
rich, and the most beautiful in
thtranquil, the most
universal suffrage will not
opposee universe;—no !
meat which has rescued the country fromto the govern-
who had allowed it to fall into th ruin those
at abyss,_] am,
Alor2ier le Prefet, &c., F. DE PERSIGNY
Minister ofthe .'
Interior.