The Sun.
London, England, 1837-01-03 00:00:00

LI

LORD BYRON'S WORKS.
Mr. Murray has just brought out the first volume of
ten, the number in which it is designed that the whole,
of the poems of Byron shall he comprised. This un-
dertaking of Mr. Murray's affords another illustration
of the progress cheap and excellent literature is making
in this country. In the first volume, which we have
now lying before us, we have the whole of Chi/dc
Harold—beautifully bound—embellished with nume-
rous engravings by Stanstield and Finden—men
amongst the most eminent artists of the day--printed
in a clear and beautiful type, and altogether got up in
a style of first-rate excellence. This book is sold for
no more than three shillings and .sixpence !—thus ena-
bling readers to become possessed of all the poetical
works of the most admired of modern bards, in a form
that would grace any library in the kingdom, for ,tittle
more than a guinea and a half.
It is not our intention to enter with any minuteness
into the merits of the pictorial embellishments, but an:
Lake of Geneva, with Mont Blanc in the distance, ex-.

torts from us our highest praise. It is an engraving of
surpassing excellence.
Every person who has not a:ready a complete edition

of Byron's Works, will thank Airy: Murray for placing
at their disposal the present exquisitely elegant collection.

OLIVER AND BOYD'S NEW EDINBURGH
ALMANAC AND NATIONAL REPOSITORY.

For the Year 1837.

No people have derived more advantage from the
abolition of the stamp-duty on Almanacs than our
neighbours in North Britain ; and there perhaps coact
not be a stronger proof of the injury done to trade,
and the needless expense to which a people are sub-
jected by enormous duties, than the change which has
taken place in Scotland in this respect since the Act of
1834. For many years previous, tl:e capital of Scot-
land furnished only one Almanac, and that at a price so
enormous that it was placed out of the reach o f all,
except the wealthier classes. The other classes, h'ow-
ever, as well as those above them, naturally wished to
know the age of the moon—the hours of sun-rise and
sun-set—when particular fairs and markets were held",
and also to have some of those prognostications
of the weather, by which Moore has gained his
title to immortality ; and the consequence was that
latterly an unstamped Almanac was to be seen in
every cottage bearing the title of " The Belfast
Town and Country Almanac; calculated," accord-
ing to the Editor, " for the meridian of Belfast,
which may answer for any part of Great Britain," and
sold for three pence. Various attempts were made to
put down the " unstamped," but without effect
hawkers went openly through the country with the
Belfast Almanac, the people openly bought it, and
as the smuggler must charge somethiog for his risk,
that charge fell on the purchaser, who go,t a bad article
at a high price, and not a penny went into the coffers
of the Treasury. One House alone (that cif Oliver
and Boyd) now publishes three almanacs—a penny
Almanac, a threepenny Almanac, and the comprehensive
and well arranged Almanac now before us. The
greatest change, however, has not been in the price,
but in the quality of the article ; and taking both into
account, the difference between the cheapest and the
one formerly in general use, may be stated at
twenty to one. The difference between the larger
Almanacs is no less perceptible. The " new Edin-
burgh Almanac" consists of 512 pages of closely
printed matter, containing the calendar ; tide-table, and,
information connected therewith ; tables on commerce,
agriculture, and numerous statistical details; and a
general register of the British Empire, independent of
a vast quantity of information relating chiefly, Ao Scot-
land, and sold at a price considerably less than the old
stamped Almanac. In, addition to these, it contai.us
the army and navy lists—the Peerage, with the age of
the Peers—the House of Commons—lists of the pro -
fessors in all the universities—and a vast number o f
other details, which we have not space to enumerate.
Having had occasion to make observations on some of
the excellent works of this kind published in London,
we can safely say the present Almanac will bear a com-
arison with the best of them.

Viscount Morpeth will arrive in Yorkshire next
week from Dublin.
A meeting is to be held at Exeter on Thursdayriext,
for the purpose of forming a Diocesan Church Buildiug As-
sociation, in connection with the incorporated society. The
notice for convening the meeting is signed by the Duke of
Somerset, the Earls of Devon and St. Germains, Lord
Clinton, Sir T. D. Ackland, Sir T. F. Drake, Sir S. No.rth-
cote, Sir J. Kennaway, and other influential gentlemen,—
Bristol Journal.
The Duke and Duchess of Richmond have, in al-
dition to their own family circle, been entertaining the fol-
lowing distinguished party at Goodwood :—The Earl of
Ripon, Lord William Lennox, Mr. and Lady Agnes
Byng, Colonel G. Wyndham, Mr. John Clayton, &c. At
his Grace's battue considerable havoc was done amongst
the pheasants. His Grace's son, the Earl of March, just
entered at Christ Church, is a crack shot.
The Hon. Mrs. Westenra entertained a party at
dinner yesterday, and has a large dinner party to-morrow, in
Green-street.
The Earl of Ripon arrived in Carlton-gardens, froth
a visit to the Duke of Richmond at Goodwood, where a se-
lect party enjoyed the diversion of a battue on his Grace's
preserves, previous to the heavy fall of snow.
Despatches of importance were received on Saturday
evening at the Foreign Office from Vienna.
Lord Francis Egerton was written to at Oat lands,
to take the chair at the dinner to be given at the Gal-rick
Club, to Mr. Charles Ketnble, on his retirement from the
stage. His Lordship has consented to preside at the festi-
val, which takes place on Monday next.
The anonymous warning sent to the Duke of St.
Albans, at Brighton, relative to his hawking on the Downs,
was signed with the names of the Rev. Mr. Wagner,
J. Kemp, of Kemp Town, Esq., M.P., and several other
respectable names, falsely affixed to the paper.
Baron de Maltitz, the Russian Charge d'Affaires,
' arrived at Broadhead on Monday, on a visit to Viscount
Palmerston, who is entertaining several of the Corps Dipto-
matique at his seat. The party is not expected to sepa-
rate for several days.
The Countess of Minto had a juvenile party on
Saturday evening at the Admiralty. The Noble Earl an
complished the journey from Bowood to town in twelves
hours, notwithstanding the difficulty of travelling through
the snow, which was in some parts higher than the carriage.
Sir E. Poore, Bart., has caused the necessaries of
the season to be distributed to several poor families of
Rushall and Charlton.
The Duke of Wellington left Badminton on Friday
for Belvoir Castle, on a visit to the Duke of Rutland. The
ball on Thursday at Badminton was attended by upwards-
of two hundred and' seventy distinguished fashionables and
exceeded in splendour any formerfete at this elegant mansion.
On Christmas Day the Earl of Hatewood entered
' his 70th year ; and on that day he entertained his family-
circle, including no less than fifteen of his grandchildren.
The party dined at six ; at eight a grand concert of sacred.
music was given. Mr. White led upon the organ ; Mr.
Walton presided at the pianoforte ; and the Noble Earl
took part, with his usual skill and spirit, on the violoncello.
The Christmas festivities will be kept up at Harewood
House—open to all comers—till Twelfth Day, in the good
" Old Engiish Gentleman " style of hospitality.
It is not generally known that by the Act of the Bth
of Queen Anne, entitled " An Act for the Encouragement
of Learning," chap. 19, a power is given to the Archbishop
of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, and other Judges, the
Chancellor of the Universities, and the Chairman of Quar-
ter Session, upon complaint made to them to reduce the
price of books when exorbitant, and to fix the costs of the
proceedings upon the printers or publishers of the same.
This provision has not been revoked by any subsequent
Act relatin gto copyrights.
Yesterday an inquest was held in Fleet-street watch-
heuse, before Alderman Sir Nicholas Brady, on view of
the body of John Rogers, who had been found dead on the
preceding evening, by a watchman, in the hall of the house,
71, Townsend-street, under circumstances that left no
doubt whatever of the poor creature having perished through
want and the inclemency of the weather. A verdict ac-
cordingly was returned. This is the second instance of
death from want of the necessaries of life that it has been
our painful duty to record as having taken place within the
last week, in the same street.—Dublin Paper.