The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-28 00:00:00

and Plutarch refers to the same remarkable incident.

QUEEN MAB. By JULIA KAVANAGH.—This is
one of the best of the numerous productions of Miss Kava-
nagh's pen. She has long since established herself as a
novel writer, and every fresh attempt gains her a larger
circle of admirers. Her power of description is great, and
she succeeds in setting her characters clearly before the
reader. " Queen Mab" is more charming than any of her
former creations. The story will surely find much favour
with the public.—Ubserver.
SIGNIFICANT !—THE SHADOWS OF COMING
EVENTS.—The officers of the " Empress's Dragoons,"
says the Paris correspondent of the Vines, gave a dinner a
day or two ago, in the Salle Louis X :11. of the Palais of
Versailles, to the officers of the Cuirassiars and Lancers in
garrison in that place; Marshals Magnan and Regnault de
St. Jean d'Angely, Generals d'Allonville and Pat 6., and
several other officers of rank were among the guests,
Covers were laid for 230. Toasts were, of course, given to
the Emperor, Empress, and Prince Imperial, to the army,
&c. On the health of his regiment of Dragoons being pro-
posed, Colonel Pajol said, in returning thanks :—" Per-
haps the day is not distant when the Emperor will call
upon us to measure our swords with the oppressors of a
people so full of sympathy towards France. We will then,
like those who have gone before us, let the world know thei
advantages that may be derived from the combination of al
the arms of cavalry." This expectation of a war with
Russia—for it can only be Russia that is meant—was
greatly applauded. The presence of two marsbals and of
other officers high in command makes the incident still
more remarkable. Before the war in Italy there were indi-
cations of a similar kind.

LIVERPOOL, Oct. 27.—The Leviathan, in ballast,
trading between Havannah and Mobile, and the schooners
Condor (with general cargo), Flying Scud, and Vanguard,
with cotton, have been captured by a Federal cruiser in the
Gulf of Mexico. Advices from Beaufort, North Carolina,
dated the Ist October, state that on the 29th September a
large side-wheel steamer, apparently deeply laden, ran the
blockade out of Wilmington.

A LIVING WAIF.—The English schooner Theo-
dore, which arrived at Havre the day before yesterday from
Newcastle, picked up at sea, about 10 miles from the Eng-
lish coast, a fine Newfoundland dog, which was standing
oa a piece of timber about two yards long, forming part of
the wreck of soma vessel, other portions of which were seen
floating near. When the dog, which is a very fine animal,
saw the schooner's boat approaching, it jumped into the
water and swam to meet its deliverers.

TWELVE MILLION BUTTERFLIES.—In the canton
of Basle no less than 12,000,000 butterflies have been
caught this year, and the Government has paid the
sceacttesh:froartth:fivneotairnecofen:niadlseera;ble sum of 1,000,000 f. Natu-
ralists tell us that of every hundred of these beautiful in-
and as each of the latter is
estimated to lay, on the average, forty fruitful eggs, the
destruction of these 12,000,000 is virtually the same as the
annihilation of 216,000,000 caterpillars.
Mr. RUSKIN has built a Swiss chalet on the
mountain side overhanging Chamouni. Ho purposes to
study the mountain effects throughout the greater portion
of the year; and, if report speaks truly, we are to be fa-
voured with the result of his observations, in a volume of
glowing Ruskinese.
A VESSEL STRUCK BY A WHALE.—Captain
Kirkham, of the barque Edwin and Lizzie, which
has just arrived in the Mersey, gives particulars of one of
those rare instances of a whale striking a vessel direct on
the stem, and which in the care of his ship nearly caused
her to founder, so tremendous was the shock she received.
The Edwin and Lizzie left Prince Edward Island with a
cargo of timber, and on the 12th of October, in lat. 45 1
north, 1,,n, 27 8 west, at half-past lin the afternoon, was
struck by a large whale. Part of her cut-water was carried
away, and the main stem cut right through to the wooden
ends. This terrible blow, as might be expected, caused
great alum on board the vessel, and so rapidly did she leak
that the putups were instantly manned, and kept going
night and day without intermission. Fortunately they
were equal to the emergency, and though the Edwin and
Lizzie (a new vessel) had seven feet of water in her hold,
she was brought safely to the Mersey and docked,