The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-03 00:00:00

:THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL' (13, 1862.

conseiated to take charge of the child on the chance
that it might 'be owned by some one in Takoo, and
he made one of the men take it up, and so the party
started ; but before they had got far the fellow was
observed to tnrn deliberately round and place the
child on the wet ground and proceed on his jour-
ney—whereupon one of the English soldiers walked
up to the poor little thing, and after looking for a
fcw moments after the retreating savages, as if to
say " Can it be possible" he picked it up and return ed.
So the two children, old and young, were left on
the hands of the barbarians. The author held an
amusing conversation with a garrulous old China
man on the polity of the country, and his remarks
go far to show the feeling of ;the Chinese proper
towards their
,old masters the Tartars, and the
English whom they look upon as deliverers from
thraldom. The description of the native carts is
very good. We cannot enter into the details of
their construction, but let the reader picture to
himself a high coffin with shafts fixed to it, and
placed on 'wheels, and he may form some idea of
the curious vehicle. The author remarks that it
would be in vain to seek for the date of its inven-
tion, which was probably many centuries before the
Christian era, for he believes that the Chinese ar-
rived at the full extent of their civilisation at a
period when in the Western World—
" Wild in woods the noble savage ran."
That the Chinese are great epicures, their love for
bird's nest dainties, stewed deer's sinews, and many
other wonderful dishes has long ago proved—but
fancy the luxury on a boiling hot day to lie down
for a siesta on an ice bed—yes, a bed in which
pounded ice is ;substituted for feathers. This is a
common practice in China, and the Europeans were
not slow to avail themselves of it. The book is full
of instructive details and amusing incidents.
Among the latter we may mention that
of a trooper of a cavalry regiment, who
after a successful charge, dismounted to examine
what he supposed to be a dead China man ; but,
judge of his terror, when in turning it over the
corpse opened one of . its eyes and winked at him.
The soldier who would have faced a hundred living
men sprang on his horse, and fled at the wink of a
single dead one. It seems to be a common practice
raamoonagwathye
tCoh
sinimesu.larehdeenauthn,
prisoners or slain. The closing chapters of this
htoorsaevdoiadn and
being unable
made to
interesting work are devoted to the products and
resources of the country.

Defence of the Rev. Rowland Williams, D.D., in
the Arches Court of Canterbury. By J. F.
Stephen, M.A., of the Inner Temple. Smith,
Elder, and Co.
It would now be somewhat late in the day to
enter again into the vexed question of the ortho-
doxy of " Essays and Reviews ;" but the recent
defence of Dr. Williams in the Court of Arches
having attracted someatiention, it has been deemed
desirable to publish it in a commodious and general
form. It was delivered, as the reader may re
member, partly in last December, partly in Janu-
ary of the present year, by I. Fitzjames Stephen,
M.A., Recorder of Newark-on-Trent, a gentleman
seemingly very well qualified for his difficult and
onerous task. The copy before us is printed from
the shorthand writer's notes, revised and corrected.
We may therefore commend it to any who desire
to acquaint themselves with the able and ingenious
arguments employed by the learned author.

Memorable Events of }Modern _History. By J. G.
Edgar, author of " The Boyhood of Great Men,"
&c. ; with Illustrations. Allen and Co., Water.

100-place.
Mr. Edgar is already well known as a benefac-
tor to the rising generation, since he combines
amusement and instruction in a remarkable degree,
and contrives, by his ingenious sketches and con-
cise memoirs, to awaken an interest in the men of
the past and their deeds which is not often felt by
youthful minds. Those who read his book are
likely to go further, and pursue the subject which
has so pleasantly excited their attention. The
work before us is very comprehensive in its cha-
racter, and somewhat ambitious in its aim. It
recals to our mind the able and ingenious work of
Mr. James White, The Eighteen Christian Cen-
turies," since, although the plan is not similar, it
groups and condenses information which in old
days would have been slowly and painfully ac-
quired. At the same time, the dry and objection-
able character of a summary or abridgment is
dispensed with as much as possible, and the author
has striven to render it as picturesque and attrac-
tive as possible. In this laudable endeavour he
has been assisted by the numerous illustrations ; and
the general appearance of the volume renders it very
suitable for a prize or gift-book. It is written in a
succinct and simple manner, which qaalifies it as a
work of reference for those of maturer years than
the readers for whom it is especially designed, and
it narrates, as the preface tells us, " many of the
principal events of modern history, from the century
when Clovis, after being elected King of the
Franks, was baptised in the cathedral of Rheims,
when the Saxons landed in Britain, when Adolph
the Goth found his way into Spain, to that period
which witnessed the French Revolution and the
Peninsular war, the emancipation of the Catholics
of Ireland, and the passing of the Reform Bill in
England." It is therefore, as will be seen, com-
prehensive in scope as well as just and moderate
in tone, while combining something of the interest
of history with the succinctness of an abridgment.

DEiITH OF THE REV. JAMES WHITE.

Our readers will receive with much regret the
announcement of the death of the Rev. James White,
of Bonchurch, in the Isle of Wight, which occurred
on Wednesday last after a short illness. Mr.
White was endeared to all his friends by his many
virtues and amiable qualities, and beyond the circle
of friendship he was appreciated and admired by all
who enjoyed his acquaintance; while his various
works, in 7ery diversified departments, commanded
a high and entensive celebrity.
Mr. White, who was a native of this county, where
his family still possess considerable property, was
born in the year 1806. After studying with success
at Glasgow and Oxford, he took orders in the Church
of England, and was presented by Lord Brougham
to a living in Suffolk, which he afterwards gave up
for another in -Warwickshire. On ultimately suc-
ceeding to a considerable patrimony he retired from
the Church, and removed with his family to the Isle
of Wight, where Mrs. White had inherited from her
father—Colonel Dill, of St. Boniface—a portion of
his estate, Bonchurch, so celebrated for its beauty
and mild climate. His retirement enabled him to
devote a considerable share of his time to literary
pursuits, which he prosecuted with much success.
The pages of Blackwood were enlivened by many of
his contributions of a light kind, too popular and
well known to require to be enumerated; and his
later works, including The Eighteen Christian
Centuries' and The History of France,' showed that
his industry and accuracy, as well as his good sense
and sound judgment, were not inferior to his other
and more popular talents.
Mr. White possessed the faculty of wit in a degree
which was surpassed by very few of his contempo-
raries. It was of that kind, too, which was near
akin to wisdom, and it was never at variance with
high principle or kindly feeling. His conversation
was even more delightful than his writings, and had
all the attraction that can arise from the readiest and
most genial pleasantry, combined with the most
unaffected courtesy and gentleness of manner, and
the most hearty recognition of the merits of others.
Mr. White had not enjoyed his usual good health
for a year or two past, but no danger was anticipated,
and when his friends from Scotland had last the op-
portunity of seeing him, on the occasion of the mar-
riage of his daughter to Mr. Gordon of Cluny, it
was confidently hoped he bad many years of health
and happiness before him. His death was the result
of internal inflammation, which suddenly and un-
expectedly took an unfavourable turn.—Edinburgh
Courant, April 1, 1862.

THE METROPOLITAN RAlLWAY.—Yesterday morn-
ing the miners employed by Mr. Jay, the contractor,
finished the last piece of the mining operations in the Bag-
nigge-wells-road, and all that now remains to be done is
the putting in of one length of brickwork. During the
past few weeks great progress has been made in the execu-
tion of the work. The whole of the bridges between King's
Cross and Acton-street, Gray's-inn-road, have been com-
pleted, as well as the whole of the brickwork. The exca-
vations at the bottom of Frederick-street are now nearly
completed for the commencement of the Finsbury Junc-
tion Railway. A great deal of the ironwork to be used in
turning the Fleet-ditch has arrived, and within a short
time that great undertaking will be completed. The walls
of the chief station in Victoria-street are also being rapidly
erected, and there can be little doubt that the line and sta-
tions will be completed within the specified time. The sta-
tions at King's-cross and George-street are being rapidly
proceeded with. The down lino of the Great Northern
Railway, and which is being made in front of the Groat
Northern Railway and Hotel, is near completion.
A timber signal
post, 130 feet in height, and
rising 230 feet above the level of tho sea, has been erected
at the lighthouse, near Roche's Point, in connection with
the 7A/out Telegraph, Conipkny's otolio4 at Queouotown,