The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-17 00:00:00

HIGHLY SENSATIONAL.

"Every argument and entreaty were vainly exhausted by
Tubal, in his love and sorrow, to prevail upon Arabella to
venture on her chances of preservation after his own de-
struction had glutted the rage of their enemies. To
meaner minds and hearts, incapable of great emotions, it
may appear that the delirium induced by her long solitary
confinement and sufferings still worked in the heroic
woman's brain, and prompted her resolve. Spirits more
akin will better comprehend that it was the only decision
that remained for such a one to take compatible with its
heroic impulses and purposes. And they will even under-
stand how at last, unable to refuse himself so supreme a
triumph and release from the most terrible of his sor-
rows and fears in yielding to the fate that compassed
him, Tubal Bromycham consented to his beloved bride's
decree.
"Yet no power of language could do justice to the un-
utterable anguish mingled with the unutterable joy—with
which finally Tubal clasped the idol of his brave and
loving heart in a last embrace, and with his own arm still
wreathed around her, supported her forth with himself to
their doom.
" Strangely enough, however, Arabella seemed to have
regained all the strength and stately grace of her accus-
tomed manner as she stepped forth with her husband from
the Moat House, right in front of the cannon, which was
now in full preparation to be discharged—doubtless with
the determination on the part of the barbarous assailants,
either to compel a surrender on the part of Tubal to a more
ignominious fate, or batter down the old mansion of his
ancestors over his head.
" Rupert and his slaughtering host now concentrated
thickly round the edge of the moat, and attentively watch-
ing for the result, beheld two figures emerge from the an-
cient manor-house of the Lords of Birmingham, closely
linked arm-in-arm.
"Immediately recognising in the glare of the burning
town around that one of these was the lame hero-smith,
whom he so much detested, the Prince would have given
orders to destroy him at once by a discharge of musketry,
had he not also discerned that his closely linked companion
was Arabella Holte.
" ' The dastard !' he yelled ; does he think to save him-
self from my just vengeance thus ? He but spares himself
for the gallows I'
" To the life-long horror and saddening of this ferocious
soldier, however, the pair, reaching the verge of the moat,
waved him a species of scornful greeting and farewell, and
then turning, clasped each other in their arms, and flung
themselves together into the deep, dark water of the
moat !
" So willingly did both these unfortunate lovers consent
to death that neither rose for several minutes, and when
they did it was as corpses, still closely clasped in each
other's arms:
"And thus perishedthelast Lord of Birmingham and his
bride of Aston Hall ; emblems, let us hope, of a happier
future indissoluble union between the town of Tubal
Bromycham and the noble palace which his genius chiefly
had adorned."
In some particulars we are glad to notice an im-
provement in the tone of this author's writings. We
shall hope, in the next work from that prolific and
powerful pen, to find no such melodramatic " effect"
as the above quoted suicide of the last Lord of Bir-
ham and his bride.

The Psychonomy of the Hand; or, 7he hand an
Index of Mental Development, according to MM.
D'Arpentigny and Desbarrolles. With Illustra-
trations—Tracings from Living Hands. By
Richard Beamish, F.R.S., author of " The Life
of Sir Isambard Brunel." One Vol., folio, pp.
90, plates 30. Pitman.
The PSychonomy of the Hand, or Every One
his Own Fortune-teller, should have been the title

of this hand-book. The Norwood gipsy of famous
memory might bring an action against this betrayer
of the secrets of the prison-house. In the.9o pages
of letter-press, and more especially in the 30 illus-
trative plates contained in this volume, we have a
very elaborate and comprehensive treatise upon the
hand as the index to men and minds—to the indivi-
dual and to the race. The comprehensive nature of
the illustrative examples may be readily imagined
when we say that among the examples given the
specimens selected range from the hand of the
Gorilla to that of Lord Brougham I In the hand of
the latter, of course, the " line of the head " is very
prominently marked, and the " line of life" is a
double one.

Elsie; Flights to Fairyland, 6.c. By J. Crawford
Wilson, or " Jonathan Oldaker." One Vol.,
pp. 247. Moxon.

Notwithstanding the terrible interpretation usually
attached to the bestowal of " faint praise," what
else can we award to the majority of the almost in-
numerable volumes of " Poems" that issue from the
press, and in which we find little to condemn, except
the painful fact that there is little to commend.
Of this class is " Elsie," a collection of pleasant
verses, and nothing more.

The Gold Mine and other Poems. By Harriett
Eliza Hunter. In one volume, pp. 298. Hurst
and Blackett.

" The Gold Mine" is a narrative poem in which
the hero, like many ambitious adventurers, leaves
his family and friends in a vain pursuit of wealth.
After many vicissitudes he returns to find at last—
" A happy home the true gold mine."
The poems in this volume are above the average
merit of such productions ; but we cannot com-
mend the author's good taste in selecting Victor
Hugo's charming poem " L'Enfant" as the subject
for a humorous translation.

Arno's Waters and other Poems. By Frances Jane
Forsyth. One vol., pp. 312. Saunders, 0 tley,
and Co.
A pleasing collection of simple verses descriptive
of the scenery on the banks of the Arno. _
" Onward ever, passing cities, ,
Homes uprising at its side,
Yet with ever pensive beauty.

The Log of the Alabama and the Sumter. From the
Private Journals and other Papers of Com-
mander R. Semmes, C.S.N., and other Officers.
Abridged from the Library Edition. One Vol.,
pp. 297. Saunders, Otley, and Co.
The log of the Alabama which we noticed on its
appearance in two volumes, has been here very judi-
ciously condensed into a small form, and constitutes
an interesting and valuable memento of a romantic
episode of the American war.

Our Domestic Fire places : a Treatise on the Econo-
nomical Use of Fuel, and the Prevention of Smoke
By Frederick Edwards, jun. Second Edition,
One Vol., pp. 100. 74 illustrations. Hardwicke,

This very comprehensive treatise upon the proper
construction and management of the domestic
hearth, embellished as it is with numerous illustrative
examples, is well worthy of consideration. We are
glad to find the author disagreeing with Dr. Arnott
and others who advocate the general use of a stove
rather than a fire-place, and call our national pre-
ference for the latter, a " prejudice." It is a pre-
judice, however, so interwoven with the English
love of home that only a theorist could venture to
find fault with it—

" For him no more the blazing hearth shall burn ;"
but for ourselves we should be loth to precipitate
such a calamity.

Luther's Letters to Women. Collected by Dr.'K.
Zimmermann ; Translated by Mrs. Malcolm.
One vol., pp. 168. Chapman and Hall.

A collection of letters addressed by Luther to his
wife and other ladies are contained in this volume,
which is intended as a gift-book for English ladies.
The fact that by their marriage both Luther and his
wife broke their monastic vows is hardly likely to
prepossess many in their favour.

The Tale of Danish Heroism. By J. E. H. Skinner,
Special Correspondent of the Daily News during
the late war. One vol., pp. 248. Bickers and Son.
" The Tale of Danish HerDisin" is ono that will
bear twice telling. Mr. Skinner has given us a very
interesting sketch of the chief portion of the disas-
trous campaign.

MARKETS•-4'Ylis Day

MARK-LANE.

Only a moderate supply of English wheat was on sale
here to-day. The condition of the produce was good, and
the trade, on the whole, ruled steady, at full quotations.
With foreign wheat the market was but moderately sup-
plied. Importers and holders were firm in their demands,
and although the demand ruled far from active, Monday's
prices were well supported.
Floating cargoes of grain were in moderate request, at
late rates.
The supply of barley on sale was moderate. Good and
fine malting qualities sold steadily, at fnll currencies;
otherwise, the barley trade was quiet, at late prices.
In malt a limited business was transacted at previous
quotations.
The supply of oats on sale was moderate. For all qua-
lities the trade Was firm, and fine samples were rather
dearer than on Monday.
Beans ruled firm, at fully the late advance in prices.
Peas moved off slowly, but at full quotations.
There was a fair demand for most descriptions of flour,
and prices ruled firm.

ARRIVALS THIS WEEK.
Wheat. Barley. Malt. Oats. Flour.
English and Scotch 1,010 1,820 2,690 4,450 1,330
Irish —
Foreign

10,800 300 sks.

NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL.