The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-03 00:00:00

BURKE AND YHE HORSE.

In the decline of Mr. Burke's life, when he was living in
retirement on his farm at Beaconfield, the rumour went up
to London that, he had gone mad; and the fact that was
stated in support of this rumour was that he went round his
park kissing his cows and horses. A friend, a man of rank
and influence, hearing this story, and deeming it of too
much importance to be left uncorrected, hastened down to
Beaconfield, and sought an interview,with the view of ascer-
taining the truth of the rumour. He entered into conversa-
tion with him, and Burke read to him some chapters from
" Letters on a Regicide Peace." His friend immediatelylsaw
that, though the earthly tenement was verging back to its
native dust, the limp of reason and genius shone with un-
diminished lustre within. He was accordingly more than
satisfied as to the object of his coming down,and in a private
interview with Mrs. Burke told her what he had come for,and
received from her this pathetic explanation :—" Mr. Burke's
only child, a beloved son, had not long before died, leaving
behind him a favourite old horse, the companion of his
excursions of business and pleasure, when both were
young and vigorous. This favourite animal was turned
out by Mr. Burke, the father, into the park, with directions
to all his servants that he should in every respect be treated
as a privileged favourite. Mr. Burke himself, of course, in
his morning walks, would often stop to caress the favourite
animal. On one occasion, as he was taking his morning
walk through the park, he perceived the poor animal at a
distance, and noticed in ttina that he was recognised by him.
The horse drew nearer and nearer to Mr. Burke, stopped,
eyed him with a most pleading look of recognition, which
said as plainly as words could have said, ' I have lost him
too ;' and then the poor dumb beast deliberately laid his
head upon Mr. Burke's bosom. Struck by the singularity
of the occurrence, moved by the recollection of his son,
whom he had never ceased to mourn wi h a grief that would
not be comforted, overwhelmed by the tenderness of the
animal, expressed in the mute eloquence of holy Nature's
universal language, the illustrious statesman for a moment
lost his self-possession, and, clasping his arms around the
neck of his son's favourite animal, lifted up that voice,
which had filled the arches of. Westminster Hall with the
noblest strains that had ever echoed within them, and wept
aloud 1"

FOREIGN MAIL PACKET LIST.

MAILS DUE.

-
Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton ..Oct. 19.
Mrseilles Oct. 13.
Brazil and Cape Verds, byvia Britiash packet. Oct. 4.
Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena Nov. 1.
China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton Oct. 2.
via Marseilles Oct. 13.
Falkland Islands
Gibraltar, via Southampton ..
India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton Oct. 2.

FLYING SPIDERS.—The very curious observa-
tions of M. Virey seem to prove, Mr. Darwin thinks, that
small spiders in an atmosphere perfectly tranquil and with-
out the aid of any web, have the power of darting through
the air. By means of a rapid vibration of their feet they
walk the air. On several occasions, when the Beagle was
within the mouth of the Plata, the rigging was coated with
the web of the gossamer spider. On the Ist of November,
1832, the weather having been fine and clear, the morning
air was full of patches of the flocculent web, as on an au-
tumnal day in England. The ship was sixty miles distant
from the land in the direction of a steady though light breeze.
Vast numbers of a spider a about ono-tenth of an Inch in
length, and of a dusky red colour, were attached to the
webs. There must have been some thousands on the ship.
The little spider when first coming in contact with the rig-
ging, was always seated on a single thread, and not on the
flocculent mass prcduced apparently by the entanglement
of single threads. The spiders were all of one species, but
of both sexes, and were accompanied by their young ones,
which were distinguishable by their smaller size and more
dusky colour. This little aeronaut, as soon as he arrived
on board, ran about very actively, letting himself fall and
mounting up again and making a small but very irregular
mesh in the corners between the ropes. It could run with
ease on the surface of the water. When disturbed it lifted
up its fore-legs in the attitude of attention. On first
boarding the ship, these spiders seemed very thirsty,
and, with their lower jaws pushed out, drank water
eagerly. Mr. Darwin fancies this was because they had
passed through a dry and ratified atmosphere ; but we have
kept and fed spiders, and we know that they are thirsty
animals which enjoy a few drops of water every day.
While watching some that were suspended by a single
thread, he several times observed that the slightest breath
of air bore them away in a horizontal lino out of sight.—
Dickens's "411 the Year Round."
The bulk of the Dieppe carving is done in the
winter and in the cold bleak months of spring. When the
monster hotels are shut and boarded up, and the wintry
o
wind howls in the channels, then, if you are lucky enough
to have the entree into the atelier
of M. Hue, or of Madame
made cheer-
ful Parge-Herbert, or M. Binet,you will be
cleanliness
ful again by the sight of the earnest, lively
which they are filled. With the scrupulous
will be alike
and order of both workshop and workmen, youa with whiter
struck. 11, orkmen in white blouses, and
ranged in front of
fingers, bend over their respective vitae
in weavers houses in
long flat windows, such as are see,ussvor7kers with
houses in Leicester and
ersand the apprentices are
Derbyshire. The masters, men,
spitalfields, and in the stocking
ges and saws lie On
together; miniature-like tools are
all working and talking ill;,:gou ,
strewn about; bright dainty
-hworkman, and bowls of water
his bench at the elbow of_esecse
These bowls contain the roughly
r front
01 ?tilt 0 f
ne
plotis
csi
ittrmhy. epe ]sassll.yl,
in k
certain
expert e rtht Men lie
stand here and there.
lying
to soak before the carver begins
his operation. In r out on pper, from which they are
sawn pieces of ivo
their designs
k it out as they goedierriadnreia:
alo g
on the piece
working? butoftAdhrraywocmlrneyevn,e_aanrerd..ii_cewealorir;
Some of the ol•Aer .
t know nothing of drawing) and say they should find
iredu—Quit to fikutcit 04 Ir,:oeAtion a Alle-"Qnc? 4 NW.
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