The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-26 00:00:00

LITERATURE

Sam Slick's Wise Saws and Modern Instances ; or,
What he Said, Did, or Invented. 2 vols. Hurst
and Blackett.
At the dinner of the Literary Fund the other
evening (his health having been drunk with enthu-
siastic acclamations), Judge Haliburton modestly
asserted that he had no claims to popularity. 11°,
was no genius, he was no scholar ; he only narrated:
with simplicity the facts of his every-day exPerl-
ence. " If," said the learned Justice, " I read a
book to a man, I send him to sleep ; but if I RA'
it to him, he will ask me to sit up all night 'With
him." This little fact, so felicitously expressed, is
the secret of a great part of Sam Slick's great suc-
cess. There is something very delightful in his
frank and easy manner. He reminds us of the lady
who said " she gossipped whenever she pleased,
and pleased whenever she gossipped." Neverthe-
less, we must confess we are not always pleased with
the liberties taken with our mother tongue by the,
American clockmaker. He observes himself that
" plain English is not very plain"—that it re:
sembles " common sense," than which nothing 1,8
more " uncommon ;" but the English of Mr. Slick
is to us not very plain and not very pleasant. Ilisf
genial manner, however, is not the only cause
this author's wide-spread popularity ; there
is
fund of wisdom mixed up with his drolleries. Pi ts
" Wise Saws" are to the full as instructive as
" Modern Instances" are entertaining. Witilr'
for example, the two companion sketches of "The
House that Hope built," and "The House withow,
Hope." In the former, while illustrating the fellY
of those who, relying on hope, and not on ellerg'
place their trust in place and patronage,
author appeared to us hardly to do Jus'ie-
-1
to the merits of the Charmer, when he exclaimed
" Hope ought to be struck out of the DietionarP
Do your duty and trust to Providence—haseA°
hope and no fear." Surely, we thought, Mr. Shed
forgets that Hope is one of the highest virtues, -at,
ranks by the side of Charity and Faith—but in tr
next chapter we met with the amende honoralAf•
In the house without Hope is a wretched man al,
the helpless inertness of despair. How can he label::
whom no hope animates ? And Mr. Slick, in es
horting him to effort, is compelled also to 010'
him to "Hope for the best :" •
" Arter all, I had to use that word hope ; and 1,-,bi;
lieve it must actually be kept a little longer in the m
tionary. It is a dark room that has no ray of light if!
it. Hope is a pleasant acquaintance, but an unrie
n
friend. He'd do on a pinch for a travelling eornpeo'°''
, but he is not the man for your banker."
A host of amusing observations and wise 100°5
we might cull from these volumes ; but it will asi:,
suredly be more gratifying to our readers to s°,,A
them for themselves in the genial pages of
Clockmaker.

fir Frederick Derwent. By the author of " Fabin's
Tower, and Smugglers and Foresters." 3"s

Newby.
• ea
There is a great deal of amusement to be dal/ to
from this novel. It certainly does not belong
the higher order of fiction, but, notwithstandlll,4
it is cleverly arranged. The latter portion of t
story, in particular, has an exciting interest 0,1)°.,6
it which gives a somewhat dramatic effect to 1;
character. Roger Pemberton is very ably describeujo
moody, jealous, and revengeful, sitting down
breakfast breakfast in high glee, at the thought of his ki'e,
man (of whom he was the heir) being killed ill
neighbouring field, while he would not stir to Pre;
vent the catastrophe. The foreign part of the 11"'"oi
rative is not so natural ; on the contrary, most
the scenes relating to Clarice's mother seem 111uit
70
improbable. The accounts given of the vill3ba
during the cholera are powerfully written, 333,0
contain a good deal of useful information to th°'f
placed in a high position, as to the protection °I..
their dependents in seasons of distress and clang
The lively widow and the demure old maid ter
well illustrated, each prosecuting her design aft`,..
her own fashion, of dashing effrontery or insintov
ing gentleness.

The Ladies' Portfolio. Nos. 1 and 2. Macke 3111

Co., Ironmonger-lane.
This journal has very recently commenced, an
is likely to become a universal favourite With 4,,f
admirers of the art of embroidery. Each nunro
contains three patterns, one of crotchet, ailu'ci
second of the fashionable broderie a l' Anglaise, als
the third of worsted-work. One of the prettiest
the group of roses in the second number, whiell of
skilfully shaded. One of the chief attractions 0
this " Guide to the Work-table," is that thre
for
elegant patterns, with descriptions, are given ~,,h
the price of one when purchased elsewhere —el,
number being two shillings, and the annual
scription for twelve numbers eighteen shilliar
Combining, therefore, so much variety and exec;
lence at a moderate price, it must prove a valuabi'
assistant to all desirous of new and tasteful design'.

THE SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH BETWP

GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.

This important line of communication has at long;
been successfully effected by a submarine cable, inano
factured by the well-known makers Messrs. Newall▪ os.
Co., of Gateshead, and laid down by that firm on -e'hio
day between Donaghadee and Port-patrick. The n:ttA
consists of six communicating wires, insulated in g-„ter
percha, and protected in the usual manner by an..,,°`..0-
covering of iron wire. It could not be laid, as was
ales
tended, during the previous week, owing to the ate
from the east preventing the opening of the dock goo
at Sunderland to let the vessel containing it pass tole
As several previous attempts to Lay a submarine co
graph across the Irish Channel had failed, ever the
was taken to insure the successful termination
°I ▪ the
present attempt, and the expedition, consisting
screw-steamer William Hutt (with the cable and, al
the
ratus on board), the Conqueror, and the Wizard, le at
Irish coast, having landed the end of the eableimpe
point about two miles to the south of Doriag,:l the
harbour, and commenced the submersion _,Urioles,
cable, under the guidance of Captain I' reY'
R.N., specially appointed by the Admiralty, w'l°tha
dered great assistance in determining and directing ha.
exact course to be pursued, without which, in all Poor
bility, the squadron could not have successful'," lot
come the swift tides and adverse currents pre wile
throughout that part of the Channel. The Partlossrs.
accompanied the laying of the cable included, 36,otta
Newall, the contractors ; Mr. Statham, of thechA rie4
Percha, Works ; Mr. Bright, the secretary ; M „seti6
Bright, the engineer of the English and Irish I‘'-"10 tele'
Telegraph Company ; Mr. Reid, the well-k°°"°
graph engineer ; and Mr. Moseley. The cab e(0,110c1,,
landed on Wednesday morning, in a sandy bay bl
Mora-bay), a little to the north of Portpatrio,
code'
belongs to Mr. Blair, of Dunskey, who kindly °
his
permission for the laying of the landwires throubt, Lb
estate, and as soon as the end had been taken up not ill
position assigned, the magnetic instruments were,rea
operation, and the following message was dispate"
"Mora-bay, Portpatrick, Monday, 3rtYiro Te!e:
" The directors of the English and Irish Magnthe Lo
graph Company beg to acquaint his ExcelleneY„„ often
Lieutenant that they have this morning successfun,ais itev
communication between the shores of Great Brirtpstile
Ireland, by means of a submarine cable from lin
to Donaghadee." oche°
The cable at each side was then buried in the treet4
prepared for its reception, and instruments cS.,nnnrt till!eea
serve as a means of communication for 3 br-, earri
until the subterranean line of six wires now beleit, Dui
from the company's station at Carlisle, thrnio Toted t;
fries, to meet the cable at Portpatrick, is ee ,Pte bee t,
that spot ; and an underground line is ahuuAis,cle°_,o
tended from the Irish end of the cable at noenfsbtv por_i
Newtownards, the terminal station of thee,infish•
Railway, along which the wires of the t,"brii ee'ta,
Irish Magnetic Telegraph Company are n"'
et the the
pleted to Belfast. At Belfast the wires Teted nv-Beerlfes°
pany's line of telegraph already eoniP the tie
soutliteioo
Junction ailway, and will be carried, s into eir
and Dublin and Drogheda Railvr_aY,,yliere th
company's offices cn College-grecn,
line from Galway (already working) and t,!4eoristruc lots
line of telegraph, now in forward course 0t„.,0
from Cork, will concentrate. The lines ol_toi'w svorli_lol',l
and Irish Magnetic Telegraph companY_l'Doitol!,
between Liverpool, Manchester, BlackhurOreosocl,4reeo
Preston, and between Carlisle, Glasgow)
Edinburgh, and those now in forward Par:sobter,r-oe
London and Manchester (consisting of, le will icliefP'r
wires), and between Preston and Carltsdvins into
Carlisle, and the three capitals and chie brought
land, Scotland, and Ireland, will be thus
other'
instantaneous communication with•
ag
one an
ruion.
w)cl °As
STOPPAGE OF OMNIBUSES AND
ofAon3S.
all L'a
gone abroad that a general strike,
new bill ptre, foe
would take place if Mr. Fitzroy 's
report is pre033.70,
House of Commons. But this
.contemlati
no such proceeding is at present in
efforts, butsegiv:ovi
omnibus-masters have made gr t
teaof the cWis erant,ij,
ress het.ooo
success, to obtain an amendmeenoramiesion
er -rytbe v-ito
judicial power to the police
and
the refusal tu Oen' re.
and suspending of licences ; a.
large belef,
will most likely lead to many
„r it I°. °i lea
appeal, it is, hove ' oratio oe
tiring from the trade. As
by the °P atienu - cr.
the public will be great sufferersow rs have
tuo ikiosotio
vernment to meet their wishes, and to gr3nters
bill, as many of the omnibus
re licences ice
their intention not to take out ino ,he vio a
the police inspection, and decision, it ,*
ltimatelY unof 110/Pt:,
ter. Thus the Government must uii
__
lutely necessary; for the more !ice,n.sfes_d,,verse: tsoefferof
in point of revenue, and the
the
i lou ruiochil_ser th°,
modation ; and all from the refusal I'_notissie7iisgbo
noxious clauses which give the polio
andct' sop 30 to
absolute power of a judge in granting n g
ibUSe-*;ectiOnA to
the licences of the proprietors of°ed the nbj 0-oPerao
other hand, if Ministers had expung
ready to
vebioleei.
clauses, the omnibus people werLin, their lotionoci
with the proper authority in pt'
derthe regutiblie, A
horses, and mode of conveyance un f P
confurain to? ,all reasonable order
the civil power for the satisfa,ctil. 0