The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-21 00:00:00

LITERATUBR.

l'he Thistle and the Cedar of Lebanon. By Nalieob

Risk Allah EffenCli. Madden.

The object of this work is to give a description
of the religion and habits of the people of Syria.
The Author has made use of the parabolical style in
the choice of the title. " The Thistle that is in
Lebano,u is the harassed, weak, yet simple disciple
of the El Istern Church; and the Cedar that was in
Lebanon is the true Church of Christ, whose seeds
were first (2enved from those holy shores." It is
truly stated in these pages that the love of country
is inherent iLi every race, and that the native of
neglected Syria still clings to the soil that gave him
birth. The book is well written throughout, and
indeed in some pants the style is adorned by elo-
quent expression. .In conclusion, the author ob-
serves that, in passig through other countries,
especially in observing eie wealth and magnificence
of Great Britain, he conk! not but mourn over the
barrenness of his own land. " How are the mighty
fallen ! But Hope shall shine in the eastern skies,
and the bright morning star rise again." None can
fail to echo this wish after reading the touching
descriptions and moving details here met with of
the Land of Promise.

Annals, Anecdotes, and Legends—a Chronicle of
‘fe Assurance. By John Francis. Longman

and Co.

It is justly observed in the preface of this work
that " men toil, work, slave—nay, almost sin for
their families ; they do everything but insure." It
is indeed strange how comparatively few avail them-
selves of its advantages, and the author's chief de-
sire is to induce those who are ignorant of the
system to turn their attention to the subject. In
tracing the history of life assurance we are con-
ducted through many striking scenes, and learn
many curious incidents. The anecdotes, however,
are not always creditable to human nature, for
many dark instances are cited when insurances
having been effected for sinister purposes, the in-
sured mysteriously died soon after. Whether the
author thinks these annals are an inducement to
insure we know not, but it is singular he should
show us so many dark sides of the picture when
his object is to recommend the system. Though it
is true that in all the cases want of circumspection
on the part of the officers, or want of prudence on
the part of the sufferers, caused the calamities.
The latter case is especially exemplified in the tragic
history of Helen Abercrombie, the victim of Wain-
wright, the original of Gabriel Varney. It is
indeed a curious and interesting record on a subject
of sufficient importance to attract and originality
to entertain the reader, and in the chequered
chronicles of life assurance we may find much to
study, to amuse, and to improve.
Traits of American Indian Life. By a Fur

Trader. Smith, Elder, -and Co.

Being one of a class who necessarily hold much
intercourse with the Indian tribes, the author has
thought the present assortment of anecdotes and
sketches would possess the value of authentic in-
formation. Those unacquainted with the pecu-
liarities of the American Indians will here find
much novel and entertaining variety. The ac-
counts on the whole are not favourable, as it is
curious to observe how many of the anecdotes
relate to murders, suicides, and other family
tragedies.

The Jerusalem Delivered of Torquato Tasso.
Translated by Alex. Cuninghara Robertson.

Blackwood.
It is most probable that this work will be a
source of gratification to many. The celebrated
poem it represents to our view in our own language
will never fail to attract attention and excite en-
thusiasm. The mode of expression here chosen is
very pleasing and graceful. The text is adhered to
sufficiently for the purpose, while it is not over-
studied, so as to
.produce harshness or unevenness
in the metre, as is often the case in works like the
present. The following two verses are a specimen
of the style :

" I sing the pious arms and captain, who
Gave liberty to Christ's great sepulchre ;
Much did his counsels, much his right hand do ;
To win the glorious prize, much did he bear :
In vain hell thwarted him ; and vainly, too,
Asia and Libya leagued together were ;
For him God favoured, and his comrades led
Back to the holy banners when they strayed.
" 0 Muse ! not thou who dost thy brow attire
With the swift•fading bays of Helicon ;
But who on high, amid the angelic choir,
Art crowned with an immortal starry zone,
Do thou my breast with heavenly flame inspire ;
Do thou my song enlighten ; nor disown
The bard, if sometimes, to adorn a hue,
He weave in it a charm which is not thine."

Tropical Lays and other Poems. By Henry G.
Dalton. London : J. Evans, Portugal-street,
Lincoln's-inn-Fields.

.111-Oif Of the pieces in this collection were written
at an early age, and necessarily bear the impress
of immature judgment and untutored fancy, though
by no means deficient in taste or poetic feeling.
The tropics are rich in material for the poet, teem-
ing as they do with a luxuriance and variety of
vegetation unknown to higher latitudes ; and in
some of the verses, devoted to the description of
local scenery, we obtain a glimpse of the region to
which they refer with its colossal shrubs, its silent
savannahs, its gorgeous birds, its burning sun, and
the rude aboriginal who treads its torrid soil.
We select the following from a poem entitled
" The Sea Shell," which appears to us picturesque
and characteristic :

" Oh 1 I could linger on each fertile spot,
And sing their beauties with a heartfelt praise,
And speak of Martinique and Guadeloupe,
Antigua, Montserrat, and neighb'ring isles,
Whose coral reefs and dread volcanic earth,
Now bloom with foliage of the palm and cane—
Could tell a legend sad of death and crime,
Of India's wronged and slaughter'd race,
Of bold adventurers and of slavery;
Of lawless buccaneers and pirates fierce,
Who liv'd like serpents coil'd about these rocks;
Of battles perilous by sea and land,
Of civil broils, and riots, and revolts ;
Of tempests wild, and dreadful hurricanes,
Of awful earthquakes, and of pestilence,
Which strikes the white man down like lightning
flame,
And sweeps him from the earth as if in wrath."
The idea in some subsequent lines of " The Sea
Shell," assuming, in the author's words,
" A voice within
Like to the wailing of departing soul,"
is highly poetical and well expressed. We are sure
our readers will concur with us in considering that
the following excerpt from a poem on "Morning"
convoys a very favourable impression of Mr. Dal-
ton's poetic powers :

" Mark the whole earth awake like man to toil,
And do the bidding of their destiny :
The lofty tree to spread its branches out,
The lofty mind to stamp its deeds on time ;
The humble plant to strive and seek to live,
The lowly heart to do its work and die."
It is to be regretted that some of the verses in this
volume relating to miscellaneous subjects do not
display the taste in selection or skill in treatment
which we should have anticipated from the majority
of the author's productions. This remark, however,
does not apply to those portions of the work in
which he depicts the scenes and traits of character
peculiar to the tropics. The book is very neatly
got up. We shall look with interest to another
work from the same pen, which would, we have
no doubt, be very acceptable to many who may
peruse the present publication. The author pos-
sesses many of the elements essential to success,
and, with care and attention, he may assume a
very respectable position among the poets of the
present day.

THE EARTHMEN, EXHIBITED AT 31, REGENT-STREET.
—" The proper study of mankind is man," and the two
individuals, male and female, of a race nearly extinct,
are a proper study for the Ethnologist, as they form
the last connecting link of the human chain. They are
a South African tribe from the Orange River, and derive
their name from the fact of their burrowing in the earth.
The Hottentots and Kafirs hunt them for sport as
vermin. The two specimens now exhibiting are 40
inches in height, and they never exceed 4 feet. They
are 14 and 16 years of age, respectively, but they
appear only as children of 5 or 6 years. Since their
introduction into this country in 1851 they have ac-
quired some knowledge of the English language, and will
no doubt become very intelligent. Already they con-
verse, dance, sing, and play on the piano. They possess
a cast of features somewhat resembling the Chinese, but
the flat nose devoid of cartilage, and the thick lips denote
their African origin. They have a bronze skin smooth
to the touch, with hair growing on their heads in ball-
like tufts. They are naked to the waist, which has a
girdle of feathers, and the neck decorated with coloured
glass beads. They are well proportioned with a natural
grace in their movements, and altogether .there is a
pleasing attraction in these little dark fairy's. As far as
can be judged of such elfin-forms, the physical confor-
mation of the head denotes a capability of the mental
powers, if not to the fullest extent, certainly to an extent
that many Europeans never attain. The intention
of the exhibition is to form a fund for their education
and future maintenance.
THE CHURCH IN WALES.—The clergy of the diocese
of St. David's have resolved to present their diocesan
the Right Rev. Dr. Thirlwall with a portrait of his lord-
ship, as a token of the high estimation in which he is
held by his clergy, and an acknowledment of the talent
and ability with which he has administered to the tem-
poral and spiritual wants of his diocese. The execution
of the work has been intrusted to Mr. Samuel Lawrence,
of London. Many of the edifices throughout the prin-
cipality have been repaired and reopened lately, and at
several places new churches are in course of erection—
viz., at Verwig, near Cardigan ; Bala, Aberystwyth,
Carnarvon; Egiwysfair, Sic.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(YESTERDAY. )
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
The Spitalfields to Shoreditch Improvement Bill was
read a second time.

TURKEY' AND GREECE.
Colonel DUNNE understood that a dispute had
arisen between Turkey and Greece relative to certain
villages situated on the frontiers of the two countries,
which were claimed by Turkey. This dispute, it was
said, had been referred to this country for arbitration,
and he wished to know if that really was so ?
Lord J. RUSSELL said there had been no arbitra-
tion on this subject, but the Turkish Government having
stated their intentions to send troops to occupy these
villages, the Government of Greece, who disputed the
claim of Turkey, resolved to dispatch a force to the
frontier for the purpose of resisting the attempt of
Turkey to take possession. The English ambassador,
however, in connection with the representatives of other
powers, intimated a wish to the Turkish Government
that no force should be resorted to until the whole ques-
tion had been considered by Great Britain, France,
and Prussia. (Hear.) These powers, after going
into the whole question, came to the unanimous
opinion that according to the settlement of 1832,
the villages rightly belonged to Turkey, and upon the
expression of that opinion, the Greek Government im-
mediately withdrew their hostility to the claims of
Turkey.