The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-03 00:00:00

MISCELLANEOUS.

Sharpe's London Magazine gives us an association
of amusing tales and sketches, among which we
may mention, " Harry Coverdale's Courtship," by
Frank Smedley, and " Holidays in Berkshire," by
Angus Reach. The engraving of " The Departure"
is very pleasing.—The National Miscellany opens
with a lively paper on "Travelling in England."
Ruskin's " Stones of Venice," and "The Greek and
Russian Churches" are also among the subjects.
A " Memoir of Araffo" will be read with interest.
" The Interesting Pole," a tale commenced in this
number, promises, we fear, a melancholy conclu-
sion. Seventeen Patents are described in New-
ton's London Journal. We ought, indeed, to ad-
vance in refinement and comfort when so many
improvements are made every month.—Lawson's
Merchant's Magazine has papers on " Decimal
Coinage," and "The New Stamp Act," besides
other points of commercial interest.—The Illus-
trated London Magazine has contributions from the
Hon. Mrs. Norton, W. Carleton, Captain Mayne
Reid, Horace Mayhew, and a number of others,
whose names are a sufficient recommendation.—Le
Follet has unusual attractions in this number. In
addition to the three graceful coloured plates, there
is
.a sheet of embroidery patterns, and a double
sheet of cloak and mantle fashions.—Routledge's
Illustrated Book of Domestic Poultry treats of
the varieties of the " Polish Fowl."— Handley
Cross,' and The Dodd Family Abroad, by
Charles Lever, are progressing in monthly parts.—
Hogy's Instructor is a useful miscellany, which also
provides entertainment. Mr. Cassell has recently
published, in preparation for the ensuing year,
The Magazine of Art Almanack, The Emigrant's
Alm,anack, and The Irish Exhibition, all possessing
various attractions.—The Historical Educator and
Magazine of Art are continued as usual.—Cham-
bers' is an agreeable and instructive companion, and
The Pocket Miscellany has reached the twenty-
third volume, a sufficient proof of its value.—
Rome Thoughts is a cheap moral serial, and The
Charm a delightful magazine for juvenile readers.
Number seven of The Poultry Book, published by
Orr and Co., has three handsome coloured plates,
the finest representing a peacock. The Family
Friend, and Family Tutor, are instructive and
useful serials.

The Newcomes. No. 11. By W. M. Thackeray.
If Homer ever nodded, it was certainly not in
Beta, rather we should opine as far on as Upsilon.
Here, however, is " Arthur Pendennis, Esq.,"
dozing off in his armchair in the second number of
" The Newcomes," and provoking among his
readers, we fear, a kindred drowsiness. Mr.
Thackeray commences the fourth chapter of his
new serial by the candid avowal—" If we are to
narrate the youthful history, not only of the hero
of this tale but of the hero's father, we shall never
have done with nursery biography." And yet the
whole of the next thirty pages relate almost ex-
clusively to the youthful history of Clive New-
come notwithstanding that acknowledgment.
If we get him at last out of the long clothes
we find him at the close of the • present instal-
ment of the fiction advanced no farther
than the jacket. Scarcely a single incident is re-
corded by the novelist—not one of any importance
whatever. Corresponding with the inequality of
the letterpress, it may be observed of the illustra-
tor that Mr. Doyle succeeds better in several of
the small woodcuts than in the more pretentious
etchings. Colonel Newcome still shines in the
story as the " bright particular star" among all
the characters yet introduced. Following him in
his morning peregrinations the reader will be de-
lighted, we doubt not, to find himself conducted
into the Temple chambers of Arthur Pen-
dennis. Where we obtain a glimpse once
more of dear old George Warrington, smoking
his short pipe, and in no way disconcerted on
being discovered under the operation, any more
than he would have appeared, had the visitor,
instead of Colonel Newcome, been a personage as
august as the Archbishop of Canterbury. Clive's
uncles are rather elaborately depicted—Newcome
Brothers—Sir Brian Newcome being a bald-headed
nonentity, and his brother Hobson a sort of com-
promise between, a city man and an agriculturist.
Another of the family, son and heir to Sir Brian,
appears in the pert little coxcombical person of
Barnes, or, as he is familiarly termed, Barney New-
come—Barney, at least, when addressed by that
large young officer of the household troops, Charley
Heavyside. We shall look eagerly to the third
number of " The Newcomes'! for some glimmering
of improvement.

Dick Diminy. No. 11. By Priam. Comical
though the initial chapters of Dick Diminy
were, as all those know well enough who glanced
through them on their appearance on the first of
October—yet more comical is the new instalment.
Our sporting novelist, rejoicing under the nom de
plume of " Priam," is evidently conscious of hav-
ing opened up a vein rich in the golden ore of amuse-
ment. His natural vivacity would help to carry
him over greater difficulties than he is likely to
encounter in his new adventure. Wherefore, the
readers of " Dick Diminy" may anticipate the dis-
covery of a store of fun in the progress of that most
delectable jockey's Life and Adventures.

THE HARVEST IN SCOTLAND.—Notwithstanding the
very advanced period of the year we regret that it is not
yet in our power to say that harvest operations have
been completed in this district. In several parts of the
county, particularly in the westward, where it joins
Lanarkshire, many fields are yet uncut, and in more
numerous instances the grain, where reaped, has not
been gathered, and still remains exposed to the elements.
The greater portion of the grain thus unhoused can
never, we fear, be brought into the market. The
weather still alternates between wet and fair ; and gives
no promise of steadiness.—Bdinburgh. Advertiser.
IMPORTATION OF GOATS INTO WALES.—Large flocks
of goats have recently been imported into Wales from
the Highlands of Scotland. This step has been rendered
necessary by the almost total extinction, in many parts
of the principality, of one of the original inhabitants of
the country. This scarcity of the goat has aricen from
the extensive inclosure of barren and waste lands, for
the purpose of agriculture, and the number of planta-
tions made of late years ; these joined with the fact that
the tenants have been discouraged from keeping up the
breed, have materially operated in rendering scarce this
hardy animal. The milk of the goat is very nutritious'
and its quantity considerable for the size of the animal.
A Cabinet Council will be held at the Foreign-office
on Monday next at 2 o'clock,