The Sun.
London, England, 1831-08-23 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

ROSCOE'S NOVELISTS. VoLII. LONDON,

18:31.

The present number of this delightful series
contains the first, and, as many critics consider,
the best, of Smollett's novels, Roderick Random.
It is illustrated, as such an author should be,
by the comic pencil of Cruickshank, so that what
with the great novelist, and his congenial illus-
trator, the attraction of this volume is irresistible.
There is no writer of fiction, or indeed of any
thing else, that we know of, whose works will
bear republication so well as Smollett's. His
comic descriptions, and full broad sketches of
character, are independent of time, place, and
circumstance ; they bid defiance to the assaults of
fashion, and the caprices of an age, perpetually
canting about its superlative refinement and mo-
rality. So long as the world possesses the fa-
culty of laughter, so long will it revel in the ad-
ventures of Strap and Random, appreciate , the
humour of Trunnion, and enter into all the
whims and peculiarities of the matchless Bramble
family. Stnollett is the prince of caricaturists,
and unlike the generality of these gentlemen,
always takes nature for his ground-work. We
encounter no " faultless monsters that the world

ne'er saw" in his pages ; the nearest approach
he makes to such grotesque exhibitions is in his
" Ferdinand Count Fathom," which Mr. Ros-
coe accordingly, with great good taste, has dis-
franchised, and placed in schedule A ; that is,
omitted in his republication. Smollett, we per-
ceive, has received great praise as an original
writer ; that he had a fertile invention we do not
deny, but no ona acquainted with Cervantes's
master-piece can fail to see how greatly the
creator of Roderick Random and Peregrine
Pickle has been indebted to him. For his
sketches of bullies too, generally, he has referred
to our old dramatists. His Captain 'Teazle,
and his half-pay Lieutenant, whom Roderick
encountered in the stage-coach to Bath, are
taken,—we were almost going to say verbatim
et literatim,—from those inimitable scenes in
the " Old Bachelor," where Captain Mee is
detected and exposed by Sharper. In the stage-
coach incident this plagiarism is so palpable,
that it is next to impossible not to observe it.
However, despite these trivial defects, Smollett,
as a humourist, still stands unrivalled ; no one
has ever provoked such hearty laughter, such as
the Homeric Jove delighted in ; and few afforded
more abundant and rational entertainment. We
hail, therefore, this elegant republication of his
works as a literary God-send.

BOOTH'S PRINCIPLES OF COMPOST•

TiON. LONDON, 1831.

This is a very serviceable little work, which,
though it modestly professes to be elementary,
will be read with advantage by readers of mature
growth. It is throughout analytical in its nature,
and discusses its subject with sincerity and ear-
nestness. It contains, besides, many passages
of sterling eloquence, wherein Mr. Booth dis-
plays a perfect mastery over the English lan-
guage. Did our limits permit, we would ex-
tract, in illustration of this assertion, the writer's
definition of poetry, which is marked by pro-
priety of thought and strength of feeling. His
selections and examples are drawn from the
works of the best authors.

The KING will arrive in town to-morrow, at
the Palace, when his MAJESTY will hold a Levee, and also
a Privy Council.
Despatches were sent off yesterday evening,
from the Foreign-office, for Viscount GRANVILLE, our
Ambassador at Paris.
This forenoon, at half-past twelve, the Marquis
of LANSDOWNE, Earl GREY, Lord Gamma, Lord MEL-
BOURNE, Lord ALTHORP, Lord DURHAM, Lord JOHN
RUSSELL, Earl of CARLISLE, and Mr. STANLEY, assem-
bled at the Foreign-office in Downing-street.
Mr. KEAN is engaged at the Haymarket

Theatre.
AWKWARD AFFRAY FOR AN ANTI-RE
Foammt.—.—A rencotitre took place last week in the
neighbourhood of Forneth-house, Perthshire, between the
Earl of M— and the Rev. Mr. o—, an English
gentleman, which is likely to lead to very disagreeable
consequences. It is reported that the Earl had trespassed
on the shooting ground of the Rev. Gentleman ; and that,
upon being challenged for it, very high words passed be-
tween them, till, in the excitement of the moment, the
Earl fired at the Rev. Gentleman, but without effect,
which led to language still more irritating, when the Earl
fired again, and hit the Rev. Gentleman's horse. A mes-
esge was forthwith sent to Perth, and a warrant procured
to apprehend his Lordship, who was brought into town on
Nlonday evening, and examined by the Sheriff on Tuesday,
who committed him, and he was kept in custody until libe-
rated on sufficient bail.— Glasgow Chronicle.
EXECUTION OF ALBUTT.—On Friday this
young man, the victim of intemperance and sensuality,
convicted at the late Warwick Assizes of a violent assault
on a young girl of this town, between eight and nine years
of age, underwent the last dreadful sentence of the law, at
the customary place of execution, at Warwick. It would
appear that ALBUTT, ever since his commitment by the
Magistrates, at the Public Office, had made up his mind
that he had no chance of escape from conviction and death.
At the trial his behaviour was that of a man who looked
for no mercy on this side of the grave. Throughout the
whole of the preliminary arrangements ALBUTT appeared
totally indifferent to the assembly which surrounded the
gaol ; but all being completed, he was launched into eter-
nity, and apparently died without a struggle. He was in
the 29th year of his a 47.—Birmingham Journal.
MONTESQUIEU S DEFINITION OF
Famicn L0RD....-" A great Lord," says MONTESQUIEU,
"is a man who tees the King, and speaks to the Minis-
ters, who has ancest irs, debts, and pensions. If, with
that, he is able to conceal his indolence and imbecility by
an air of ignorance and importance, or a feigned attach-
ment to pleasure, he believes himself the happiest of men."
—Lettres Persanes, let!re lxxxviii. This is a French
Lord : the character would apply to an English, if for
eagerness we read indifference or nonchalance, that being
the distinction between the respective charm:tem—this/v.
iliemoir3 of the House of Bourbon,