The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-30 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, T tiESDA Y EVENING, JANUARY 30, 1849.

Ilenricus, the Cymrian .13sIlop, is a limning such as ,
can never be mistaken even by the most obtuse and

jolter-headed reader in the United Kingdom. It is
not so much a faithful miniature as it is a photograph.
Its excellence is not similitude but identity. The
original could scarcely have been more visibly inti-
mated, if the picture had been labelled " Henry, Lord
Bishcp of Exeter :"

"Henricus—so the imlate sigrrd his name—
Was lord high chancellor in things religious;
With him church militant in truth became
(Nam cedant army tog(e) church litigious;
He kept his ileac ms notably in awe
By flowers epistolar perfumed r.-ith
" No man more stern, more.forKter in re,
No man more mild, more suaviter in mode;
When knots grew tough, it was sublime to see
Such polished sheers go ciippii gly iu nodo :
A hand so supple, pliant, glib, and quick,
Ne'er smooth'd a Land, or buru'd a heretic.
" lie seem'd to turn to you his willing check,
And beg you not to smite too hard the other;
He seilvd his victims with a smile so meek,
And wt p; fonlly o'er his erring brother,
No wolf more righteous on a lamb could sup,
You vexid his stream—he grievt d—aud cat you up."
Precisely with the same keen irony is the Count de
Neuilly scourged under the purple cf Ludovick the
Vandal—his Minister Goizot coining in for a sid?, lash,
under the appropriate nickname of Astutio. Introduced
in Book 11., they are permitted to make En ignotni

nious exit in Book Xi., not, however, without some

virulent derision being scattered over the memory of
the dowrfal of the French monarch end the esta-
blishment of the Republic, during the outbreak of
February. '' A plump of spears," says the satirist,
would have saved the throne, but No—
" One morn a riot in the streets arose,
And lett the Vandal crownless at its close."
Ludoviek fell, says he with facetious exactitude—
" Tripp'd by the slide of his own slippery feet."
Hear him further on laughing to scorn the ignoble
cowardice of the Orleans dynasty :

" Ev'n at the last, to self and nature true,
No royal heart the breath of danger woke;
To mean disguise habitual instinct flew,
And the king vanished in a craftsman's cloak.
While his bravo princes scampering for their lives,
Relictis pannulis—forgot their wives."
Much ridicule is subsequently levelled at the ultra-
democrats for the extravagance of the nostrums
vended by them as panacea for all revolutionary dis
eases. Besides the foregoing, there are casual gibes
at the Puseyites, at the Surplice schismatics, at the
Irish agitators, at the preposterous doctrines of the
Utilitarians, and at the mystical absurdities of the
Benthamites and Coleridgeans. The latter are sub-
jected to a poetical flagellation during the narra-
tive of the mishaps and adventures of Sir
Gawaine—who, by the way, is a kindred spirit
with the merry exqui-ite so pleasantly pour-
traved as a Norman Knight in the noble
romance of " Harold," we mean of course Messire
William Mallet de Graville. But there are likewise
many more serious and certainly more commendatory
allusions to matters of vital importance to the existing
generation ; and these allusions are rendered the more
impressive by their association with the wanderings
of the heroic Sovereign, the " Poet-King " Pen-
dragon !

Immediately after the description of Merlin's ad-
dress to the Knights of the Round Table assembled
in conclave, when the Prophet-Magician summons
them to battle and when
" Sudden every shield
Leapt into lightning with the flashing sword,"
we resume the thread of the narrative which tells of
th• pilgrimage of Arthur. His escape from the
Etrurian valley is recounted with surprising vivid-
Ness—the egress being through the temple of the
funereal diety, where--

" Before the inmost Penetralian doors,
Holding a cypress branch, the augur stands;
The King's firm foot strides eeholess the floors
And with dull groan the temple veil expands;

Advance the torches and their shaken shine

Glares o'er the wave that ytt;s ns behind the shrine?'

effect of his calamities—especially when he and the
dog (such an unconscionable wag of a dog !) are
about to be roasted as a propitiatory offering to
Freya—is infinitely comical : as Also his bridal
night ! his exorcism of the tempest ! his first inter-
view with the nasal pigmies ! ani his grotesque ab-
horrence of that diabolical scapegrace the raven !
To exemplify at a glance the humour of the mere
style of these jocose episodes—reminding one of the
irresistible tones of " Beppo " and " Don Juan "
take the close of Gawaine's interview with Henricus
—the Bishop /ovtitztr:—
"' Depart, my son—at once, depart, I pray,
Pay up your dues, and keep your mind at case,
And call that creature—no, the cther way—
When fairly out, a credo if you please;—
Go—pax vobiscum;—shut the. c'oor, I big,
And stay;—on Friday, flogging—with an egg!'"
Before terminating our observations, we must tran-
scribe one passage from the "Preface" with mit abre-
viation—it breathes an air at oi.ce of so much manly
dignity, and yet of so much winning difildonce. It
runs as follows:

"Whatever the defects of this poem, it has not been
hastily conceived or lightly undertaken. From my
earliest youth, the subject I have selected has haunted
my ambition—for twenty years it has rested steadily on
my mind. in spite of other undertakings, for the most
part not wholly ungenial—since a lengthened and some-
what various practice in the conception and conduct
of imaginative story ought to be no disadvantageous
preparation for a poem which seeks to construct, from
the elements of national romance, something approaching
to the c..rnplmeness of epic narrative. If my powers be
un,grull to the task I have assumed, at least I have
waited in pati: nce, until they were matured and disci-
plined to such :strength as they :night be enalded to at-
tain; until taste, if erroneous, could be c,,rrected,inven-
tion, if sterile, be enriched, by some prolonged appren-
ticeship to the principles of art, by the contemplation of
its masterpieces in many languages, and by such famt-
itarity with the resources of my native tongue as study
and practice could permit me to obtain. But every one
knows the proverb, that The poet is born, the orator
made;' and though, perhaps, it is only partially true
that the poet is born,' and a slight examination of the
higher order of poets will suffice to show us that they
themselves depended very little on the innate faculty,
and were not less diligent in self-cultiv.ttiol than the
most laborious orator—yet it would be in vain to deny,
that where the faculty is wanting, no labour can supply
the defect: and if certain critics are right in asserting
that that detect is my misfortune, I must content my-
self with the sombre rell,ction that I have done my best
to counteract the original unkindness of nature. I have
given to this work a preparation that, evincing my own
respect to the public, entitles me, in return, to the re-
spect of a just hearing and. a fair examination: if the
work be worthless, it is, at least, the worthiest it is in
my power to perform—and on this foundation, however
hollow, I know that I rest the least perishable monu-
ment of those thoughts and those labours which have
made the life of my life."

Having scrutinized the composition throughout with
an exacting eye, we must confess at once that our
judgment has detected but few blemishes, and those
blemishes of such a subordinate character as to admit
very easily of correction. Sometimes the writer in-
advertently repeats himself' (as in the Notes, Vol. 11.,
pp. 273 and 279), and occasionally the repetition
amounts to a plagiarism of his own metaphors, as
where he says (Book VII., stanza 20)—

"The Sybil of the sources of the Deep
Heard nor replied, but indistinct and wan,

Went as a Dream that thro' the worlds of Sleep
Leads the charmed soul of labour-wearied man i"
having previously written (Book 1., stanza 16)—

" Onwards he went ; the invisible controul

Competed him as a dream compels the soul."
Def.ects of this insignificance are, however, assuredly,
as nothing when placed in comparison with the lofty
merits of an epic which must henceforth be ranked
amongst our national masterpieces. Cordially and
respectfully do we bid Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton
farewell, now that he has sung of the glories of Ca-
radoc the Bard, of Genevieve the Maiden, of Lancelot
of the Lake, of Gawaine the golden-tongued, of
Merlin the Magician, of Crida the son of Odin, of
Harold the Saxon Earl, of Geriant, of Lolod, of
Dryda, and above all of the royal hero King Arthur,
" The knightly Cxsar of the Christian North ;"
and now that, in so doing, he has crowned himself
with perennial bay-leaves.

COURT CIRCULAR.
WINDSOR, MONDAY.
Her Majesty walked through the Little Park to
Frogmore this morning, returning the same way.
The Royal Family took their usual exercise.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert went out shoot-
ing this morning. His Royal Highness was attended
by Colonel the Hon. C. B. Phipps and Captain the
Hon. A, Gordon.
The Bishop of Oxford left the Castle to-day.

THEATRICALS AND MUSIC.

As we anticipated last week, the success attendiyg
theatrical representation proceeds on its course oa s
triumphant as the most ardent admirer of this species
of amusement could desire. We subjoin a list of
novelties and revivals for the week :
HER MAJESTY'S AND ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.—
As the London " season" draws near, the busy note
of preparation is heard in these two aristocratic places
of resort; numerous important engagements have
already Leen entered into by the managers of both
these theatres, which, in the course of a few days, we
shall announce. From what we know at present it
promises to be a splendid season.
lIAYMARKET.—MhS Laura Addison having re-
turned from her provincial engagements, made her
first appearance last evening as the Queen, in Hamlet.
On Thursday we are to have The _Housekeeper, with
a cast as rear as possible similar to that at the
Windsor Castle theatricals on Thursday last. Buck-
stone, in conjunction with Mrs. FitnNilliam, join the
company at this theatre.

. -
LYCEUM.—The bill at this elegant theatre remains
the same as last week, the present entertainments
securing a house crowded with rank and fashion.
This is not surprising when we take into account the
splendid nature of the performances awl the talented
ertistes engaged in them.
EADELPHI—Kenny's Sweethearts and Wives is an.
nounce.d for representation here this evening, when
ight will appear in the same character as lie did
at Windsor Castle, to the infinite delight of the regal
audience.

SAD LE X'S WELLS.— ShlliSpere'S Kind John was
performed here last evening with a very excellent
cast ; Phelps sustained the character of King John,
Mr. Marston that of Palc3nbridge, G. Bennett, Hu-
bert, and Miss Glyn, Constance.
OLYMPIC —A new classical drama (so says the
bill) is to be produced here, by Oxenford, entitled
The Hemlock Draught ; the principal parts to be
filled by Mr. L. Murray and Mrs. Stirling. A new
classical drama is indeed a novelty.
MARYLEBONE. —A new farce, with the quaint title
of ls'nt it a Duck, was performed for the first time
last evening. Mr. G. Herbert sustained the leading
part.
It is generally rumoured that we are to have
another theatre in addition to the number (nearly
twenty) now existing in London. The Rotundo in
Blackfriars'-road is destined to be the place selected.
An ex-lessee and a popular manageress of a metropo-
litan theatre are at the head of the speculation. The
Rotundo possesses peculiar facilities for such a change,
and, if well carried out, a theatre might be con-
structed rivalling in size even the Royal Italian
Opera.
A relative (we believe a brother) of the author and
is about to make his
first ?
the inimitable representative of the character of Mon-
siresutr appearance
character at one of our prin-
cipal cipal theatres.
Mr. T. Matthews, the Clown, received a very gra-
tifying testimonial a few evenings ago. A gentle-
man, who had been enjoy'ng the fun of the panto-
mime at the Surrey Theatre, having introduced him-
self, offered for Mr. Matthews's acceptance .ice Gri-
maldi's snuff-box (a tortoise-shell one, mounted with
gold); we need not say the present was duly accepted
and very neatly acknowledged,

That London is without an English Opera at the
present time is a striking and much to be regretted
fact. Whether the want of patronage, or the enor-
mous salaries demanded by some of our English
singers—salaries which it is impossible for a manager
with a view to a remunerative return to give, we will
not now stop to inquire. However, ,such is the fact,
and we think the singers have themselves to thank.
This want is in a great measure remedied by the
number of delightful concerts an'l musical entertain-
ments that are now to he met with, and at such mo •
derate prices of admission. The following are an-
nounced to take place during the next few (lays.:
SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY.—The next concert
to be given by this society will consist of Beetho-
ven's service in C, a selection of sacred music, and
Mendelssohn's " Hymn of Praise." The vocalists
engaged on the occasion are the Misses Williams, Mr.
Bodda, and Mr. Lockey. Mr. Costa of course con-
ducts the concert.

zas," with infinite humour and spirit. Made-
moiselle Vera sang the " Bel raggio,"
from Semirasnide very finely, and the duet
" Per piacere," from the Turco in Italia, with P.
Lablache, very excellently. I3elletti's fine bats tones
were heard to much advantage in the grand scena,
" Sorgette ! e in si bel giorno," from: Rossini's
.ilfaometto; he afterwards gave. Balfe's buffo
song, " The Postilion," with great comic
effect. Miss Bassano sang "Si m'abbandoni" very
tastefully, and afterwards gave the duet from Res-
smi's Ragata Veneziana with Miss Durlacher ; both
young ladies gave this duet admirably. Thalberg
gave his marvellous Tarantella on the pianoforte
and the concert concluded with the magnificent
preghiera from Mose, given by the whole of the
artistes. The hall was nearly as crowded at the con-
cluiion as at the commencement of the concert, and
this we take to be the highest compliment that could
be paid to the artistes Engaged.
Many distinguished persons were present, among
whom was the Duke of Wellington, who was greatly
applauded on his entrance.

PRESENTS TO MADLLE. LIND AT

NORWICH.

THE BISHOP'S PRESENT.—We noticed a fortnight ago
the Bible which th, Lord Bishop intended presenting to
Mudlle. Lind. This splendidly-hound volume was given
to her before she left the palace, the following. texts of
Scripture being written in it by his Lordship.
" The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil; He shall
preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going
out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for
evermore."—Psalm cxxi. 7, 8. _ _

" And this I pray, that your love may abound yet
mere and more in knowledge and in all judgment. That
ye may approve things that aro excellent; that ye may
be sincere, and without oEnce till the day of Christ."—
Philippians, i. 9, 10.
THE MAYOR'S PRESENT.—Tho mayor, knowing that
Mdlle. Jenny Lind was not only acquiring our language,
but had began to read Milton, procured Martin's eition
of Dlilton's " Paradise Lost," handsomely bound, and
presented it to her at the palace. She appeared highly
pleased. On the fly-leaf of the book was the following
inscription:— _ _

" To Mdlle. Jenny Lind, from the Right Worshipful
the Mayor of Norwich, Samuel Bignold, in testimony of
his appreciation of her talents and genius, but more espe-
cially of the virtue and benevolence which have prompted
her to consecrate the wonderful gilts with which Provi-
dence has endowed her to the cause of charity; and in
commemoration of her goodness in devoting her vocal
powers to the benefit of the poor of Norwich, on the 22d
and 23d of January, 1849, when two concerts were given,
by which 1,2001. was realised.

" She sang
With notes angelical,"—" and took with ravishment
The thronging audience."
—Norfolk Chronicle.

HENLEY AND LONDON WATER

WORKS AND NAVIGATION.

A highly influential meeting of landowners, mill
owners, and others interested in opposing the progress
of the contemplated Bill for the construction of these
works was held at the Town Hall, Maidenhead, yester-
day afternoon. George Henry Vansittart, Esq., occu
pied the chair; and the following gentlemen were either
present or represented by their agents: the Earl of
Orkney; Sir John C. Rashleigh, Bart.; C. S. Murray,
Esq.; T. P. Williams, Esq.; M. Swaby, Esq.; G. E. G.
East, Esq.; H. Skrime, Esq.; John Rogers, Esq.; and
Charles Clowes, Esq.
Mr. SWABY moved, and Mr. LOVEGROVE seconded,
the following resolution:—" That it is the conviction of
this meeting that the proposed scheme is uncalled for by
the public exigency, and will occasion serious injury to
the proprietors and occupiers of land in the line of the
intended canal, and especially in the lower ground,
where the requisite embankment of between twenty and
thirty feet in height will much increase and prolong the
mischief occasioned in times of floods; and that as re-
gards the numerous and valuable mills on the River
Thames between Henley and Staines, the water to be
abstracted will cause irreparable damage, approaching
to destruction."

ALARMING FLOOD AT
INVERNESS.
On Thursday last Inverness was subjected to an
awful calamity by the overflowing of the river Ness,
on bbth sides of which the town is erected, in conse-
quence of which the old bridge was entirely swept
away, and one-third of the town laid under water.
It appears that for some days previously the wind
blew tempestuously from the west and south-west,
and great quantities of rain fell, but up to Wednes-
day evening no` apprehensions of danger were enter-
tained by any one. The river at length overflowed
its banks to an extent never before witnessed, and as
the old bridge, a structure built in 1668, showed
symptoms of giving way, all access to it was about
ten o'clock denied by order of the magistrates.
During the night the flood continued to increase,
and at five o'clock in the morning the centre arch of
the bridge yielded to the pressure of the waters,
and shortly after six the whole structure was
entirely swept away. In the mean time the
waters had spread over the roads and low haughs
above the town, and in the town itself flooded one-
_ _

third of its extent, reaching ts high as the first floor
windows. As seen from the Castle hill the spect,,cle
is described as having been one of awful majesty ;
and to this point the inhabitants repaired in the
greatest terror and alarm. Along Bank,treet,
Dauglas-row, Ness- walk, H untley- street, and
Gilbert-street, the waters rushed as powerfully as ii
they had formed part of the bed of the stream, and
gardens and other open spaces presented all the
appearance of newly fo►med lakes. The parts of
the town which suffered most were those lying be-
tween the Little Green and Huntley-place, on the
west side of the river, and the Haugh, Bank-street,
and Douglas-row, on the east side. As the inhabi-
tants, unapprehensive of danger, had, generally
speaking, retired to rest, many of them experienced
much difficulty in effecting their escape on the alarm
being given, "trnd numerous hair-breadth escapes were
made. In some places people were led from their houses
wading breast-high; and, as the fall of the bridge hal
destroyed the gas-pipes, darkness increased the ge-
neral terror, while the panic was still more heightened
by an unfounded rumour that the Caledonian Canal
had burst its banks, and that the unhappy town was
thus surrounded with water. The number of people
thrown hQuseless by this calamity is immense; but
they have been temporarily provided for by neigh-
bours and relations, and by the town council and
parochial hoard. Boats continued during the day to
navigate the flooded streets, for the purpose of re-
moving the inhabitants, and in some instances when
boats could not be had the sick and infirm were seated

in washing tubs and floated to places of safety. All
communication betwixt the east and west sides of the
river by bridge has been completely shut up, as the
only other bridge that connected them (a wooden
structure) had become unsafe. On Saturday reports
were current in Inverness of other northern rivers
having overflowed their banks and caused much
destruction, but no precise accounts appear to have
been received.

THE ARMY.
Orders have been received at Chatham for the sus-
peinion of recruiting, and all the parties have been callei
in. As the dereit at Chatham is exclusively for recruits
for the Queen's regiments serving in ledia,' and which
regiments are not included in the contemplated reduc—
tion 'of the army, we are inclined to think that the de-
mands for the India service will be met by the transfer
of those men who will become supernumeraries upon the
British establishment in consequence of the new arrange-
ments, as, under existing circumstances, we cannot
hope that it will not be necessary to maintain the army
in the East up to its full strength.
We regret to announce the &cake of Major-General
Sir Guy Campbell, Bart , and C. 8., which took place at
Kingstown, on Saturday last, the 27th inst., after a long
and painful illness. By this event the colonelcy of the
3d West India Regiment and an appointment as major-
general on the staff of the army
in Ireland, have become
vacant. Sir Guy Campbell served in the Peninsula, and
command( d the 6th Foot at the battle of the Pyrenees,
for which be received a medal. Ile served also the cam-
paign of 1815, including 11. c battle of Waterloo.
PnymouTu, JAN. 27.—The men belonging to the 23th
and 82,1 It,gitnents now stationed here and at Devon-
port, wire assembled on the parade at Mount Wise this
morning, for the hurpos'e of hearing the sentence pro-
mulgated which had been passed upon Mathew Toomey,
a private of the 28th Regiment, who had been tried by
court-menial. The prisoner, when tried, was charged
with having in August last disobeyed the orders of Cap-
tain Fraser, of the 28th Regiment; and a second charge
was, that he had attempted to beat or to stab the said
Captain Fraser, while in the execution of his duty.. On
these charges he was found guilty; and having been
several times before convicted, he was sentenced to be
transported as a felon for fourteen years. Tho men
belonging to this regiment sill occasion much trouble
through their great irregularities. Courts-martial upon
them are of very frequent occurrence, and every evening
since they have been here, now more than five months,
pickets have been out to pick up the drunken and dis-
orderly. This makes the duty very severe, but the men
have only themselves to blame.

There have been erected in the lower sally port of the
Plymouth citadel a powder magazine and three arm-
sheds. In this part of the citadel, during the last few
months, there has been much activity, a number of
workmen having been engaged in erections, removals,
&c.; but now all the improvements are completed.
everal guns, 16-pounders, have been mounted on metal
carriages, and the muzzles of them are placed opposite
the town in a very commanding position. An observa•
tory has been erected at the top of King George's bas-
tion; it is the same observatory us was for some time on
the cross of St. Paul's cathedral. Observations by a
theodolite are being daily made for the Government by
Corporal Wotherspcon, of the Royal Sappers and Miners,
in connexion with the Ordnance survey that is being
made of the three town.

TILE 91IT FOOT.—HEAD-QUARTERS, PORTSMOIITH.--•
Two officers and fifty men of the Ist battalion of this
regiment are ordered to embark at Woolwich, on the Ist
of February, as a guard to convicts for Bermuda, whence
they will proceed to the Cape of Good Hope to join the
reserve battalion.

GARRISON SURGEON 07 PORTSMOUTH.---This office
has become vacant by the decease of Dr. Chaldecat.
Economy in the united services being the order of the
day, the appointment will not be filled up.