The Sun.
London, England, 1849-02-06 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

THE LIFE AND WORKS OF WILLIAM
CO WPER. Complete in One Volume.
The Rev. Mr. Grimshawe's "Life of Cowper" is
too well known and too well appreciated to require
any comment. Such is the popularity of this edition
of Cowper, that we are told that no less than seventy►
thousand volumes (of the edition in eight volumes)
are now.in circulation. Instead of eight volumes, this
popular work is now contained in one—in one hand-
some volume, similar in size to the recent edition of
Mrs. Ileman's works. In this volume are contained all
the poems of Cowper, Mr. Grimshawe's lite of the
poet, and Cowper's letters (now for the first time
rendered complete by the introduction of his private
correspondence)—those letters of which Robert Hall
(the eulogised of Austin Caxton) has said, " the
letters of Mr. Cowper are the finest specimens of the
epistolatory style in our language. To an air of
inimitable ease they unite a high degree of correct-
nesss, such as could result only from the clearest in-
tellect combined with the most finished taste. There
is scarcely a single word capable of being exchanged
for a better, and of literary errors there are none. I
have perused them with great admiration and de-
light." This magnificent edition of Cowper is em-
bellished with a highly-finished portrait of the poet,
and several excellent illustrations ; one of the most
pleasing represents Cowper feeding a tame hare.

OLYMPIC THEATRE.
Emile Angier has written no (more graceful little
drama than that which has been translated, or
rather paraphrased, into English by John Oxenford.
Last evening the new version of the Cigue was pro-
duced with brilliant success at the Olympic Theatre, the
principal characters being inimitably pourtrayed by
Mrs. Stirling and Mr. Leigh Murray. Those who bear
in recollection the beginning of Mr. Mitchell's season of
1848, in St. James's, will not have forgotten the agree-
able freshness of the little piece here revived in another
language—the classical elegance of what may be called
the drapery of the drama—the sparkling witticisms
scattered through the dial igue—or the peculiar com-
bination of languor and excitement diffused over the in-
cidents. With little claim to excellence in regard to
dramatic completeness, the Cigue had nevertheless an in-
describable charm in the circumstance of its originality both
in its conception and in its treatment. The moral is
literally an antidote to suicide. Clinias, an Athenian
youth, (one of the E 9721501) is the hero. He is
first revealed in the condition of a satiated voluptary—
" used up" in regard to all his emotions—blase to very
exhaustion—ennuyee beyond endurance by the cloying
sweetness and pomps of his profligacy—absolutely
wearied of life, and resolved at last to rid himself of the
barthen of existence by quaffing a draught of hemlock.
Before committing self-destruction, however, he detew
mines to amuse himself with one more sensation. To
this end ho proposes to bequeath his possessions to one
or other of his two parasites Cleon or Paris. The game
in which they are rendered competitors for his
property is nothing less than that of courtship.
'They are required to gain the affections of $
beautiful Greek slave just purchased: by Clinias; and
whoever proves the successful suitor is to inherit the
fortunes of the debauchee. Nothing, however, will in-
duce the Grecian to listen to the advances of the rival
sycophants, and disgusted in the end with their hollow
and selfish flatteries she flies for protection to her lord.
In the rapture of hearkening to the acknowledgment of
her love for himself, Clinias hurls the bowl of hemlock
from him, and compensates the slave for the trials to
which she has been subjected by espousing her, and
abandoning altogether his parasites, his profligacy, and
his thoughts of drinking poison. In the original
the drama is not only rhythmical but rhymed. Mr.
Oxenford has transformed the couplets into blank verse,
and, in doing so, has displayed the capacity and skill
which he has obtained by practice as a translator. Mr.
Leigh Murray as Clinias was peculiarly felicitous both
in the delineation of a soured and cynical voluptuary, '
and in the revelation of love and ecstacy inspired by
the purity of the Greek maiden. The slave found its
Mrs. Stirling a graceful and impassioned impersonator.
Both of the principal artistes were called before the cur-
tain on the conclusion of the play, and rewarded with
the heartiest applause. Of the scenic effects we must
likewise speak in terms of eulogium. In particular the
spectacle produced by the banquet in the polychromatic
triclinium—where the guests reposed upon cushions
habited in the gorgeous kitons of Attica, and crowned
with the violet garlands of the Acropolis—was singu-
larly beautiful. Pauvre Jacques was subsequently re-
presented by Mr. Benjamin Barnett, hitherto a stranger
to a London audience. With a recollection of the ini-
mitable acting of Mr. Morris Barnett in the same parts
it must; be confessed that the debutant had great diffi-
culties to overcome. His triumph, nevertheless, in the
expression of the old Frenchman's decrepitude, whimsi-
cality, and pathos, was complete. He was
,rewarded
with acclamations.

OPERA COMIQUE, ST. JAMES'S THEATRE:Their
Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
and Prince George ofCambridge, attended by the Baron
Knesebeck, Sir Edmund St John Mildmay, and Lady
Augusta Somerset, honoured the French plays with their
presence last evening. There were also present his
Royal Highness the Prince of Orange, his Serene High-
ness Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, her Serene High-
ness the Hereditary Princess of Parma, his Excellency
the Turkish Ambassador and suite, the Duchess of
Marlborough, Lady Goldsmid, Lady William Paulet,
Lady Fitzroy Somerset, Lord Trimleston, Lady Quen-
tin, Lady Webster, Sir John Lyster Kaye, M. Eugene
de Gelaehe, Sir John and the Misses Burgoyne, Sir
William Fraser, Mrs Dennistoun, Sir Henry Webb,
Captain Burton and the Hon. Mrs. Ryder Burton. AY.
Claude Scott, Mr. Seymour Bathurst, Colonel Hamil-
ton, Mr. Hardwick, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hammers-
ley, Miss Lushington, Mr. De Caters, the Hon. George
Jerningham.

1 REFORMATION OF JUTENILE OFFENDER/-IES
Royal Highness Prince Albert, who a short time since,
signified his intention of laying the foundation stone of
the Philanthropic Society's Farm School and Chapel,
has fixed Monday, April 30, for the occurrence of the
interesting ceremony, which will take place at the
newly-selected situation, near the Redhill and Rei-
gate station of the Brighton Railway. In addition
to the munificent donation of 1,000/. from a " Friend,"
and 50/. from her Majesty the Queen Dowager, the
handsome donations of 100/. and 2001. have been made
respectively by " N." and Thomas Vincent., Esq.
SE A YORD.—REWARD.—The Royal Humane So-
ciety have, within the last few days, acknowledged the
benevolent and meritorious exertions of Abraham Hart
Youngs, Richard Paddy, and Jeremiah Nagle, three of
the Coast Guard, who so nobly distinguished themselves
by saving the lives of five of the crew of the Swedish
vessel Lafayette, of Uddewalla, from St. Übes, A 1039
master, wrecked in this bay during a storm early in the
morning of the 29th of November last. The sum of 31;
has been given to Youngs, and 1/. each to Nagle see
Paddy. A. H. Youngs is also to receive a silver medal
making the fourth medallion presented him by the Royal
Humane Institution, for being instrumental in saving.the
lives of his fellow-creatures when in danger of drowning.
—Sussex Express. •
THE ROYAL VICTUALLING YARDS.—.It has been
customary for staff of customs' officers to be stationed SC
the several yards appropriated to the receit and deposit
of stores for the service of her Majesty's victualling.
yards, whose duties have been to receive all goods con-
tracted for the service of the naval department by the
Admiralty Board, when sent to the different depots by
the contractors. A proposition was recently made by'
the Lords of the Admiralty for the officers
of the customs at those places to be removed, it being
the intention and wish of their Lordships that the
officers of their department should in future perform
the duties, by which the services of the revenue officers
could be dispensed with, and some saving thereby
effected. In pursuance of this communication from
the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the officers
of the customs at the Royal William and the Royal Cla-
rence yards have received notice to discontinue their ser-
vices at those places; and the customs lockers at the
victualling yard at Deptford have been removed froo
that establishment.
PLY MPTON.—Deeble Boger, Esq., has been elected
Recorder of this ancient borough, in the room of his late
much respected father, John Boger. Esq.. deceased.

BIRTHS.
On the 2d inst., at Gillingham, Kent, the wife of Captain
H. St. George Ord, Esq., of a son.
On the 2d inst., at Upper Eccleston-place, Eccleston-squaf6'
the wife of T. E. P. Lefroy, Esq., of a son.
On the 2d inst., at Paradise-row, Stoke Newington, WO'
J. Barnett, of a daughter.
On the 2d inst., at Tottenham, the wife of J. P. Thom'
Esq., of a daughter.
On the 31st ult,, at Derby, the wife of W. H. Barlow, EA'
of a daughter.
On the 31st ult., at Bayswater, Mrs. A. Lackersteen, of $
daughter.
On the 31st ult., at the Rectory, Bishop's Waltham, the
wife of the Rev. W. Brock, of a daughter.
on the 31st ult., at Upper Montague-street, Montague-
square, the lady of E. T. Trevor, Esq., of a daughter.

MARRIED.
On the 29th ult., at Southsea, Hants, Charles George.
eldest son of Charles Mott, Esq., of Church Stretton, Shrofr
shire, to Sophia, youngest daughter of the late P. }Recoil'
Esq., H. E. I. C. S., Calcutta.
#.lO
On the Ist inst., at Puddletown Church, Dorset, CO,/
John Temple West, of the Grenadier Gaurds, eldest sop
Admiral Sir John West, K.C.8., to Margaretta, only child of
Sir John G. R. de la Pole, Bart., of Shute-house, Devon. „
On the 3d inst., at Bulpham, Mr. F. J.Vincent, of Brighton'
to Elizabeth Sarah, daughter of the late Mr. Steven*"
Bulpham, Essex.

DIED.
On the 3d inst., in London, the Hon. Thomas Hugh Nugentyoungest son of the late Earl of Westmeath, and only pur
viving brother of the present Marquis of Westmeath.
it
On the.26th ult., at Basle, in Switzerland, Thomas lope
Beddoes, Esq., eldest son of the late Dr. Beddoes, of Clil“;
On the 30th ult., at Kinnaird Castle, Sir James Carnegl
Bart., of Southesk, aged 50. f.
On the 30th ult., Martha Elizabeth Anna, ft
wife of the
W. A. Osborne, Macclesfield.
On the 30th ult., at Laneroeth-house, Penzance, e°,rl;:.
mender John Campbell, R.N., son of the late General
Campbell, of Salton and Boquhan, Stirling. Char
On the 2d inst., at Inverness-road, Bayswater,
Herring, Esq., aged 75.
On the 2d inst., at the Rectory, Farnham, Essex, aged 77'
the Rev. William Greenhill, late Fellow at. xnuitY
College, Oxford. to
On the 2d inst., at Islington, John D. Niemann,
Lloyd's, aged 71.
On the 2d inst., at Walhampton, Hampshire, Theresa, wire
of E. Cooper, Esq., of Pain's-hill, Cobham. Surrey. ,„„„.
On the 2d inst., at Mornington-road, Thompso.,_

rte I_ - -
London: Printed and Published by MURDO YOu„ 029
No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, ALs", of
Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the c 0
Middlesex, Tuesday, Februaryfi, 1049.