The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-18 00:00:00

within the last quarter of a century, mainly to the
exertions of two scientific authors, whose writings
have been given to the world under the respective
names of Zadkeil and Raphael. Since the death of
the latter writer, which occurred a few years ago,
his Almanac has been conducted by a very competent
successor, who has, among other instances of his
power of prescience, attained considerable reputation
and literary notice by his clear prediction of the
downfal of Louis Philippe. A prophesy of a similar
nature is now put forward by him with regard to the
French President. for the ensuing summer ; and it is
remarkable that Zadkeil, foretels a like mishap, or
even worse, for the same period, viz., about July.
Neither is much good fortune presaged to the King of
Naples. Both also unite in predicting great fatality
from disease of the bowels amongst us next year.
Nous verrons. A great panic in the mercantile world
is announced to take place in next December, which,
according to Raphael, is to be in general a most dis-
astrous month. It will be worth while to notice
many of his singular foreshadowings, yet we are of
opinion that both the seers lay too much stress (as
regards certain exalted individuals) upon Transits,
which are altogether subordinate to Primary Direc-
tions. In the " Messenger" for 1848 there is a vaticina-
tion worth bearing in mind. Raphael says, speaking of
the Sclavonic tribes, "I do not hesitate to predict that the
conjunction, some very few years hence, of Herschel
and Saturn in Taurus, will originate an astounding
union among them, followed by their regeneration as
a distinct nation." This conjunction will take place
in the spring of 1852. The work is illustrated by a
hieroglyphic of appalling aspect, and the Ephemeris,
and the numerous figures or charts of the heavens at
certain momentous periods, are prepared with the
utmost accuracy and care, the execution of the whole
reflecting much credit upon the publisher. Produc-
tions of this sort will lead to an examination on the
part of the unprejudiced of the principles of a most
ancient and interesting science, which it has been too
long the fashion to decry and ridicule, without any
fair investigation. Indeed, the trash which has ap-
peared under the name of astrology in many works,
such as " Moore's Almanac" and divers others, was
enough to make it a matter of derision; but these, our
modern authors, are men of high astronomical
knowledge, ardent inquiry, and patient research, and
their labours are well worthy of being appreciated
by unbiassed minds. We wish them all legitimate
success.

THE QUARTERLIES.
The EDINBURGH REVIEW. No. CLXXXII.
Due admiration is expressed for Mr. Tennyson's
Medley of the " Princess," by an Edinburgh reviewer,
who evinces as cordial an appreciation of this parti-
cular writer as he does a general familiarity with the
poetical literature of England. As a specimen of
eclectic criticism the article in question is really
valuable. It comprises not merely an analysis of the
genius of Mr. Tennyson, but a very felicitous de-
finition of poetical versatility; a declaration that no
age is unpoetieal ; an ingenious distinction between
the national and ideal schools of poetry ; together
with a rapid narrative, admirably penned, of the
alternate or simultaneous progress of those
two 'schools. Milton, Shakspere, Chaucer,
Spenser, Marlow, Fletcher, Shirley, Brown,
Drummond, Daniel, Sydney, Carew, Suckling,
Herrick, Butler, Dryden, .Pope, Thomson, Young,
Cowper, Burns, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Keats, and
Shelley (but especially the two latter), are brought
under the consideration of the reviewer. In a criti-
cism of so large and comprehensive a character it is a
marvel to us to find no mention whatever made of
such writers as Gower, Raleigh, Surrey, Prior,
Waller, Somerville, Gray, Collins, Johnson, Addis on,
Byron, Campbell, Chatterton, Crabbe, Moore, Jonson,
Hogg, Scott, Falconer, Cunningham, Goldsmith,
and a variety of other conspicuous names—not enu-
merating such literary minnows as Mason, Day,
Spratt, Savage, and Halley. Considering, however,
the amplitude of the subject, and its almost inex-
haustible fruitfulness, it is scarcely surprising that a
reviewer whose attention is chiefly directed to the ex-
amination of the writings of Mr. Keats, Mr. Shelley, and
Mr. Tennyson should overlook so many remarkable
names among their predecessors and their contempora-
ries. Acknowledging very modestly that he can scarcely
" pretend to judge of a genius so large and manifold"
as that of Mr. Tennyson, the reviewer says that
whether he (Mr. Tennyson) writes a great work or
not, " he has taken his place among the true poets of
hii country." The assertion is in no degree exagge-
rated, but the recognition of a ,fact which no envies
or jealousies can conceal. A.n ingenious, though
rather scrambling, paper descriptive of that miracle
of the age " The Electric Telegraph," suggested by
works from the hands of Sir W. snow Harris, and
of M. L'Abbe Moigno, enables the writer to jeer, in
his exordium, the prevailing fashion of applauding
scarcely any department of human knowledge apart
from the natural sciences. Those who luxuriate in
the excitement of polemical discussions will find
materials for argument. in the opening article for the
current number of the Edinburgh, headed "Reason
and Faith ; their Claims and Conflicts." Those who
look forward with any degree of interest to the occa-
sion which will be honoured with a Royal visit to
the City before another fortnight has elapsed,
namely, the opening of the Coal Exchange,
will obtain considerable information, if not a
large amount of entertainment, in the " Sta-
tistics of Coal." Those, again, who are fascinated
by the magnificent scheme recently projected by his
Royal highness the Prince Albert, may derive much
gratification from the perusal of a very able essay
upon the subject of " Schools of Design." The
meditative, especially those struck with the sophisms
of Saint-Simon, or with the day-dreams of Fourier,
should peruse the disquisition on " Unsound Social
Philosophy ;" while the practical, especially practical
farmers, should scrutinize the paper dedicated to the
united subjects of " Science and Agriculture?'
Commend us, however, to the pleasant, gossipping
criticism on that interminable theme of re-
viewers good Mr. Samuel Pepy's " Diary,"
recently re-published in a third and enlarged
edition, consisting of five volumes, by its first, and
last, and ablest editor, Richard Lord Braybrooke.
Lord Braybrooke indeed has the satisfaction of think-
ing that his name is as intimately associated with that
of Pepys as that of Mottoeux is with the name of
Rabelais. On the 23d of February, 1632, Samuel
Pepys, the son of a tailor (yet connected by descent