The Sun.
London, England, 1836-02-01 00:00:00

gentleman's periodical writings with pleasure, for there
is a spirit, a good sense, and unaffected vivacity about
them, not often to be met with at the present day,
when propriety is sacrificed to point, truth to effect,
and simplicity to artificial decoration. The brief
memoir of Mr. Faraday, the well-known chemist (to
which a portrait, whether like or not, we cannot say,
is attached), is, towards the close, perfectly unin-
telligible. We suppose, however, it is intended to
have a meaning. The criticism on Mrs. Joanna
Baillic's Dramas is written by one who is every way-
competent to give an opinion ; and the " Political
Memoranda" less remarkable for justness of comment,
than severity of animadversion.

TAIT' S EDINBURGH MAG ALINE.
Simpkin and Marshall.

Tait opens this month with a well-written, and bet-
ter-reasoned article on the prospects of Reform in the
opening Session of Parliament. The writer is not
sparing of wholesome advice, which, coming as it does
from a safe quarter, ought not to be forgotten by the
supporters of the present Government. We are glad
to see Tait take his stand at the right hand of the Mel-
bourne Cabinet, with a view to cheer on his readers
to the support of the most liberal Administration that

England iras known since the accession of the House
of Brunswick to the Throne of these Realms. "In
our own sphere," observes the writer of this ar-

ticle„ "we have ever been steady supporters of
Lord Melbourne's Government. In liberality of sen-
timent, and largeness of views, it is immeasurably in
advance of the purely Whig Administration of Earl
Grey ; nor can we perceive any reason which Re-
formers have to abate their confidence in the " Whig-
Radical" Ministers, while many causes render it more
and more expedient to strengthen their hands for the
good works they meditate. Surely they are now in a
position to look round them with manly firmness. The
manner in which they have of late employed their
official patronage, in the higher departments, is of
rather favourable augury. ** * We will hope that
Lord Brougham has been passed over on public
grounds alone, and from no private or personal
feeling lurking either in Court or Cabinet." The last
sentence is the only one to which we object. We
should certainly blame the Government for passing
over Lord BROUGHAM, were we not convinced that

the " personal feeling " here alluded to does actually
evist, forming the only preventive barrier to his Lord-
ship's reinstatement in office. In fact, we should
suspect the honesty of any Administration which
should dare to object to Lord BROUGHAM'S
appointment to office on public grounds. If on so
grave an occasion we might parody the compliment
which the Times, " once upon a time," paid to the
back-stairs influence of her Most Gracious Majesty,
the Queen, we should state, for the information of all
whom it may concern, that—The KING has done it

" Willie o' Wyburn," a traditionary ballad by Mary
Howitt, is but an indifferent imitation of the old Eng-
lish rhymes so popular in the youthful days of our
grandsires. Its greatest fault—and a great fault it
certainly is—consists in mistaking puerility of ex-
pression for quaintness. The moral is, however.
unexceptionably good ; and that, in a ballad of six
parts, is no trifling merit. " Songs, by the Author
of Corn Law Rhymes,' No. II.," are by no means
such as we could approve of. Indeed, we do not re-
member to have read lines, which gave us more pain
on the author's account. We entertain the most
sovereign contempt for those pseudo political econo-
mists, who rail against early marriages, and who would
change the order of nature, to accord with their short-
sighted systems of social government.
There are, however, several good articles in this
Number of Tait. Those among the graver sort
whiCh are calculated to effect the most good, are,
" Protestant Associatioes"—" The Guzzling School"
—" Japan Blacking"—‘-and a very sensible review of
Coleridge—" Letters and Recollections," lately pub-
lished from the pen of Barry Cornwall. " The
Moon" is by far the prettiest poetical effusion in a
number rich in such pretty trifles.