The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-08 00:00:00

THE SON LONDON, MONDAY EVENING►-, OCTOBER 8 1849

CHOLERA AND DIA.RIMCEA.

RETURN OF CASES, Our. 5.
THE METROPOLIS.
SUPERINTENDING REGISTRAR'S DISTRICT.
Do ails.
Cholera. Maul'.

WEST DISTRICTS.

Kensington
Chelsea... ~
St. George, Han;;ver-square ...
Westminster ... •••
St. 11.13rtin-in•the-Fields
St. James, Westminster -
NORTH DISTRICTS.
_

- •1 0
- 0 1
1 0
- 1 0
- *0 0
0 0

Me.rylebone
Hampstead
St. Pancras
Islington
Hackney

0 3
- 0 0
- 0 1
- 1 0
- 0 0

CENTRAL DISTRICTS.

Sr. Giles
Strand

o 0
o 0
o 0
1 3
O 1
O 0
*1 0
O 1

‘;lborn Utiion
Lerkenwell

Sr. Luke
East London .
West London
City of London

EAST DISTRICTS.

shoreditch
Bethnal- green
Whiteehapel
St. George-in-the• East
Stepney „•
Poplar

••• "'.

3 0

... ... - 1 0

... -- 2 1

0 1

... -- 4 3

2 0

SOUTH DISTRICTS.

St. Saviour, Southwark
St. Olave ... ~,
Bermondsey ...
St. George, Southwark
Newington
Lambeth
Wandsworth ...
Camberwell
11.)therhitho
Greenich
Lawisham

2 0
1 0
_

1 b
3 3
4 1
2 0
1 0
1 1
0 0
2 1
0 0

Total
Total deaths from c holera, registered from
Sept. 17, 1848, to Oct. 5, 1849... 14,351
Total deaths from cholera, registered from
June 17, 1849, to Oct. 5, 1849...

••• ''''''.

35 21

... 13,260

# Returns for Friday have not been received from
Mr. J. Leonard, Registrar of Charing cross, sub-district
of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Mr. J. Pursey, registrar of
Paddington St. Mary, subdistrict of Kensington; and
Mr. W. Nason, registrar of the southern sub -district of
Wc st London.

NOTE.—The district of Kensington comprises the
parishes of Kensington, Hammersmith, Fulham, and
Paddington. Westminster district comprises the
parishes of Sr. Margaret and St. John the Evan-
gelist, with Privy Gardens and Whitehall, and the
close of the Collegiate Church of St. Peter.. St. Giles's
district comprises the parishes of St. Giles-in- the-Fields
and St. George, Bloomsbury. The following are co•
extensive with the unions of the same name :—Hackneyf
Strand, Holborn, East London, West London, City o,
London, Whitechapel, Stepney, Poplar, St. Saviour, St.
Olave, Wandsworth (Wandsworth and Clapham),
Greenwich, and Lewisham. The remaining districts
are co •extensive with the respective parishes of the same
name.

TqF ITNTirrovi)STATES
J

ARRIVAL OF TilE EUROPA.

LivattrooL, Oc•r. 7.
After another rapid passage across the Atlantic, the
British and North American royal mail steam-ship
Europa has arrived in the Mersey. She left Boston on
the 26th ult., and Halifax on tht.? 29th, at which port she
called to receive the mails and passengers from Nova
Scotia, the Canadas, and the other British colonies in
North America.

Her advices extend down one week later than those
received here by the Niagara last Tuesday, and six
days later than those received by way of South-
ampton per the Washington.
The Cambria, which left this port on the Bth
ultimo, had arrived at New York, and the America,
which sailed hence the week following for Boston,
had arrived at Halifax previous to the Europa's de-
parture for that port, landed the mails and passen-
gers for the British possessions, and proceeded
onwards to her destination. The Hibernia steam-ships
which has been repairing at New York, was reported
all fit fur sea, and was expected to leave on the 29th
ult., three days after the Europa, and would likely
arrive here with later dispatches previous to the next
ship, the Cambria.
The Europa, on this occasion, brings over 53 pas-
sengers, among whom are the American Ambassador,
to this country. The news by this arrival is not of
serious importance.
Misunderstandings have arisen between the Ameri-
can and the English Governments, and a sharp cor-
respondence had taken place between the British
Ambassador and the Cabinet; at Washington. The
subject was understood to be that upon which a con-
test was apprehended some time ago—the claims of
this country on the Mosquito territory—and which
involved some advantageous means of transit for com-
mercial purposes.
The " squabble" between the principal republics of
the Old and New World, which at the outset had
affected the money market in the leading cities of the
Union had, after all the storm raised about it, proved
to be a mere personal quarrel between the French
Ambassador and the American authorities.

The United States Ambassador to Turkey had left
for Constantinople.
The fine steam-ship Ohio made her first trip with
dispatches for California, via Chagres, on the 20th
instant. A large mail has been dispatched during
the week to the golf regions, and the emigration
thereto was continuing very large.
The state of political parties in America does not
present much change since our last advices.
The Whig Convention for New York was to com•,
mence at Syracuse on the day the steamer left
Boston. No advices have therefore reached, but it
was expected that it would exhibit more unanimity
than had been displayed by the Democrats at Rome
and Utica.

Amongst the matters to come before the extra
session of the Illinois Legislature, are the amending
of the revenue laws, the providing for settlement of
claims against the state, and the redemption of hypo-
thecated bonds.

A special meeting of the heeds of the University of
New Y ork State had been held. at Albany on the 20th,
to select academies for the instruction of school
teachers. The fall term of the university opened on
the 19th tilt.

A considerable portion of the Hudson River Rail-
road was expected to be opened on the Ist October.
Some trips had already been made as far as Peekskill.
A great agricultural fair was to have been held at
Norfolk County, Virginia, on the 26th ult. Messrs.
Webster and Winthrop, the mayors of Boston and
Roxbury, the Hon. G. Lunt, and other celebrities,
were expected to be present.
The Convention to he held at St. Louis for a
railway and telegraph to the Pacific will Le very
largely attended. The city authorities were making
great preparations to receive strangers with liberality
and hospitality.
There are very few reports published of cholera
cases in the New York or provincial papers, and the
accounts from all parts of the States of the general
health of the population are very gratifying. Amongst
the deaths reported by this arrival is that of the cele-
brated magician Signor Blitz.
The accounts regarding the iron trade are about
the gloomiest from the Union. Throughout Penn-
sylvania a large number of ironmasters have stopped
their furnaces; the consequent turning out of nume-
rous hands from employment would, it was thought,
damage the Whig party in the forthcoming election
of that state.

Several additional removals and appointments are
notified in the Washington official journals.
The immigration from Germany and Ireland, the
former especially, is reported to be immense. At
some ports as many as 8,000 Germans have arrived
in one month from the ports .cf Havre and Bremen
alone. Serious complaints have been made about
their seaboard treatment, and the authorities at the
landing ports have several cases under investigation.
Philanthropic societies, to aid emigrants on arrival,
are being established in several localities.
The Oregon missions were about to be abandoned,
in consequence of the hostile feeling exhibited by
the Indians. . .

Investigations were going forward relative to
serious rioting at Lowell, Ma ssachusetts, and other
places, by Irish emigrants, who had divided them-
selves into factions, and were seriously disturbing
the peace.
Professor Johnston, with other celebrated agricul-
turists, are expected soon to return to New York
to fulfil engagements. Professor Johnston has ex-
pressed warm praise of the American system of farm-
ing, particularly in Nev York State.
Additional gold and lead mines are said to have
been discovered; the former in Arkansas territory;
the latter in lowa. Large numbers of individuals
have left for the gold mines.
Our accounts of the state nf the crops generally
throughout the Union do not vary much from those
hitherto received. In some places, where, owing to
early frost, replanting of cotton took place, the weed
grew too rank, and the worm. has now set in. In
Texas the crop would not yield one-third of the
average.
The corn-crops are also unsa:tisfactorily reported of

DREADFUL FIR FS.
The promises in which this disaster occurred be-
longed to Messrs. Gooch and Cousins, the well known
wool- brokers, who have depots at Dowg,do-hil!,

Seething-lane, :end London-wall. About ten mi-
nutes after ten o'clock on Saturday night some of the
inhabitants residing in Sadler's-place discovered
smoke pouring forth from the warehouses at the rear,
which extend in one direction from the house num-

bered 65, London-wail to the gardens in front of
Draper's Hall. On the eastern extrtmity was a wing
almost as large as the otlur portion of the warehmNe,
which stretched as far as Carpenter's Hall, which
building escaped destruction when the great fire of
London occurred in 1666. Nearest to tte houses in

London-wall was another wing of warehouses, the
same size as the latter, the whole communicating
with each other, and forming a range of premises
probably as large as any in the city of London. At
a moderate calculation they must have been about
300 feet long, and each wing nearly 100 feet wide.
They were', including the ground warehouse, three
floors in height; but each story was so lofty that the
premises extended considerably above the house-tops
in the surrounding thoroughfares, which at once
placed the whole in great jeopardy, from the fact of
the flames being wafted over the several roofs.
The whole of Messrs. Gooch and Cousins's men
had left the warehouse some time before the fire was
discovered. The persons who first perceived the smoke
issuing forth describe it as coming from that part of
the building used by the workpeople for changing
their clothes ; but, before any one had time to enter
the property, a huge sheet of flame shot upwards,
and being fanned by a strong easterly wind, it was
sent into the middle of the building, and then taking
a southerly turn, the whole of the lower part of the
premises was fired nearly simultaneously. At this
time there were from 3;500 to 4,000 bales of wool on
the different floors, the value of which it is stated was
about 80,0001. The coverings of the different parcels
being exceedingly dry the flames extended almost
with the swiftness of lightning, so that before suffi-
cient time had elapsed to convey intelligence to the
engine-stations the fire had seized upon the whole of
the floors and had penetrated the roofs.

The reflection of the flames being seen from a great
distance caused the inhabitants and others to rush by
thousands to the scene of conflagration, and had it
not been for the timely arrival of a powerful body of
the city police, under the command of Inspectors Joy
and Po.herry, it is very likely that a fearful loss of
life would have taken place, so eager were the people
to enter the premises. By a great effort the police
succeeded in getting a space clear for the engines
to come up. In a brief period the Whitecross street
engine arrived, followed by others from Watling-
strcet, Jeffreys and Wellelose-squares, Parringdon-
street, and other stations, bringing with them Mr.
Braidvvood, the superintendent of the London Esta-
blishment, Mr. For, the district foreman, and
powerful bodies of firemen. The West of England
engine and firemen, with Mr. Connorton, were also
remarkably early in arriving, as well as the Royal
Society's escapes, under the direction of Mr. Bad-
deley.
When the firemen arrived the whole of the im-
mense premises were in a general blaze—the floorings
of the various stories were cracking and making a
noise like the continued discharge of firearms ; the
tiles from the roof were flying about in all directions,
striking the people in the open streets, and severely
injuring five persons, three men and two women, who
were removing their furniture from Draper's- build-
ings. At the same time the flames as they shot from
the top of the warehouses completely covered the
roofs of eight or nine houses in Sadler's-place. These
houses contained about six families in each, and to
witness the poor creatures throwing their furniture
into the street, and even jumping from the upper
windows, was truly pitiable. To grapple effectually
with so great a body of flame required some considera-
tion, it being quite clear if the firemen were sent into
the burning premises they must lose their lives on ac-
count of the continued fulling of the heavy floors and
bales of wool. The men were therefore placed upon

the roofs of the contiguous premises, or sent into the
court-yards of Drapers' and Carpenters' Halls, whilst
others were stationed at the entrance of Messrs.
Gooch and Cousins's warehouses. The supply of
water being most abundant, copious streams were
thrown upon and into the burning mass, but, not-
withstanding, the work of destruction continued with
even greater violence, and the flames mounted so high
into the air as to light up the whole of the city, the
river, and the eastern portion of London.
The flames still continuing to spread, much unea3i-
ness prevailed for the safety of Carpenters' Hall, and
the numerous double houses in Sadler's-place. The
firemen were therefore sent round with their hose, in
order to prevent, if possible, the fire extending. Un-
fortunately, they were unable to accomplish their
object, and, in spite of their exertions, the flames
entered the several windows of the hall on the western
side, and fired the side wall of this ancient structure,
and the fire was rapidly travelling up the staircase,
threatening the whole place with destruction. A
large number of firemen having been sent into the
building, they eventually succeeded in mastering the
fire in this direction, but not until past four o'clock
yesterday morning, six hours after the commence-
ment of the misfortune, the main body of flame in the
warehouses still continuing to rage as fearfully as
be fore.
One of the inhabitants, who had gone upon the roof
of one of the houses in Sadler's-place to render assist-
ance, fell to the bottom, and was so severely injured
as to be obliged to be carried to the hospital. Birch,
one of the engineers at Farringdon-street station,
was struck over the face by a policeman's truncheon
during the time the officer was engaged in removing
the crowd, which laid the flesh bare, and compelled
him to procure surgical assistance.
Although the firemen laboured so indefatigably,
nine of the houses in Sadler's-place were fired in the
roofs, but the men fortunately succeeded in preventing
their total destruction.
The property destroyed by this disastrous event,
unless a great amount of salvage be collected, must
reach, including the buildings, to nearly 100,0001.
Fortunately Messss. Gooch and Cousins were fully
insured, and it is understood that nearly the whole of
the persons who had wool deposited in their premises
were protectedfrom the loss by what are technically
termed floating policies.
Respecting the origin of the fire nothing can at
present be ascertained. One thing
is quite certain,
that it was not caused by an escape of gas, the only
gas-burners being in the counting house, and, singu-
larly enough, that portion of the property escaped
destruction, although at one period surrounded by
flames.

The following is a copy of the
OFFICIAL REPORT.
" Saturday, October 6, 1849, a fire broke out at
65, Londun-wall, belonging to Messrs. Gooch end
Cousins, wool-merchants end brokers. Called by
stranger at a quarter- past 10 o'clock, P.M. The cause
of fire unknown. The buildings were insured in the
Royal Exchange Fire-office.
" Engines that attended—Six belonging to the A.
district of the London Establishment, one of the
parish, and one of tie West of England Insurance
Company.
" The whole of the warehouses burnt doss n.
" Carpenter's hall, No. 68, London-wall.-•--The end
wall and windows burnt out. Staircase leading to
Court-room and offices, also the room, damaged by
fire. The furniture damaged by fire and water. The
building is the property of the Carpenters' Company,
and is insured in the Sun and Hand-in-Hand Fire-
offices. The furniture, &c., were insured in the
Union Fire-office.
" Sadler's-place, Landon-wall—Nos. 1 to 18, all
let out in tenements. Roofs and back walls damaged
by fire and breakage, and the furniture injured by
hasty rerneal, and the buildings, which belonged to
the Sadlers' Company, were insured in the Royal
Exchange-office, but the furniture was not insured."
Whilst the above fire was raging two other fires
occurred. One was at No. 12, Shouldham- street,
Bryanstone-squarr, Lelonging to Mr. S. Box, a beer-
shopkeeper. The inmates having retired to rest, had
great difficulty in escaping. The Royal Society's
escape and brigade engines attended, but the flames
could not be subdued until the fire had damaged the
whole of the premises. The other fire was at No. 29,
Bedford street, Coven!e garden, in the tenure of Mr.
A. Benyon, jeweller, and which burned one of the
detached workshops out, in spite of the early arrival
of the parish and brigade engines. Both persons were
insured.

RESIGNATION OF THE BISHOP OF MADRAS.---The
Right Rev. Dr. G. T. Spence, one of our oldest colonial
Bishops, has intimated his intention of no longer pre-
siding over the diocese of Madras, in consequence of his
impaired health. The duties connected with the admi-
nistration of the spiritual affairs of this dice se are of a
laborious character, converts to Christianity having been
made by thousands, more especially at Tinnevelly and"
Tanjore. The venerable Archdeacon Dealtry, who has
spent a large portion of his life as a missionary in In-
dia, and who for some years held the Archdeaconry of
Calcutta, has been nominated as the successor to Dr.
Spencer in the Bishopric of Madras, and will proceed
to his distant diocese in the course of a few weeks.
Archdeacon Dealtry has been preaching lately at the
Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel's Church iu Bedford-row,
but will resign this charge, on the second Sunday in
November, to the Rev. Thomas Nolan, M.A., incum-
bent of St. Barnabas, Liverpool.
EVENING CLASSES FOR YOUNG MEN.—A meeting
was held on Friday evening last, at the Schoolroom,
Swallow-street, Piccadilly—the Rector of St. James's,
the Rev. J. Jackson, M.A., in the chair—for the pur-
pose of forming classes in Greek and Natural Philoso-
phy, under the superintendence of the Rev. T. Stcoly,
the Rev. W. Burrows, and the Rev. J. Jackson.
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GLASGOW AND DEM,.
FRIES.—The railway to Dumfries has been so far ad-
vanced as to enable the directors to announce an open-
ing between Dumfries and Closeburn Station, a dis-
tance of about twelve miles, next week.—Glasru; Daily
Mail,

NEWMARKET RACES.
MAIU SUNDAY NicnT.

ENTRIES FCR MONDAY.
501. for two yrs old, T.Y.C. (First eass)
General Seydlitz —Merope colt—Earl of StrathmGre
Ftr,belaia—Lanipoon filly—Falcon—ltubina (11,4-inea
filly)—Fernando—Shainroolc, by Napier—Bee Hunter.
(501. (,ee,-,nd cuss.) ,
. .. .

Regina—Nutmei—Egali 6 --Estafette—Slang—llabet
Impression—Remnant—Oflicious.
Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each, winner to be sold for

2001 S.:('.

Jest, 4 yrs—Memento, 3 yrs—Slashing Alice, 3 yrs—
Highland Fling, 3 yrs—Cnattert:r, 3 yrs—Maid of my
Soul, 4 yrs—Rochester, 3 yrs—Eugenie, 3 yrs—Liston,
4 yrs.

BULWER LYI"rON'S NEW WORK.

TILE Cel TONS:X A Family Picture. 3 Vols.
By Sir _Edward Bulwer Lytton.
Although our comments upon this singular fiction
—during the period of its first appearance in eighteen
monthly instalments in Blackwood s Magazine—
would, if collected together, form a criticism of no
inconsiderable length, we cannot allow its completion
to pass by altogether unnoticed. Especially are we
induced to make at least some slight additional obser-
vations upon a work so remarkable as " The
Caxtons," uow that its worth is the more appreciable
in its present substantive republication. Reflection
has only confirmed an opinion long entertained by
ourselves—that the serial issue of a fictitious narra-
tive is the severest ordeal to which any production of
the imagination can be subjected. A story that can
enthrall the attention when told in fragments, a
picture that can fascinate the mind when seen in
patches, a melody that can ravish the heart with its
eloquence when heard in detached passages—can be
a story, a picture, a melody of no ordinary excellence.
Accumulate those dissevered parts, and blend
them into one harmonious whole, and be sure
the interest will not have become thereby diminished.
It is a curious circumstance, that among the most
admirable novels of our generation the majority have
been printed in, and, what is more, written for, serial
publication. That distinguished genius whose popu-
larity is one of the most striking facts of the age,
whose name is the object of so much earnest and even
affectionate admiration, and of whom it has been said
only very recently, by Professor Wilson, that his fame
"is a proof of the goodness of the heart of the people,"
and that "the love of him and his writings does honour
to that strength in the English character which is in-
destructible by any influences"—Charles Dickens—
was not merely the originator of serial literature, but
in that shape he has produced most of his inimitable
books. A writer of a very different intellect has,
through the medium of periodical chapters in maga-
zines, given to the world his two most powerful effu-
sions—in all respects the masterpieces of his
ability—we mean Samuel Warren, who thus penned
and thus had printed his " Ten Thousand a Year,"
and his "Diary of a Physician." Taking example
from his gifted contemporaries, a similar adventure
has recently been made by a writer who promises to
acquire for himself no inconsiderable reputation. It
will be recognised at once by all who have perused
" Vanity Fair" and the commencement of " Pen-
dennis,' that allusion is here, of course, made to
William Makepeace Thackeray. Others there are,
doubtless, among the lesser novelists of the day,
among those authors for instance whose brilliant
talents have been insufficient to lift them above the
atmosphere of evanescense, who in serial literature
have proved for the time singularly successful. Any
mention of their names might possibly appear invi-
dious, and is moreover altogether unnecessary, seeing
that they may be recognised on the instant as the
delineators of military adventure, of naval exploit, of
cockney life, and of almost every class of romantic
narrative, from the romance drawn from English
biography to that derivable from the legends of
Corsica or Amsterdam. One splendid excep-
tion at least there has been among the
novelists of our own generation one who
has acquired a wide and permanent renown, according
to the old system of collective publication. Conform-
ing to the laws which have been tacitly obeyed by all
his predecessors, Sir ,Edward Bulwer Lytton has
risen to eminence, as a man of letters, by the issue of
his works, one by one, in a complete form, three
volumes, two volumes, •or one volume at a time, as
the case might be, like Scott, like Godwin, like
Fielding, Smollett, and Richardson. After achieving
the most brilliant triumphs in all the various depart •
ments of literature, jealous it may be of his being
deemed incapable of passing through the severe or-
deal of a periodical publication—that ordeal which
subjects a literary composition to an almost micros-
copic examination—Sir Bulwer Lytton has ad-
ventured upon the production of " The Caxtons"
through successive numbers of Blackwood's Maga-
zine. Hare, as elsewhere, our accomplished and
most versatile writer—poet, historian, publicist,
essayist, dramatist, novelist —has succeeded to
admiration. So signal indeed has his success
been in this instance that we do not think
ourselves rash in asserting that, in many
respects, the Family Picture of " The Caxtons " is
the most brilliant and the most beautiful of all the
effusions of Sir Bulwer Lytton's pen of fascination.
It is the best of all his domestic fictions, better even
than "Night and Morning." As a delineation of
society it occupies the position assumed by " Harold,"
as an historical romance ; by " Zanoni," as an effort
of pure imagination ; and by the " Last Days of
Pompeii" as the creation of " a soul under the
ribs of the death " of classic antiquity. In every
particular it is unlike anything previously written by
the Crichton of English literature. Some have ob-
jected that occasionally there is perceptible in " The
Caxtons" a resemblance to the quaintness of the
style of Sterne—true, but it is Sterne in a state of
transfiguration, it is Sterne without his obscenity,
without his extravagance, and without his shallow af-
fectations of sentiment. Of all the witty, graceful, and
beastly writers in any language, Sterne, we are free to
admit, is far and away the wittiest, the gracefullest, and
the beastliest. That a mind like Sterne's should at
some time or other exercise a visible influence over
an author of the facile powers and eclectic tastes of Sir
Bulwer Lytton, is surely a circumstance very far in-
deed from being surprising. The only astonishment
is that Sir Edward's appreciation of the better cha-
racteristics of his great predecessor has never before
manifested itself. In " The Caxtons," however, it
must not be understood that there is visible anything
at all approaching to a direct or servile imitation of
Sternism. There is a resemblance—nothing more.
The hue is, at times, the same, but the texture and
the woof are altogether different. If, moreover, with
all its scintillas of humour, humour the most genial and
innocent, the story of " The Caxtons " is without one
atom of that diamond wit which glitters so resplen-
dently throughout " Tristam Shandy," the latter is
equally devoid of that purifying and elevating pur-
pose which shines through every tint of this exquisite
Family Picture. Most felicitously appropriate is
the passage transcribed from the luminous pages of
Lamartine, as a motto on the title-page of the work
before us—" Every family is a history in itself, and
even a poem to those who know how to search its
pages." For a poem and a history has been revealed
in the family of " The Caxtons," and in saying a
history, we mean not only the famous History of
Human Error, but the history moreover of " The
Caxtons" themselves. Almost equally felicitous is
the second motto on the title page, taken from the
Carmen Sceeulare of Horace—
" Di, probos mores docili juventse
Di, senectuti placidme quietem
Romalm genti date remque. prolemque
Et decus omne."
Very touching in its appropriateness is that supplica-
tory appeal as applied to the principal characters of
the story, and to their mother-country :
" Di, probos mores docili juventv,"
having reference to Pisistratus, to Herbert (other-
wise Vivian), and to Blanche ;
"Li, senectuti placidx quietem,"
referring to Augustin and Roland ; while
" Romulaa genti date :Tape, prolcmque
Et decus omne,"
has allusion to old England. Here and there through-
out the narrative are passages of the most unaffected
and bewitching simplicity of sentiment, inculcative of
the sweetest morality. Occasionally, as in the chapter
upon " House-tops," and in the dissertation upon
cr-r-cr-r l and all the abominable race of vermin, the
o oq
author seems to allow his pen to wander off unre-
strictedly into all sorts of vagaries and eccen-
tricities. These portions of the work, however,
are more than pardonable from the quiet vein
of humour running through them, and from
the agreeable sarcasm glimmering at inter-
vals among the numerous and fantastic oddities of
thought. As Sir Edward acknowledges in his preface
that the tale will be found to contain few incidents, and
to be otherwise divested of the usual attractions of a
novel, its purpose is higher than that of striving to afford
Ji
a means for whiling away the:idle ours of the searchers
after mere amusement. Yet, even without the inten-
tion,,of rendering the work a means of yielding enter-
tainment, it will not, as a novel, prove otherwise than
fascinating to the reader. It will do more than
illustrate the importance of some great truths
or than demonstrate the worth of lofty and
generous principles—it will illustrate those truths
and demonstrate those principles in a manner capti-
vating to the understanding. The love of Pisistratus
for Fanny Trevanion ; the evil ambition of tto
th
fortunese
adventurer Gower, or Vivian, or, as he tu,r:n. s
s f u
u Gi
be, Herbert the son of Roland; the elevated
of the statesman, Lord Ulverstone ; the scholarlyh
goodness of Austin; the chivalric nobility of is
brother ; the suavity of Beaudesert, the grotesqueness
of Mr. Peacock, the honesty of the humble Primmins,
the speculations of Uncle Jack, the wildness
Bolding, the professional mediocrity of Ai
and beyond all the development of the character of
Pisistratus the hero and the historian—all add charms
to the composition and envelope it in an atmosphere
of fascination. One of the most conspicuous and de-
lightful among the aims of the book is to show the
beneficial influences of Home on the destinies of a
true-hearted man, even if he be separated from
that sanctuary of Family by the waters of the
ocean, and secluded from the world in the bush-re-
treats of Australia. At a period when Communism
is striking such deadly blows at the triple roots of
society, at order, family, and property, at a time when
such dreamers as M. Proudhon are disseminating
their baneful doctrines among the more discontented
classes of the population, it is well to see an author
like Sir Bulwer Lytton, one who, notwithstanding
his ancient birth, his gentle blood, and his honourable
title, cannot
.be confounded among the champions of