The Sun.
London, England, 1849-07-12 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY

LITERATURE.
DANIEL THE PROPTIET R.?fiections on his
Lfe and Character. By the Rev. Thomas Knox.
This excellent little book is written in a Spirit (I
unaffected piety, altogeth-r free fro,n anything ap-
pronc:iing to cart, intoleranco, or dogmatism. lts
object is not to dwell on the sublime revelations of
the Chaldo Judmin Seer, or to search into the mean-
ing of those wondrous prophecies which have occu-
pied the minds of so many good and learned men
from NewtOn to Allwood. The author restricts
himself to an elucidation of the Prophet's character
and life, dwelling upon his strong faith, and exhorting
with a gentle earnestness to emulate his devotion,
and unfailing reliance upon the Supreme. Among
the many sound and practical observations with
which these pages abound, none are more worthy
of attentive consideration than those on the necessity
of the regular observance of prayer, its duty and
privilege, its object, its hinderance, and the distinc-
tion between private and public devotion. The fol-
lowing paragraph on the revenues of the Established
Church proving a clog on its more important duties
evinces the writer to ba a divine untainted with
bigotry, and sensible of the genuine interests of his
order :
" Unhappily, there always has been, and still is, in
the Church a struggle for wealth and power; the une-
qual mode in which her revenues are divided has fostered
and raised up this very defect. The original founders of
the system seem to have forgotten that the vessel used
for the work of the ministry was but a weak and frail
one, or they would not have placed temptation within
their view to the extent that has been done. There
must be always, in every profession, grades and ranks of
different degrees, in which greater duties and higher
responsibilities call for larger means. It would be im-
possible, if prudent even, that all should have alike in
this more than in other situations of life; but still it is
much to be feared that the temporalities of our venerable
Establishment have often been a clog on the spiritual and
more important duties, from the mode in which they
have been constituted; and odium has often been cast
upon it, as if the aggrandizement of its members was
their sole care. It is to be hoped, however, that better
times have now commenced, and that if an undue love of
wealth and power were a subject of complaint at one
time among the clergy, the same cause no longer exists,
or in a very diminished ratio."
That these considerations are not set at nought by
the hierarchy we sincerely trust, for the sake of the
overwrought and underpaid curates. Want of space
precludes our saying further than that a better or
more interesting volume for the leisure moments of
either sex, of whatever age or station, has seldom
fallen under our consideration, and we cordially unite
with the author in his deserving wish, " that this
ittle book may be kindly received into every one's
brary."

A SUMMARY OF THE LAW OF ATTOR
NEYS AND SOLICITORS. By Alexander
Pulling, Esq ,Barrister at Law.
We have lately called the attention of our readers
to Mr. Samuel Warren's able and eloquent "Lectures
on the Moral, Social, and Professional Duties of At-
torneys and Solicitors," a work of which we spoke in
recommendatory terms, as containing much wisdom
and valuable information, and addressing itself with
a voice of eloquent admonition to the candidates for
admission into the junior branch of the legal profes-
sion. To encourage them to the pure acid high-
minded discharge of important social duties—to in-
spire them at the very threshold of their professional
life with a proper sense of their offiee and its oblige
,ions—was the o'iject Mr. Warren proposed to him-
self, and the executien was worthy of the design.
The work now bstore us is of a different character
Practical, lucid, and laborious, Mr. Pulling treats of
attorneys and solicitors, as the subjects of a chapter
in jurisprudence. lie has written a compendium
of the Statute an I Common Law, as it affects them
mediately or immediately, in relation to the Courts
of Ls w or Ectiity, as their officers, or in relation
their chews, as their intimate agents, and repositories
of their must inipo. tan: ieterests. He treats of their
quali6eations, their modes ef admission, their pe
euliar functions, their privileges and exceptions,
their liabilities end disabilities, the various duties
incident to their business, of proceedings by or against
them. Assuming that Mr. Warren has sufficiently
taught what religion and morality expect, Mr.
Pulling details what the law requires. " The aim
of the present work," says its clever author, "is to
afford to attorneys and solicitors concise practical
instructions as to the regulations, rights, duties, and
liabilities which are peculiar to their profession, and
to serve as a digested index and work of reference for
members of my own branch of the profession, on the
multifarious points which arise in court on the law of
attorneys." Further on he observes, " The attorney
may here, perhaps, find a safe guide in the practice of
his profession according to law ; but with respect to
what is strictly just, proper, and honourable, he must
seek another mentor." His was no scanty subject for
a legal treatise, and the eight closely printed chapters
into which this body of law is condensed fully
testify to the author's industry, care, ability, and
method. Not a single position is advanced
without the authority on which it rests
being quoted ; and when we add, that
the number of cases cited amount to more than 1,500
some idea may be formed of the patient and indefati-
gable zeal which animated the author in the prosecu-
tion of his well• directed labours. But the work does
not consist of legal matter only, though to arrange
and express the law, and the law merely on a given
subject, logically and concisely, as Mr. Pulling has
done, is a great merit. It is interspersed throughout
with original observations well worthy of attention,
and becoming a sound and liberal judgment. In his
chapter on the office of attorneys and solicitors in
conveyancing he thus proceeds :
" Tile great improvements which have of late years
taken place in the education of attorneys and solicitors
must necessarily have the effect of rendering them more
qualified to perform the onerous arid multifarious duties
which have now, by long custom, devolved on them.
Practical knowledge, habits of business, and of personal
investigation, familiarity with the leading rules of evi-
dence, and of the ingredients which generally constitute
this classhs
coohfwt practitioners rrealc tht
systemi
utohaneeriunart asr
re
entrustedtshstspe
rights and titles (no hiss than legal knowlt dge), point out
ugut;abw fori,irtinec aeidryee xbbeepitntrhegi
duties
haws
eotcobfteatsthbht que
alified
r
protected hy.
on all occasions of legal difficulty, employed in the first
instance,
stance, than either by negttiations being conducted
through unqualified, uneducated, and less- responsible
parties, or, on the other hand, the services or barristers,
however highly qualified, being personally retained cbre3'
more all the facts and circumstances to which their legal
knowledge is to he applied have been correctly and com-
pletely arranged."
There is much candid truthfulness in this judicious tri-
bute by Mr. Pulling to the other branches of his pro-
fes-ion, and we see no departure from this correct and
impartial spirit in his remarks in another page upon
the difference between the vocations of a barrister
and attorney, and upon the peculiar province,
functions, anu general duties of the latter. We have
not space for other extracts; the subject itself is no•
one with which we profe,s to be very familiar, but
its grave and increasing importance, the widely-ex-
tended influence, social and political, of the body for
whom it is properly intended, and a pleasure arising
from the inspection of a well-written law book—a
literary result not of daily occurrence—has tempted
us to make these observations, and to offer a brief
criticism on a work which eminently deserves atten-
tion. Mr. Pulling had already, in publishing his
compendium of the " Law of Mercantile Accounts,"
undertaken less extensive though scarcely less useful
labours. On that occasion, as on this, he has given
to his profession, and the public, a book of more than
ordinary merit; and if industry, method, learning,
and talent can promote him, Mr. Pulling will not be
ast among the legal authors of the present day.

ROME : the Rock on which Louis Napoleon will be

Wrecked.

Nothing could be better-timed than this pamphlet,
the subject being one of the utmost interest both to
Englishmen and to the whole of Europe; it is ad-
dressed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The
policy of our Government is made to undergo a
searching examination, and the exposure of it is so
complete that the generality of newspaper readers,
who have regarded the expedition against Rome
as having no other object than to restore it to a
settled state of government, and as being a matter in
which our Foreign-office took no concern, will find it
shown, to their great surprise, that our Government
has been from the very first, and is still, in secret
alliance with France and the foreign Powers, and
that all that has been done by the French Assembly
to crush the Republic of Rome, has been done with
the conniving good will of the British Cabinet. This
ua strongestgge in which Lord possible light; after
factexp exposing
ii
ug
s set t
the
en
shufflingth e
language
Lansdowne meets the charge, the writer thus pro-
ceeds :
" The language of Lord John Russell and of Lord
Palmerston was as quibbling and ambiguous in the one
House, as that of Lord Lansdowne had been in the
other. On the 11th of June Hr. Hume said—
". That not observing the Foreign Secretary, to whom
he had given notice of his intention to ask a question, he
would put that question to the Noble Lord at the head of
the Government. It related to our connexion with the
French proceedings against Rome. It was aUeged
publicly that we had concurred in all the proceedings of
the French against Rome, anti he thought that those pro.
ceedings were most obj, ctionable (Loud cries of
Hear")—being ourselves a Government depending on
the will of the people as the French Government was—
he had observed with regret that we were involved in
the Sp-ech of the President, as having agreed to. and
concurred in, these proceedings.. He, therefore, wished to
know if our concurrence had been given, to what extent
1 and in what manner it hsd been given, and in what we
I were now connected with them.' _ .

_ .....
" The above quP-tions are clearly and distinctly put,
and were open to a plain and specific aniwcr.
"Now mirk the answer given:—
" Lord John RuAsell s iid, that as far as he was con-
cerned, he had tint received any notice whatever of the
1:1011. Gentleman's intentic,n to put this question. Hu

certainly had not read the Message of the President in
the same way the lion. Gentleman understood it. As
rand it. h•th unr;lerstcod it to say, g,n,,rally, that En7r-
lan,l and Franco hal been on the best terms during the'
transactions that bad taken place within the last year, in
referenc, .13.9 me; but with refereiee to the expedi-
tion to Rome, ha eou'd say we were in no way involved
in it.' _ _

" No way involved in it.' No doubt his Lordship
could safely say this.
" Mr. Hume never meant to inquire whether we had
supplied the French troops with ammunition, or given
them actual aid in men or money. It would never have
occurred to him to put such a question. What he says
is simply this:—' It is publicly alleged that we had con-
curred in the proceedings of the French against Rome,
and I regret to observe that it is confirmed in the Speech
of the President, which affirms that we agreed to, and
concurred in these proceedings. Now the question I
would ask is, did we, or did we not?' His Lordship
knew that to give a true and direct answer as to our
concurrence would be to admit the fact; aware that he
was speaking within hearing of the newspaper re-
porters, and that its answer would make its way over the
kingdom the next morning on the wings of the broad
sheet, he rides off on an ambiguous term—' with respect
to the expedition to Rome, he could say we were in no
way involved in it.'
" Nothing is so useful in Parliamentary logic, when a
Member is hard run, as the use of words which slide
easily from one sense into another.
" It cannot fail to be remarked as somewhat singular
that Lord John Russell should say that, He had not
read the Message of the President in the way the Hon.
Gentleman (Mr. Hume) understood it.' What difference
is to be found in these versions? As Mr. Hume read it,
it averred that our Government were advised of the
hostile preparations that were making by France against
Rome, and offered no objection to them. As I read it,'
says Lord John Russell, I understood it to say, that
England and France had been on the best terms during
the transactions that had taken place within the last year
in reference to Rome.' Can the most critical perception
separate the two meanings? The confession comes out
stronger as Lord John proceeds, for he proceeds thus:—
" The French Government bad asked our opinion as to
the propriety of their joining in the conferences at Gaeta;
and we said in reply that we had no objection to the
French Government sending a Minister to join in that
conference.'

----
" We have here the disclosure of a most important

fact. The French Government did not take a single step
until they bad obtained the sanction of the British Ca-
binet. They would not even suffer their Minister to
proceed to Gaeta without taking counsel from Downing-
street as to the propriety of so doing. The matter for
consultation was—• Would it be good policy for France
to concern herself with the special interests of the Pope
as determined upon at Gaeta, or to carry out her own
views, and leave those interests to abide the result?' The
answer given was such as our privileged vanity entitled
us to return--' We have no objection to your sending a
Minister to join that conference.' The flittering defe-
rence paid to the judgment of our Ministers by the Re-
publican functionaries of France is remarkable. They
give them not only the haut du pave, but all the pave.
Is this to be received as the first fruits of Fraternity? or
Is it the well earned reward of their concurrence? As
Englishmen have a deep stake in these questions, let us
ploceed to profit by every additional light that is thrown
upon them."
This reasoning is so clear and close that there is no
evading it. This pamphlet, as our readers will
perceive, comes from a powerful pen. There are one
or two naiaes whispered as the writer, but we'attach
hut little credit to the rumour as to either. That he
is of no party, and is as thoroughly well informed as
to the past is the present state of political affairs, is
evident, and his disclosures have already produced a
sensation. That the striking prophecy contained in
the title-page is in a train of fulfilment we fully
believe. In our opinion the events of every passii g
dey are bringing it nearer to its accomplishment.

PENDENNIS. By TV M. Thackeray. Part IX
I he pre6ent number ctonmences a new era in tho
existence of Mr. Pen. He his left the country and
located hitnselt io chambers in the Tempi-, as a law
,Atudent arvi litterateur, and is indulging in
.day•
dreams of vast annual sums of treasure which he is
to realise by the eyercise of his pen.

THE AIIuTIC EXPEDVIION.
The following ieteresting letter has b'eea received at
the Admiralty:—
'• Fort Confidence, Great Bear Lelte, Sept. 16, 1848.
" Sir,—l hive the honour to acquaint you, for the in-
formation ot my L Commissioners of the Admiralty,
that with the boats and party under my charge I
reeche,l the sea coast at the outlet ot the eastern branch
of the Mackenzie on the 3d of Aumniee and. havingex-
amined the coast line thence to the Coppermine
including almost every intervening bay, toned no truces
of any party of Europeans haying passea, nor any indi-
cations whatever of shipwrecked' vessels. We had in-
terviews with numerous parties of Esquimsux, who uni-
formly declered that they had seen no ships nor soy
whitemen, and, from the friendly way in which these
people met us. I have no doubt of ihelr kindness to any
party of Europeans they might see in distress.
"From the Meckenze to Cape Bathurst, which we
rounded in 70 deg. 37 min. N. latitude on the 10th ot
August, the vegetation indicated a ...comparatively mild
climate, and we saw no ice; the Esquimaux, also, who
were at this time assembling on the various headlands
and islands to chase the black and white wales, informed
us, that during their two summer moons they never saw
any ice. But, after crossing Franklin Bay, and round-
ing Cape Parry, we had to pass through many streams
of drift ice, which greatly depressed the temperature,
and when we attained Cape Bexley we found the Dol-
phin and Union Straits filled with densely-packed ice,
heaped against the precipitous headlands, and covering
the sea, as far as we could discern from the heights, en-
tirely across to Wollaston Land.
" Winter may be said to have set in with sudden ri-
gour on the 23d of August, and we had frost, and snow
either falling or lying on the ground for many days
afterwards. From that date up to the 31 of September
we had to work our way round every hay by cutting
passages among the floes of ice, or making overland
portages, according to circumstances, being occasion-
ally aided in our advance by a Mae open water where
the shore was shelvng. These laborious-Operations were
conducted by Mr. Rae, to whose sound judgment, expe-
rience, and personal exertions we were indebted, under
Providence, for the progress we were enabled to make.
" From the experience of four several visits to Coro-
nation Gulf, by Franklin, Deese and Simpson, and my-
self, I had expected, on rounding Cape Krusenstern we
should find an open sea to the Coppermine; but such is
the uncertainty of the navigation in these narrow seas
that we had the disappointment of beholding the whole
gulf completely packed, and had to continue our poling,
cutting, and carrying operations with slower progress
and augmented labour, as the frost became more severe
up to the 3d of September, when we were finally arrested
in Icy Cove to the north of Cape Kendall, by the new
ice having so glued the floes together that it was no
longer in our power to move them, while the hummocky
form of the masses heaped by pressure on the rocky
points precluded our launching the boats over them.
Seeing that there was no prospect of a speedy change of
weather, and that the ground was already covered with
snow, I determined reluctantly on quitting the boats and
commencing our overland march to Bear Lake from that
place.
"Had we reached the Coppermine, as I anticipated
we should do under ordinary circumstances, and as-
cended the Kendall, we should have been, with tents,
stores, &c., in comparative comfort within four easy
days' march of Fort Confidence, but it now became ne•
cessary to augment the loads in proportion to the in-
crease of distance.
" Each man being supplied with thirteen days' provi-
sions, and carrying in addition his clothing, spare shoes,
and bedding, with cooking kettles, the astronomical in-
struments, ammunition, haichets, and Lieutenant Hal-
kett's portable boat, with lines and nets, we abandoned
the boats and tents, having previously concealed the re-
maining pemmican, and on the morning of the 31 of Sep•
tember began our march for Backs Inlet, which we

reached the same evening.
Here we opportunely found a party of Esquitneux
who rendered
,us very essential assistance on the f,, ow
tng morning by ten., ing us across a deep river between
300 and 400 yards wide, which they informed us re
toned its width far op the ceutitry, aryl wi gout their
help we sheuld have lost much time in passiog so large
s piny acr, with LhAitenant 11.1 k. tt's boat aknie. 1
-,ave named this river, which was previously unknown
,o us, in honour of Mr. Rse. On the fel:owieg day we
,•roted the Richardson River, which is of le:
width, by means o! Haikett's t'oat, and encamped in the
evening on the banks of the Gl:pent-tine.
" I had appointed James Hope, a half-caste native,
who had formed one of Deese and Simpson's party, to
meet us in the beginning of September with two Indian
hunters on the Coppermine, but, owing to stormy wea-
ther at the time he ought to have set out, he delay ed his
march a week, and we missed each other altogether,
having, we suppose, passed one another in a day of con-
tinued fog and snow on the banks of the Kendall.
"Yesterday being the 13th day of our march, we ar-
rived at this place, having for the three last days had the
advantage of an Indian guide, who led us by easier paths
than the direct route across the country.
" The way in which the drift ice was packed into Co-
ronation Gulf and Dolphin and Union Straits, so late in
the season as the 3d of September, and glued together
by new ice, rendered it very improbable that it would
open again this season to afford a passage for ships, and
I have therefore no expectation that the discovery ships
can have made their way in that direction this sum-
mer, and hope that they have either found a channel in
a higher latitude more directly westward to the open
sea off Cape Bathurst, or that they have effected a pas-
sage homewards by Lancaster Sound. The circum-
stances I have mentioned show that my boats could not
approach Wollaston Land in this unusually untoward
season, but this may be done next summer, and I shall
endeavour to make arrangements for sending Mr. Rae
with one boat and a select crew of active moo down the
Coppermine next July to examine the opening between
Victoria and Wollaston Lands. The flood tide, which
at full and change runs in Dolphin amid Union Straits at
the rate of three knots an hour, comes from the east-
ward out of Coronation Gulf, and must flow primarily,
down the opening I have mentioned, or by the one be-
tween Victoria ',and and Boothia, being the only two
communications between Coronation Gulf and Lancaster
Sound and its continuation. On this account, and also
tor the purpose of aiding a party which Sir James Ross
proposed to send towards the Coppermine over the ice,
Mr. Rae's intended expedition may be useful.
"As the resources of this post are inadequate to the
support of our entire party, and the ice remains fixed in
this lake till near the middle of August, too late for men
wintering here to reach York Factory in time for a
passage to England the same season, I have determined
en sending thirteen of the men from England up
the Mackenzie without delay, together with six of
Mr. Belt's party, to be supported for the winter at the
fishery on the Big Island Slave Lake. I purpose joining
them myself in the spring, crossing this lake on the
ice, and ascending the Mackenzie when it opens in May,
taking with ma the remainder of the English party not
required by Mr. Rae for his summer operations. Mr.
Rae will have instructions to return hither by the end of
August, so as to close the establishment at that time,
and remove the people time enough to ascend the Mac.
kenzie and Slave rivers before the navigation shuts up.
" During our sea voyage we deposited pemmican at
Point Separation, Cape Bathurst, Cape Parry, and in
Pagley Cove, on the north side of Cape Kru-amstern, and
erected .i,znal posts, as agreed upon with Sir J. Ross.
'• I b--g that you will be pleased to express to their
lordships the high sense I entertain of Mr. Rae's valu-
able services during the
.whole progress of the party,.
h)ta on the coa.t and in lie .ding the men overland, and
also my grat,tication with the orderly conduct of the
mere—l have the honour to be, Sir, your must obedieet
set vant,

" J. RICHARDSON,
" Nlf•dical Insp?etor Couiwalidtug the Party.
" To the Sere.tary ot. the AkieuirAity, &e.'