The Sun.
London, England, 1831-12-19 00:00:00

which (now that all anxiety and eagerness for the fate of the '
measure itself on the part of the public is at an end);loas chiefly
attracted attention:,; The Reformers throughout the metro-
polis, so far from attempting to deny what is indeed much too
conspicuous to be disputed, hang down their heads with shame,
and shrink from any obsertations on the subject, dread:
ing nothing so much as to hear how Croker dernolished lihcatl-
lay,how Mr. Sfmiley dwindled into nothing when contracted
with Sir R. Peel, and how Lord Plirchester, Lord Mahon, Sir
E Sugden, Mr. Wall, Sir Charles Wetherell, 'and many others .
of the champions of the Constitution challenged, but challenged
invain, any coninCtent antagonist to step forth againsethein.
We do not hesitate to express our belief that the._ impression
produced upon the country by these two days of triumphant de-
bee will be such he to complete the rescue of the Constituti( n
from the danger which hong over it. The retainers of the
Revolutionary Administration, the pledged Members of the
House of Commons, who have purchased their seats by the sale
of freedom, honour, and conscience; may still cling to Minis..
ters and vote as they command, but their cause neverthe-
less has received a vital blow, from the effects of which it
never can recover. How tame, how feeble, how vapid, anal
spiritless the apologetical harangues of the Ministerial advo-
cates, by 'Which they strove to defend the numerous and im-
portant changes introduced into " the Bill, the whole Bill, and
nothing but the Bill," when we compare them with the fierce
denunciations which in former debates upon Reform were •
levelled against the Constitution" of England, and against all
who were bold enough to adhere to and defend it. The
abatement of energy within the walls of Parliament in the
cause of Reform is in proportion:to the languour which:prevails
without. And what was the real question which the House
decided by the division of Sunday morning ? That it assents to
the principle of the Bill' it will be said. This is true,' only
upon the condition that nothing is a principle of the Bill but the
simple proposition that sonic measure of Reform is expedient.
The authors of the present measure have given a flexibility of
meaning to the word principle, by contending, as ther have
been compelled to do, that this measure does not deviite in
principle from the last; which in effect reduces the value of
the second reading to this, that the Bill has passed a stage in•
which it could net be altered. Will the men who voted
through thick and thin with Ministers last Session, because
they were pledged to the Bill, the whole Bill, and nothing but .
the Bill, be now` eicsially united in`resisting alteratlinis in Mat s.
-
ters of detail of the present Bill? Will the Ministerial pha-
lanx be firm and unanimong in affirming now some score or two
propositions which a few months ago they so obsequiously ne-
gatived ? Having then been dragged through the mire by the
neck, must they noW of necessity be willing to be dragged
through the same mire by the heels ? And if the House of
ComnielTes notwithstanding the vote of yesterday has reserved to
itself the saniCextent of discretion in dealing with the present Bill,
which Ministers, Without one violation of the principle of the
Bill, as they tell us, have exercised upon the last, how little are
we' Yet enabled to judge of the kind of Reform to which'. the
House of Commons, to say nothing for the present of the Upper
House, may eve ntnally agree ? The relative number of 101.
houses and amount of agstasaed taxes in boroughs has been sub-
stituted for positive populatin as the basis of schedule A. The
question, therefore, whether any of these, or any other imagi-
nable bite* is the best, is an open question, • The number of
boroughs in schedule B, of the boroughs to be disfranchised, is
considerably redneeth The question, therefore, whether the
present or any other number of boroughs is the best that can
be assigned to either of the disfranchising schedules is
an Open question. The qualification for the elective fran-
chise in eennties, cities, and boroughs has been considerably
altered—altered so much as in every instance to modify, and in
many to transfer (Mtn one class of persons to another, the effec-
tive controul of the elections. Every point relating to the
elective franchise in counties, cities, and boroughs is therefore
an open question. The number of Members of which the
House of Commons was to consist, and the proportionate part
of that number WIWI was to have been assigned respectively to
England, Ireland, and &Wand, are altered. These are still,
therefore, open questions. The relative share of the represen-
tation which was to have been given to the agricultural and ma-
nufacturing interests severally is altered, This again is an
open question: Ministers and their friends will scarcely, we
imagine, pretend that the same questions which did not involve
any essential principle of the Bill; so long as the Bilihad to be
dealt with in the Cabinet, do involve essential principles of the
measure now that it is about to be dealt with by the Coln-
mittee of the House of Commons. That they can blow hot
and cold Upon occasion we know: and if there was nothing but
their consistency at stake our confidence would be considerably
abated ; but we think Minister's will hardly venture upon such
an indignity to the House of Commons as would be implied in
the pretence that the House is bound by the second reading
within any narrower limits of change than Ministers themselves
were bound by their pledge to adhere to every essential prin-
ciple of the former Bill. If the Committee of the House of
Commons will but act as freely with the present measure as his
Majesty's Ministers have acted in metamorphosing the last into
the present, they may yet send up to the Peers a Bill, not bene-
ficial indeed, for we refuse to acknowledge that any Reform will
be beneficial, but as inocuous as can be imagined.—Morn. Post.

LITERATURE.

THE COMIC ANNUAL. FOR 1832.

Of all the numerous Comic Annuals that have
come out this year, and as a matter of course will
go in the next, this is incomparably the best. It
is full of puns, but still fuller of sterling humour,
such humour as Foote and even Swift (had Swift
even known what it was to be lively without being
caustic) might have been proud to own. Mr.
Hood is a humourist of a class that must always be
popular. He never bites, he only tickles, though
it must be confessed his tickling is sometimes of
that outrageous character that must seriously dis-
compose the midriff, and even affect the safety of
the sides. His " Pugsley Papers" have nearly
caused us to split with laughter, but we are cha-
ritable and pardon Mr. Hood the injury we have
sustained at his hand,, in consideration of his good
intentions, and that there was no " malice prepense"
in the case. Every one who wishes to go safely
hrough the perilous fogs of December—pray why did
not the " Comic Annual" make its appearance before
the late detestable weather set in ? and enable him-
self to set the cholera at defiance, should peruse the
"Pugsley Papers "—the best quiz on the bulky
Evelyn, Pepys, Warburton, Parr, Wyndham, and
Garrick Papers, we have yet met with. The idea
's eminently felicitous, and is worked out with
equal felicity. It is in fact the gem of the volume.
The " Bailey Ballads" are also amusing, and the
song on " John Day," the fat coachman, is one of
those quaint conceits in which Mr. Hood, though
he has had a host of imitators, still shines unrivalled
The " Plan for writing Blank Verse in Rhyme" is
ingenious rather than humorous; it will however
yield much entertainment. The wood-cuts are
as capital as ever. If there be a better pictorial
pun than that entitled " Aladdin, or the Wonderful
Lamp," we at least know not where to find it. Mr.
Hood is himself the designer, as well as the illus-
trator, of some of the best; the remainder are from
the pencils of Messrs. Branston and Wright. Alto-
gether the volume is fully equal, if not superior, to
any of its predecessors, though we cannot help
fancying it is somewhat curtailed in its 'dimensions.

FISHER'S DRAWING SCUAP-B 0 OK.

LONDON, 1831.

The shape and size of this Annual—for we take
for granted it is meant to be one—are admirably
adapted to the display of its embellishments. There
is plenty of sea-room for them, and the space is
made the most of. Ihe plates are thirty-six in
number, embracing every possible variety of subject,
marine sketches, portraits, and landscapes of bill
and lake, meadow, moor, and mountain. These are
all illustrated in verse by Miss Landon, who is some-
times remarkably fortunate in her illustrations, and
never below mediocrity. Among the landscapes we
may select for special praise the enchanting view
of the Lake of Windermere, the scenes on the banks
of the Ganges, and above all, the exquisitely finished
sketch of the Vale of Lonsdale. Of the Portraits,
that of Hannah More, is decidedly the best. It is
full of expression, character, and delicacy; and
though weknow not whether it be equally effective as
a likeness,we feel strongly inclined to take for granted
that it is so. We must not omit to notice the grace-
ful appearance of the volume, which is handsomer
and of ampler dimensions than any Annual we have
yet seen.

Mr. RAYNER, the actor, is the proprietor of
the New Theatre, late BARKER'S Panorama, in the tstr4ne.
It is, we understand, quite finished, and the interior of
,t is very beautiful. It consists of pit and b(aes only—
no gallery. The house, when full, will bold one huaertd
and thirty pounds, at the usual prices of admission.