The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-26 00:00:00

IRELAND.

(FROM OUR. OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
DUBLIN, DEC. 24.—The streets presented to-day
all the bustle which usually characterises the eve of a
holiday, which is nowhere kept in greater honour
than in Ireland. No business is doing, except
amongst the grocers and butchers ; the thoroughfares
being thronged by citizens and visitors from the rural
districts, all engaged in the purchase of creature
comforts. As the Irish newspapers never publish on
Christmas day, the Dublin journals, whose publica•
tion falls on to-morrow, are issued this evening ;
whilst with many of the provincial papers, there will
be no publication for a week ! Amongst the journals
taking things thus easily, are the three Limerick
ones.

The discussion in the Corporation is still the sub-
ject of much talk and animadversion. The scene of
coarseness and vituperation—the motives imputed,
and their fierce and vulgar repudiation—and the
seemingly corrupt abandonment of duty on the part •f
the Corporation, have disgusted every class,
high and low, the intelligent end the ignorant.
There are, to be sure, many honest and respectable
men in the Corporation ; but it is to be regretted
they are in a minority, and still more to be lamented
that they had not the moral courage to outstay the
scene of violence in which the motion of Mr. Reynolds
originated, and then, by an independent motion, have
vindicated the character of the Corporation from the
charge of dishonesty and corruption now openly
made against its members. A glance at the facts,
which are undeniable, will lay open the entire case.
The town clerk, Mr. Ford, who holds seven other
situations, has 5001. per annum for the office, but its
duties are performed by a young gentleman named
Farquhar, to whom Mr. Ford pays 801. a year,
making up the sum to 1001., by obtaining a vote
of 201. annually for Mr. Farquhar's services
in the revision of the burgess roll. Besides
this sinecure of 4201. per annum, Mr. Ford
receives three guineas a day when travelling, and is
paid all expenses as batw?en attorney and client
when preparing bills, or doing any other legal work
for the Corporation. Now, whilst this job is thus
perpetrated, and the civic funds squandered, the bills
of unfortunate tradesmen remain unpaid, the Corp-
ration property is sunk in debt, and a borough rate is
continued, contrary to covenant, on the over taxed
citizens. And what is the cause of this job? Owing
to the illiberality of the Bank of Ireland in refusing
accommodation, the trading community have been
coerced to resort to the Hibernian Bank, with which,
in some way or other, but very few of the Corporation
are unconnected. So that, in fact, the Tow❑ Council
represent, not the citizen•, but a banking establish-
ment, of which Mr. Ford is a director, as well as a
member of that dread committee of three, whose
province it is to decide upon all paper sent in to the
bank for negotiation.
Great dissatisfaction is felt in the printing trade
here concerning the mode in which the contract for
printing for the Irish Government is disposed of. It
appears that every sheet of paper and article of sta-
tionery used in the thirty or forty public departments
in Ireland come from London ; and the firm of
M'Culloch and Co., which supplies them, has also the
disposal of the contract for printing. This contract
is duly advertised ; but the advertisement is only a
pretence, for one printer alone, Mr. Alexander Thom,
has the means of performing the gigantic contract,
which will not be divided, and must therefore con
tinue a monopoly. One master printer, with appli-
ances extensive enough for an ordinary business,
applied for the work advertised for the Education
Board, and was asked had he provided, or could be
provide, within one month, three steam presses of
the largest size and greatest power; and would he be
then ready to take in from twelve to
fifteen thousand reams of paper, to proceed
with and work up at once ? This startline query was,
of course, answered in the negative, and the appli-
cant retired, satisfied that the advertisement inviting
competition was " all a barn." By the way, it is
said—l know not with what truth—that the Hon.
Member for Montrose is a sleeping partner in this
great printing concern. Certain it is, his signature
in a commercial capacity is not unknown in Dublin.
Messrs. Butt and J. D. Fitzgerald, Q.C.'s, are men-
tioned as candidates for Ennis, in room of O'Gorman,
who is, it is said, about to be provided for in the
colonies. Both gentlemen belong to the Munster
circuit, of which Ennis forms a part. Mr. Fitzge-
rald is a young lawyer of great celebrity as a special
pleader, and has
,great practice in record cases espe-
cially. In politics be is a Whig; Butt is a Conser-
vative Nationalist, whatever can be spelled out of the
term.
This day was clear and frosty, but foggy towards
evening.
THE FUNDS.—Three per Cent. Consols, 953 ; ditto
for opening, 96* ; Thrce-and-a-Quarter per Cent. Stock,
961 ; Patriotic Insurance Company (101 paid), 63- ;
Great Southern and Western Railway, 30 ; Royal
• Bank, 111; Midland Great Western and Royal Canal, 234.
CORN EXCHANGE.—The market being held out of
course, in consequence of Christmas-day falling on
Tuesday, it may be considered almost nominal. Prices
ruled as last day. Foreign Wheat and Indian Corn
were held at more money, and, in some instances, higher
prices were obtained.

A NEW TELEGRAPH COMrANY.—A new telegraph
company his been recently formed, under the firm of
Howse, Brett, and Wilmer, who, it is said, are to in •
troduce their form of telegraph into various countries;
Mr. Howse, who is an American, to have the sole ma•
nagement of the business in the United States; Mr.
Brett, over the continent of Europe; and Mr. Wilmer
in this country. We learn that a recent trial from
London to Norwich proved to be eminently successful.
This principle of telegraph possess s several claims to
public favour. It requires only one wire, and it prints
the communication legibly in caaitals, on long narrow -
strips of paper; so that what is spelled at London by
the stncler is printed at Norwich, and the whole re-
sponsibility and risk of the receiving clerks, and the
most prolific source of error in transmission, are wholly
got rid of. Instead of working two needles by handles,
the operator plays on keys like those of a pianoforte,
each key, on boing pressed down, printing a capital
letter on the paper at the other terminus of the wire.
This is not only rn-re accurate in its operation, but it
will save much time now lost in various ways between
sender and receiver. In fact, the instrument is a tell-
tale, and a self-acting printing-machine or copyist.
Manchester Guardian,

CMCULAR.
W IND OR, TUESDAY.
The Queen and Prihce Albert walker:. this morniny
in ti Slopes trid Windsor Park.
The Roy:d Family took their accustomed airings.
I 1 r 11.1ajety and his Royal Highness Prince
Allhrt, her Roy;:i Highness the Princtss Royal, the
ladies and gentlemen of the Churt, and the dotnest:c
howehold, attended Divine service this morning in
the private chapel. The lion. and Rev. G. Wellesley
officiated.

The royal dinner party, this evening included her
Royal Ilighne:=.s the Duchess of Kent (attended by
her Royal Highness's Ladies in Waiting), the
Dosvag?r Lady and llon. Miss Lyttelton, Colonel
lion. C. B. and Mrs. Phipps, and Colonel Lion.
Charles awl Mrs. Grey.
Lord Elptdos!'ono hns relieved the Ea!l of A.1..11::..y.

tti: duty as 1...,rd in Wmring t,) the Queen, at.d
Dr tuntnonA has relieved Mr. Ortnshy
Gore in his duty as Grooin Wai ing to her Majesty.

SPOR TING l'E LLIGENCE.
HUN IING. APPOIN CMENTS.
Mr. PCWI,!I'. hiis., Thurs.. Liaoiloi% rt,r-10.
Shor gun
Tivyside hds., Thurs., Glaspant House-10.
Llanelly hds , Fri., Peuibrey House-10.
hairs., Boilow; Sat., Wendover
Turnpike-12.
E mont harrs., Wed., Ousby; Sit., New K..nnel.
West Norfolk harrs., Wed., Curie House; Fri., Great
Massinghilin (a deer)-11.
lir. Phillips's hds., Wed., Holton Stone Pits; Sat,
Lambert Arms.
Mr. TreUwny's hds., Wed., Harford Bridge; Sat.,
foldr Ma or Gate-101.
Mr. Fellowes's lids., Wed., Rawstone Moor-101.
Hurworth hds.. Wed., Girsby Scar; Sat., Early Rook.
Captain Lewis's harrs., Wed., Brawith; Sat., Win-
ton-11.
Berwickshire hds., Wed., Polsorth Sat., Lone, r
acer-101.
Mr. Okeover's harre., Wed., Alstorifield ; Sa'.,
Waterhouses.
Norfolk stag hds., Coltishall-bridge-111.
East Norfolk harrs., Fri., Walcott-11.
Harrogate harrs., Wed., Howe Qtarry ; Fri., Iron-
gate- bridge-101.
Col. Wyndhltn's hds.. Wed., Petworth-park Monu-
ment ; Fri., Fitzhall-11/.
Vine hds., Wed., West Heath ; Thurs., Marydorvn
Park ; Sat, The Vine-11.
N. F. H., Thurs., Breamore; Sat., Noyles Court-102.
Mr. Napper's hds., Wed. Plaistow ; Sat., Leigh
Farm-10i.
Mr. Lusuington's hds., Wed., Torrey-hill L)dge ;
Fri., Syndale-11.
Hursby hds., Thurs., Farley Mount-10/
H. H. hds., Wed., Bramdean Common-12. Thu-s.,
Chilton Ofd House; Sat., Colernere Church-10:1.
Hambledon hds.,&lon., Broadhalfpenny Down; Wed.,
Wickham Gate; Fri., Marwell
Essex Union hds., Wed., Purleigh Wash; Sat.,
Hockley Bull-10i.
Lord Elcho's hds., Wed., Felkington; Fri., Effing-
ham; Sat., Ford Bridge-101.
Craven hds., Wed., Bedwin Brad; Fri., White Hill,
Sat., %Woolley Down-101.
South Berkshire hds., Wed., Basildon Park; So,
Hare Hatch-101.
Sir John Cope's hds., Wed., Greyweil Hill; Fr'.,
Bearwood Locl4e.

2 Vols.

THE SUN, LON DO NT, WEDNESDA Y EVE

LITERATURE. These volumes, apart from their individual merita,,
_EXCURSIONS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA, are rendered especially attractive from the fact of !lee
By Lieutenant Colonel E. Llers.Arapier. 2 Vols. author being enebled to say in his preface to a latex
Teis is the first book of its kind we have seen edition—" The twofold aim of the present work rear
from the new establishment of Mr. Shaer', and pointed out by site nearly hay a -century ago in tie.:
the name of the author, the interest of the subject, the Preface to the first edition. In my eightieth.
-xcellence of the " getting up," and the number and year," proceeds Brun Humboldt, "I am still enabled,
excellence of the illustrations, render it a happy to enjoy the satisfaction of completing a third edition,
specimen. Perhaps the most interesting portion of of my work, remoulding it entirely afresh to meet;
Colonel Napier's narrative is the history of the Cape the requirements of the present time. Almost all the,
Colony, and the account of the native tribes, from the scientific Elucidetions or Annotations have beere
either enlarged or replaced by new and more compree
first discovery of the " Cape of Storms," by the
Portuguese in 1487, and its first colonzetion by hensive ones. 1 have hoped that these volumes might;
the Dutch some two centuries afterwards. The tend to inspire and cherish a lave for the study or
various vicissitudes of the history of the Cepe of Good I Nature, by bringing together in a small space the,
Hope are here related to us, and the narration is full results of careful chservation on the most varied sub—
of ieterest. To many readers, ourselves among the lints, by showing the importance of exact numerical,
number, the moat attractive chapters are those which data, and the use to be nude of them by well-con
sick red arrangement end comperison ; and by
describe the peculiarities of the Kafirs, Hottentots, and ]
ether native tribes ;at the same time we hardly agree opposing the dogmatic half-knowledge and.
with all Colonel Napier's opinions regarding these arrogant scepticism is Inch have long too much.
goer wretches who, uuciviliz das they are, are human prevailed in what are called the higher•
..•
a
beings, and the origin el possessors of the soil; but circles of society." To effect these desirable obj:ct
tniet,t is right with conquerors, and original these volumes are eminently well qualified. DR
habitants are gent rally regarded in the light of intruders subjects inure especidly treated on are " Steppes rad
: Deserts," in which the plains and prairies of So nth
end trespassers. The genuine name of the Hottentets,
! Atn-rica are made the subject of comparison with. the
it teen, s, is " Quaiquve," and the term Hottentot has
been bestowed upon them (according to some person.) plains and deserts of Africa; the " Cataracts of else
"from the peculiar idiom of their language, which is Orinoco;" the "Nocturnal Life of Animals in the
much broken, full of monosyllables uttered with Primeval Forests ;" " Physiognomy of Planes ;"
strong aspirations frotn the chest, and a guttural arti- I " The Structure and Mode of Action of Volcanos in
culation, equally disagreeable to listen to. as it is i different parts of the Globe ;" °The Vital horse, or
Rbodian Genius ;" '. The Plateau of C:.xainarcr., the
difficult to acquire. It is as if one heard nothing
from them but hot and tot. So it is not without reason ancient, Capital of the Inca Atahuallpa, and the 'First
that it has been sa'd; of theta, that they cluck like View of the Pacific Ocean from the crest e.f the
Andes." This bare enumeration does no justice to
turkeys." The illustretions scattered throughout
these volumes represent " natives" and " native" the very interesting manner in which Benin :ilium-
scenes, in addition to a beautiful view of Cape Town, boldt has described the various peculiarities of these
and portraits of the late Sir Benjamin D'Urban, the "different lands and different climates." limier all
" benefactor of the Cape Colony," where it appears he t aspects Nature is charming, and amply repays the
student of her laws and the observer of her beauties,
was surnamed " the great and good ;" and Sir Harry
Smith Governor and Commander-in- Chief of the Cape
and these `°Aspects of Nature" are only another! cor-
of Good Hope, from whose energy and decision of EE roboration of the well-known truth.
character Colonel Napier anticipates that the colony I •
RUINS OF MANY LANDS. A Descriptive
---- —
will be governed " in quietness and peace, under the
same judicious system—so injudiciously discarded— ' Poem. By Nicholas Michell. Second Editfon.
which was established in 1835, by Sir Benjamin
than
. Having noticed this work on its first appearatice, it
i 4 is nw or to do cong riatu-
D'Urban," Colonel Napier's readers must not expect
late Mr.unnecessar Michy ello oaf us
the success ofmore (we believe.) his
to find all his descriptions couleur de rose, on the
the contrary, the evil doings and short-comings, I first attempt in poetry. The subject chosen is a very
real or supposed missionaries 1 felicitous one. "The matter-of-fact man," says the
',
are treated with little mercy. governors, and others,
preface, "prefers enjoying the present and specullating
, I on the future to looking back on the past ; his motto
is 'Progress!' and his cry ' Forward ! "Po a certain
extent (very truthfully observes Mr. Michell) he
acts wisely; but we submit that this principle may
be carried too far. Experience is the daughter of
Time ; and the knowledge of what our ancestors
achieved, both in a physical and moral sense, cannot
but be productive of good ; while a study of the
beautiful in art, whether it be apparent in a
statue or an ivy-covered ruin, elevates the sentiments
and refines the taste." To obliterate the past from
our recollection would be almost like annihilating
our appreciation of the beautiful. Poetry is not wholly
devoid of the Pleasures of Hope, nor deficient in the
life-giving energy of the present hour (vide Long-
fellow) ; but the past is more especially the epoch
sacred to thought and romance. Hence the subjects
touched upon in this volume—Babylon, Egypt,
Athens, Corinth, Marathon, Troy, Pompeii, Car-
thage, tombs of Abraham and Rachel, Jerusalem,
cum multis aliis—would almost render it attractive,
independently of the beautiful verses of Mr. Michell,
which in many instances (and that is pronouncing no
mean commendation) do full justice to their theme.
Among other episodes, all more or less happily in-
troduced, the gloomy thoughts which may reasonably
be supposed to have haunted the close of Pilete's life,
are beautifully alluded to.

LODGE'S PORTRAITS. Vol. 1.

The enterprising Mr. Bohn has commenced the
publication in his " Illustrated Library" of the cele-
brated work of Edmund Lodge, "The Portraits of
illustrious Personages of Great Britain"—portraits
both pictorial and descriptive, portraying both their
persons and their character. "The history of the various
editions of this celebrated work," says the publisher of
this edition, " is curious, as illustrative of the great
change which a few years, and the rise of a new
generation, has introduced into the system of publi-
cation. The first edition was commenced in 1814,
and completed in forty parts in folio, at 21. 2s. each.
In 1821 an edition, in imperial octavo, was issued,
in eighty parts, at 7s. Gd. each part, amounting to 301.
for the whole work, a price which was afterwards
reduced to 2s. GI each part, or 101. for the whole. in
the present form the work will be completed for forty
shillings" And to judge from this specimen it will be
completed in a most excellent manner for that sum.
The portraits are beautiful specimens of engraving,
and the letter press and " getting up" of the volume
renders it almost superior in appearance to the vo-
lumes of Mr. Bohn's excellent " Standard Library."
The individuals whose portraits and biographies form
the subject of this first volume are no fewer in num-
ber than thirty. Among those are Sir Thomas More,
Cardinal Wolsey, Henry VIII., and several of his
Queens, Edward VI., Lady Jane Grey, John Russell
first Earl of Bedford, Ridley, Cranmer, Cardinal
Pole, &c. Speaking of the vast mass of information
collected in Mr. Lodge's biographies, Sir %V. Scott
has said that he very frequently consulted it, and
almost always not only found the information re
quired, but collected a great deal more as he went in
search of it. Mr. Bohn deserves commendation and
encouragement fur his continued endeavour to put
excellent works, hitherto confined to the Jew, within
reach of the many.

POEMS by the late Sir William Ashburnham, Bart.
The poems contained in this volume are of a very
miscellaneous kind, consisting of sonnets, songs, epi-
grams, fables, and religious pieces. Without being
possessed of any great poetical merit, the versification
and the style generally are smooth and pleasing, and the
spirit with which the whole collection is suffused is the
genuine Christian philosophy. The sonnet upon "La
hour " is full of truthful wisdom and those upon
" Sympathy," " Good klumour," " Cheerfulness," and
others of a similar kind, are likely to be as beneficial
to the reader as they are honourable to the writer.
Without pretending to any great acquaintance with
the genealogy of the passions, we hardly think, how-
ever, that it is correct to describe Cheerfulness as the
child of Joy. 31y is undoubtedly the parent of
Gaiety, but Cheerfulness, we imagine, has a diviner
origin. It is certain that cheerfulness may be the
accompaniment of pain and suffering, and to preserve
a cheerful demeanour is a social duty, whereas joy is
essentially rare and evanescent. The fables in this
volume are narrated in a very interesting manner,
and the moral lessons which they teach are happily
enforced.

IvEW MUSIC.

MARCH ON TO GLORY; or LIBERTY to
the HUNGARIANS. A New Song for one or
two Voices. Dedicated to Kossuth and his Brave

Companions in Exile.
This song written, as the author tell us, in " exe-
cration of those savage nations who punish patriotism
with death," is a bold and spirited composition, and
when the sung by the veteran :1:om::Phillir "it stirs
up the heart like a trumpet." Tom Phillip:;, by
horn this song is sung, and for whose benefit it is
published, has been for the last half century orte of
the very best of our table vocalists, and the last of the
Incledon school, as he was justly designated by Pro-
fessor Taylor. He is now 72 years of age, but still
retains his vocal powers in a surprising manner. He
has, however, of late fallen into " the sere and yellow
leaf," and we hope the publication of this song may be
of as much benefit to him as he himself could wish.

THE GEORGINE SCHOTTISCHE, as per-
formed at Her Majesty's State Balls, Almack's, and
composed and dedicated to Miss F. Hare, by 'Wel-
lington Guernsey.

Ali. Guernsey in this trifle has displayed the most
consummate knowle.ta of the compsition of dance
music. The rlegant and original style of the melody,
with its well-marked rhythm, is clear and striking.
The change of key from G major to B natural is
judiciously contrasted with the movement of the third
part in C major, which is fancifully conceived, and
felicitously portrayed. To all lovers of dance music
the " Georgine Schottische" will be a novelty as pleas-
ing as it is original.

L' AC ADIE ; or, Seven Years' Explorations in
British America. By Sir James Alexander.

All who have travelled tele ci-tete can tell how much
of the pleasure and comfort MD of a journey de-
pends upon the character of a companion. According
to the old saying,—" A merry heart goes all the
way, a sad one tires a mile a' 1" and so it is with the
voyager who has a dull or a pleasant friend, or
cicerone at his elbow. Very much the same is it
with books ; and more especially with books of
travels. Often and often are we hurried on, unre-
sistingly, over otherwise uninteresting lands and
places of which we care to know nothing, fascinated
by the magic of some stranger's pen. Such a pen is
held by Sir James Alexander. " L'Acadie" possesses,
moreover, the attraction of treating of topics of ge-
neral interest, and describing scenes of considerable
importance ; but were it not so, were British Ame-
rica wholly destitute of attractions, the agreeable
style and lively conversation of Sir James would
wile away the time, and reader and writer would be
loathe to part company half way. " L'Acadie," of the
French in North America, was understood to com-
prehend Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and part of
Canada; " it has been adopted as the title of this
work," says its author,," as in the American 'Acadia,'
were made the surveys and explorations, in which
the author assisted, for the proposed great military
road to connect the British North American pro
vinces."

TELEMACHUS VERSIFIED. By the Author
of "The Pilgrim's Progress Versified."
"The following pages," says their author, "are
submitted to the public with the mingled sensations
of confidence and fear." The "confidence" is solely
occasioned by " the acknowledged merits of Arch
bishop Fenelon's great and immortal work, which
assuredly affords a firmer basis for any expectation of
success on the part of the trans'ator than any merits
of his own." This opinion is perfectly correct,
as a translation of Fenelon's masterpiece, " Tele-
machus Versified" is of course interesting, but
we cannot conscientiously say that it is possessed
of any great poetic merit. The volume is adorned
with a beautiful portrait of Fenelon, taken from a
picture by Vivier in the Louvre.

VIENNA IN 1848. By the Hon. H. J. Coke.
With Illustrations by Weld Taylor.
We hardly know whether to give the preference to
the excellent lithographs of Mr. Taylor, or the smart
narrative of Mr. Coke. Taken together, they give
an amusing glimpse of Vienna in 1848, at the mo-
ment of the Viennese revolution. To our thinking
the subject is of too serious a character to be a fit
theme for jocularity. But (saving this objection) thp
narrative is certainly full of interest and matter of
entertainment. Mr. Coke's objection to being pressed
into the revolutionary cohorts—an objection so strong
that to avoid a recruiting party he actually took
refuge (he tells us) beneath some tablecloths in a
corner of the coffee-room—is amusing, but it hardly
redounds to the credit of the narrator, who in otter
parts of the narrative appears by no means deficient
in courage and spirit. Mr. Coke's sympathies are
apparently with the Imperialists. Among the illus-
trations the best is a portrait of Jellachich in the
saddle, and armed cepa-pie.

DUST. LANA ; or the Evening Adventures of a
Weaver and a Chimney-sweep. By Henry Dien
A M.
The frontispiece of this volume, a finely coloured
engraving, represents the heroes of the tale in a gaily
painted curricle, drawn by two spirited horses at a
smart pace. The volume records their evening ad-
ventures, which, sooth to say, we have not had the
curiosity to follow. Those adventures should be in-
teresting, indeed, to induce many readers to peruse a
volume written in the following poetic vein:—
" The clock had struck the hour of five
When Mr. Tibbs sit out to drive
His curricle and spicy pair
OF tits, and breathe the evening air.
The wheels were red, the body blue."

HUIIIBOLDT' S ASPECTS of NATURE. 2 vols.
Baron Humboldt's very interesting and highly in-
structive work "On the Aspects of Nature in Dif.
ferent Lands and Different Climates ; with Scientific
Elucidations," has been rendered into English by
Mrs. Sabine, the successful translater of "Cosmos."