The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-10 00:00:00

THE SUN,

affair was bruited about Naples like a gleam of wildfitr,
and when evening arrived the doors of the Nuove
Teatro were thronged to excess long before the appointed
time of opening. At last the representation commenced,
the public all anxious to hear the new piece suffered the
early portion to pass in silence; the terzetto was sung, and
the applause was so deafening that it was repeated thrice.
After this the finale to the first act, and the of the
second which had been condemned with so much fury
the preceding evening, were extolled toto ewlo. Thus
was it with the " discriminating, enlightened, and im-
partial public" of Naples. Thus has it hem in most
parts of the world.

LITERAT URE.
THIRD EDITION OF HAROLD.

As Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton has most carefully
emended and revised the recently published edition of
his historical romance of " Harold," and as he has
enhanced the importance of the work by an addi-
tional " Preface," we may be permitted to revert in a
few words to a work which we have already re-
viewed at considerable length. strange as it may
appear to those who have been 'rapt into an enthu-
siasm of admiration by the lyrical verve of the diction,
by the epic completeness of the narrative, by the
vividness of the scenes and the elevated and sustained
eloquence of the composition, the "Pre ace" is nothing
less than a justification of the romance. We can
almost hear many exclaiming—" As if the romance
wanted any justification!" Y et, so it is. The COll.
struclion of the work has been caviled at—because
it was not a servile imitation of the great school
founded by: Sir Walter. Such expressions
as " were-geld" and " niddering" have been quar-
relled with as affected archaisms. The employment
of such titles as " thegn" and " cneht" has been
treated in some quarters as a literary crime and mis-
demeanour. And to answer such querulous objec-
tions Sir Edward has written his Preface. As for
the archaisms, he has shown (p. xxiii.) that no
other words could have been used to express the same
ideas "without a glaring anachronism, or a
tedious periphrase." As for the reputed distortion of
titles, he has observed (p. xxiv.) that if he had used
the word knight instead of cneht, in an age when
knights were wholly unknown to the Anglo-Saxon,
he should " sadly indeed have misled the reader."
And lastly, in reference to the objections rai,ed
against the construction of the work he says, not in a
tone of regret, but of exultation, tempered by a ge-
nerous and unaffected humility :
" The mode I have adopted has perhaps only this
merit, that it is my own—mine by discovery end mine
by labour. And if I can raise not the spirits that
obeyed the great master of romance, nor gain the key to
the fair) land that opened to this spell—at least I have
not rifled the tomb of the wizard, to steal my art from
the book that lies clasped on his breast."
_

If, as affording a testimony of nothing else, the
" Preface," from which we have transcribed those
two beautiful sentences, would be interesting as af-
fording another proof of the caution and devotion
with which " Harold" was composed—" Harold" the
last, and, in many respects, the most remarkable of
all the fictions of this celebrated romancist.

DIGEST OF E VIDEi%CE UN AGRICUL
7'URAL CUSTOMS IN RESPECT 70

TENANT RIGHT. By Messrs. Shaw and CO7 bet.

A very useful volume has just appeared under the
above head. It has bsen compiled and arranged
from the evidence taken before a Select Com-
mittee of the House of Commons, appointed to
inquire into the agricultural customs of Eng-
land and Wales in respect to tenant-right.
Any information calculated to throw light upon this
important subject, a subject involving so many in-

terests, and the settlement of which is looked iorward
to with such intense anxiety both in this and the
sister island, should at this moment command atten-
tion. The gentlemen who have arranged the
present digest have brought to the execution
of their plan more than ordinary advantages, their
literary attainments and connexion with the
farming interests have given them peculiar facilities
for the acquisition of sound knowledge upon agricul-
tural subjects, and on the present occasion these
several advantages have been turned to the best
possible account. The great body of important evi-
dence taken before this Committee has been
arranged in a most simple and conve-
nient form ; the running commentary on the
report will be found full of sound practical hints on
the several points included in this vexed question.
The inquiry into the customs of the different coun-
_ _

ties, arranged alphabetically, together with the mode
of cultivation in each country, also in alphabetical
order are first given—then follow in order the evi-
dence respecting the nature of the tenure,
the necessity of legislative enactment to se-
cure or create capit4l invested in the soil,
the law of entail and the policy of giving enlarged
powers to holders of life estates, &c., the general
benefits that would follow from a recognised system
of compensation for unexhausted improvements- On
this latter point the Committee, in the 11th clause of
their report, say :—" That this wider system of com-
pensation to the outgoing tenant seems to be highly
beneficial to agriculture, to the landlord and
to the farmer, to lead to a great increase
in the productiveness of the soil, and to extended
employment of the rural population." Next comes
the consideration of farm buildings, and the power
that should be given to the tenant-farmer of removing
those he had erected himself, in the event
of his landlord refusing to allow for them.
Next are considered, permanent improvements,
draining, chalking, and marling or claying,
temporary improvements, lime, bones, oil-cake, and
ashes, their different effects and the amount of
compensation for each ; elilapidations, and the justice of
giving compensation to the landlord for injury, as well
as to the tenant for improvement. This most useful
compilation ends with some valuable hints on the ad-
vantage of breaking up inferior grass lands, to which
there is a general objection amongst landlords.
It should not be forgotten that there is a very mate-
rial difference between that which is called " tenant-
right" in England, and what is known by the same
term in Ireland. In this country the tenant claims
no permanent interest in the land itself, he merely
desires to be secured the value of any outlay which he
may have made in the course of necessary
cultivation, and of which he may be prevented from
reaping the full benefit by the sudden termination
of his tenancy—his unexpected eviction from his
holding. It has relation to acts of husbandry merely.
In Ireland, however, an interest in the soil is implied
by the term, which the occupier shall enjoy,
without reference to any improvements whatever.
As, no doubt, tenant-right will necessarily occupy
very soon much of the deliberation of the Legislature,
we can strongly recommend this able digest to
the consideration of all parties interested in
the subject tenant, landlord, and legis-
lator—as a book of reference. It is most
admirably classified and conveniently arranged ; it
contains much sound practical information, and is
written in a fair and impartial spirit, with a due re-
gard to the interest of all, and will be particularly
welcome to those who have neither time nor oppor-
tunity to wade through a cumbrous blue offieLl
quarto.

FINE ARTS.
THE ART JOURNAL.

Certainly the Vernon Gallery has acted as a stimu-
lant to the editor and the contributors of this excel-
lent publication. Several of the plates inserted in its
pages from month to month are not unworthy of ad-
mittance into the portfolio of the most fastidious
dilletante. The " Chapeau de Brigand," for example,
gives an admirable notion of the original from the
brush of Uwins. We long, however, to see such
paintings represented from the collection now buried
underground, as Maclise's " Malvolio," or as Danby's
" Smuggler's Home "—the one so deep and
gorgeous a transcript from Nature, the other so
capital and humorous an embodiment of the
creation of -Nature's child, Shakspere. "Lavinia,"
from the statue by Spence, is a graceful realization of
Thomson's rustic heroine, gracefully pourtrayed, by
the two Roffes. But the gem of the number is
Gainsborough's famous "Brook by the Way," from
the Vernon collection. Bentley, the engraver, has
entered fully:into the spirit of that true, English land-
scape. Among the original designs for manufac•
turers the most elegant are the tea-kettle and stand,
the tea cup and the soup tureen. Mrs. Hall makes
her pilgrimage this month to Andrew Marvel's cot-
tage at Highgate. Besides the foregoing, there are
likenesses and biographical notices of Prout, the artist,
and of Flaxman, the sculptor.

THE JOURNAL OF DESIGN. No. I.
We cordially greet the appearance of this new aspirant
to public favour among the miscellaneous periodicals;
and we are sanguine that it will meet with the suc-
cess to which it is entitled, as a publication calculated
to infuse a feeling of art, and a certain delicacy of
design and proportion into our domestic manufac-
tures. As a foretaste of variety the number before
us promises well. It contains, for instance, several
examples of design and colouring in woven and
other textures, such as in chintz, in flannel, in
cotton, in calico, and in paper-bangings.
Of the designs in metals and potteries we can
say nothing whatever in praise ; they are in no
degree comparable to the clever and suggestive
sketches recently given in the Art Journal. indeed,
the effect is quite delightful when we come to that
exquisite little drawing from Maclise's illustrations
to • Moore's melodies—of the wooing on a carnation !
The only tolerable cuts of manufactured articles are
those of the flower vase, and of the wine glass with
the vine tendril coiling round the stem.

NO FEAR OF FREE-TRADE.-.A small house, with
four acres of grassland, standing in the town street of
Sutton Bonnington, Nottinghamshire, has been sold by
Mr. 11. }Tickling, at the Boot Inn, Sutton 13 inningt
for the sum of 6811. In an adjoining parish a farm has
been re-let at an advance of 104. per acre.

THE MURDER. OF A LADY AT
BRISTOL.
BRISTOL, FRIDAY.—The excitement occasioned by
the horrible murder of Miss Elizabeth Jefferies, at her
residence in Trenchard-street, continues to excite the
most painful interest throughout the city, and crowds
are constantly assembled around the premises in which
the dres dill' deed was perpetrated.
The Coroner's inquest was commenced yesterday
afternoon, at the Griffin inn, Grifin•lane, before J. B.
Grindon, Esq., Coroner.
The suspected murderess, Sarah ThoTas, was brought
up in custody, to he present at the proceedings. She is
about 17 er 18 years of age, good looking, and has a
mild expression of countenance; and she did not appear
to be at ail moved by a sense of her situation.
The CORONER having explained to the jury the facts
which he anticipated would be proved in evidence, they
proceeded to the house in Trenchard-street, for the pur-
pose of viewing the body of the deceased lady, and
having it 'identified in their presence. It presented s
truly shocking spectacle, the head of the unfortunate
lady being beaten in above the left temple, and her per-
son being covered with blood. The bed and bedding
were likewise saturated with the vital fluid, which had
flowed on the ground, where it lay in a considerable
pool. From the position in which the corpse was found,
it was evident that the deceased lady had made an effort
to escape froffi her murderer, for her right leg was
thrown out of bee', and her left leg bent under her, as
if in the act of being withdrawn from under the bed
clothes.

The jury having returned to the inquest-room, the sx-
amination of witnesses was proceeded with:—
Mr. Henry Js fferies, a reired surgeon, brother of the
deceased, was first c3llrd, and deposed to having
searched the premises with the police, end discovered
the body of his sister lying on the bed quite dead anc
covered with blood. He also deposed to a tin case, in
which she usually kept title deeds and valuables, having
been broken open and plundered; as also to a small
cabinet chest of drawers, usually kept full of jewels, hav-
ing been piifered, and some of the drawers, and all the
contents carried off. The witness • likewise identified
some of the jewellery found in the house where the pri-
soner was captured as having belonged to his deceased
sister. She valued them as family relics, and he was
sure would neither have given them away or sold them.
Police-sergeant Corte, No. 2. deposed to having
assisted in searching the house, and also to the appre-
hension of the prisoner, Sarah Thomas, at her father's
house. Her mother denied that she was there, or that
she had seen her for two months, but upon the house
heir g searched, she was found secreted in a small coal-
house under the stairs, partly undressed. Among the
coal were found several silver spoons, Jelon gin g to the
deceased. In a bandbox, beneath the prisoner's bed,
were various rings, &c., and the drawers belonging to
the small cabinet.

Isabella Fry deposed that sbe was a tenant of the de-
ceased, and lived in the next house to her. On Satur-
day morning last witness and her husband were
awakened by a very great noise in Miss Jefferies's
house. It was a noise of a female screeching or scream-
ing, and proceeded from the front bed-room. Witness
thought it was Miss Jefferies getting up her servant,and
that they were quarrelling. A Mrs. Ham, who resided
in witness's house, knocked at the wall with a piece of
stick, after which the noise ceased. At about seven
o'clock the deceased lady's servant came to witness's
house, and said her mistress had sent her to say she
hoped Mrs. Fry was not alarmed at the noise, but a cat
had jumped on the bed and frightened her.
The inquest was here adjourned.
This day the inquiry before the Coroner was again
resumed.

Mr. Ralph Bernard, surgeon, who made the post
mortem examination, deposed to the nature of the in-
juries and the cause of death. There were several exten-
sive wounds on the head, some of them on the forehead,
and others at the sides and back of the head, which
had evidently teen inflicted by a hard blunt instrument.
There were also bruises upon the left hand, showing that
the deceased had endeavoured to ward off some of the
blows aimed at her head. The cause of death was con-
cussion and compression of the brain caused by the
external injuries. The wounds could not have been in-
flicted by the deceased upon herself, and from the fact
of their not having begun to heal it was obvious that
death had ensued.

Mr. Jeff,ries, brother of the deceased, wished to make
some additions to his testimony, as did also Sergeant
Corfe, but the Coroner, in consequence of some intima
Lion conveyed to him by the police, deemed it advisable
to suspend the proceedings, and the inquest was conse-
quently adjourned till Tuesday next.

SPORTING IN TELLIGENCE.

MANCHESTER STEEPLECHASES (CONCLUDED),

THURSDAY.

The Corinthian Steeplechase Stakes of 3 sous each, and
20 added. Three miles and a half.
_

...(Wainwright) I

Mr. Lawson's Captain, aged ...
Mr. Massey's Fanny Gray ...
Mr. Cotton's Kicking Kute
Mr. Lambert's Jerry
Won by twenty lengths.
Sweepstakes of 3 soya. each, and 30 added. Heats, one
mile and a distance.

Mr. Fowler's Wiseacre, 5 yrs (Fowler) 1 3 0 1
Mr. Erskine's Mystery, 5 yrs ... 0 2 0 2
Mr. Anderton's Harkover, 6 yrs . . 4 1 3 dr
Mr. Cotton's Dash, 4 yrs ... 2 4 dr
Mr. Barton's Treasure, 3 yrs ... ... 3 5 dr
Mr. B, ll's Cinderella, 6 yrs ... 5 dr
Won by two lengths.
LINCOLN STEEPLEC II ASE.—WEDNESDAY.

Handicap of 20 sous. each, with 100 added. 4 miles.
Mr. Shepherd's Rachel ... (Captain Broadley) 1
Mr. Beville's British Yeoman... ... ... 2
Mr. Haboy's Flycatcher ... ... 3

The folfowinii also ran :—llope, Coriander, Blue Bon-
rat, Kilkenny, Vulture, and Pendennis.

Blue Bonnet fell, and injured her rider, Wilson, so
much that he is not likely to recover.
Tho Hurdle Race was won by Mr. Hawkin's Teresa
(Archer), beating the Painter, Grenade, and Solace.
BETTING AT MANCHESTER.—FRIDAY.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STAKES.—Offers of 9 to 2 agst
The Tartar (take 5 to 1), 9 to 1 agst Fernhill, 10 to 1
agst Loupgarou, 12 to 1 agst Velox, and 12 to 1 agst
P) rrhus the First, but nothing done.
METROPOLITAN HANDICAP.—Not a bet laid.
NEWMARKET HANDICAP.—Offers to take 4 to 1 about
Canezou.

CHESTER CIIP.-150 to 10 agst Joc-o'-Sot, 250 to 10
agst Geraldine, and 100 to 15 agst Ada Mary, were the
only bets laid on this event.

DERBY.-500 to 25 agst Uriel (taken). No other
change.

lIUNTING APPOINTMENTS.

Her Majesty stag hds., Mon., Hotspur-heath; Wed.,
Slough; Sat., New-lodge-11.
Mr. Farquharson's hds., Mon., Melcomb park; Tues.,
Chelborough.
The B. V. 11., Tues., Walbridge; Fri., Buckland-
knoll-10i.
The Worcestershire hounds, Mon., Bishop's Wood ;
Wed., Radford-gate ; Fri., Bransford-bridge-10f
Mr. Gilas's hounds, Mon., Broughborough; Fri., Mun•
derfield-stocks.

The Herefordshire's hounds, Tues., Eastwood-oak;
Fri., Mynd-park,

The Wheatland hounds, Tues., Morville; Fri., Benth all
The Brighton harriers, Mon., Patcham; Wed., Race•
cour,e; Fri., Dyke.
The Brookside harriers, Mon., Newmarket-hill; Thurs.,
Telscombe tye.
The Crawley and Horsham hounds, Mon., Horsham-
station; Wed.,Crawley village; Fri., Ashford-lodge-101.
The Shropshire huunds, Mun. Holly-coppice-10i.
Ludlow hounds, Tues., Rudden-village; Fri., Din-
e Lope.
The Warwickshire hounds, Mon., Little Alne; Tues.,
Sutton-village; Thurs., Lower Shuckburgh village; Fri.,
Sun Rising Edge-bill-10i.
The Monmouthshire hounds, Mon., Craig Summer-
house; Thurs., Pontrilas-10i.
The Oakley hounds, Mon., Kimbolton-castle; Tues.,
Cowper's oak; Thurs., Riseley; Sat., Cranfield-11.
Mr. Roe's hds., Tues., Acycecombe-village; Fri.,
Shilstone- gate-10i.
The Tiverton hds., Mon., Rock-inn, Erton; Thurs.,
Tarr-steps-10i.
Mr. A. Smith's hds., Mon. Reddensham; Tues.,
Stowell-lodge; Wed., Wherweil- wood; Thurs., Con-
holt-park; Fri., Porton-firs; Sat., Clarendon-park-11.
The Duke of Beattfort's hds., Mon., Cirencester-wood;
Tues., Yate-turnpike; Wed., Stanton-park; Sat., Est-
court.

The Cheshire hds., Mon., Whittington; Wed., Ap-
pleton; Thurs., Tattenhall; Sat., Weaverhall-10i.
Sir W. W. Wynn's hds., Mon., Kennells; Thurs.,
Bryn-y-pys; Sat., Plas-tcg-10i.
The Pytchley hda., Mon., Darlington; Wed., Win-
wick•warren; Fri., Great Harrowden; Sat., Sulby-hall
----10 i.

AYLESBURY, MARBLE 9.—J. Kaye, Esq., of
Fulmer, high sheriff of the county, gave a splendid en-
tertainment at the White Hart Hotel, on Tuesday last,
to a party of sixty-five noblemen and gentlemen.
Amongst the company present were the Lord Lieutenant,
Lord Nugent, Sir Thomas Aubrey, Bart., Chairman of
the Quarter Sessions ; Baron Rothschild, W. Low rides,
Esq., of Chesham, the late lligh Sheriff; Alderman
Hooper, the late Lord Mayor ; Ald.rman Fairbrother,
who came down from town to attend the dinner, &c.,
&e. The evening was spent with the utmost convivality,
and soon after eleven the company separated. Our
assizes finished on Wednesday afternoon, on which day
the judges dined with Lord Nugent, at his seat at the
Lillies. Their Lordships opt ned their commission yes-
terday at Bedford, and attended Divine serviceie the
parish church. This morning the business of the assizes
commenced, the Chief Baron presiding in the Nisi Prius
Courts, and Baron Rolfe in the Criminal Court. There
are but ten causes for trial, but there are several priso-
ners, and some of the cases of a very serious nature.
THE BRAZILIAN MAIL STEAMERS.—We under-
stand that the Brazilian Association have had a meeting,
to consith-r the question of the proper port of starting for
the sea- line of Brazilian steamers, and that they are of
opinion that Liverpool, and not Southampton, is the
port. They are at present taking the necessary steps
tor bringing their views before the General Steam Navi-
gation Company, who have taken the contract, and who
have the power of choosing their own port of departure.
—Liverpool l imes.

APOTHECARIES' HALL,—The following gentlemen
passed their examination in the science and practice of
medicine, and received cerlificat(s to practice, on Thurs-
day :—Francis Fawcett Welsh, Saffron Walden; Henry
Payne Leech, Bury St. Edmunds ; Frederick Oughton,
Camberwell ; William Henry Johnson, Weymouth ;
Frederick Montgomerio Davenport Davidson, Dawlish,
Devon.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF DERRY.—The
Rev. F. P.P., of Faban, has been elected by the
clergy of Derry to fill the situation of bishop of that
dio,ese, vacant by the death of Dr. Maginn.