The Sun.
London, England, 1831-02-16 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

FAMILY LIBRARY—No. XVI.

Sir W. Scott's letters on Demonology and
Witchcraft, which a press of other matters has
prevented us from noticing before, compose the
present volume of this popular miscellany, and
have long ere this, no doubt, been devoured
with avidity by the majority of our readers. A
more entertaining book of its class we have
►►ever read. It is full to overflowing of anec-
dotes about witches, hob-goblins, wraiths,
kelpies, bogies, banshees, demons, and that
monstrous bug-bear, the genuine English ghost.
At most periods of life anecdotes of this nal
ture deeply rivet the attention, and at all periods
are interesting. Sir 'W. Scott, too, tells them so
ably, with so much simplicity, mixed up with such
archness and earnestness, that their interest is
wonderfully heightened. One short story, how-
ever, which in our nursery-days has often
caused our blood to curdle, he completely de-
molishes : we allude to the famous spectre visi-
tant to the second Lord Littleton. To all
amateurs of diablerie, we cannot do better than
recommend the attentive perusal of this book.

FOREIGN QUARTERLY REVIEW,

No. XIII.

We have been prevented by the heavy press
of Parliamentary intelligence and other matters
from noticing this excellent work till now. The
number before us is a superior one to most of

its predecessors, first, from the miscellaneous
character of its information ; secondly, from the
able way in which that information has been
condensed and made acceptable to the most
listless and impatient readers. " The Spirit of
the 12th and 13th centuries" is the subject of
the opening article, and though it treads over
ground every inch of which has been trodden a
hundred times before, yet, as it is penned in a

lively and liberal spirit it is well worth
perusal. The reader will, no doubt, meet
with an infinite deal that he has met before,
but he will find it brought back on his recol-
lection in a very agreeable manner. " Mytho-
logy and Religion of Ancient Greece" is ano-
ther trite topic, but equally well treated as the
preceding article. " Andral on Consumption"
is full of practical knowledge on a subject pain-
fully and almost universally interesting. The
Review enters in detail into the nature, the
rise and progress of tubercles, how they are to
be, if not altogether obviated, at least dimi-
nished in danger. In the course of this in-
quiry he indulges in some brief pertinent allu•
sions to the quackery of a notorious practi-
tioner on this subject. " Carl Maria Von
Weber" is a sketchy biography of this emi-
nent composer, whose Der Freischutz alone
will hand down his name with honour
to posterity. In the course of this article
a scientific parallel is instituted between the
genius of Weber and Rossini, and the pre-
ference, with some hesitation, is awarded to the
former. " Fine Arts of the Middle Ages,"
though it will, perhaps, be read only by the select
few, will by those few be appreciated as it de-
serves. " The United States" is a temperate,

a tolerant, and a discriminating historiette, whose

avowed object is to increase the kindly feeling
that exists, or ought to exist between America
and the parent country. Of the few remaining
articles we have merely room to say that they
are such as will not derogate from the established
character of the Review.

HISTORY OF THE BIBLE.
VOL 11. -LONDON, 1531.

Mr. Gleig has accomplished a difficult task
with much skill and good sense, and through-
out his historical summary of the Bible, has not
hazarded one opinion, or given utterance to one
expression, even upon controversial points, that
can offend the feelings of the most devout and
orthodox reader. His present volume, which
closes the history, forms the 6th of the Na-
tional Library. By the bye, we perceive that
the publisher of this intelligent miscellany has
also announced a series of standard novels,
commencing with that masterly tale " Caleb
Williams." This is a good idea ; but we shall
have something more to say on the subject
when the series appears.

The approaching nuptials of the Lady Em-
31ELINE CHARLOTTE MANNERS, second daughter of his
Grace the Duke of RUTLAND, with the Hon. Captain
CHARLES STEWART WORTLEY, second son of Lord
WHARNCLIFFE, which are expected to be celebrated at
Belvoir Castle in the course of the present month, is the
fourth marriage that has taken place in the Noble Family
of MANNERS during the last three or four months. His
Grace's two nieces, the Hon. Misses ANNE and ISABELLA
FORRESTER having, within that period, married the Earl
of CHESTERFIELD and the Hon. Colonel ANSON, M.P.
The Noble Duke's third daughter, Lady KATHERINE
MANNERS, was recently united to Earl JERMYN. Capt.
WORTLEY, who, until his retirement from the army, be-
longed to the 4th Regiment of Foot, is in his 29th year,
and the fair demoiselle, who is about to become his bride.,
is in her 25th.

A great improvement has been effected on
writing materials by the discovery of a method of condens-
ing the strength of writing ink, so as to form a Portable
Ink Cake, of which ink may be made at once by rubbing
it down as required with a little water. This discovery is
considered of much importance by gentlemen from abroad,
who have experienced the inconvenience arising from the
rapid evaporation of ink in warm climates, an inconve-
nience which will now be obviated, as the c Ike may be
made with Hide or no trouble into ink in small quantities
as required, so as always to have it fresh and good. The
same process by which this cake is made has been applied
by the inventors (Alessrs. Aloarsox and Co.) to the im-
provement of writing inks, and has been attended with
the most complete success.

The forts and batteries on the lOwer Shannon
are kept in a state of constant and vigilant preparation.—
Limerick Chronicle.
. . . .

On Thursday last, about ten o'clock at night,
the cries of a female in distress were heard in the river
near the Swing Bridge, in the city of Lincoln. A person
named ELIZA MARSHALL, who had been quarreling with a
young man named WILLIAM CARTER (by whom it is said
she is pregnant), pulled off her bonnet and shoes, went on
board of a vessel, and plunged into the water, but by timely
assistance she was almost miraculously saved from an un-
timely end, as the ebb passed with great rapidity down the
river.—Boston Gazette.
The lands in the neighbourhood of Bardney
are now very much flooded, in some parts very nearly four
feet upon the level; several hundreds of acres in that
neighbourhood are completely flooded, and an informant
describes it as a very shocking sight.—Boston Gazette.
About six o'clock last Thursday morning an
out-house belonging to Mr. BARNES, farmer, of Hurtling,
was discovered to be on fire.—There were a number of
cattle in the place, and it is supposed the incendiary con-
templated their destruction, but they were removed in
ti me. —Boston Gazette.