The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-19 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUELIN, SUNDAY MORNING.—My letter of yesterday
will have prepared you for the following piece of in-
telligence, which I find in a second edition of the Down,
patrick Recorder of last night:—
" Accounts have just reached us that at Crossgar,
within four and a half miles of this town, where those
who walk in procession on Patrick's Day rendez-
voused, a violent collision took place between them
and the Orangemen. One policeman and one woman
have been shot, and several persons wounded. One
of the magistrates, Mr. W. R. Anketell, has re-
ceived a severe wound over the eye, from
the blow of a stone. A horse policeman, who has
just reached town, for a reinforcement of dragoons,
states that Mr. Anketell's wound was !bleeding pro-
fusely, and that fire-arms were being discharged in
quick succession. Several lodges,. accompanied with
flags and music, passed through this port about eleven
o'clock to-day, on their way to Crossgar. Some slight
rioting took place as the last of the lodges were passing.
A drum was broken and several stones thrown after the
processionists, and this in the town where the majesty
of the law is at present being vindicated; Chief Baron
Pigot still occupying his seat, finishing the business in
the Crown Court. The mail bags are just being made up.
DUBLIN, SUNDAY EVENING.—The northern mail not
arriving until an hour after this dispatch is posted you
can have no further particulars of the conflict between
the Orangemen and Roman Catholics near Down Patrick
until to-morrow morning.
Mr. Fagan, one of the Members for the city of Cork,
writes to his constituents to inform them that, according
to his belief, the landlords of Ulster will succeed in their
agitation, and that an income-tax, instead of a rate in
aid, will be the result.

THE LITERARY SEASOIIo—NEWS FOR THE READ-
ING SOCIETIES.—The present year has already opened
with many interesting new publications, and of a higher
character than have appeared for some time previously.
Macaulay's admirable work; Mackay's " Western
World," lately referred to in the House of Commons as
a text book on the subject; " Frontenac," a narrative
poem by Street, reminding us of the best days of Scott
and Campbell; Tyndale's " Sardinia;" Schiller's " Cor-
respondence with Korner," one of the most interesting
pictures of the literary life ever published, presenting us
at the same time with a resume of European literature
for nearly half a century. To these valuable accessions
to our literature we may now add Herman Melville's
new work, " Mardi, and a Voyage Thither." Herman
Melville's former books, " Typee" and " Omoo," have
placed the reputation of this most interesting writer
among the most popular authors of our day. Mr. Bell's
(the biographer of Canning) " Groat Civil War in
England," from the celebrated Fairfax manuscripts;
Mr. Herbert's " Frank Forrester and his Friends," con-
taining the adventures of this keen sportsman in the
wild forests and prairies of America; and for those who
can enjoy a good fiction, there will be published in a
few days the celebrated historical novel 1812, from
the German, by Miss Norman. This story, which pre-
sents us with the spirit-stirring narrative of the French
invasion of Russia, is one of the ablest of modern fictions.
and will be read with interest as an admirable romance,
but as one of the most graphic accounts of the wonder-
ful events of that great campaign, which hurled from his
imperial throne the mightiest conqueror of the modern
world.—Evening Paper.
AN ACTOR'S FIRST IMPRESSION OF EDMUND KEAN.
—A veteran of the stage, who witnessed the debut of Ed-
mund Kean in London, thus describes the impression he
received on that occasion:—" A party of us," says he,
" were prevailed on to go and see a young actor, from
the country, attempt the part of Shylock, at Drury-lane
Theatre, and, as we expected, add another to the list of
failures. When we got there not more than fifty persons
were in the pit, and there was that sense of previous
damnation which a thin house usually inspires. When
the new candidate came on there was a lightness in his
step, an easy buoyancy and self-possession, different
from the sullen, dogged, gaol-delivery-look of the tradi-
tional Shylock of the stage. A vague expectation was
excited, and all went on well; but it was not till he came
to that part when, leaning on his staff, he tells the tale
of Jacob and his flock, with the garrulous ease of old
age, and animation of spirit that seems borne back to the
olden time, and to the privileged example in which he
exults, that it was plain a man of genius bad lighted
upon the boards of Drury. To those who had the spirit
and candour to hail the lucky omen, the recollection of
that moment, of startling yet welcome surprise, will al-
ways afford them pride and satisfaction. After a lapse
of some time, I wished to see whether the first impres-
sion would still keep ' true touch,' and I was not disap-
pointed. Besides the excellence of the impassioned parts
of Kean's acting in Shylock, there was a flexibility and
indefiniteness about it, like a figure with a landscape
background; his voice swelled and deepened at the men-
tion of his sacred tribe and ancient law, and he dwelt
delighted on any digression to distant times and places,
as a relief to his vindictive and rooted purpose. Of all
Kean's performances, I thought this the most faultless
and least mannered, always excepting his Othello, which
was equally perfect, and twenty times more powerful.
Kean succeeded so well in the part in which he '
came out, that, with the diffidence of the abilities
of others so natural to us, it was concluded
he could do nothing else; and he was kept
in it so long that he nearly failed in Richard, until the
dying scene bore down all opposition by an irresistible
spell, as if some preternatural being had taken posses-
sion of his form, and made the enthusiasm the greater
from the uncertainty that had before prevailed. Sir Giles
Overreach stamped his excellence with the vlayers and
the town, and Othello with the critics.' Weekly
Dispatch.
METROPOLITAN BENEFIT SOCIETIES' ASTIJIM.—
On Wednesday evening last the eight anniversary of the
auxiliaries of this excellent institution was celebrated by
a supper at the St. John of Jerusalem Tavern, Roseman-
street, Clerkenwell, when about sixty gentlemen partook
of an entertainment which reflected great credit to the
worthy landlord, Mr. Porter. Mr. Ritchie, presided as
chairman, and Mr. Dean officiated as deputy, and were
supported, among others, by the following inluential
members of the society:—Messrs. Buckland, Chubb,
Wild, Phillips, Weston, Gilbert, Burgess, Bell, and Rid-
ley. After the cloth had been drawn, the chairman
proposed " the health of her Alajesty, the Duchess of
Kent, and the rest of the Royal Family," which was re-
ceived with demonstrations of respect; and the National
Anthem, sung with much animation. The chairman
then, in a few appropriate remarks, gave " Success to
the Metropolitan Benefit Societies' Asylum," which was
greeted with much applause. This toast was acknow-
ledged by Mr. Buckland in an interesting exposition of
the rise and progress of the institution, which was lis-
tened to with great attention, and warmly applauded at
its close. Mr. Buckland proposed the health of Lord
Robert Grosvenor and Lord Viscount Ebrington, two
of the warmest friends of the institution. This toast
was also well received. The chairman afterwards gave
the health of the Committee, who, he said, had rendered
much service in promoting the interests of the society.
Mr. Chubb, on behalf of himself and colleagues, re-
turned thanks in a few words replete with good sense.
The healths of the chairman, deputy, Mr. Cole, the
secretary, and of Mr. Porter, the worthy host, were se-
verally given, and respectfully acknowledged in suitable
terms. Several songs, by Messrs. Robson (of the Eagle),
Buckland, and Brown, were sung, and the party broke
up at a late hour, evidently much gratified by the even -
ing's proceedings.
We regret to hear that Sir Anthony Lechmere re-
mains in a hopeless state. Yesterday's accounts of the
worthy baronet's health give little hope of his living
many days longer.—Gloucestershire Chronicle of Sa-
turday.
The remains of the late Mr. Mundy, M.P. for
South Derbyshire, arrived from the West Indies last
week, and were interred at 'leaner on Saturday—Der-
byshire Courier.
On Saturday a Court of Directors was held at the
East India-house, when General Sir Charles James Na-
pier, G.C.8., was sworn in Commander-in-Chief of the
Company's forces, and an Extraordinary Member of the
Council of India.

TO THE SECRETARY OF THE
METROPOLITAN REFORM ASSOCIATION.
Sir,—On Wednesday the 14th the Clergy Reli
Bill was read a second time, without a division.
Another proof that liberality in the department of
Church affairs is on the advance.
On the same evening the debate was renewed on
the Member for Buckinghamshire's motion for a
Committee of the whole House on " Agricultural
Burthens," and continued by adjournment on Thurs-
day, when it was negatived by the votes of 280
against 189. The most striking thing about the
whole, was the concluding speech of the mover; be-
ginning in a profession of demand for justice to an
interest which for twenty years has been the 'Atm.
derer of all the others, and ending by throwing off
the mask and avowing the unalterable design of
moving back to the old tyranny. The speech was a
continual "crescendo " in sound and fury, wound up
by an almost ludicrous explosion of energetic pom-
posity, conveyed in a novel allusion to a celebrated
old woman, and the vow to imitate her in reiterating
the demand, till we see " Protected and Regenerated
England."
Other Members on the same side made no secret of
their disinclination to tamper with any petty object
like the removal of the malt• tax, and their resolution
to look to " a fixed duty upon corn." Here then,
after all attempts at decent disguise, the plan is abroad.
The demand is for a right to put down foreign com-
merce at the beck of any man who proffers to prove,
that he can supply the consumer with a
worse and dearer article at home.';:4 The question
is not half understood in the House of
Commons ; and great responsibility attaches
to those who have let pass the opportunities for an
almost daily retort on the assailants. It may be very
well to make speeches once or twice a session which
shall be cried up as unanswerable; but a much more
effective system for public progress, is that of giving
here a little and there a little, and turning the ardour
of the adversary into occasions for repulse. If this
had been followed in :thnefpast, " Protected and Re-
generated England" would not now have shown its
head, and there would have been no talk of either
monuments for its deceased supporters, or chaplets
woven by ladies' hands for the living.
It cannot be said that the division was quite as bad
as on the Navigation Laws. But it was clearly not an
aggressive majority, nor one that is capable of carry-
ing any principle in advance. The cause of progress
in general is arrested, by having allowed Free Trade
to be reduced to a melancholy defensive. The hare
has squatted and gambolled, till the tortoise has made
sure of the race, as far as winning anything new is
in question. There must be Navigation Laws, and a
struggle for our plunder for ever, because frolicsome
statesmen could not keep going ahead when they were
doing.
On Friday a motion by Mr. Hume for obliging
the Ministers to submit a statement of the expected
revenues and expenditure for the ensuing financial
year. After a very useful debate, the motion was
negatived by 97 to 48.
On the same day in Committee of Supply, motion
made for reducing the number of seamen voted, from
40,000 to 35,000. There was probably no danger of
being wrong in voting for the smaller number. But
the remonstrants do not make their case clear in the
details. They dwell much on the fact of ships being
built to decay; it being apparently allowed on all
sides, that the natural term of a ship is
fifteen years. But under such conditions, how is
it possible that ships should not be built to decay ?
As there has happily been a thirty years' peace, there
seems to have been no alternative between this, and
having a clear sweep-out of the dockyards ; and no-
body stands up for the last. On which I only note,
that the remonstrants advance an argument which
they do not carry to an end. It does not follow that
there has not been extravagance ; but the circum-
stance of ships being built and decaying without ever
going to sea, does not prove it. The motion for re-
duction was finally negatived by 144 against 59.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
AN OLD REFORMER.
London, March 19, 1849.