The Sun.
London, England, 1849-09-20 00:00:00

T IT It g T 7

LITERATURE.
111URRAY'S 11-0.31 E AND COLONIAL LI-
BRARY. Nos. LXXII , LXXIII, and LXXIV
Anotner valuable biographical pr,duction has been
reprinted in a cheaper and cost quently more acces-
sible f=arm by Mr. Murray, constituting the last three
numbers of his Home and Colonial Library. The
biography in question is the popular " Memoir of the
Life of Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, Bart." The nar-
rative of the career of this distinguished politician,
whose name has acquired an enduring celebrity as
a,sociated with the labours of Wilberforce, Clarkson,
and Brougham, in effecting the emancipation of the
negroes in our West Indian possessions, and ultimately
the general abolition of slavery, must always be re-
garded with peculiar attention. For ourselves, as
members of the next generation to his, the work pos-
sesses a particular attraction, relating as
it does to public men still living—such
men as Denman, Lushington, and Macaulay.
Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton had the advantage of
representing large constituencies in the House of
Commons during a period when British legislation
was marked by a series of very extraordinary reforms,
such reforms as that of the Parliament itself, as that
of manumitting the African race, and that also of
emancipating the Catholics. Ills share in these trans-
actions must ever excite the respect of those who can
at all appreciate the character of a conscientious
statesman.

THE MERCHANT TAYLOI?S' MAGAZINE.
A second portion of this amusing little periodical
justifies all we said respecting it on the occasion of its
first appearance. There is a bon-hommie about its
tone which cannot fail to propitiate favour, and the
majority of the contributions are jeux d esprit of un-
forced and spontaneous fascetiousness. Commend us
to the "Philosophy of Picnics" for a good laugh ;
the writer is evidently one of keen observation. The
" Life of Alcuin," too, is a paper of singular excel-
lence, notwithstanding its extreme brevity. So is it,
in most cases, with the remainder of the publication.

PRACTICE IN GERMAN. By Falck Lebahn.
It does not remain for us to assert that Falck
Lebahn is to German literature what De Porquet is
to French literature. As an elementary writer upon
the German language he has been long known and
deservedly popular. His " German in One Volume,"
for example, has, to our thinking, entirely superseded
all other grammars in the same tongue. A com-
panion work has just been issued upon a new prin-
ciple, or rather upon an elaboration of the new prin-
ciple of lingual tuition, " adapted to self-instruction."
The book before us comprises three chapters of the
charming tale by De La Motte Fouque, " Undine,"
with copious notes, and a literal interlinear translation.
As it would be hopeless to attempt to give any expla-
nation of the simplicity and clearness of this mode of
imparting a knowledge of the language, we must con-
tent ourselves with asserting, that whoever fails to
learn the German language with this help must have
an intellect irredeemably dull and obfuscated.

CYCLOPZDIA OF MORAL AND RE•

LIGIOUS ANECDOTES.
A very singular compilation or stories and inci-
dents having a moral and religious tendency. The
plan has evidently been suggested by the " Percy
Anecdotes," and by the sequel at present publishing
in London. With all respect for the intention of the
compiler, we cannot but think that be occasionally
sinks into an atmosphere of intolerable twaddle, as, for
example, when he lays it down as an axiom in ethics
that Balls are incompatible with prayer. Some of
the illustrative tales are good, such as those about
"Robert Hall as an Agent," about " Frederic the
Great and his Pomeranian servant," or about "Socrates
and his reply to Alcibiades." But when the ad-
visability of total abstinence from alcoholic liquors is
enforced by an account of a sagacious goat, or of the
freaks of a monkey, we are disposed to regard our
very sober monitor as guilty of a little puerility.

MACPHAIL'S EDINBURGH ECCLESIAS-

TICAL JOURNAL.
In the September number of this publication—
received long after the appearance of our notices of
the current periodicals—there are two
,contributions
to which we would particularly draw attention. One
is the commencement of an ingenious analysis of
Milton's masterpiece ; the other is a singular per-
formance, entitled " The Buffooneries of Modern
Education." A cluster of home truths will be found
in the latter well deserving► of consideration.

THE DREAM OF HUMAN LIFE.
As a sequel to " Social Distinctions; or Hearts
and Homes," by Mrs. Ellis, a narrative with the
above title has just been commenced by the author of
" The Lollards." H. Warren still continues to be the
illustrator ; and the " Peasant's Welcome" is one of
the most graceful sketches that has yet emanated from
his pencil. Seeing that scarcely eight pages of the
" Dream of Human Life" have yet appeared, we can do
nothing more, yet awhile, than simply announce the
fact of its publication.

TESTIMONIAL
TO THE HUNGARIAN REFUGEES

THE HUNGARIAN NATION COUNTS ON THE SYMPATIII
OF EVERY NATION WHICH LOVES RIGHT AND Ll-
BERTY."—Kossuth's Protest against Russian Inte yen-
tion.

Subscriptions may be sent to the following bankers:—
Messrs. Coutts and Co.
Messrs. Drummond.
Messrs. Smith, Payne, and Smith ;
or to any one of the members of the committee formed
to carry out the Testimonial.
***All further Post-office orders to be made payable toMurdo
Young, Esq., at the Money Order Office, Strand.
Subscriptions already received ... £1,096 1 11,

FRANCE.
The Provisional Council convoked by the Arch-
bishop of Paris opened its sittings in the chapel of the
seminery of Saint Sulpice on Monday morning. After
having assisted at the mass of the Holy Ghost, the
members of the council formed themselves into se-
veral congregations, to aonsider the serious questions
to be decided by the general congregation. It is be-
lieved that the deliberations of the Council will last
ten clays.
A letter from Pau mentions that the Pyrenees
are already covered with snow.
A letter from Dax (Landes) states that the entire
vintage has been destroyed in the communes of Cler-
mont, Ozaurt, Castetuan, Douzucy, Bajts, Lahasse,
and Gibut, by a hail-storm.
Accounts from Montpellier state that the health
of the celebrated Father Ventura, who has fixed his
residence in that town, is completely re-established.