The Sun.
London, England, 1849-07-17 00:00:00

LITER A TURF..
BLACK'S PICTURESQUE GUIDE-
BOOKS.
At the present very opportune moment, when the
July sun is rendering London intolerable and the
country all-attractive, a new edition of Black's Po-
pular " Picturesque Guide Books" has very judici-
ously been issued. The " Picturesque Tourist of
Scotland," of which the sixth edition is before us,
scarcely requires commendation. However, for the
benefit of persons about to make a tour to the "north
countrer," and whose party would otherwise be in'
complete, we will state the characteristics of this
agreeable compagnon de voyage. Some of these cha-
racteristics will be best given in the words of the
Preface, which tell us that—
"ln the compilation of Guide-Books, it appears to the
publishers that much eloquence is otten ni edlessly ex'
pended in ambitious eulogiums on the beauty or grair
deur of natural scenery, of which no ad; plate idea can
be conveyed to the mind by any written descripti"n,
however graphic and minute. In the present work such
attempts have been studiously avoided. A plain and in-
tt.iligiole account has been given of the scenery 11104
worthy of the attention of strangers, without dictating
the amount of admiration with which any given iceee
is to be contemplated. By adopting this course, space
has been found I, .1. the incorporation of a large amount
of traditionary, historicA and literary illustration, by
which it is conceived is recollection of the seen,ry will be
more permanently fixed in the memory of the tourist,
than by any original description of its features which
the author could himself have given.
" Neither labour nor expense has been spared to give
the work the greatest possible degree of accuracy. To
secure this object, the several sh,:ets, in their progress
through the press, have been transmitted to individuall
conversant with the topography of the respective dis-
tricts ; while the descriptions of Edinburgh, Glasgow,
and Aberdeen, have been wholly contributed by natives
of these cities."
The number of illustrations scattered throughout this
volume is surprising; there are no less than twenty'
four maps, plans, and railway charts, and fifty-two
views of scenery, &c. Some of the latter are very
beautiful engravings; among others are Melrose
Abbey, Loch Lomond, Abbotsford, and the various
public buildings of Auld Reekie, &c. The number
and the beauty of the engravings are such as to render
this volume equally attractive in the drawing-Noel
as it is useful on the tour. Of a similar character i!
"Black's Picturesque Guide to the English Lakes,
which, to quote the quaint motto on the title-
page, is " ane that wad bear ye pleasant company
on the road, and tell ye the names of the gen-
tlemen's and noblemen's seats, and count their
kin to ye." In addition to its agreeable and
picturesque guidance through the lake district,
this volume gives an " Essay on the GeologY,
of the District," by J. Phillips, late Professor 01
Geology and Mineralogy in the University of Dublin.
Some beautiful views of the various lakes, and mime"
rous charts, maps, and outline views of mountain
groups are to be found in the volume.

A POPULAR HISTORY of BRITISH SEA'
WEEDS. By the Rev. D. Landsborough.
"Not lost the time in sea-side ramble spent.
Braced is the frame; and mental health is gained;
Knowledge is gained of Him who made the deep,
And blissful love acquired of nature's works,
Ot which each questioned soothly says:
The plastic power that formed us is divine!'
Launch .hen the skiff; ply well the scraping dredge!
Or, if it like thee bt tier, search the shore:
Etch rock-pool has its treasure, every tide
Strews on the yellow sand, from Ocean's lap, •
Weeds, than our flowers more lair, and fitted more,
By Lady's gentle fingering displayed,
To beautify the album's tasteful tiage,
Than aught that deftest pencil e'er devised
Ot gracetul symmetry, or lovely hue:
For who care paint like Nature?' quoth the Bard."
D. L.
These beautiful lines, which we find on one of its
first pages, form an appropriate introduction to the
book of " British Sea- weeds." The family of the
Alice have been happy in finding such an historian as
Mr. Landshorough ; he treats the subject cost amore,
and displays in that treatment much erudition find
research. This volume is got up in that handsorae
and elaborate style which characterises the publics'
tions of Messrs. Reeve and 13enham. It is profuself
illustrated with specimens of the various sea-weet
beautifully drawn and exquisitely coloured. " ,
time is not very far gone past," says Mr. Lanus-
borough in his introduetion,
When a book on the study of Sea-weeds, would
have been the very reverse of popular in any "se'
Abut fifty years ago, in some academic chairs, they
were treated with disdain. We have heard of a student
about that period who, having collected some beautiful
Alga on the shore, showed the contents of his vasculai:
to the Professor of Botany whose lectures he attended,
expressing a wish to get some information respeCtiff;
them. The Professor looked at them, and putting o° his
spectacles, again looked at them, when pushing theta
from him, he exclaimed: Pooh! a parcel of sea.weedb
sir; a parcel of sea. weeds!' The Newhaven fish-rmefl
seem to have caught the spirit of this learned Professor,
for to this day do they denominate all the finer sea-weeds,
—chat,: They are weeds: and what are weeds? Dr.
Johnson, the famous lexicographer, tells us that they
are plants that are noxious and useless. On, but they
are sea-weeds, we say in mitigation. And does that
mend the matter? Horace and Virgil knew that right
wt 11, and as with all their poetic genius they knew not se
word of English, they give them the outlandish name
,cll_
Alger :—nay more, Horace speaks of them as inutile
Alga,' useless sea•weedsl And tasteful Virgil goes,
even beyond his friend Horace, for when speaking or
something which he regards as worthless and filthy, he
says that it is the 'Alga projecta viler
sea-weed cast out on the shore. Its very calamities or!,
turned against it: 'Refunditur Alga,' says another pat'',
the sea loathes it and flings it out on the land !--11-15.
for the poor sea-weeds, when the Princes of Poetry to
e
the Augustan age are against them! But as there were
no sea-weeds in the streets of Rome, or in the yellowt
Tiber, they may have spoken thoughtlessly, and wiitrire
than the
any malice prepense, and we would therefore app
the "e-ba-
the ancient court of the Muses, and consider what -
meter they sustain in the present day."
That the effect of this appeal will be the setting aside
of the verdict of the venerable court of antiquity ae
cannot doubt, when such arguments as the folloWing
can be adduced in favour of the study of nature
" The naturalist knows nothing of that teedium vil4r;
—that vampire, ennui, which renders life a burden to
thousands. To him every hour is precious. Ho may
have little leisure for his favourite pursuits; but even
those scraps of time which occur in the busiest life, rind
which many allow to be lost, he gathers up as precio:
fragments. Habits of observation, of patient researcla
of accurate discrimination, and orderly arrangement are
gradually acquired. Wherever he is—on the wild Wo(,f
)
or on the shore of the sea, he learns to see thousauds ,
beautiful, wonderful things which the untrained, twin.'
fisted eye never observes. Is he health) ? His ruts
rambles are conducive to the continuance of health.
i.lO
he in search of health? Health flees from the man Iv"
sets out in direct pursuit of it. But let him have an `9;
wrest in the wonders of nature—in the works of God
hand,—meditating on them, he forgets his 13e
1
ments, and health, which he ceases to pursue, by t"
blessing of God often comes as it were of its own 11,,c-
-cord. His mind is soothed and refreshed, and the
153,:.
Lary influence is felt by the enfeebled body.
There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar.' "

LANCASTER AND NEWCASTLE.—Yesterday the
winding up of this company's affairs came on before the
Master in Chancery Tinney, fur the appointment of ("n
oficial assignee, to fix the contributories from ara°l,
the original allotttees liable to pay off outstanding
gagements. The petitioners praying that the company
might be wound up were Messrs. Waring and ITPLuo,
and Messrs. Wilkinson and Cockburn, the original Pea
footers, secretary and solicitor. The line, it apPeaff„l
from the petitions, was projected with a proposed caPii"
of 2,000,000/, in 100,000 shares of 201. each, and 21. 25*
deposit. Upton, the second promoter, was an in-
solvent, and Mr. Waring, clerk to the magistrates at
Sett bergh, the treasurer, had had actions brought aPinnst
him by the creditors. The shares on their allofrae"
rose to a premium; 2s. 6d. a share was paid; but s
scheme was subsequently abandoned. Mr. Shure, for
the petitioners, urged the appointment of Mr. Waring
as official manager. This was opposed by Mr. Via,ci,
on behalf of ()that. contributors, who proposed Mr. .13',„' fir'
p banker, West Riding, on the ground that 'L.
Warin was an interested party. Mr. Rogerson Pr°l
posed Mr. Soulby, accountant. The Master decide_
against the appointment of Mr. Waring, and said at tr
next meeting he would determine whether Mr. Bir
beck, in the event of no other person being propose‘"
should be appointed in conjunction with Mr. soul*
MORTALITY ON SHIPBOARD.--The packet-6,1" r
Guy Maunering, Captain Edwards, arrived yesterday
l
at quarantine hem Liverpool, which port she left liviitd
779 steerage and six cabin passengers. Thirty -five 4:T
during the passage, and seven are now sick. ,
were landed and received by Dr. Stewart, of the .r4Wl'.
grant hospital, Staten Island. The surviving
sengers appear to be in good health.—New York (,barter.

BARTZ%
On the 13th inst., at Castle Ashbv,Northampionshire, tl/9
Lady of William Compton, of a son.
On the 11th inst., at Cornwood Vicarage, Devonshire, a°
wife of the Rev. H. G. Adams, of a son.
On the II th inst., at Iles,,enford, St. Ge -man3, Cornsirsll,
the wile of the Rev. E. Golding, of a dilighter
On the 9th at Ramsgate, Mrs. Edward' B. Wslforcl,
of a son.

MRRIE.
On the 13th inst., at theA
InddepeDndent Chapel, Sherbornet
Dorset, W. H. Williams, Esq., M.D., of Sherborne, to Mail:,
eldest daughter of Benjamin Chandler, Esq., of the ease
place.

DIE
On the 11th inst., in CanterbuD ry-place, Lambeth, the BO'
Stephen Swabey, M.A,, aged 91.
On the lath inst., at nrighton, Henry Dawson, of
Launde ,bbey. Leicestershire.
On the 14th inst., in Portland•place, J. J. Batemar,
of Lincoln's-inn, and Pentre Mawr, Denbighshire.
d 66,
On the i2th inst., at It ingston, Portsmouth, ag,
her
Hannah, mother of Mr. George tiiddlecombe, muster 0,
Aldjest.) 's yacht Victoria arid Albert.

Loudon: Printed and Published by MURDO Y01TN444
Na. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, Na 114
btrand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the Want/ °
Middlesex, Tuesday, July 17,1849,