The Sun.
London, England, 1840-06-10 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

BEAUMONT AND i'LETCHER'S WORKS.
2 Var!. Maxon, London, 1840.
The only objection we have to offer to this ele-
gant edition of two of our most popular dramatists
is, its size. " Books that you can carry with you
to your fire-side," says Dr. Johnson, " are, after
all, the most agreeable companions." This remark
is strictly just. We all like a light, portable volume
which we can handle easily, while lounging in a
chair or on a sopha by our social hearth. Instinc-
tively, as it were, we find ourselves reverting to
such books oftener than to those which may possess
superior excellence, but are too large and cumbrous
to be held conveniently for any length of time in the
hand. Volumes like these last, must be perused
formally and methodically at one's desk, which
always conveys ar: idea of task•work, not a little
wearying to those—and they constitute a large ma-
jority of the public—who read rather for amuse-
ment than instruction ; rather to pass away an idle
hour, than to furnish themselves with food for re-
flection. The volumes before us are large, thick
octavos—excellent books to read at the desk, but
such as we can never carry to the fire-side. Hence
they are better adapted to the tastes of the studious
few, than of the indolent many. If we except this defect
they are all that we could desire ; their external ap-
pearance is most prepossessing ; type and paper un-
impeachable; and they are embellished with admirably
engraved likenesses of Beaumont and Fletcher.
We may say, in addition, that they are recom-
mended by an introductory notice from the pen of
Mr. Darley—himself a dramatic poet of no mean
pretensions—who has executed his task in a skilful
and dispassionate manner. We perfectly agree
with this gentleman in his estimate of the come-
dies of Beaumont and Fletcher. Their tragic
powers, as evinced in Philaster, and the Maids.
Tragedy, are far more genuine than their comic.
Their tragedy frequently draws a tear ; but their
comedy seldom or never excites a hearty laugh.
And the reason is, it is too much devoted to the
delineation of mere fantastic humours. Their cha-
racters are grotesque; but we can rarely laugh with
them, or at them, because, though meant to be natu-
ral, they arc any thing but transcripts from life. Nct
so with our dramatists' tragedy. Here they show
genuine, healthy feeling, and sometimes, but not
often, an impassioned energy, worthy of Slinks-
peare. They are always, however, most in their
element, when they are pourtraying the tenderer
and gentler feelings of humanity. Their pathos is
exquisite, and they seem to have been fully aware
of their excellence in this respect, for their tragic
plays abound in pathetic touches. As for the
Faithful Shepherdess, which has been so warmly
commended by the critics, and is the exclusive pro-
duction of Fletcher, we have always considered it
overrated ; for, like most pastorals, it is formal and
passionless, however graceful and elaborate in dic-
tion, and were it not for one or two of its lyrics,
—especially that which is chaunted by the Satyr—
ic would be perfectly unreadable.

LLOYD'S SHIPPING.-(THIS DAY.)

DEAL, JUNE 9. —Wind N. N. E., and moderate.—Sailed
the John Fleming, Rase. for Calcutta; London, Gibson,
Port Philip; Patriot, Brown, Launceston; and Teazer,
Airth, St. Michael,
LlvEnrooL, JUNE 9. —Wind S.—Arrived the London,
Beng ; Calcutta, Harrison; and Chilton, Nl‘Gregor, from
Savannah ; and Duncan, St. John's, New Brunswick.
Off port the Laura, from the Cape of Good Hope; and
Pursuit, St. John's, New Brunswick. Sailed the United
States, 13trr, for Philadelphia; T. P. Cope, Mierckin,
ditto ; Minerva, Adams, Virginia; New York, 13arslow,
New York ; Ranger, Murill, Portland ; Herald, Myers,
Baltimore; and Valerosa, Mira, Havannah.
POItTcMOUTII, JUNE 9 —Wind S. to S. W. and S. S. R.
—Arrived the William godger, Currie, from Batavia
and Lord Lvnedoch transport; Steads, Cape of Good Hope.

THE CATTLE 1,
ItADE.—NO fewer than five
thousand cattle have been shipped from Aberdeen this year to
the London market, one thousand from Banff, one hundred and
twenty from Burghead, and sixty from Invergordon ; and
three thousand pigs. The total value of cattle sent to London
from these ports, during the last three years, amounts to
130,000/. It is remarkable that none have been shipped from
Inverness.—Edinbarqk Courant.
131 UP III"' 4tJNE
S li 4 .1,1411, stparlier, vie,
running between tilts place :,M1 Dii!PP?,, anivi..,d here this after -
noon, having performed the passage across in the short space
of six hours and 35 minutes.