The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-29 00:00:00

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LITERATURE.
RECOLLECTIONS OF MILI7 ABY SERVICE
in 1813, 1814, and 1315, through GERMAN),
HOLLAND, and FRANCE. including some Detail,
of the Rattles of Quatre Bras and Waterloo. By
Thomas Morris, late Sergeant of the 73d Regiment of
Foot.

This is one of those pleasing little works, the peru-
sal of which will gratify the general reader, while
much instruction may be gleaned from the simple
record of the life and feelings of the private soldier,
during a most interesting and critical period of the
history of our country. It is peculiarly apposite at the
present time, when so many ameliorations have been
effected, and are contemplated in the condition of our
military brethren. Who can so truly depict the many
things, in themselves trivial and inconsiderable, but
Which materially influence the mind, and lead to the
content and happiness, or misery and wretchedness of
the private soldier, as the man who has himself par-
ticipated in those feelings, who has felt by what
means he could be enabled to resist temptation, to be
obedient to his superiors, temperate and correct in
his habits, a strict observer of discipline, and in all
respects a goo:I and upright soldier, and who could
also tell or the petty vexations and annoyancJs that
harrass and tortneot his brethren, that induce in-
subordination, and lead men to incur the risk of
Punishment?
The author throws considerable light on two ques-
tions that have hitherto been much discussed, but
Which are now, we hope, practically set at rest, viz.,
the necessity of corporal punishment, and the effi-
ciency of enlistment for a limited period. The first
he contends to be cruel and unnecessary, and he
relates with much simplicity many instances of its
injurious effects, and the superior efficacy of a
milder and more lenient discipline. We shall give
Ids. own words :

" The cheapness of ardent spirits, genuine hollands,
direct from the distillery, and sold in the chandlers'
ihehps, the same as small beer used to be in England; and
price of the spirit (retail) was only eightpence per
quit The consequence was, we had a great deal of
drunkenness and crime, and, as a matter of course, a
great many punishment parades, which took place on
the esplanade, or piece of ground near the citadel, over-
looked by a numb. r of respectable houses ; and the fre-
quency of our disgraceful flogging exhibitions created
such horror and disgust, that ac length a remonstrance
was presented to our commanding officer on the subject.
"After the protest of the inhabitants, other modes of
Punishment were adopted. Solitary confinement for the
more serious crimes, and extra guards and punishment
drills for the common offences. Sometimes the man
would have to mount guard, and stand sentry with a
log of wood fastened by a chain to his leg. Crime did
u!rtainly not prevail to the same extent afterwards as it
did before. Solitary confinement was more especially
dreaded by the men."
Serjeant Morris was manifestly a man of observa-
tion and judgment, and we confess that after the pe-
rusal of his little volume, we would feel inclined to
attach more weight to his judgment than to that of
many who have filled more exalted stations, and who
Could scarcely tolerate an opinion at variance with the
Prejudice and fancies in which they are enveloped.

TAE OLD ENGLISH GENTLEMAN ; or, The

Fields and the Woods. By John Mills.
The author of this agreeable volume is manifestly
...an enthusiastic and passionate lover of field sports.
-tle devotes himself to their description in all their
varieties, whether hunting the fox or badger,
shooting, coursing, or angling. The first, however,
the, exciting fox hunt, appears the chief object of
his idolatry. His hounds are in themselves
uistinct characters, each enjoying their own
PePculiar qualifications, and his heroes are his
,ntemen, and whippers-in. There is much
information as to the duties and requisites of those all
,miportant functionaries, that would doubtless be va-
lUable to young aspirants and would be perused with
much pleasure bi all sportsmen of every age, class,
and condition. fhe plot is chiefly used as a means of
introducing his vivid and glowing descriptions of field
Pastimes ; but yet it possesses interest sufficient to
attract, and satisfy those who know little of sporting
affairs. The author, however, succeeds better while
he remains in the country—on the green sod ;on
which he is quite at home. His scene in
/court during the trial of Larkins v. Titley is too
absurd. He makes this attorney a' grossly transpa-
strent rogue, who would seedily be banished from
the profession. The barristers, dunderheads, who
are put down by the most commonplace slang from a
te34lmon clod-hopper; and his jury of country gen-
t'it.emen, (we wonder he had not some sympathy with
inn,) a set of simpletons, without sense or intellect.
4,tst with this exception (which is, indeed, strongly
n variance with the other parts of the book), John
ills is a right merry and jovial companion with
,10111 to wile away a passing hour, and it is impos-
cA'e not to accord to him the character to which he
htieilY aspires, that of a jolly sportt,man. The kind-
eted old squire, full of benevolence, is a fine
too*"h gentleman of the olden time. Tom Bolton,
the veteran whipper-in, is a character
of
whichtr there have been many prototypes, and we
1.11:81 that many are still to be found like master and
e man. Indeed we should deeply lament if we
uPPosed that either class was extinct, or likely to
become so. We doubt not that the book will have an
teltensive circulation, particularly in all coun-
e_Y. quarters, and when once admitted, it will
'Mlle a sort of sportsman's vade mecum, to be con-
sulted with the "Sporting Repository," or the
Papers of Nimrod."

ARTISTS' GENERAL BENEVO-

LENT INSTITUTION.
t.: The thirty-second anniversary of this excellent Insti-
-1011, the object of which is to relieve decayed artists,
attld to afford assistance to their widows and orphans in
e hour of need, was celebrated at the Freemason's
Tavern, on Saturday evening. Thomas Baring, Esq.,
i1)-, presided, in the unavoidable absence of Samuel
f.°lles Lloyd, Esq , who had been announced to preside,
ti`ltt indisposition. About 150 gentlemen sat down to
Among them we observed, Sir Roderick Mut.-
Itis°n, Sir %V. C. Ross, R. A. ; P. Hardwick°, Esq. ; J.
erdwicke, Esq. ; J. H. Mann, Esq. ; C. R. Cockrill,
R.A. ; and anumber of other gentlemen connected
With the Fine Arts.
Daunted,
cloth having been removed, and the Benedictus
'4lkUnted, by Messrs. 'l'. Cooke, Hatton, Kench, and
?there who, with the Misses Payne, greatly contributed
4.0 the hilarity of the evening, the usual loyal and con-
'thigh:mai toasts were given, and warmly responded to
Particularly the toast of " The Queen, under whose
protection the institution is now placed by her Ma-
jt3tY's command ;" and " Prince Altell, the patron of
a
sinstitution," which was coupled with the announce-
;lent of the pleasing fact that His Royal Highness had
loilsented the institution with a munificent donation of

tk The CHAIRMAN then rose to propose " Prosperity to
,° Artists General Benevolent Institution." In dis-
garging so pleasing a duty—for it was one which gave
the highest gratification—he said he felt the im-
risibility of his adequately advocating the cause which
t: and they had met to support ; his complete inability
give effect to the wishes which he entertained for the
Access and continuance of the institution. However,
Ch. asking them to drink prosperity to the
trl.titutioe, he felt that he could not do better
f,°,!l leave the appreciation of the toast to their own
C4l3gEl, which could not fail to plead more forcibly in
:lour of an earnest response than anything he could say
,Ltirge. If they were not well aware of the importance
et the national importance—of the general benevolence
pt.the objects of the institution, he feared he might des-
of%l obtaining their support and sympathy, for those
oilecta of their advocacy rested neither upon his language
conduct. When he found that, since 1814, that institu-
lie
b had expended 10,5631. in relieving those who emi-
tlY deserved it, he felt that it was creditable to the
Wynle of this country, and also that expenditure was an
I,?l,ence of how much contributions were wanted.
q4t vast amount' of sorrow and suffering had been re-
°rod by this fund, and what an ample field there
Jet
- remained for the exercise of the generosity
,
/t benevolence of the English people.--(Cheers.)
is impossible when one looked through the list of
1„ 0 who had received aid, not to see how much for-
itZtotts circumstances tended to produce the most dis-
Nis consequences, and to place those, who least
t*ploPected such a result, in a position to require assistance
ra the funds of the institution ; how little error—how
Ltle want of forecast, but how much circumstances
light render it necess iry fur many to apply to the insti-
kt,iinn for relief; which no one wished to do until cow-
tolled by stern necessity. No occupation tended more
14 1,1 desire for independence than that of an artist ; and
°la struggle to obtain it, he, perhaps, was unable to
Vide for those attached to him, or even for himself, as
e'er
wish. The admiListration of the funds was
e'tall in those who could well appreciate the feelings and
tu'riities of artiste, and whose high positioa was a
hacient guarantee that the funds would be properly ex-
iciaded. When he mentioned the name of Mr. Nichol,
~be
honorary secretary, he was sure there would be a
~,lierat feeling of confidence.—(Hear, hear.) Artists
thtea necessitated to seek aid, had a strong claim on
.11; generosity—in fact, it was a national debt of
Lt-tllude to contribute to the support of those who not,
Q....their own fault, bet by inevitable calain:ties were
h`altelves, or those connected with them, reduced to
Rhil„t`----(, Loud cheering.) It was a debt due to those,
by their efforts and genius, elevated the public
ttstLacter —benefited the public—and directed public
e by diverting men from the pursuit of mere sensual
heetritsure to the mere ennobling pleasure ot art.—(Hear,
t. 14,.) They must all know, that in every profession,
te, ,L,adder must be climbed from the bottom—and that,
aleNquently, the task was far from easy ot accomplish-
Lt.; so that, it a man had wily got half way up, it
tair',4l not had his course cheiked out for him so that it
401:7,4 be easily traversed, it was possible that he might
tetills,want aid; and, although he did not mean to say that
tho `4 were not encouraged in this country, yet through
se accidental circumstances to which he had alluded,
eetql7e,ight become dispirited and be crushed before he
‘, rise into notoriety.—(Hear. hear.) When he
*hehat in that art, it might often occur, that men
hi% toillie for fame as artists, d d forget the value of
114:3" and the suffering which its loss might entail upon
%CI ----that the artist might think that, in achieving repu-
,offern.l.be might cast aside all the means of emolument that
Sfoe'''---he did think that when a man was bowed down
lith`e ne reaped any beneficial pecuniary result from his
theie%ediaabled
dear.s, or r.emoved by death leavini
and to hun, without the bare means of