The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-08 00:00:00

A I A'S WORT II

The encounter between Crichton and his invete-
terate enemy, Vincenzo de Gonzagr, is described in
the present 'instalment of " Crichton," in Mr. Aips-
Worth's happiest! manner. We are for the time
transported to the tournament field, and the admirable
illustration of Ilablot K. Browne is not required to
bring the combatants I.efore our eyes. The " pro
cession," by the same artist, is well designed, but is
Trip
somewhat indistinct in the engraving. "A
-"IP to the Unknown Gold Mountain or California,"
undertaken under the direction of " The Grand
Auriferous, - Stultiferous, Assiniferous, Califor.
Atari Bamboozle Company," is an amusing
satire upon the present California mania, b.)
t ‘r• 11. G. Kingston. " Pyrotechnics versus Elec-
.c telegraphs" gives a report of a public meeting
of pyrotechnics, which it seems was held the other
Qtening at the " Fireworks Manufactory," for the
Purpose of getting up a society for the suppression
electric telegraphs. The first speaker was " a young
who gave in his name as Gun Cotton." his
; had
was of a delicate tallowy white, and he
ltd the appearance of being " used up," as Charles
Mathews would say. Ladies also were present at
th. meeting, Miss Catherine Wheel being one of the
speakers. During the confusion Gun Cotton got so
heated, that he suddenly exploied and went off it, a
,White smoke. Shortly afterwards the meeting was
illuminated by a stream of light " from the opposi-
" shop over the way, where a mad fellow called
Electric Light was addressing the mob from the top
of
.- •a ' , " A Day's Adventures in Fatherland"
the title of a romantic tale by Thomas Roscoe.
the Countess of Rudolstadt," and thedlumestead,
i
Lower Britanny," are continued. " Cambrian
;tales" and " Jacob van der Nees" finish the cata
I°gUe cf the contents of Ainsworth.

TAIT.
There is a very agreeable diversity of subjects in
the number for the blustering month of March. One
h!ticle —an intelligent one, meriting perusal—is colo-
lal, relating to our " Canadian Possessions.' Another,
B.ePgraphical and entertaining, is an account of " Re-
Tint Australian Discoveries." A third is biographical,
being a criticism upon Mr. Foss's lately published
volumes on the " Judges of England." A fourth is
znonetary, being a retrospect of thc " Railway and
Joint-Stock Business of the Month." A fifth is
fiapiose and discursive, being a continuation of
the description of the Dee among the number
of " Scottish Rivers." Besides these there are— a
rapid narrative of the succession of occurrence 3 in
" Revolutionized Italy ;" an artistic celebration of the
" Royal Scottish Academy's Exhibition for 1849 ;"
and some additional chapters of Mr. Percy St.
John's enthralling talc of the great French Revolu
tl", " Miranda." The last mentioned has long been,
r1(.1 still continues to be, the principal attraction of
the magazine. A few miscellaneous verses by several
of the letters of the alphabet, together with the
usual Literary and Political Registers, complete the
current number.

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY.
The present number fully sustains the well-earned
tene which this periodical has won amongst its con;
rnPeraries. The first paper, a notice of Mr. Dennis s
I'
Cities and Cemeteries of Etruria," is a very able and
Just criticism on that gentleman's most interesting
°tic, and will be read with pleasure by all of classic
bate and learning. " The Massacre of St. Bartho.
trl,-"ew" is a full and graphic account of that horrible
gedy, collated from the " Correspondence of the
ereneh Ambassadors in England with their own
~Gurt," and several other authentic sources. " Waren ;
v-r the Oracular Afflatus of the Hiodoos:" these
etches contain a detail of very extraordinary facts,
•d will prove intensely interesting to the inquirer,
itito
physical and psychological phenomena, and may
p4rhaps throw some new light upon the great modern
'stery animal magnetism. The biographical sketch
Wt)f ~Mr• the eminent Irish barri,ter, doe,
.u.rlite credit to the biographer. It is graceful
teTleut flattery, ample and truthful without being
ph„.l°lls ; and most fully can we concur with the
`:ter- in the regret he expresses, when he exclaims,
the ‘iftim, too often, in this unhappy country do we
earnest, honest man, who his spent his life in unre-
ezetlng toil, who has worked his own way, by his owl.
cejti°us, who has never stooped to unseemly acts, nor
it;"Prunaised the character of his profession by trading
thoP°litics—who has never th.viated from the straight
444'0 rugged path which leads to fame, although he
ni4dcis Foremost in the rank of his profession, though he
for h`Pired for his ability and acquirements, and esteemed
ri,fri:3 atepri worth—how often du we see such a one
Pa?recteci y h who are the dispensers of official
ad" 4age, while the political charlatan, the dishone,:t
bad neuter, the obscure practitioner, who has
Rout recourse to acts to which no man of honour
litQoP.--his inferior in every acquirement

which can diAinguisli a lawyer, and every
quality which ran adorn a man—is lifted over his
head. Alas! it is true, too true. In Ireland. in the
distribution of political patronage, merit is very r.rely
the test. Genius, learnin,t, wit, and cloquercc are left
neglected in the shade, while political tergiversation and
profligacy, empty bluster and factious agitation, often
carry off the prize."
The etching is most accurate and life-like. A paper
on " The Poor-laws, Potatoe Disease, and Free
Trade," is well worthy of perusal. A series of tales.
classica ly and gracefully written, entitled " The
Seamen of the Cyclades," will also be read with
pleasure. The next paper is " A few Plain Words to
the People of England, respecting the State of Na-
tional Education in Ireland." This paper is ably
written, and puts forward the views of certain par-
ties in Ireland conscientiously opposed to the
present system of national education ; and
though we are among the most strenuous advocates
for the present s 3 stem, yet, if any too rigid rule
could be relaxed, so as to throw open to all sects and
parties the benefits of education, and relieve the ten-
der consciences of all denominations of our fellow..
Christians, it would give us sincere pleasure. The
next paper is a notice of a very able work by Surgeon
Wilde, "The Closing Years of Dean Swift's Life,"
a work manhesting the deep research, minute ob-
servation, and untiring industry of the learned author.
Next follows a continuation of "Ceylon and the Cin-
galese," playful, witty, and instructive as usual.
'There is a notice of a new novel, "illy Uncle the
Curate," by the author of " The Bachelor of Albany"
and "The 'Falcon Family." The number closes with
a powerful and argumentative article, entitled " The
Times,' the Poor-law, and the Poor-law Committee."
We regret our space will not allow us to follow the
able writer through the whole subject, but. we
cannot avoid giving his answer to the question, " Why
the British public should pay the heavy costs of our
social revolution ?" as indicating the views of many
Irish gentlemen.—" We are free to confess we know
but one reason—the fact that they have caused it.
The poor. law is their infliction upon Ireland. It wa,
enacted and carried into effect against the will of the
Irish people and their representatives, and fur the ad.
vantage of the British public"—" and we only re-
quire :that Great Britain shall contribute to the
poor law, regarded in its aspect of benevolence,
according to her ability, and that as a penal infliction
she shall bear her portion also."