The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-22 00:00:00

Tri F, SUN,'

I goras we know little that is certain, and we have none of
his writings. Of Plato, we may distinctly say that the
evidence afforded by his works is decidedly against the
notion of Egyptian influence. He visited Egypt ; but
seems to have brought nothing away from it except a pro-
found veneration for the orderly symmetry of society, and
perhaps also a certain inclination towards the symbolical,
though the latter he might very well have learned from the
Grecian mysteries, as M. Ampere suggests. And when he
wishes to express philosophical ideas by means of mytholo-
gical symbols, he employs the mythes of Greece, and not the
legends of Egypt.
As the writer elsewhere remarks, even Schmiilders, " at
the very outset, stops to warn us that we can never speak
of Arabian philosophy, in the strict sense of the Is ord,
as we speak of a Greek or a German philosophy."
There is much justice, therefore, in gainsaying the old
misconception that science, and literature, and art, all
sprang from Egyptian and Arabic enterprise. Facts—
undeniable facts—prove to the contrary. The other
contributions are in a great measure beaming with inttl-
ligence.

SHARPE'S LONDON MAGAZINE. November,
1846, to April, 1847.

As we have continually noticed this periodical in its
monthly form of publication, it is unnecessary to ob-
serve more than that, in its collected form, it presents
an accumulation of those advantages and excellencies
which were previously its characteristics when produced
piecemeal. Sharpe's London Magazine is not merely a
melange of agreeable fragments of light literature—it is
diversified with clever illustrations and instructive
articles. As a specimen of the papers contained in the
present volume, we transcribe the following description
of the renowned meeting of the Emperors of France
and Russia at Erfurth, in 1808, the description
being translated from the lively account of Madame
Schopenhaner, who was an eye-witness of the august
festivities.—

" The epoch was, indeed, a striking one, in which the as-
tonishing man who for so many years has slept on the rock
of St. Helena from the fitful fever of his life, brought toge-
ther in this place, as with the stroke of an enchanter's wand,
emperors. and kings, and the most remarkable of living men.
Towns-people and peasant,, strangers from all countries,
courtiers in costume richly embroidered, and somewhat ri-
diculous from the antiquity of their fashion; Polish Jews,
statesmen and officers covered with ribbons and crosses, ci-
tizen's wives, ladies elegantly dressed, peasant girls, with
their baskets on their backs,—all hurried here and there,
jostling and labouring to make way. From time to time,
French troops, moving with the music of bands to the ground
appointed for review, added to the confusion of the streets.
The town of Erfurth was not large enough to hold the
strangers who came crowding into it. The principal inhabi-
tants were driven from their apartments to those of the ser-
vants, to make room for the suite of the Emperor of the
French. In the streets more removed from the centre, the
owners of houses were delighted with the golden harvest af-
forded by those who tenanted them. The inns were filled to
overflowing.

The scene is then changed to the theatre, where Telma,
Mademoiselle Duchenois, Mademoiselle Mars, and
others, enraptured their majestic auditors:—

" I was happy enough to be placed with two of my friends
in the front of a box near the stage, whence we could sec all
that passed in the pit. We congratulated each other on be•
ing so well placed ; but our joy was of short duration. The
boxes near us were filled to excess. The door of ours
was opened hastily. The gendarme, or whoever he was,
who stood sentinel over our box, came to say that three
chairs were too much for three ladies, and immediately in-
troduced to the seats two other ladies, who, fortunately,
however, were known to us. All the boxes, as well as ours,
were soon full. We were crowded unmercifully, so that we
could hardly stir. The heat was enough to make one faint;
but really we had not time for anything of the kind. The
importance of the grand spectacle which was forming itself
under our eyes in the pit, occupied our attention so much,
that every inconvenience was forgotten.
" Immediately before the stage were placed arm chairs
for the two Emperors, Alexander and Napoleon; and, at
their sides, ordinary chairs for the kings and reigning princes.
The space behind these seats began to be filled up. We saw
enter the statesmen and generals of the several powers of
Europe, men whose names were then famous, and have be-
come a portion of history. Uniforms covered with gold, and
an air of vivacity and assurance, distinguished the French
from the Germans, more serious and more modest. There
were Berthier,
.Soult, Caulaincourt, Savary, Lannes, Duroc,
and many others equally celebrated ; it seemed as if the
greatness of their master was reflected in the aspect of each.
Goethe was there, with his calm dignified look, and the
venerable Wieland. They had accompanied the grand Duke
of Weimar to Erfurth. The Duke of Gotha, and several
German princes, reigning or allied to those reigning, were
grouped about the two veterans of German literature.
"A rolling of drums was heard outside. 'lt is the Em-
peror!' ran through the hall in a murmur.
Fools what are you about?' said the commanding
officer to the drummers; it is but a king!'
"In effect, a German king it was who entered the hall.
Three others appeared in a little time after. Without noise
or spleadour, the Kings of Bavaria, Saxony, and Wurtem-
berg, entered. The King of Westphalia (Jerome), who
came later, eclipsed them by the éclat of his embroideries
and pearls. The Emperor Alexander, with his majestic
port, came next. The grand box, opposite the stage, dazzled
all eyes by its brilliancy. The Queen of Westphalia, covered
with diamonds, sat in the middle, and near her the charming
Stepanie, Grand Duchess of Baden, more remarkable for the
graces of her person than the richness of her dress. Some
German princesses were seated near the two reigning
princesses. The ladies and gentlemen of their courts occu-
pied the back of the box.
"At this moment Talleyrand made his appearance in a
little box arranged expressly for himself near the stage, on
account of the weakness of his legs. The Emperor and the
Kings remained standing by this box, in conversation with
the Minister, seated comfortably within it. Everybody had
arrived; he alone who had summoned all these great people
together was still looked for; and he made them wait for
some time.

"At last, a fresh rolling of the drums was heard, louder
than before, and all eyes were bent on the entrance with an
uneasy curiosity.' He appeared at last—this most incom-
prehensible man of an inconceivable era. Dressed vary
simply, as usual, he slightly saluted the Sovereigns present,
who had been obliged to wait for him so long, and took
his arm-chair on the right of the Emperor of Russia.
His short round person was strikingly contrasted with the
superb figure of Alexander. The four Kings took their
places on chairs without arms, and the play began. But
Telma displayed his excellent art in vain. Jocasta Rau-
court, whose beauty and talents had fascinated Baron
Grimm, at Paris, during half a century, now found that she
could charm no more. We had no eyes or attention for any-
thing but the pit before us. In the meantime, the gene-
darrues at the door of our box did all they could to correct
the deficiencies of our education, and to teach us, in the in-
tervals between the acts, the etiquette to be observed to-
wards the master of the world. Take down that opera-
glass—the Emperor does not like it! ' cried one of them
leaning over the ladies seated behind us. ' Sit up, and don't
stretch out your neck—the Emperor does not like it;' cried
another. The impertinence, to be sure, was very great ; but
we took pattern by the kings and princes before us, and bore
patiently at the hands of Frenchmen what we could not
remedy. . -

"immediately after the opening of the tragedy, which he
had already seen a hundred times, Napoleon sat himself at
ease in his arm-chair, and was soon sound asleep. It is well
known that he could sleep at any hour of the day or night he
pleased. Eye-witnesses have declared that, even on days of
battle, he would designedly eet himself to sleep during an
hour or two, for the purpose of recruiting his strength, and
wake at a fixed time. On the day of this representation at
Erfurth he lied fatigued himself in reviewing the troops for
several hours together. It was a singular spectacle for us to
see buried in such a quiet sleep this terrible man, whose vast
plansinvolved one half the globe, either for good or evil. We
were never tired of contemplating, with an astonishment
mingled with fear, that fine antique profile relieved against
the sombre uniform of the Czar Alexander."
The other contributions are of variable interest.

THE PARLOUR LIBRARY, 11. MEMOIRS
OF A PHYSICIAN, Vol. I. By Alexander Dumas.
The doom of the Roman feuilleton is scaled, and the
prince of feuilletonists, Alexander Dumas, is consequently
in danger of finding his occupation gone like that of
Othello. " Worse," says the Westminster Review,
"worse than the lassitude of the brain-sucked author
writing desperately to order—worse than the utmost
malignity of slashing or sneering criticism—is the ins.
practicable vis inertice of a public who have ceased to be
amused and will not buy." The proprietor of the " Par-
lour Library" should have looked well to this alarming
fact before the re•issue of the first portion of the clever
but ephemeral "Memoirs of a Physician," and especially
he should not have depreciated the circumstance that
this identical work is the very one interrupted in its
course of publication in the Constitutionnel newspaper.
A little more procrastination would have been advisable.
Among the very many dramatic and effective scenes in
this romance is the one where Joseph Balsamo is pre-
sented to Mario Antoinette, where the sorcerer shows the
future Queen the execution of herself upon the guillo
tine in the water of a golden Carafe. It is faithfully
and elegantly translated.

THE BEETHOVEN QUARTET SOCIETY.--The third
meeting was more fully attended than either of the others,
which may be in a great part attributed to the presence of
Joseph Joachim, one of the most accomplished and admirable
of living violinists, who led two of the quartets on the occa-
sion. The programme comprised the passionate and beautiful
C minor (No. 4, from Op. 18); the E flat (No. 10, Op. 74),
which may be regarded as the bridge passing over from the
early and middle quartets to the " posthumous;" and the A
minor (No. 12, Op. 132), one of the most profound and
imaginative of the last-mentioned. Joseph Joachim led the
first and third. His playing, both in style and execution,
was superb, and the audience were moved to the warmest
expressions of delight. Sainton led the second, in his usual
energetic manner. The tenor and violoncello playing of
Hill and Rousselot, as usual, elicited the highest marks of
approval.
SIR ROBERT PEEL IN BLACIBUNN.-011 Monday
evening last, at about half-past 7 o'clock, Sir R. Peel arrived
in Blackburn from Drayton. The Right Hon. Baronet
travelled by railway to Preston, and came thence in his own
private carriage. His arrival, having reference only to his
own private estates at Oswaldtwisle, in this neighbourhood,
was intended to be strictly private, the letter received at Miss
Garth's Hotel, Blackburn, simply stating that dinner would
be required for " two gentlemen," shortly after 7, and that
beds would also be wanted. The second gentleman was Mr.
Spark, we believe, a practical agriculturist from London, who
had attended Sir Robert with a view to conducting some ex-
tensive improvements on his estates, such as thorough drain-
ing, &c. Notwithstanding the secresy which had so far been
observed upon the subject of the Right Hon. ex-Premier's
visit, it became known a few minutes after his arrival, and
inquiries were numerous as to the fact. He stayed but a
night at the hotel, and left at about 8 yesterday morning for
Oswaldtwisle, three miles from Blackburn, where, attended
by Mr. Westall, local steward of his estates, and Mr. Spark,
he walked about some five or six hours, suggesting and de-
termining upon various important improvements, and left
shortly before 4 o'clock for Manchester, where it was sup-
posed he would pass the night. Sir R. Peel's estates in the
neighbourhood of Oswaldtwisle produce him about 4,0001.
a year, and he has not visited them since 1834.—B1.chburn
Standard.

SUGAR.—From a return issued yesterday, by order
of the House of Commons (on a motion of Mr. Moffatt), it
appears that 3,061,3591. is the amount of duty received in
the United Kingdom on sugar from April 5, 1846, to Jan. 5,
1847. Of this amount 3„067,954!. was the aggregate receipt
on sugar unr2fincd, and 23,4951. on refined sugar and sugar
candy. During the period above-mentioned a sum of
14,5711. was paid under protest at theCustom•house,London,
in respect of sugar that was stopped for alleged inaccurate
entry therein.