The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-07 00:00:00

THE WEATHEIL-NOON, MAY 6.

ROYAL GALLERY OF SCIENCE, ADELAIDE-STREET.
Barometer
Thermometer ...61 I Highest 62 I Lowest ... 5O
Wind S. S. W. —Freezing Point 32 Deg,

SHAMEFUL OCCURRENCE AT A FUNERAL.

—A man of the name of Tam Dowie, belonging to Khross,
having died, all of his relatives were prohibited, by the last
will and testament of this eccentric, from coming near his dead
body, seeing they had not looked near him while living, and
certain acquaintances of the deceased were appointed to do
the particular honours of the Loral. Accordingly, none of the
relatives appeared until the fuieral company had comnienc,d
their progress to the churchyard, when a .sister's son of the de-
ceased came forwad and demitided the " head" from him who
was appointed to that honourable dignisy. He refused.
From words it came to blows—a regular fight ensued hetween
the Iwo, and in the contest the relative of the decease kicked
the coffin with his feet with such force that a space was opened,
displacing to the horrified feelings of the bystanders the body
in Its grave-eldthes. The body was carried to the grave by
the Kinross officials, leaving the arutal wretches to fight it out.
Such a scene could hardly be expected to occur among
savages--,-horlible, curly, among Christians in the nineteenth
cent ury. Stirling Observer.
The cuckoo was heard, we believe, for the first

time this season in our ne;ghbourhood. on aturday evening
last, in the woods of Craigie. wh,re he generally first proclaims
his arrival. A number of swallotiss, the harbingers of mower,
were seen flitting about early lth.t week.—Ayr Observer.
NEWSVENDER'S BENEVOLENT AND PROVI-
DENT INSTITUTION.—The second annual meeti.'g if the sub-
scribers and friends to the above Institution, will take place
Wednesday, May 19 ; James Harmer, Esq., President, in
the Chair.

BOROUGH OF MARYLFBONE.—Lord Teirm-
mouth will not again tires: nt hirn,eif to tie borough, and the
eallant Sir Charles Napier is Token of Nith the gre,,tcst cn-
thusia,sna auantig all (gasses in the district as his successor.

MORNING EDITION.
LITERATUFE
GRATTAN'S LIFE AND 714E51. ---Voz. 111.
album, London, 1841.
This volume commences with birattan's mar:
I riage with Miss Fitzgerald, in the year 178, and
closes with his return for the Citys'of Dublin at
the general election in 1700. It is=rrottso gene-
rally entertaining as its predecessors, being taken
up, in a great mealsure, with details respecting
the business proceedings of the-Irish Parliament,
many of which--with the exception -of the de'
bates on the Regency questionhave now little
public interest, and are valuable Onlytthfurnish'
ing materials for some futurehiStorian of Ireland'
N otwithstanding, however, the' frequent heavi'
ness, and, we fear we must add, prolixity of the
details, the,volume is worth an attentite perusal,
if only for the insight it gives us intcuathe public
and private character of Grattan, whotiappeare
to have been as irreproachable in theftite caps'
city as lie confessedly was in tt other:,
There are • also several graphic sketches 01
eminent men who figured during tliq periods
which relieve the tediousness of-114,4°1unit%
and reconcile the reader .to the' ,task of
wading through it. Here is a portrai,ttof Cur'
ran, which is drawn with great accuracy and in
a very spirited manner :—" Mr. Curran wits a
very extraordinary man. From nothing he be-
came everything. Without family, friends, or
fortune, he raised himself to one of the' fitst
cial offices in the State, and, despite his love 0'
liberty and attachment to Ireland, he sacCeeded.
He was a man of surprising natural talent. DI
this respect there was no one in Ireland equal to
j
him, and certainly none in England. Ifis min"
was a perfect prism, and cast the colours of the
rainbow on whatever passed through it. He was
never at a loss—he was never puzzled,- His V 0"
cabulary was rich to overflowing, and never
failed him, whether in description or in argu-
meat. his understanding was not correct, and
he was sometimes deficient in statement. He
loved imagination better than close reasoning'
In private life, Curran's conversation was sin"
gularly entertaining, full of vivacity and humour,
and sometimes instructive, tinged, however, in ,g
degree, with affectation. His powers of ridie9let
were astonishing. It was not possible to res',4
the drollery of his •descriptions. He had n'f
read very profoundly; he wanted the habit
application, and was too easily satisfied With
superficial knowledge. In the House of Coin'
mons he did not succeed so well as at the bar.
He was an ardent lover of liberty'; possessed
• great public spirit; and felt a strong indignation
against all abuses. He was, howeirer,,.too fond
of applause, and possessed too much vanity, so
that the ends of justice and the interests of hi'
client did not always seem his favourite object`'
He possessed great courage, personal as well nA9
political, and did what few men would do,
what no other man did—he defended the-United
Irishmen. When the Whigs came into power,
in 1806, Curran was not well used. The,
paid him with reluctant honesty, anda
treated him with marked neglect, a"
he felt it deeply. Justice here compels
one to say, that in his subsequent conduct Cur;
ran committed a great mistake. He allowed
Ponsonby to pay 8001. a year for him, the salarl
of the clerk of his Court. Thus he became s
pensioner of the party, and placed himself c,0111"
pletely in the wrong, as any man would do who
would suffer another to pay a penny for 40*
Sheridan, Curran, and Fox are striking instances
how necessary it is for eminent public men to be
good private characters. Curran was not snit
ciently select as to his company, nor was he fond
of the best society; neither was he a very- happy
man. In private he was unfortunate, and full °
sores. His griefs too were frenzies. He had
moments of rapture, but few of repose—none 01
content. Towards the close of his career he gel/
restless and dissatisfied. His brilliant imagination
saw everything through a distorted medium."