The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-09 00:00:00

PARLIAMEN'T'ARY DIVISIONS.

(From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of. Conimo7uo
MONDAY, MARCH 8.
LANDED PROPERTY (IRELAND) BILL.

Order for Committee read; Motion made, and Question
proposed, " That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair :"
Amendment proposed, to leave out from the word " That" to
the end of the Question, in order to add the words " any
plans of relief for the distress of the Irish Poor, by means of
loans to the owners of property in Ireland, would be unjust
afll I impolitic, unless accompanied by a system of taxation
which would subject such property to the burdens already
imposed upon all property throughout Great Britain," in-
stead thereof :—Question put," 'l'tiat the words proposed to
be left out stand part of the Question." The House divided:—
MAJORITY—AYES, 121.
Arland, Sir T. Fitzgerald, R. A. Mundy, E. M.
Adderley, C. B. Fox, C. It. Munta, G. F.
Arundel, Earl of Frewen, C. 11. Norreys, Sir D.
Baillie, 11. J, Fuller, A. E. O'Brien, C.
Baine, Walter Gibson, Thomas M. O'Brien, W. S.
Bannerman, A. Gore, Montague O'Connell, I)., jun.
'buddy, David Gore, Robert O'Connell, Joha
Barnard, E. G. Goulburn Henry O'Conor, Don
Bateson, T. Greene, Thomas OTerrall, R. M.
Beckett, W. Gregory, W. 11. Owen, Sir John
Bellew, R. M. Grey, Sir G. Parker, John
Bennet, I'. Grogan, E. Peel, Sir Robert
Bentinck, Lord G. Halford, Sir Henry Polhill, Frederick
Berestord, Major Ilamilton, G. A. Price, Sir R.
Betkeley, Captain Hatton, Captain V. Prime, Richard
Bernal, Ralph I [awes, Benj. It awdon, Colonel
Blake, M. J. Ileatheoat, John Rich, Henry
Blakemore, It. Henley, J. W. Ross, 1). it.
Bodkin, J. J. Honhouse, Sir J. Rushout, Captain
Browne, It. D. Hope, Sir I. Russell, Lord J.
Browne, W. Howard, I'. 11. Rutherturd, A.
Buller, Charles Butt, William Scrope, G. P.
Bunbury, T. Jervis, Sir John Seymour, Lord
Busteild, William Jones, Captain Shaw, F.
Butler, I'. S. Kemble, Henry Shell, It. L.
Byng, G. S. Labouchere, Henry Somerset, Lord G.
Callaghan, D. Langston, J. II Somerville, Sir W.
Carew, It. S. Lawless, Cecil Spooner, Richard
Chapman, B. Lefroy, Anthony Stuart, V.
Christie, W. D. Lemon, Sir C. Stratt, Edward
Chute, W. L. W. Lincoln, Earl of Trouhridge, Sir E.
Verk Sir G. Lockhart, W. Vcsey, lion. T.
Coots, Sir C. Macaulay, T. B. ‘Va7d, H. G.
Corry, Henry Macnamara, Major Wood, sir Charles
Courtenay, Lord M`Donnell, J. M. Wrightson, W.l;
Craig, W. G. M`Taggart, Sir J. Wyse, Thomas
Dawson, T. V. Manic, Fox Yorke, Henry R.
Duckworth, Sir J. Maxwell, Hon. J. P.
I)undas, Admiral Milnes, It Monekton
Dundas, Sir David Mitcade, 11.
Evans, William Monahan, J. 11.
Ferguson, Sir It. Morpeth, Viscount

TELLERS.
Hill, Lord M.
Tanen, H.

MINORITY-NOES, 26.

Bouverie, E. P. Entwisle, W. Plarnridg,e, Captain
Bowring, Dr. Escott, Ilickhain Protheroe, E.
Brown, W. Gill, Thomas Stansfield, W. It. C.
Collins, William Hall, Sir Benjamin Strickland, Sir G.
Copeland, Aid. Hay, Sir A. L. Trela%vny, J. S.
Crawford, W. S. Heron, Sir It. Williams, W.
Pennistoun, J. Ilumphery, Aid.
Duncan, Lord James, William
Duncan, George Molesworth, Sir W.
Duncombe, T. 31 um, Colonel

TELLERS.
Roebuck, J. A.
lluuie, Joseph

COURT CIRCULAR.

The Queen and Prince Albert att,nded divine service In
Whippinghana church on Sunday. The Rev Mr. Protheroe
officiated. The Countess of Claremont, Lady Caroline So-
mers Cocks, Major-General Bowles, Lieut.-Colonel the H..n
G. B. Phipps, Colonel the Hon. Charles Grey, and Colonel
Bouverie also attended the service.

The Royal children went for au airing to the sea beach on
Sunday morning.
Sir James Clark arrived at Osborne House on Saturday,
and had the honour of joining the Royal party at dinner.
Yesterday, her Majesty and Prince Albert took their usual
early walk in the tbreimon on the beach, accompanied by the
Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, and the
Princess Alice.

Sir James Clark has left Osborne House for town.
A deputation on the subject of the distress in the High
lands of Scotland had an interview with Sir George Grey
yesterday, at the Home-office. The deputation consisted of
Lord Macdonald, Mr. Campbell of Islay, Mr. Mackenzie of
Applecrosi, M. P , Mr. Matheson of Ardross, Mr. Matheso❑
of Lewis, M.P., Mr. Maclean of Coll, Mr. Campbell, jun.,
of Islay, Mr. Campbell of Jura, Mr. Ramsay, Colonel
M`Dow;allof Dunolly, Mr. Gibb, and Mr. Grey.
Mr. It. Montgomery Martin had an interview with the
Earl of Clarendon yesterday, at the office of the Board of
Trade.

Mr. Edward Ellice, jun., M.P., had an interview with the
Right Hon. Edward Struts, yesterday, at the office of the
Commissioners of Railways.
Tne Chancellor of the Exchequer was sufrciently reco-
vered, yesterday, from his recent indisposition to attend at
his official residence, in Downing-street.
Mr. William Law Ogilhy had an interview with the Right
Hon. T. Milner Gibson, yesterday, at the office of the Board
of Trade.

The Earl of Devon had an interview with Sir George Grey
at the Home-office, yesterday.
Dispatches from the Governor of New Zealand were re-
ceived at the Colonial-office, on Saturday.
Diipatclies were sent off last evening from the Colonial-
office, for the Governors of Hong. Kong and Ceylon.
Lady Mary Wood left town, yesterday, for Hickletou Hall,
Donc.tater.

h chCpiloVmEe.
—Mr.
iayse
one
eaosf
tendered his resignation to MR.
RESIGNATION OP
the magistrates at W•ind • sN.so.rt and Hammersmith Police-
courts, having been
judge of the county courtapptoom
he holden
by the Lord Chancellor as
B at Southwark.
THE GREAT BRITAIN RISTOL, SATURDAY.—
The stormy meeting of * • the proprietors of the Great Britain,
which has most unexpectedly lasted through three days, was • -
closed this afternoon. At the meeting a most angry
discus-
sion arose as to the directors not having insured the stranded
vessel, which cost nearly 140,0001, for more than 17,0001.,
which was nothing like an adequate amount as respected
her
value, and the directors were also blamed for 1 • laving re-
turned the passage money, and for not having taken imme-
diate and efficient measures to get her off. It was con-
tended that in accordance with the ordinary duties of trus- •
tees the directors were bound to insure the ship in an
adequate amount. and it was asserted that in addition they
had given a pledge to do so, or to give notice to the pro-
prietary that they might themselves insure their interests
respectively; that it was contrary to mercantile usage to
return the passage-money, and that therefore the directors
should not have done so; and that as soon as the vessel was
stranded they ought to have obtained the services of the
most eminent engineering talent to get her off, instead of
wasting time as they had done in a correspondence with
the underwriters, whose stake was so sm dl. The directors
in reply stated, that the passage-money having been received
for a voyage from England to New York, and the vessel
having been stranded at the very commencement of that
voyage, that they were bound as honest men to return the
passage-money, and in support of this view they produced
letters from various steam-ship companies, declaring that
they should have done so. With respect to ilia insurance
they stated that upon the two previous voyages the Great
Britain had been insured for 50,0001. each time, and that they
had used diligent means to insure her on the last voyage, and'
that as to the measures which they had t aken subsequent to
her untorunately being stranded, they had taken the best
they could adopt. At the second days meeting Captain
Cla'xton, R.N., with the view of meeting
which had been
e views of all
parties, and of obviating the strong obj.ection
manifested to the motion " that "
the directors'
orepo
rece be
ived
re-
ceived and adopted," proposed, that the repbe
and adopted without prejudice to the protest put in by Mr.
Abbott and others." At the close of the Third ,lay's discus-
sion this motion was adopted, and also one prop ised by a
director to meet another ground of opposithn, "that the list
of the proprietary of the company be Open to the inspection
of the shareholders." It is generally understood! that the
property of the company will be at once sold, and its affairs
wound up.

-LITERATURE.
SHERIDAN KNOWLES'S NEW WORK.
GEORGE LO VELL. 3 Vols. By James Sheridan
Knowles.
When a gre-t dramatic poet undertakes the produc-
tion of tt novo!—whether it he condensed into a dozen

)1' e:;f

olualei

to that novel a more than ordinary ttention.

What, let us iwa;;ine for a tnuoient, would wit be the
curiosity excited by the discovery of a prose fiction from
the pen of Racine, of Calderon, of Home, of Farquhar,
or of Metastasio? We should turn to the narrative
with feelings rather higher than those of mere inquisi-
tiveness; we should examine the plot, the characters,

the purpose, and the diction of the story with
peculiar and not unpleasant emotions, with a desire
to know how that genius had fared in the enchanted
grounds of romance which had disvrt.d itself in the
loftier regions of the tragic and comic drama. But our
curiosity would be marvellously heightened vv ere the
tale found to have particular allusion to the contempo-
raneous habits, vices, morality, -and dispositi,m of tfe
author. Our anxiety, for example, would h.e great to
hear from the lips of Racine a de.eription of the p, mi-
norities of the age of L Qu rtorz,. to receive
from Calderon a delineation of the Spthiards of

his own generation, from Home an account
of the expanding genius of Scotland in the days of
Robertson and Macpherson, from Farquhar, a sketch of
the profligacy of London society during the reign of
our thud William, and from Metastasio, a portraitore of
the Italians of his century. Whenever a dramatist has
entered upon the arena of romantic literature—end
happily there have been these exceptions—they
have found no deficiency of .readers, and, in most
instances, no lack of admirers. Who can ever forget
the one domestic fiction written by Oliver Gold-
smith--that simple but inimitable tale which in the
work before us (Vol. 1, p. 261.) is called, oddly
enough, but very truthfully, " the sweetest novel and the
gravest tract!" Who again can lose a recollection of
La Esmeralda, of Captain Phoebus, or of Qaasimodo,
the creatures born of the imagination of the greatest
of the modern dramatists of France ! To descend to
the lesser of those who have ventured upon the produc-
don of a comedy or a tragedy, who can lose the memory
of Charles Lamb's most exquisite story about
"Rosamund Gray !" Among the many volumes lying
about us and awaiting their turn to pass through the
alembic of criticism we have found this novel in three
volumes by no one less eminent than James Sheridan
Knowles. We welcome the work with cordiality, and
from the distinguished position which its a'ithor has
long since assumed, in, perhaps, the noblest branch of
our literature, we give his romance the precedence, to
which it is thereby entitled. At once, and without the
smallest hesitation, we will acknowledge that
we opened the first page of the first volume
" George Lovell" with a sense very much
akin to that of prejudice in its favour. But who shall
quarrel with us for so doing ? who shall scorn us or de-
ride us for looking with partiality at any book from
such a source in the first flush of our expectation ?
Admiration for the masterpieces of dramatic art which
owe their existence to the poetic genius of Mr.
Knowles may readily be taken as an excuse for such
a momentary dereliction of our duty as a dispas-
sionate reviewer, for the tragedies of Sheridan
Knowles form an epoch in the literary history
of our country. To the impassioned beauty of " Vir-
ginius," to the eloquent and patriotic energy of " Wil
Ham Tell," to the pathetic grace and various fervour of
the " Hunchback," are mainly to be attributed the pre-
m,.rvation, in the popular mind, of a love for
the symtnetr), the dignity, and the endless di-
versity of the drama. With the current of opi-
!don strongly °pp.,. d to theatrical representatif,n, '
excepting it be representations set off by the r:,,re-
tricious decorations of the melodrama, the spectacle,
the opera, the ballet, the burlesque, or the extr.v.,gatiza,
the dramatic works of Sheridan Knowles have been
principally instrumental in sustaining an affection for
what is termed in the hack phrase " the legitimate
drama." Putting aside the question, however, whether
the plays of Sheridan Knowles are the legitimate or il-
legitimate offspring of his fancy, -they are univer-
sally acknowledged to be worthy of a full
and lasting admiration. By the common adjudi-
cation of his contemporaries, the name of Sheridan
Knowles is accorded au eminent place among the roost
illustrious dramatic authors in the lenetrage, always
with the exception of Shakepere. With Beaumont,
and Messinger, and Wycherly, and Fletcher, and Far-
quhar, and Jonson, and Congreve, and Vanbrugh, the
name of Sheridan Knowles may be, and has long ago
been classed without derogation on either side. It re-
mains, of course, for the dramatic analyst to
award their relative position to each, but it
would be frivolous to deny that among that
famous group of writers Sheridan Knowles has every
right to be enumerated. In some respects he is un-
questionably inferior to these his renowned predeces-
sors; he is in a great measure without the rugged
vigour and daring illustration of the Elizabethan
poets ; his equivoque is without the delicate inge-
nuity of Congreve, his humour has not the irre-
sistible tartness of Wycherly, and his sarcasm is
not to be compared with the caustic glitter of
Vanbrugh. But in pathos, in enthusiasm, in the ex-
pression of scorn, as in Icilius; of depravity, as in
Appius Claudius; of affection, as in Virginia; of arro-
gance, as in Gesler; of patriotism. as in William Tell;
and of stalwart valour, as in D.aitatus, Sheridan
Knowles is their equal, and very frequently their supe-
rior. In the fabrication of his plots and the di,position
of his incidents, as well as in the construction of his
soliloquies and dialogues, he has evinced a perfect
knowledge in the mysteries of composition. He has
shown, indeed, a thorough familiarity with the different
recommendations contained in that sentence of Cicero,
where, in his masterpiece, "De Oralore," he mentions
the husbandry and the classification of ideas

n. 314)—" Ergo ut in oratore optimus quisque, sic et in
oratioue (Tully, of course, including here dramatic as
well as forens.ic Ileclamation) firmissimum quodque sit
prinzum : dum tanien in utroque teneatur, at ea qua
excellant, serven fur etiam ad perorandum: si gum erunt
mediocria, (nam vitiosis nusquam esse oportet locum) in
turbum, atque in gregem conjiciantur." Upon
that beautiful scheme, Knowles has modelled first his

dramas, and then the constituent parts of his dramas—
for it is the art of a dramatic poet to begin in-
versely with the broad outline of his creation, and
like a painter, to elaborate its details afterwards.
Knowles has invariably given his several plays, his se-
veral scenes, and his several speeches a certain solidity
and compactness at their commencement ; he has in
them, grouped together at their interior, as it were, the
least remarkable excellences of the whole ; and, finally
he has accumulated the utmost stretch of passion in the
catastrophe of his tragedies and the climax of his soli-
loquies—the catastrophe and climax being, to them,
what the peroration is to the harangue of an orator.
That is a gr at part of the secret of his success,
but the m.un cause of that success is of ►

loftier character. arising, as it toes, from th
genius with which he has unquestionably been
gifted by nature. The possession of that genius ha,
been evidenced in the poetic treasures with which he
has adorned the language of his native land ; and the
appearance of these three volumes ~f " George Lovell "
brings irresistibly to the recoil, etion of us all the ques-
tion—How THE GENIES OF SHERIDAN KNOWLES HAS
BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED BY HIS CoUNTRYDIEN, AND HOW
THE LITERARY LABORS OF THAT GE,IUS HAVE BEEN
ANSWERED AND REWARDED? That quPstin, we repeat
kt, is necessarily called to mind by the puolication of tho
novel now under consideration. For we naturally
ask ourselves the reason why such a man as Sheridan
Knowles, after achieving so much fame, and achieving it
by such honourable and laudable means, should be
toiling now at his matured age, when the labours of his
youth and manhood should have ensured him tranquillity
and leisure. The pleasantest recollection in the meagre
records preserved to us of Shakspere's life is, th it tlt
immortal man closed his career in the indolence or a
country gentleman in a handsome house in his native
village. We English pride ourselves on not being a half-
barbarian race, like our Elizabethan forefathers. We
boast this, and yet Sheritlan Knowles goes unthanked,
unhonoured, and unrewarded. Thanked and honoured
he is by every generous and intelligent mind, and re-
warded he is by the celebrity he has acquired ; but
substantially thanked, honoured, and rewarded by
Government, he is not. How comes this ? Thomas
Hood ekes out his subsistence on a sick couch by the
sweat, not of his brow, but his brain. He dies—his
widow and his children have a pension. Hayden, the
historical painter, battles manfully against pecuniary
distress for years, without aid. He blows his brains out
in a paroxysm of despair, and efforts are at onoe made
for the assistance of his family. Laman Blanchard cuts
his throat with a razor, in a fit of madness, brought on
by incessant work as an author—measures are taken to
alleviate the sorrows of his orphans. Hewlett sinks
down into the grave in the very prime of his life,
through the slow poison of a malaria, and the exhaustion
of his mind—and benevolence is at once actively em-
ployed in behalf of his children. Is this, we
ask, as it should be ? .Are the gifted beings who sap
the very vigour of their constitutions by adding to our
enjoyments to be offered merely the flatulent sustenance
of " the bubble reputation ? " We by no means depre-
cate the charity which is extended towards their widows
and their offspring. God forbid that that one posthu-
mous solace should be taken from them in their solitude!
Is it not, however, better that these men should reap the
fruits of their own sowing themselves, and not by proxy?
Is it not better that the pensions should come to them
directly when living than indirectly when dead? Is it
not better that the few gold guineas in which their after-
glory is reflected should be showered down betimes, in-
stead of falling barrenly when they are in their coffins?
Upon these simple and solemn principles we maintain
that Sheridan Knowles should receive the recompense
of his long and illustrious exertions as a poet, as a pa-
triot, and as a moral instructor of the people.
Of the morality of his writings there can be
no question; for, of Knowles, in regard to English
tragedy, may be said what the eminent German critic
Schlegel said of Coleman in regard to Englislicomedy,
" since that time the morals have been irreproachable,
and much has been done in refined and original charac-
terization." If any additional testimony were required
as to the morality of the writings of Sheridan Knowles
it would be found to be incnntestibly exhibited in '
these
volumes. "George Lovell" is literally a tale foun dtcl
upon the struggles of vice against virtue, and the ultimate
victory of innocence over guilt. Pt,cebe' the
heroine,
one of those ideal creatures whom the pnreSt
imaginationis
alone could concAve. Armitage and his profligate as-
sociates, again, form a rephive gr alp, illustrative of
the licentiousness and depravity still prevalent in this
civilis-41 generation. The novel is
meter, and is hence calculated +
more readily • and to '
lenlist
a domestic cha-
-0 the sympathies
instil the truths more