The Sun.
London, England, 1840-04-14 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 1840.

LITERATURE.

MEMOIRS OP THE PRINCESS DASCH-
KAW 2 YOLS• •
Colburn, London, 1840.
The Princess Daschkaw, a Russian lady of ancient
descent, and of a bold and intriguing spirit, who figured
about the middle of the' last century, is now only re-
membered for the part she took in that remarkable re-
volution which precipitated 'Peter the Third from the
throne of Russia, and elevated instead his wife, Ca-
therine the Second. This revolution, which took place
in the year 1762, was brought about chiefly by the
adroit management of the Princess Daschkaw, who
contrived to win over all the troops in St. Petersburgh,
the higher orders of the clergy, and most of the great
officers of state. In this autobiographical narrative, the
Princess tells us that the change was one absolutely neces-
sary to the best interests'of the country ; and she is right
in her assertion, for a monarch more unfit to reign than
Peter the Third—more dissipated and extravagant in
his habits, more regardless of his people's welfare, and
more tyrannical in liis nature—never yet ascended a
throne. In the volumes before us, we have many curious
anecdotes of him ; but the circumstances attending his
murder, which occurred a few weeks after his deposition,
are very
briefly glanced at, the Princess contenting herself
with just declaringher conviction that Catherine was in no
way Privy to it. Now this assertion we wholly disbe-
lieve, for it is not to be imagined for an instaat that the
Empress's favourites, the Orloffs, would have dared to
venture on such an extreme step as putting her husband
to death, without having previously assured themselves
of her acquiescence in th 3 step. But the Princess
Daschkaw is not very scrupulous, whenever Catherine
is the subject of her comments. She professes to hare
held her throughout life in the highest reverence and
admir:tion, notwithstanding her shameless incontinence,
her reckless ambition, her profuse extravagance, and
her atrocious foreign wars, which were invariably under-
taken without the slightest regard to justice, or the law
of nations. We therefore place little or no reliance on
the estimate formed of Catherine the Second's character
in these volumes, except indeed as regards her intellect,
which it is scarcely possible, for even such a zealous par-
tizan as the Princess, to overrate. But though, as a
work of authority, we hold these Memoirs very cheap,
it is but fair to state that they relate many anecdotes
which we doubt not are authentic, and some of which
are of an exceedingly diverting character. We subjoin
two, relating to the Emperor Peter, and the Empress
Anne, of Russia :
" It is well known that, during the reign of Peter the
First, it was the custom of that tyrant to punish those
Nobles who offended him, by an imperial order that they
should become fools; from which moment the unfortunate
victim, however endowed with intellect, instantly became
the laughing-stock of the whole Court; he had the privi-
lege of saying everything he chose, at the peril, however,
of being kicked or horsewhipped, without daring) to offer
any sort of retaliation ; everything he did was ridiculed,
his complaints treated as jests, and his sarcasms sneered at
and commented on, as marvellous proofs of understanding
in a fool. The Empress Anne surpassed this abominable
cruelty, but sometimes mingled in her practices so much of
oddity, that it was impossible not to be entertained. Once
she decreed that a certain Prince should become
a hen, to punish him for some trifling misdemeanour; and
for this purpose she ordered a large basket, stuffed with
straw, and hollowed into a nest, with a quantity of eggs
inside, to be placed conspicuously in one of the principal
rooms at Court. The Prince was condemned, on pain of
death, to sit upon this nest, and render himself to the last
degree ridiculous by imitating the cackling of a hen."

PICTORIAL SIIAKSPEARE. PART XV 171.
Knight, London, 1840.
The present Part of this edition of Shakspeare, by
far the completest that has yet issued from the Press,
contains the entire tragedy of King Lear, illustrated by
a variety of brief, pertinent notes, and embellished with
several appropriate plates.

FOREIGN QUARTERLY REVIETV—.No. 49.
Black, London, 1840.
The reading public muse, we should conceive, be by
this time quite sick of translations of Faustus, and essays
on the genius, &c. of Goethe, for all that can possibly be
said upon the subject, has been said a hundred times al-
ready. We could therefore have spared the critical
comments on the " Two Parts of Faust ". which appear
in the present Number, inasmuch as they do little more
than reiterate threadbare common-places. The Re-
viewer, as we gather from a hint thrown out in the course
of his criticism, is no great admirer of Byron, observ-
ing that Goethe had a higher opinion of him than
" posterity will probably sanction." Posterity will
doubtless repudiate the philosophy of the Noble poet,
which is generally shallow, and based on a flimsy
foundation ; but it will not fail to do justice to his
graphic powers of description, his uncommon force of
style, his wit, his tenderness, and ready sagacity, as
evinced in almost every page of his chef d'(euvre, Don
Juan. These are excellencies not to be forgotten,
especially as they are rarely found united in the same
author, and a hundred years hence will be quite as fully
appreciated as they are now. The " Old Popular Bal-
lads and Songs of Sweden " is introduced by some ap-
propriate observations on the influence exercised over
nations by their ballad literature. Nowhere have these
rude, heartfelt rhymes had a more general stirring ef-
fect than in England ; and if we were asked to mention
the book which has had the greatest share in moulding
the poetical character of the last half century, we should
have no hesitation in naming ' Percy's Relics," a most
fascinating work—though the Bishop had afterwards,
the folly to be ashamed of it—which first warmed into
life the genius of Scott and Wordsworth, the two
master-spirits of their age. " Egyptian Hieroglyphics"
speaks in animated terms of praise of the discoveries of
Young and Champollion in the valley of the Nile ; and
alluding incidently to some of the more gigantic of the
ruins of Egypt, the Reviewer says :—" Centuries have
rolled on, decades of centuries have passed ; Persians,
Greeks, Romans, Arabs, have each and all in their turn
captured, plundered, mutilated the wirks of art and
monuments of this people ; still do they remain, though
broken and mutilated, the proudest monuments of the
hand of man, bearing upon them in the desolation
of the desert, in the hum of the city, the inscribed re-
cords of the magnificence of their creators. They re-
main, like the gigantic fossils of an extinct world, the
silent witnesses of the mighty dead, only awaiting the
rising beams of the dawn of discovery to draw from
them, like their own Memnon, the broken and articu-
lated sounds of what they were." In the article on the
" Russian Survey of the North Eastern Coast of Si-
beria," there are several curious particulars respecting
the intense winter cold of that distant region, a portion
of which lies completely exposed to the piercing winds
that come sweeping from the North Pole. In January,
the rigour of the season is so great, that the very act of
breathing becomes painful, and the snow itself throws off
a vapour! The subjoined anecdote will convey a vivid.
idea of the intense severity of a Siberian winter :
" M. Von Wrangel made it a point every evening to
change his stockings, and his travelling companion, M.
Kosmin, had nearly lost the use of his limbs by ne-
glecting this prudent precaution. The second or third
morning after their departure, this gentleman. com-
plained that his feet were frozen, • He was advised to
change his stockings, which he had not done for two
nights. But when he pulled of his boots (says M.Von
Wrangel), what was our horror on seeing his stockings
frozen fast to his feet ! With the utmost caution we
proceeded to relieve him from this painful situation, in
doing which we found complete strata of ice, of perhaps
the tenth of an inch in thickness, within his stockings !"
Summer in Siberia is scarcely less annoying in its way
than winter ; for, in the early part of July, gnats apprkenear
there in such countless swarms as absolutely to da
the atmosphere. And this is the climate to which the
t • ever-active humanity of the Russian Nicholas has trans-
ported thousands of the bravest and most illustrious
Poles!

MASTER HUMP.MREPS CLOCK—Nos. 1., IL
machinery
sup-
pose, Chapman and Hall, London, 1840.
" Master Humphrey's Clock," ofdwhichßo
z,
we
pose, will speedily take leave, as be id of the
of the " Pickwick Club," in the lively Papers of that
name, is merely a vehicle for introducing a variety of odd
stories, serious and comic, legends, sketches from life,
&c. &c., which, under the hacknied title of " Tales,
and Sketches of Character," might excite little
notice, but which, under their present quaint,
ad captandum title, can scarcely fail to rouse,
if they do not gratify, the curiosity and expec-
tations of the public. We cannot say we think the idea
of the " Clock " a happy one ; it is, too evidently far-
fetched ; and the author appears to he of the same
opinion, at least if we may judge from the careful,
pains-taking manner in which he endeavours to fami-
liarize it to our minds. " Master Humphrey's Port
folio," or " Master Humphrey's Writing-Desk," would
have been far simpler and more natural ; but then the
title would have wanted that quaintness and novelty
clod,
which is now so essential to the success of a work of
fiction. But the most curious part of the
uthchinga
is e
namely, that the clock is not so m
as a cupboard, wherein Master Humphery and two
other old friends, deposit from time to time such manu-
script tales and sketches as they have passed their
leisure hours in writing ; and these productions the
owner of the clock, or rather cupboard, proposes to
give weekly, in detached portions to the public, for
the small charge of threepence, including embel-
lishments. The first number is devoted to an auto-
biographical sketch of " Master Humphrey," a de-
scription of his pet clock, and a tale, the scene of which
is laid at Guildhall on a Lord Mayor's Day. The
tale—so much of it, at least as has yet appeared—
contains some lively touches of nature, but reminds

us too much of the manner of Washington
Irving, especially of his admirable city sketch,
entitled " Little Britain." Master Humphrey's
account of himself is characterised by a pleas-
ing vein of sentiment and good-humour ; but that part
of the number which Boz has worked out with the
most care is the sketch of the clock ; and here he
has been eminently successful ; infusing into his
description infinite warmth, spirit, and, we may
add, tenderness. How unaffectedly eloquent is this
passage, and how healthy and cordial the spirit of life
that stirs throughout it ! Is it of a mere inanimate
clock that Master Humphrey is speaking ? No ; he has
breathed into it the warm breath of vitality ; he has
boldly informed it with consciousness ; put a pulse into
its throbbing penJulum ; thrown an expression of hu-
manity over its staid countenance ; and impressed us
with the convictioa that it is, and deserves to be, his
best friend!

" What other thing that has not life could cheer me as
my old clock does ; what other thing that has not life (l;
will not say how few things that have) could have proved
the same patient, true, untiring friend ! How often have
sate in the long winter evenings feeling such society in its
cricket voice, that raising my eyes from my book and look-
ing gratefully towards it, the face, reddened by the glow of
the shining fire, has seemed to relax from its staid expression,
and to regard me kindly ; how often in the summer twilight;
when my thoughts have wandered back to a melancholy
past, have its regular whisperings recalled them to the
calm and peaceful present; how often in the dead tran-
quiility.of night has its bell broken the oppressive silence.
and seemed to give me assurance that the old clock was
still a faithful watcher at my chamber-door !My easy
chair, my desk, my ancient furniture, my very books, I can
scarcely bring myself to love even these last like my old
clock 1"

The second Number reports a conversatioa.beld at
midnight between Gog and Magog, who agree to tell
each other stories by way of pleasantly passing away
their time—a clumsy device, and certainly not redeemed
by any special excellence in the tale which Gog tells to
his brother giant. But we must see more of " Master
Humphrey's Clock" before we pronounce a decided
opinion. It is not fair to judge from two Numbers.

THE KIRK OF SCOTLAND.

PRESBYTERY OF PERTH.

_ -
REASONS OF DISSENT FOR THE REV. THOMAS CLARK

AND OTHERS.
I dissent from the resolution of the Presbytery to
transmit to the General Assembly this overture on what
is called Non-intrusion, for the following Reasons :--
1. Because the overture, however carefully and cau-
tiously worded, has for its object to encourage the Su-
preme Ecclesiastical Court of this country in a system
of passive resistance to the law of the land—a course of
conduct as unbecoming Christian ministers, and as inju-
rious to the peace of society, as a more open and active
rebellion.

2. Because such a resistance appears to me to be a
direct violation of the oath of allegiance, hitherto re-
quired of, and taken by, every candidate for the minis-
try, before he is set apart by an act of solemn ordination
to the duties of the pastoral office.
3. Because the plea of conscientious scruples can be
no justification for refusing to perform the duties re-
quired by law, so long as the resisting parties continue
to demand and receive the stipulated wages of their
ervicc , for, to claim the reward of servants, and yet
refuse to do the work of servants, is to act a part not
cas'ly to be reconciled with the principles of common
equity.

4. Because the interpretation of the law, as given by
the Court of Session, and now confirmed by the House
of Lords, does not differ from the construction put on it
by the Church herself. as manifested by her acts acrd.
procedure for a very long period ; and hence it secii4
very inconsistent and unaccountable to raise a clamour
about a deliverance, which makes no demand on the
Church that she is not bound by law to perform, and
which she has peaceably and faithfully discharged for the
last 100 years.

5. Because, of all men, it peculiarly becomes the mi-
nisters of the Gospel to set an example of submission
and order, to show that they believe what they teach,
viz., that " the powers that be are ordained of God."
6. Because, if all communities and corporated bodies
were to imitate the example of the Church, there
would be nothing but anarchy and confusion through
the length and breadth of the land ; and because I am
persuaded that if the Church Courts persevere much
longer in their present course of contemning the autho-
rity.of the law, •it will lead to the most fearful conse-
quences, both as respects the stability of civil govern-
ment, and the interests of the Christian religion.
7. Because, if the real independence of the Church
and the religious privileges of the people be now in
danger—and I sincerely believe they arc—it is not from
any encroachment on the part of the civil power, owing
to the uncalled. for jealousy, the unseemly agitation, and
the illegal procedure of those ministers and members of
Church C*irts, who, making their ecclesiastical autho-
rity an apology for civil disobedience, have brought
about a•collision, the end of which none living can fore-
see, and the consequences of which way be wept over
by generations yet unborn.
THOMAS CLARK,
ROBERT JOHN ROBERTSON,
25th March, 1840. &c. &c.

The' United Associate. Congregation of Abbey Close
met on Monday night; 'and agreed to petition both
Houses of Parliamentob4 they, with the least possible
delay, put a total and'finil end to the connection of
Church and State. The 'Meeting, was most cordial in
wishing their brethren in the Establishment all the Spi-
ritual independence which they can desire, and which
Dissenters crijo'Y',. and entirely concurred in the senti-
ments which they so publicly express, that i n all matter
relative to the government of the Church, the laws and
institutions of Christ, her only King and Head, are the
supreme and only rule, and that no human power can
exercise authority in these, without an invasion of the
prerogative. The meeting looked tipo'n the present
movements in the Church of Scotland with much con-
cern, and regretted to see so many members of that
body setting at open defiance the laws of the country,
and thereby furnishing an example inconsistent with
the peace and order of civil society. That the means
adopted by the Church to secure the permanence of their
civil establishment (felt now to be in danger), by legalis-
ing the Veto Law, was only fitted to increase the power
of the clergy, without adding much to the privileges of the
peonle, and would certainly fail in reclaiming Dissenters
to the communion of the Church. That while their bre-
thren in the Establishment, are impressing the Govern-
ment, the Legislature, and the country, with the idea that
Dissenters are not hostile to their object, they resolved
to take no part in the controversy of the Established
Church within: itself, but to petition Parliament, calling
their attention to the mischievous tendency and conse-
quences of the connection between Church and State,
and entreat them to put a final end to that connection
without delay.—Correspondent of Paisley Advertiser.
SEPARATION 'OF CHURCH AND STA T E.--- The peti-
tion to both Houses of Parliament for the separation of
Church 'and State was closed on Wednesday last. After
it had undergone a strict scrutiny, and every fictitious
name which could be ascertained had been erased, the
signatures were found to amount to 18,769. Had it
continued a few days longer there is reason to believe
that it would have been increased to the extent of some
thousands more ; for during the last two days on which
it lay in the shops it received between two and three
thousand names. We. have thus conclusive prod of
the great progress which Voluntary Church principles
have made in the metropolis. It is to be despatched
immediately to the Duke of Sussex for presentation in
the House of Lords, and to Mr. Gillon for the House
of Commons.—Scots Pilot.
Colquhoun of Killermont has written a long letter,---
the double object of which appears to be to set the
non-intrusionists against Ministers, and promote an
alliance on grounds totally destructive on the principle,
or rather unprinciple, of non-intrusion between the wild
men and their old friends the Tories. This, of course,
has given offence to the few sincere dupes of the party,
and the cry of treason has already been raised against
the saintly Member for Kilmarnock. With God's
blessing, these dissensions, discouragemebts, and heavy
blows, will put a speedy end to the folly that has set the
peaceable people of Scotland together by the ears.
IRVINE... ANOTIIER INTERDICT.---TiliS Presbytery
held a meeting on Tuesday. After being constituted,
they proceeded to elect their Commissioners to the en-
suing General Assembly, when the Rev. John Wilson,
Irvine ; C. B. Steven, Stewarton ; A. B. Campbell,
Kilwinning ; and J. C. Jamieson, Dreghorn ; Ministers.
W. H. Crawford, Eq., of Crawfordland ; and P. B.
Mure Macredie, Esq., of Pcrcetora, Elders, were duly
appointed. An interim interdict from the Court of
Stewarton,
the
Session, at the instance of Mr. Cunninghame of Lain.
Wasshatys,
served
dtloien t otherhe mhoedrei troartso
Moderator
of
andthe
taking Presbytery from pariah
Clerk, prohibitingf
any steps to divide the garish of
Stewarton, or of allocating any part of it to the Rev. Mr.
Clelland, or appointing him a Kirk Session, with
power over the parishioners in matters of discipline
or otherwise, and prohibiting them from allowing Mr.
Clelland to sit and vote in the Presbytery in any matter
connected with the parish. The Presbytery, consider-
ing that this matter was, at their last meeting, referred,
sinip
liciter to the Assembly, appointed a Committee
to communicate this fact to the Lord Ordinary, and, if
necessary, to employ Counsel to answer for them, in 14
clays,as required by the interdict.—Ayr Advertiser.
At the meeting of the members of the Paisley Pres-
bytery on Wednesday, Sir 'William Napier appeared
personally, and objected to any alteration whatever of
his parish (that of Kilbarchan), from which the new
parish was to be in part taken. He would submit to

PRICE sd.

none of their divisions, and if they proceeded, be would
protest, and carry the case to the highest Court in the
country. Sir William then lodged his protest, but after
a short conference, and an agreement to adjourn the
consideration of the case to a meeting to be held at
Bridge of Weir, the protest was for the time with-
drawn.—Glasgow Chronicle.
KETTLE.—Ouring the past week three petitions
were sent from this place and neighbourhood to Par-
liament,—two for the repeal of the Corn-laws, with
chtTrheenhiec,vieoedsidprnteeamdnttieettandation to make provision for the interests of
tenants under existing leases, and one for the entire
separation of Church and State, as the only effectual
means for securing at once the independence and free-
dom of the Church, and the peace and good order of
.ianor
ndi
y fTffiohofretuytrhhundred
ugs Corn-lawnendpa raterud separation
tep
signatures,i
signatures
ut
iiit
oli of tnch received
Church
beiuvie,rie snadegn aodmbf
State
utrnateettethdhraraeeyne:
double the number of the non-intrusion petition.—
Scottish Pilot.

THE VETOISTS AND THE GOVERNMENT.—TIIC im-
•portunate knocking of the Vetoists at the doors of
Downing-street has failed in procuring them any shelter
or aid in that quarter. On Monday night, Lord John
Russell in the Commons, and Lord Melbourne in.tho
Lords, in answer to questions, stated (in substance), that
the Ministry were of opinion that it would be impossible
to bring forward, at present, a measure which Would ef-
fect a satisfactory settlement, or which would 'be likely
to obtain the approval of Parliament. They . therefore
did not intend to interfere in the Matter-qt. feast until
after the meeting. of the General Assttlibr. Sir Ro-
bert Peel pressed Lord John to saY wit '.:5.r not the
Government would be prepared to qat;i4:e•Mler the
meeting of Assie4y. ttiKidirellltirt, Lord Joltreplied to this question 'in woedi‘tiYiali rqt.ity
preted as " rather No than Yes.AAkccording to
he said, " they would lik
-very elYT.rnake some attetTp4-
Which of these reports is the—cosreect7nrie,We :have net_
means of knowing ;.-butli is' tolerably certain: Chat :Mi-:
nisters will not " meddle-or make" in-ibe niateer. -In"
the meantime; Lord Aberdeen bas given notice that he
will introduce a measure after Easter forthe adjust-
_
ment of the question ; because (he says) .such is the.
excitement on the subject, that any attempt to enforce
the 'law would lead to bloodshed! This, we guess, will
be news in Strathbogie. NVhat the nature of Lord
Aberdeen's measure may be, it is impossible to guess,
as his speeches on the subject have all been so inge-
niously obscure and " diplomatical" as to leave his opi-
nions on the merits of the question a matter of total
mystery.—Berwick Advertiser.
INTRUSION OF ELDERS.—A correspondent informs
us that the Rev. Robert Elder, minister of St. Paul's
Church, after all his preaching against the intrusion of
clergymen, has himself lately intruded a batch of elders
upon his congregation, without ever consulting them.
I should like to ask, says our correspondent, ichat is
the difference betwixt the intrusion of ministers and
the intrusion of elders upon congregations ?—Scots-
man.

The damage done by the Perthshire election to the
non-intrusion cans?, in the only sense in which the
people need to care about it, cannot well be exagge-
rated, either as respects its influence on the country
generally, or with Parliament and the Government.
Perthshire will be regarded as the index to the feeling
of Scotland on the subject, and by this test, which can-
❑ot with a show of plausibility be rejected, the feeling
appears to be neither so strong nor so widely diffused as
we Wad previously imagined.—Scoilish
GENERAL ASSEMBLY.—Aberdeen, by a majority of
13 to 3, has returned a Moderate ; Banff and Inver
ness have done the same ; and, with the exception of
Perth, Montrose, and perhaps Glasgow, there will
hardly be a town in Scotland that will return a non-
intrusionist. This is the more remarkable, as it was by
the votes and influence of the burgh representatives
that the veto act was carried in 1834.