The Sun.
London, England, 1823-04-05 00:00:00

SUN.

LITERARY NOTICE.

GERMAN POPULAR STORIES : translated from the
KINDE a and HA u s MARcitEN, collected by M.M. GRIMM'ti
from oral tradition. Second Edition, London, 1823.

This is the most entertaining little book that
we have read for some time ; it has carried us
back to the days of our childhood, and recalled
the delightful associations, with which we then
perused the redoubtable histories of " Tom
Thumb," " Jack the Giant Killer," and the other
worthies, who, when we were young, formed the
heroes of the nursery. It is translated from a
collection of tales, compiled with great industry,
44 by the, diligence of JOHN and WM. GIII3IM,
two antiquarian brotTiers of the highest reputa-
tion," and we conceive that the
_public are highly
indebted to the translators, and to the publisher.
We are no friends to that system of education
which has banished from the nursery the popular
tales of our country ; and we shall be happy if
this attempt at bringing us acquainted with the
superstitions and traditions of the continent,
should, by instituting an inquiry into the common
origin of these tales, cause more attention to be
paid to our own national ones, which can be
ct proved to be of the highest northern antiquity,
and common to the parallel classes'of society in
countries whose populations have been long and
widely disjoined." We perfectly agree with
the translators, that,

44 The rich collection from which these tales
are selected, is very interesting in a literary point
of view, as affording a new prlinf of the wide
and early diffusion of the gay creations of the.
imagination, apparently flowing from some great
and mysterious fountain bead, whence Calmuck,
Russian, Celt, Scandinavian, and German, in their
various ramifications, have imbibed their earliest
lessons of moral instruction."
It is singular that, as we 'learn from our trans-
lator's preface, the German and the Neapolitan
Tales, though the latter were till lately quite un-
known to foreigners, bear the strongest and most
minute resemblances. Referring to the North,
-perhaps the most • remarkable coincidence whiCh
occurs is in the English .and German versions of
the song to the Lady Bird, or '4 Nlarien Warm-
chen." In England, we have never heard more
than one stanza—the second ; but it appears
that the entire` song, as found in Wunderhorn,
consists of three stanzas, a translation of which
is now given to the public. We are sure that
our young readers—and many of our old ones too
—will thank us for an opportunity of perusing it.
" Lady-bird ! lady-bird ! pretty one, stay ! •
Come, sit on my finger, so happy and gay ;
With me shall no mischief betide thee :
No harm would I do thee, no foeman is near ;
I only would gaze on thy beauties so dear,
Those beautiful winglets beside thee.
" Lady-bii:d ! lady-bird ! fly Away bonne !
Thy house is a-fire, thy children will roam ;
List, list! to their cry and bewailing: •
The pitiless spider is weaving their doom,
Then lady-bird, lady-bird ! fly away l!ope!
Hark, hark ! to thy children's bewailing.
" Fly back again, back again, lady-bird, dear !
Thy neighbours will merrily welcome thee here,
With them shall no perils attend thee :
They'll guard thee so safely from danger or care,
They'll gaze on thy beautiful winglets so fair,
•
And comfort, and love, and befriend thee."

This is altogether the cheapest volume that
has for a long time fallen in our way ; as, inde-
pendently of its fair proportion of good letter-
press, it contains twelve highly humorous etch-
ings, by GEORGE CRUIKSILANIE. The translators
think with us that" the popular tales of England
have been too mach neglected ;" for, as Lord
BACON has somewhere in substance observed,
" the occasional perusal of works of ftsncy and
fiction has not only a delightful but a highly
salutary effect in elevating and expanding the
human intellect. We could be well content to
find, in the nursery, somewhat less of philosophy,
and somewhat more of poetry and romance."

ESCIIEAT TO TIIE CROWN !-WM. LOVETT, of
Sapcote, in this county, farmer and grazier, was, in his lifetime
and at the time of his death, seized m possession, free from in.
cumbrances, of a farm-house, with suitable outbuildings, and
about 30 acres of freehold land, situate at Sapcote aforesaid.
—He died intestate on the 16th day of June, 1805, leaving
his only daughter and heiress-at-law, Cattarn Hill, widow,
him surviving. Sometime after his decease, Mrs. Hill in-
termarried with Mr. Henry Townshend, of Aston 'Elam-
Ville, in the County of Leicester, farmer and grazier. Mrs.
Townshend also died intestate, on the 28th February, 1811),
without having had any issue, leaving the said Henry Town-
shend her surviving, and in possession of the said estate, Mr.
Townshend had an estate for life in the premises, by a deed of
settlement made prior to his marriage with Mrs. liill ; but
upon his decease, which happened in the year 1810, the uses
of such settlement were at an end. Since the decease of
Mr. Townshend, diligent search has been made for the
heir-at-law of Mrs. Cattarn Townshend, and advertisements
for such heir have appeared in the London Gazette, and some
of the provincial Newspapers, but without success. On the 12th
day of October last, a commission of escheat from the Crown
respecting this estate was executed at the Three Crowns' Inn,
in Leicester, the Under-Seriff and a respectable Jury, when after
the examination of verysatisfactory evidence as to the seizin of the
said Cattarn Townshend, and her decease without heir, such estate
was seized into the hands of the King, upon the discovery of
Charles Wild, of Hinckley, in the County of Leicester, Gentle-
man, made by his.memonal to the Right Honourable the Lords
Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury, bearing date the
third day of Februaiy, 1821.—( Leicester Journal, April 4.)

DUBLIN, Arius. F,AN commenced his
engagement of one fortnight at our Theatre last night. The
character chosen for the occasion was that in which he achieved
his fame and fortune--/?iehard the Third. He has performed
she wily Glo'ster in this city so frequently, and so lately, that
we do not think it necessary to offer any particular remarks on
his effort of last night. We do not observe that any change
has taken place in Mr. KEAN'S appearance, or style of acting,
since we had the pleasure of seeing him last in Dublin. llis
reception on his entrance, was, as usual, highly flattering. The
house was not remarkably well attended,
,but this wait not sur-
prising on Easter Monday. To-night he plays one of his most
celebrated characters, Sir Giles Overreach.—( Dmblin Paper.)
COWES, APRIL 2.—Yesterday Lieut. .Moour:, R.N.. coni-
rnanding the Newtown preventive boat, crept up 91 tubs orcon-
traband spirits in '!'hornets Eay, where they had been sunk by
the smugglers, and deposited them in the . custom-house this
morning.

PRICJ SEVEN PENCE.

FOR THE SUN.

BEER.

MR. EDITOR—The CHANCELLOR of the Ex.
CHEQUER having brought a Bill into the House
of Commons to allow the brewing of weak Beer,
at,a reduced rate of duty, in breweries used for
that purpose only, and for selling it for out of duo r
consumption in other places than alehouses, allow
me, through the medium of your Paper, to make
some observations on the said Bill.

I consider the measure to derive its chief im-
portance more from its being the commencement
of a change in the Beer Laws, than from any
great advantage that the consumer or the farmer
will derive from it. It is the common practice
in the town from which I write (13ridport) for
the publicans to sell a mixture of strong and small
been, in different proportions, according to the
wish or the means of their customers.

Now,it is easy to brew those beers sufficiently
strong (and in fact it is done so), that when mix-
ed in the proportions one-third strong and two-
thirds small, the mixture shall be considerably
stronger than what is now proposed to be brewed
at the lower rate of duty, (which by the by
fully equal to that on good strong beer, in pro-
portion to the different. strengths), and as the ag-
gregate duty which is paid by the brewer for
such is only about 4s. 3d. per barrel, (near 9d.
per barrel less thah the proposed low duty),
do not see any great advantage the poor consumer
can draw from the change.
The beverage will be too weak to sustain the
operative Mechanic, or for the farmer to give to
his labourers in harvest time ; nor will it prevent
the poor from resorting to.the alehouse in search
of a better article, which can only be done by
enabling him to get every kind of malt liquor
through a cheaper channel.
Had the strength allowed been that of about
four barrels to the quarter of malt, it would still
have been a weak beer, but good enough for
common purposes, which the farmer in the busy
season of the year would gladly have taken from
the brewer, rather than have been at the trouble
of brewing, at a time when the attention of him-
self and family requires to be directed to matters
of more consequence, by which an additional re-
venue would have been gained.
But in fact the plan of restraining the brewer
from using more than a certain quantity of malt,
in proportion to the strength, is a bad one, and
may often oblige him to pay the high duties, and
subject him to penalties for brewing a forbidden✓'
quality of beer in his stinted brewery, if the mis-
take of his servants should bring the quantity a
few gallons less than is allowed by law.
Why not do as is now done with table beer,
that is, fix a price above which it is not to be
sold, and allow the brewer to make it as good
as a free competition, and favourable circuit,-
stances will enable him ? The obliging a man
who already has a brewery sufficient for the pur-
pose to build another solely to brew this weak
beer, appears to me to be needless : at present
both strong and small beer are allowed to be
brewed, not only in the same building, but also
in the same utensils ; and the chief means the
Excise have of preventing frauds by mixing, is,
(independent of the certificates lately intro-
duced, and which are in general paid but little
attention to) by having the different sorts kept
in different cellars, and the casks used for stor-
ing and for sending out the small, marked with
a large 'l' under heavy penalties :—now if this is
sufficient for preventing frauds in beers where
the duties are so different in amount, surely
similar means might be used with equal success
when the temptation to fraud is so much less.

The proposed law is a kind of experiment,
and there are very many places where it is quite
uncertain if the kind of beverage will take; in
such situations few Kill be inclined to lay out a
large sum in building a brewery upon so great an
uncertainty, when they would gladly make the
trial if they could be allowed to do it on their
oldpremises.

When enacted it will be but an infant law,
which no doubt will subsequently undergo great
alterations; and it a person could be induced to
risk his property in setting up such an establish-
ment, by the time he has got it compleated, he
may find that all he has been doing is rendered
useless, and he will have expended a consider-
able sum for nothing,
There is one description of poor whose com-
forts are not provided for by the bill, that is, the
poor traveller ; he is not even allowed to stand
up on the premises and drink his beer. !light
he not with propriety be allowed to rest himself
for one quarter of an hour ?—and might not others
be allowed to drink their beer standing on the
preMises, as is done in gin-shops ?

J. W.

Mer..tsrcuoLY llE.turn a
builder, late of Salter's-buildings, Connon-street.
road, St. George's in the East, who was missing
from his house for three days, was yestvrday
morning discovered hanging by a cord from one
of the joists in the ground floor of an untenanted
house in Batty's-building's, Berner-street, Corn.
mercial-road. The unfortunate man was observed
for some days back to be in a low desponding
state. lie had lately purchased several houses
(in one of which he was found hanging) to con•
siderable disadvantage, in the neighbourhood of
the Commercial-road, which is supposed to have
affected his mind ; ho has left a widow with six
orphans to bewail his loss.

PA IRS PAPERS.

[FRuM TILE CONSTITUTIONNEL.]

PAIL s, pIL 3,—Within these few days
rumours of a very strange and contradictory
nature on our political situation have been in
circulation : whilst on one hand fresh negOcia-
tions that have arisen from the mediation of
Austria .are spoken of; on the other it is asserted(
that the signal of hostilities has been given, and
that within two or three days at the farthest the
French army will have effected the passage of the
Bidassoa. This last report does not in the least
discourage those who believe that there will be
peace. In order to make peace., it is said,'
war must be begun, for even up to this moment
the sword is not drawn, and in the respecs
tive situations of France and Spain, the con-
clusion of any treaty is nearly impossible, events
alone can facilitate it. According to these same
persons, the parties are very disposer) to roll'
by the very first opportunities to enter into a oe.
gociation,and it is hoped that they will be seized on
both sides with avidity. In support of their opinion
they say that one of the most influential Mem-
bers of the Opposition on the Right, and one of
the most avowed advocates of war, spoke the day
before yesterday, in giving Isis opinion on the
Budget, of an ambulatory diplomacy which is to'
follow the army. This expression is explained
by the departure of M. de Martignac, who they
suppose is charged with powers to negociate at
anytime. M. the Abb6 Duros is talked of as
having recently come from Madrid ; he is an old
French emigrant, who was Curate and Confessor
to the Queen in Spain, and it is asserted that he
is to depart • within a few days, some say for,
Bayonne, others for Seville. This journey, most,
likely very insignificant in itself, and which was
undertaken merely on account of his own personal
affairs, has been considered by many as a political
• mission, and it must not' be wondered at, as, in
the present serious state of the country, trifles
are commented on, and even acquire a .greet
interest.
• The; Journal des Dhbats informs us' that, ac-
cording to letters from Bayonne, of March 25,
General Quesadu had entered fruit ; but our let.
ters of the 27th positively contradict this asser-
tion.
,General Quesada has not quitted St. Jean
de Luz.
The. silence which the President of the Coml.
cil, preserved on being reproached with having
always had the intention of negociating even in
making war, could not escape observation. As
for.ourselves, though we may be accused .of being
revolutionists and the enemies of public peace,
we 'shall put.up our vows till the last moment for-
the preservation of peace ; and if the war shall
unhappily begin, we shall still preserve the hope
that endeavours :will be ~made to shorten its
duration.
We do not conceal from ourselves., however,
that there are difficulties in entering into negoci-
ations, before which the pretensions of both
parties must give way. In fact, if Spain accepts
the conditions, she will acknowledge the prin.
ciple of armed intervention, against which she
has declared with so much haughtiness ; and it
the French Ministers are contented with any mo-
difications whatever in the existing system, they
will acknowledge its principle and its o'rigin,
which in all their public acts they have hitherto
declared they could not admit. Events, how.
ever, are powerful conciliators, and to them be.:
longs the power of smoothing all the difficulties;
and deciding the question.
The Constitutionnel remarks with reference to
the account of a conspiracy in France, of .which
• so much has recently been said in English Jour.
pals:—" Till now they had 'said nothing of Great
Britain, but we are much astonisherd that during
the six years, in which every event which has
agitated Europe and America has been attributed
to the Directing Committee, that nobody has yet
pointed out to us what this Committee is, of whom
it is composed, and of the place where it holds
its sittings. It ought not to be difficult to dis.
cover the traces of such numerous acts, of which
it is said to be the* sole instigator and director."
We cannot think, after the guarded silence of
the Moniteur, and the principal Ministerial Jour.
nets on this great conspiracy, that the private,
correspondents of the English Papers should be
believed on their words ; and at a time when 'it
is of such great importance to calm all minds, we
cannot but express our surprise at seeing certain
Papers which speak incessantly of their love for
the country, collect with such facility rumours
and exaggerations which are only fit to excite dis.
quietude in the public.
[[PAUSE T UE COURIER FRANCAIS4I
PARIS, APRIL I.—The day before yesterday
the grenadiers of the Ist company of the 6th
legion invited M. Mercier, their comrade, to a
banquet. The first toast was, "The King and
Cshsartertln, ;" the second, 44 Prosperity to Coin..
!tierce and Industry." The number of persons
assembled was 80, and the greatest cordiality
and harmony prevailed.
A letter from New York of March 1, says,
that the Spanish Consuls in the Unitvd States
have received orders from their Government to
deliver Letters of Marque against the French,
should war be declared.
[ It ODi THE sointwAL DES DEBATSA
We are assured that the Ministers will this
day present to Else Chamber of Deputies a law
prnject, for the'organization of an army of re
serve, by anticipation on the levy of 1823.
M. Tabarie is appointed' Directeur of the Ma
Eerie! of the war.

Letters from Bayonne of the 27th, say, that
M. de Lostaude, Aide•de-Camp of General Guil-
leminut, has been arrested and conducted to
Paris. (This is the officer whose arrival in that
city, under the care of a gendarme was noticed
in 'Flu SUN of Wednesday.) The Spanish Chief
•Gorostodi, after his fruitless attack on frun, has
arrived at St. Jean de Luz with 600 men. All
the revolutionary Spaniards have been expelled
from Bayonne, as they endeavoured to create
.disunion among the troops of Quesada. The