The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-16 00:00:00

MORNING SUN

TERAT U RE.
A CATECHISM OF ASTRONOMY.
By Hugo Reid. Oliver and Boyd, Edinhurgli.
The object of this little treatise is to convey 'a
concise explanation of the more important phe-
nomena and principles of astronomy, adapted to
the general reader, as well as to the instruction of
youth. The leading results which it des elopes
are simple, and may be comprehended within a
moderate compass. They term also the most
interesting study that can occupy the human
mind, exhibiting at once the beauty, order, and
:grandeur of the heavenly bodies, and the inde-
scribable power of their great Creator. -
study, therefore, is so well tilted for exciting the
admiration and piety of youth. The work, as
its title implies, is drawn up in the form of
question and answer, and conveys much informa-
tion respecting the fixed stars, the sun, planets,
and comets, iibistrated by a great variety of
wood-cuts. The first of these represents some of
the northern cons:ellations, among others the
Great and Little Bears, and Ai ith the help of fhem
Mr. Reid gives the following very simple method
of finding out the north-pole star :—" If a line
''be drawn through the two farthest stars from the
,tail of the Great Beal. (also called the Plough and
Cliartes'sTVala), and produced in a direction from.
the limbs of the animal, that liue will pass close
to the Pole-star." The star is very bright, and
cannot be mistaken These two stars are termed
" the Painters."

NEW ZEALAND, ~.011T.11 AUSTRALIA, AND
NEW SOUTH WALES. By R. G. Jameson, Esq.

London, Smith, Filer, and Co.
The author of this interesting volume went out
to South Australia; in the summer of 1838, in the
capacity of Surgeon Superintendent. of Emi-
grants, and from thence he proceeded to visit the
principal emigrant settlements in New South
Wales and New Zealand, with a view to form
correct opinions with reference to the most-ad-
vantageous employment of labour and capital in
these colonies. Without charging him with iu-
tentional partiality,hisbook wears all the appear-
ance of a panegyric upon emigration generally,
and more especially upon a removal to one or
other of the colonies visited by hint. As, how-
ever, he gives a very fair report of all that fell
under his observation, the emigrant who is capa-
ble of forming an opinion for himself will find in
this volume some curious and useful information.
He admits that South Australia is so badly wa-
tered that the interior cannot he explored .with-
out the certainty of those making the attempt
perishing with thirst, and he even relates the
story of Colonel Gros ler and his daughter being
obliged to drink the blood of their horses in an
endeavour to penetrate the country north-east of
Mount Barker. Now of what avail is a tine cli-
mate and extensive pastures in a land without
that prime necessary of life —water ? He describes
the scenery of Australia as very beautiful ; but
the appearance of New Zealand as remarkably
sombre, the plains greatly resembling the aspect
of the heath-clad moors in Scotland, being over-
run with a specks of dark fern. Such of the na-
tives as he f€ll in with were inoffensive, hospita-
ble, and remarkably intelligent. Multitudes of
them can read and write, and they are remarka-
bly fond of these mental exercises. New Zea-
land boasts of some very respectable mountains,
lakes, and rivei:=,. Some of the mountains are
9,000 feet above the level of the sea, and Lake
Tanpo is 35 miles in length, and on an average
2,0 in breadth. Prefixed to the volume is a well
engraved map of the south Australian and Nsw
Zealand groups of Islands.

FINE ARTS.
ii.i.C.STILITIONS OF I,ON QUIXOTTE.

f i lia: , 11i, 134 1

This is the first Part of ;i series of twenty-tivf!
engrasings from original paintings by Coypel.
It contains four plates, all of which display much
of the graye, quiet, saturnine humour that cha-
racterizes the master-piece of Cervantes. The
sketch, in particular, when the enthusiastic Don
Quixote is represented receiving- in the inn the
order of knighthood from the hands of his wag-
gish landlord, is a• full of rich comedy as Hay-
man's admirable illustration of the same scene,
in his engraving-s which accompanied
translation.

ILLUSTRATED SHAKSPEARE, Part XXX.

Tzbix, Loralon, 1841.
In this Part we have the two first acts of the
noble tragedy of King Lear, which are introduced
by a few pertinent entioal remarks from the peu
of the Editor. The illustrations by Kenney
Meadows are by no means deficient in N jgour
and earuestness.

.
A. Cabinet Council was held it the Fotugn-
office yesterday afternoon, whieh %VHS attendvd by all tho
..tinisters in twAli. Previou:-.-- Ihr Cohn& Sir Ahoces
Graham Sir IL PtA in WhitehailGar&ns.

DLSTRUCTIVE FIRE AT SONIERS-TOTI'N.—
N,tween ten and eleven o'clock on Friday night the vi-
cinity of Son ere-Town became soddenly a scene of ex-
citement and confusion by a dreadful fire breaking out
in Chalton-street, New-road, which burnt furiously for
nearly two hours, and occasioned considerable destruc-
tion of property, and also greatly damaged several houses
in the neighbourhood. The premises in which the
flames commenced were tenanted by Mr. Stephenson,
grocer and. tea. dealer, No. 114. situate on the west side
of Chalton-street, near the New-road. The alarm was
raised by an inhabitant of the sheet, who, passing by the
premises, observed a great light in the shop, and smoke
issuing from the fanlight over the door. Fortunately the
supply of water front the plugs in the street was bounti-
ful, and by half-past eleven o'clock the ravages of tie*
fire were stopped from reachieg the adjoining houses,
No. 113 and No. 113, the former occupied by Mr. B.
Callicott, and the latter by Mr. Parkington, tobacconist.
All that remains of Mr. Stephenson's premises are the
walls and a portion of the roof, the interior beim; all but
destroyed. Mr. Stephenson at the time of the discovery
of the fire was at a theatre, and was unable to account fur:
its origin. He was a single man, and when he left. e'
premises at half-past niae o'clock, three quarters el' nn
hour before the outbreak of the flames, the place
peared perfectly sefe. lie is insered in the Phoenix Fire-,
office, and the building, which is the property of.a gen
tleman living in the neighbonehood, is insured in the
Royal Exchange-office.
Wednesday last, a confectioner in Paisley wa3
fined in the sum of 2s. 6d. for throwing a quantity of
whisky in the face of a teetotaller. Luckily, the mouth
of the Matter was shut, and none of the whisky was ewel-
' lowed. Of course, he has not lot caste by the aeeur-
. rence.
miracles for thseolmfia.irthateeciitahinndovferreNasrto:vr:e7cearai,t,
THE POTATO CROP.—The Limerick Ckroniele
says that this year's potato crop will, beyond expectation,
render fully an average produce throughout the south of
Ireland. The favourable weather of the past forakbe
—tfiliveyD•etiatetrial,vof his age, the oldest tenant
washas workedconsidered lost.
l‘ault-iuoTlitioCkelGhnEAtlriv'tg'elirTywil e:S.t, state; he and his forefathers have pos-
sessed the same farm above three hundred years, ready
to fight in defence of their lords. The present Duk-e
aia)(nl::ale I)uelsessrei suitable ieb re
e ris'ei. sYs visited
an d coolndi fol r)tanetoall'illteirr
old tenant. He was visited three weeks since by the
hess, also by 11r. Campbell, of Isla. At one of.
these visits, the Duke offered to build him a new-
house. " No," said Duncan, " it served my grandfather, it
served my father, and it may serve me too." thirteen
has lived to ace four Dukes, and was lately, by his owls
desire, visited by the heir-apparent to the l)ukedouo.
Ilia eldest daughter, aged 80, has a large family resid-
ing upon a farm within eight miles of Tullich, she is stilt
able to milk the cows, to go about and visit on foot her
father's house. llis youngest eon alive, a feuar in Pais-
ley, upwards of 70, is hale, stout, and hearty ; has re-
silied in Paisley 30 years ; he went on Wednesday laest•
accompanied by one of his
.sons and daughters' 111
patriarch's remains in the house appointed for all
verary and Tuilich, to see and assist. in lavingtiht:eilolghl:
6 about being erected
em
• —Paisley ildnertiSer.
tirneuxftacent,oiv7.
sfocarler,ibbon and other silkgrit
the.c!tr
upon tin
neighbourhotid of Farnham, which will ere. ,-.2.11:
ment to nearly 200 hands, by a Mr. Orme, or two
—Hampshire -Chronirk
LOYALTY I—On the news of the birth of &
Prince of Wales arriving in Almondbury, the church
bells were set a ringing, and other demonstra e lons r
joy were made. One of the 213
hoisting of a large BLACK FLG
I.oiitaiSittgellicaortta7CS
otfhe.
A
IlullAld-clorsolfinehiTmel
TONSHIRE.--We
which was seen in_eetdhaersitnr,eete
DESTITUTION IN DUMEAR
aver
a great distance. L es.
undez•stand that on Wednesday, the 10th instant, a large
and influential meeting of the
hth:,asCotuondtye,Nibiste-dlindienvaeglinsi
with landedtlPi °rat tier.
gymen, and gentlsmenconineeldtec.
for alleviating the destitution and distress now and fc...
rtownr:stlhuere,ob
object
ofie
The •
jasilotinDpeaurnminbobanarths likely to be prevalent in that populous
valiej', among its operative population., exact situa-
tion of the whole labouring population of the valley WEL, •
submitted to the meeting in classified statistical table,
prepa red freen a survey recently undertaken by Laced oot;
mittees which have for soma time becu zealously la.bourinc
to alleviate cases of destitution and distress. The meet-
ing unanimously adopted resolutions expressive of their
deep sympathy with the operatives and their fealibeg in
approval of
their uistress and (I,:44ll6on—their hearty
the proceedings already taken by the Local Committees
—their desire that these Con-Auittees should continue
their efforts--and their entire willingness to strengthen
the hands of the Committees by private subscriptions. A
largo sum was subscribed by the gentlemen attend ii g
the meeting, and it was resolved, should it be found ne-
cessary, to have recourse to n more general subscription..
under authority of a general county meeting.—Ren-
frewaltire: Re.formet.
is generall
that y
ya
eisjnuobtilma'nont
up
ROYAL PUNNING.--The
fthjeesj7
tautlear; sportedon a late tappy event.
Among the best we have heard-
multi addictedtud e t
00
is the Tevival of the
worthy old qua're, NNhy the Heir .417,parent was born.
Duke of Cornwall ?—Because tie was tuinor
Literary Gazette.