The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-05 00:00:00

FRANK FAIRLEIGII. No. I.

This serial tale, which •excited so much interest in
the readers of Sliarp's 1114azine, is now appearing
in monthly numbers for the benefit of those persons
only acquainted with its merits by hearsay. This
first number, which is adorned with two of Cruik-
shank's spirited illustrations, relates the scrapes and
Misadventures which befell the hero on his first entry
on his scholastic career..

THE'iQUARTERLIES.

THE EDINBURbrI BETIEW. No.CLXXIX.

Variety of theme and solidity of thought are the_
principal 'Characteristic's of the .current number of the
Edinburgh for January. One, reviewer weighs a
history in the balance of criticism—Kemble's " Saxons
in England"—and takes occasion to write, in so
doing, a paper abounding with - evidence of great
antiquarian erudition., Another places the merit*
and demerits of a novel in the scales—Senior's
" CharleS Vernon -arid while analysing the con-
struction of • a single fiction, defines what may be
called the true physiology of ' romance. For the
Satisfaction 'of certain members Of the Church of
England there is a severe article condemnatory of
the ecclesiastical dogma of the " Indelibility of Holy
Orders" as recently discussed in reference to the
treatment of Mr. Shore by the Right Reverend
Father in God, Henry of Exeter; while for the
delectation of the upholders of Roman Catholicism
there is -an elaborate review, of Valery's Correspon-
dence ineditO de Mabillon et de Montfauconi in which
the writer pens it most 'eulogistic narrative of the
celebrated order of'the Benedictines, - Several -of the
parliamentary :decuments published during the
course of last session have suggested to one contri-
butor an essay On that inexhaustible topic, " The
Relief of Irish Distress ;" and another has, in no-
ticing the voluminous productions of Mignet and
Grimblot, taken a rapid survey of the diplomatic
tactics •of -" William and Louis XIV." Those
-NV hcf-feel in a particular manner sinterested.in • the fate
of the superb territories enrreunding the cities of
Lahore and Moult= Will peruse with• avidity
the historical chapter devoted to the consideration Of
" The Punjaub ;" while those who sympathise; in the
panegyrics'deservedly pronounded•over the tombs of
renowned statesmen' will derive -a particular but me-
lancholy_ gratification from the etilogiurri of the
Edinburgh upon the memory of "Lord Melbourne."
Varied and striking as are the articles alresidy enu-
merated, there is yet another and one of a very novel
and attractive character, which we have abstained
from mentioning until the last, because, to our mind,
it appears to be the most deserving of a serious and
prolonged attention. -This remarkable contribution-
is entitled " The Progress of Alechanicel-Invention,"
and has emanated from the reflections excited in the
imagination of the reviewer by the casual perusal of
the last few volumes of the Patent Yourical 'and the
Mechanics' Magazine. It will prove, no doubt,
a subject of curiosity not only 'it; Mr. Robertson
and Mr: Carpmeal, but to the vast majority of the.
reflecting portion of the population; and this because,
although we may not all be inventors or- patentees,
we have each, of 6- an interest, more or less, in the
development 'of mechanical science, and in the
successful or non-successful issue of mechanical
ingenuity. It is so deplorably true,. moreover, that
the passion of gambling has penetrated even into the
temples of philosophy, that it were well for a very
considerable number of the more speculative members
of the community if some restriction could be put
upon the reckless expenditure' resulting from
the game of hazard practised in the chambers of
the patent agent. So much valuable money
is squandered upon inventions not worth a single
snap of the fingers, and so many persons are reduced
to' beggary by the extravagance flowing from the
sanguine temperament of the inventors, that it bee
comes a question of public importance to inquire
whether the pitfalls cannot be filled up otherwise than
by " the fortunes and the minds of those who have
fallen into them and been ruined:" Humanity should
prompt the Legislature to see if it would not be
possible to preient the daily recurrence of the dismal
catastrophes bewailed so many years ago by Jeremy
Bentham. Towards the attainment of this most,
desirable object, the reviewer makes the 'fol-
lowing proposition: —That certain boards. of
examiners should be appointed, " whose• ap-
proval should -be secured-first before any invention,
purporting to be novel, should be admitted to
the expensive hettours of 'a- patent P—in England-
the first, expenses of a patent fur the three kingdoms
being 3451, in fees almid; thoie 'fees being required to
be 'paid down in hard cash " befbrehande' While
peopoundirig this remedy, hoks'ever,' the ieeieWer him-
.self acknowledges that its introduction into our sys-
tem of -affairs is , opposed by several insuperable ob-
*rue-tit:les, foremost amongst which are the tyrannical
blunders that might result from such precautions,
,and the inconquerable repugnance of inventorsethem-
selves to submit their ideas to the decision of members
of their own profession: As to.the popular sugges-
tion" mentioned by the -Edinburgh (p. 55), to• the
effect that ' every -patentee shotild' be required
to deposit in Soinelniblic rnuseittn " an eteeurate model
or specimen of his invention;" the' revib4iveiescems- to
be ignorant of the fact that this arrangemett has been
long adopted iii the- French capitarsand that - amongst
the most interesting and Certainly amongst the most
eccentric of all the exhibitions of Paris, is that in
which are alcumulated an extraordinary number of
the most beautiful models of patent inventions. .The
adoption of such a scheme by' the -English Govern--
meat would be productive, according- to our thinking,
of a twofold advantage-L•firet, that of warning Mons
tors and patentees' from-seine disastrous -undertaking
before they'haVe adventured too far into' it for with-
drawal ; and, secondly, the addition of another depart-
meht to the noble establishment in Great Riissell-street:
When We' hear Mr.l3abbage relating "-that- the
.construction of his catcUlating machine; not one
-single portion-of the works, although these were of
extraordinary 'complication, required any alteration
after it was once made, owing to the admirable care
which had been besteswed upon the drawings," we
may calculate the advantages • which would result
-front a system which would, rendar the 'preliminary
construetiOn of a ntedeLtoinpuisory. In, the very
act Of producing the model 'the inventor would dis-
cover hairnet whether Or not his ideas were practi-
cable. HO* profound -is the infatuation- of some
of the 'many thousands who imagine themselves
capable of achieving what have been hitherto found
by men of indisputable genius to be impossibilities,
may be conjectured-'frotn the fact that many who
have seen or heard of the suspension tunnel and the
electric telegraph, are still wasting years tin a search
for -the perpetual Motion!' " One such machine, at
least," nays the Edinburgh Review' (p. 47), '"may
even now be seen in London, by those who have more
faith than knowledge, pUrsuing itt - eternal • revolu-
'dohs." -The accuracy of this assertion we can oure
selves, in a manner, corroborate—for we Well remelts-
her, that scarcely eight months ago, while walkiirg..]:,
the moonlight along one of the suburban reaele s
metropolis, we were accosted by another. pthis
s who mingled his description. of a
his
kind (which he had fabricated with
_rise, and •eja-
with blasphemies- to the memory of own hands),
at" Thomas' Paine.:
Atheism' its
culations-of 'homage to the gliouns
and
Philosophy has its hallueina,leven in' the Middle Of
k the existence of the
superstition. There are men,
the nineteenth century, y''hio
the paltry joints, and
Divinity, and yet sv r
of
sirsomeb,
ItileiNNiseerr ly
pistons
Lytton e ure ia of
cogswheels, and
ght,
their own construction.
o truth; Ave delineated Adam
without any vio
a .contemporary, not, only of, the Kin.
Warner as
111 r
,Maker, but also of.
)IVerass, or of Sir
Beaudesert. '
Seciley"' ,Buritays are stall
striving, to concoct the elixir rites; and Sir Epicure
mammals arc still sunguine of discovering the aurum
pot,abik.' AS 'a clear and cbtoprelitt?sive treatise upta.
tho progress which has been made in mechanical: in-
vention, this admirable pa
per will amply repay pe-
rusal. 'Upon the biographical contribution respecting
Lord MelhOurne, we have' already commented in .ra'
ceding , article ; yet we cannot but seize the present
opportunity for the purpose of- commending one in-
cidental portion of the memoir—an estimate of,the
genius and character -of Daniel O'Connell, which
appears to us singularly felicitous. In ecornisient-
Mg ourselves 2ispOn the 'Ministerial career. of'
1.40V1 lAellscattat4) Ot the period. o£ his ,decesse, We'