The Sun.
London, England, 1840-02-10 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

LIVES OF THE QUEEN'S OF ENGLAND.
VOL.I. I Colburn, London, 1840.

Authentic Memoira of our English Queens is a
work that has been much wanted ; and the present ap-
pears likely to supply the deficiency. It is the produc-
tio❑ of Miss Agnes Strickland, who states in a very
brief introductory notice, that she has dedicated many
years to the task, and spared neither labour nor re-
search, to complete it in an efficient manner. A care-
ful perusal of the first volume—the only one yet pub-
lished—convinces us that this lady has done herself no
more than bare justice when she speaks of the pains she
has taken with the work, for it shows is every chapter
marks of extensive reading—especially among the old
Norman Chronicles, and the monkish Latin authors—
and of that patient and persevering spirit of inquiry,
and skill in comparing, sifting, and drawing likely in-
ferences from conflicting authorities, without which no
history, worthy of the name, ever was, or ever will be,
written. When the work has made more progress—
for we perceive that it is to be issued in monthly vo-
lumes—we shall be better able to make an estimate of
its pretensions ; but in the meantime, we may say of
the present volume, that instead of being a mere dry
chronicle of facts, it is penned in an eloquent and at-
tractive style, and shows a talent for description by no
means of an ordinary character. The Life of " Ma-
tilda of Flanders," .the wife of William the Conqueror,
possesses—like the last four volumes of Gibbon's im-
mortal history—all the interest of romance.

LARDNER'S CY CLOI-1z EDIA.—No. CXXI.
Longman, London, 1840.
_ _ _

This Number forms the third volume of Moore's
" History of Ireland ;" it commences with a sketch of
the condition of that country during the reign of King
John, and terminates with an account of its state and
prospects, at the period of the Reformation in England
under Henry the Eighth. Nothing can be simpler or
chaster than the manner in which the volume is written ;
we meet with none of those tawdry tropes and me-
taphors which were of such frequent occurrence in the
earlier prose works of the author, more particularly in
his Life of Sheridan ; and we congratulate him on the
change, which is a great improvement.

DELI CM? LITERARIzE.
Simian and Marshall, London, 1840.

A Miscellany of literary jests and anecdotes, called
from a variety of sources, and strung together at ran-
dom. Being of the slightest possible character, and a
mere compilation, the work presents no materials for
criticism.

MARY STUART.
Ridgway, London, 1840.
As we noticed this tragedy at considerable length, on
the occasion of its first representation at Drury-lane
Theatre, we need now say little more than that it
reads nearly, if not quite, as well as it acts. The dia-
logues are uniformly terse and nervous, and the passion
is not over-elaborated nor worn to tatters. In the cha-
racter of Ruthven, too, we meet with many nice,
minnte touches in the closet, which had escaped us on
the boards of Drury-lane, where it is often as difficult
to hear, as it is to see, what is going forward on the
stage, so preposterous are the dimensions of the theatre.
Mr. Haynes deserves high praise for the skilful way in
which he has elevated and ennobled the character of the
rough, haughty old Scottish baron, without swerving, in
the main outline, from the truth of history. The play
abounds in beautiful passages, in which poetical ideas
are clothed in fitting attire. We subjoin a few of those
that have most struck us :

MUSIC.
" It was not falsehood
That bade the poet fancy stones to move;
For there's a spirit in creation,
A mind in matter, captivate to song—
The very comet in his random sphere,
Obeys its voice, and smooths his bristling fires,
To listen when the golden planets sing--
The smallest clod of earth does, in its fair
Proportion to the wheeling worlds above,
Sustain the universal harmony,
And follow nature in her heavenly round !"
THE ADVANTAGES OF PERSEVERANCE.
" As every thing
That's great and difficult, is done by patient
And persevering toil, You've seen a pebble
Washed whiter than the fleeces round the moon,
And made a thing of cost and ornament
By the untiring wave. There's a deep moral
In that small truth ; the wave, the ceaseless wave,
Hints to the mind the secret of its energy."

LAW AND LAW YER' S. 2 Vo.r.s.
Longman, London, 1840.
There is a great deal of pleasant gossip and anecdote
in these volumes, relative to the moat eminent lawyers
of the past and present day. Lords Thurlow and
Eldon occupy, as might be expected, a prominent place
in the work ; and many curious stories are told of the
latter illustrious individual, all of which are in favour of
his bonhommie, and unassuming deportment. As a
specimen of the work we quote two anecdotes which
we do nat remember to have met with before in print.
The volumes abound in similar good stories :
" AN HONEST ATTORNEY. An attorney, on the
marriage of his son, gave him 500/., and handed him
over a Chancery suit, with some common law actions,
About two years afterwards the son asked his father for
more business. ' Why, I gave you-that capital Chancery
suit,' rerlied the father, and then you have got a great
many new clients; what more can you want?' Yeas
sir,' replied the son, but I have wound up the Chancery
suit, and given my client great satisfaction, and he is in
possession of the estate.' What, you improvident
fool,' rejoined the father indignantly, that suit was in my
family for 25 years, and would have continued so as much
longer if I bad kept it. I shall not encourage such a fel-
low.' The sequel of the story is that the father died a few
years afterwards in comparative poverty, while the son
continued to conduct his business honourably and uprightly
for fifteen years, and has now retired on an estate which
he purchased, and where he resides respected and esteemed
by all who know him."
" DISADVANTAGES OF A WOODEN LEG.—On the Nor-
folk circuit, the famous Jack Lee was- retained for the
plaintiff in an action for breach of promise of marriage ;
when the brief was brought him, he inquired whether the
lady for whose injury—spretmque injuria formaa—he was
to seek redress was good-looking. Very handsome,
indeed, Sir;' was the assurance of' Helen's attorney.
Then, Sir,' replied Lee, I beg you will request her to
be in Court in a place where she can be seen.' The
attorney promised compliance ; and the lady, in accord-
ance with Lee's wishes, took her seat in a conspicuous
place. Lee, in addressing the Jury, did not fail to insist
with great warmth on the abominable cruelty' which
had been exercised towards the lovely and confiding
female' before them, and did not sit down until he had
succeeded in working up their feelings to the desired
point. The Counsel on the other side, however, speedily
broke the spell with which Lee had enchanted the Jury,
by observing that his learned friend, in describing the
graces and beauty of the plaintiff, had not mentioned the
fact, that the lady had a wooden leg ! The Court was
convulsed with laughter, while Lee, who was ignorant of
this circumstance, looked aghast ; and the Jury, ashamed
of the influence that mere eloquence had had upon them,
returned a verdict for the defendant."