The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-22 00:00:00

LITERATURE.
HOURS WITH THE MUSES.
Sinipkin and Marshall, London, 1841.
A brief biographical sketch, prefixed to this
volume of poems, gives us some curious and in-
teresting particulars respecting the author of
them, Mr. John Critchley Prince, which impress
us with a very favourable opinion of his character.
He is, it seems, a native of Wigan, where he was
born in the year 1808 ; his father was a reed-
maker for weavers, and, having a large family,
and but slender means of subsistence, he was un-
able to give his son the advantages of a good
education. His mother, however, an intelligent
*Oman, did her best to instruct him ; and con-
trived with some difficulty to procure him ad-
mittance_ nto the Sabbath school of a Baptist
chapel in the neighbourhood, where he gained
an imperfect knowledge of reading and writing.
At nine years of age he was put to learn his
father's trade, and worked at it from fourteen to
sixteen hours a day. It was at this period that a
love of books cameon-him like a passion. "`When
the family Yttl retired to rest," says his biogra-
pher, " full often would young Prince at mid-
night leave his bed, creep down stairs, and by the
dim light of the slackened fire revel in Robinson
Crusoe,' and the romances of Mrs. Ratcliffe and
Monk Lewis." in his thirteenth year he first
met with the works of Byron, which produced,
as might be expected, a powerful effect on his
imagination, and inspired him with an ardent
desire to become a poet. While yet not quite
nineteen years of age, he " entered into the ma-
trimonial state with a pretty and interesting
young woman of his own rank of life," which so
crippled his means, for a family came quickly
upon him, that he was induced to leave England,and seek for work, whiCh he had learned was to
be obtained in abundance and on excellent terms,
in Picardy ; unfortunately, howeVer, when he
reached France, he had found that the Revolu-
tion of 1830 had destroyed all his hopes, for busi-
ness of every sort was at a complete stand-still.
Under these adverse circumstances he decided
on proceeding to the great seat of manufactures,
Mulhausen, on the Upper Rhine, and repaired
thither, by way of Paris, where he staid eight
days, and saw all the lions of the metropolis;
when, finding his finances reduced to the lowest
possible ebb, he made all possible haste to Mul-
hausen. But trade here was little better than in
Picardy, and Mr. Prince would have starved if
it had not been for the generous kindness of the
Mayor, who gave him such assistance as it was
in his power to give. After a brief stay, our un-
lucky traveller set out on his return home--not

•in the slightest depressed, though he had to walk
many hundred miles through a strange land,
without a guide and without money. It was in
the middle of winter when he commenced his

long journey, and purposely kept along the banks
of the Rhine, bearing up against privations with
a cheerful spirit, his poetical enthusiasm excited
to the utmost by exploring the beautiful land-
scapes and ruins that lie along the course of that
romantic river. On the first night of his arrival
in England he applied for food and shelter at a
workhouse in Kent, and was thrust into a miser-
able garret " with the roof sloping to the floor,"
which was tenanted by eight individuals, all of
whom were serious invalids, and one of whom
died during the night ! Next day Mr. Prince
proceeded, penniless and shoeless, to London,
"begging in the day time, and lying in the fields
at night." To allay the cravings of hunger he
went to Rag Fair, and taking off his waistcoat,
sold it for eightpence! He then bought a penny
loaf and fourpennyworth of writing-paper, with
which he entered a tavern, and calling for some
porter, proceeded to write out as much of his own
poetry, which he had composed during his
travels, as his paper would contain. As soon as
he had finished his task, he went to a number
of booksellers, in the hope of selling his MSS.
for a few shillings; but as a matter of course
was repulsed by all, for who would have faith
in the genius of an author without a waistcoat?
He stayed in London two days, "lying on the
cold stones under gate-ways, or on the bare
steps of rich men's houses," and then started on
his road back to Lancashire, "sleeping by the
way in barns, under hay stacks, and hedges, with
ballad-singers, match-sellers, and mendicants,"
and on reaching his home, found his wife and
children in Wigan poor-house. Thither he im-
mediately repaired, and brought them all to
Manchester, where he hired a garret " without
food, clothes, or furniture of any kind; and
Where he and his family slept on straw for many
Months." At length, his circumstances began
to improve ; his poetry, some of which was in-
serted in the local newspapers, found admirers;
a. volume was soon after published by subscrip-
tion—the volume before us—and he is now, we
understand, comparatively speaking, well off, in
point of worldly matters. It is greatly to the
credit of Mr. Prince's heart, and -the diVine art
which 1w pursued with such -.enthusiasm, that
poverty has had no power to sour, or. corrupt his
nature. He has passed through the fiery fur-
nace without so much as a singe. His poems
show an innate refinement of mind, and a sweet,
healthy lone of sensibility, together with a pure
and ennobling morality, which speak volumes in
favour of their author's head and heart. We
cordially wish him success, for no man seems to •
have suffered more, or to have borne his suffer-.
ing with such exemplary patience, and, we May.
even add, magnanimity. We conclude with a
graceful and melodious passage from one of Mr.
Prince's poems, entitled " A Vision of the .
Future :"

There Woman moves with beauty7moulded form,
First inspiration of the Poet's song,
Her heart with fondest, purest feelings warm,—
Soul in her eyes, and music on her tongue;
Vsteenied and taught, she lives above the storm
Qf social discord, poverty, and wrong;
Graceful and good, intelligent and kind,
The leveliest temple of the mighty mind!

Her offspring, too, unfettered as the fawn,
With elfin eyes, and cheeks that mock the rose,
Chase the wild bees o'er many &flowery lawn,
Or gather pebbles where the brooklet flows:
A littl world of purity is drawn
: Around their steps; a moral grandeur glows,
-Serene in majesty, before their eyes,
Moulding their thoughts and feelings as they rise.
Oh, blest community! calm spot of earth!
Where Love encircles all in his embrace;
Where generous deeds and sentiments have birth,
Warming each heart and brightening every face;
Where pure Philosophy, and temperate Mirth,
The lore of Science, and the witching grace
Of never-dying Poesy, combine
To feed the hungry soul with food divine!

ARMY AND NAVY PROMOTION.
There are a variety of reports in circulation re-
lative to the probable extent of the anxiously
looked-for promotion; but it is agreed on all
sides that the present state of the finances of the
country will not admit of the Brevet being so
large as was at first hoped for. In the Navy it
is supposed by those who believe themselves to
be in the secret, that the Flag promotion will
not at most go below the year 1807, thus
taking in Captain Charles Gordon; and that
in the other ranks it will be limited to a cer-
tain seniority, together with the length of
the actual services of each officer now hold-
ing a command or filling. an executive situa-
tion; thus, for example, promoting as. it is said
all those Commanders who have held that rank
ten years, and who have been, three years ac-
tually employed; and all First Lieutenants who
have held commissions ten or., perhaps fifteen
years, and who have been full six years of this
time in sea-going ships, the half of it as First
Lieutenant : and with regard to the Mates, that
all those who have passed seven years, and who
have been in active service two-thirds of this
period, and are still serving in sea-going ships,
will be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. We.
sincerely lode that these predictions will prove
correct; for though they are not to the extent
that was at one time expected, yet as these ar-
.rangements seemfounded on justice and fairness,
we consider that they cannot but give satisfaction
to the service. One thing is certain, viz., that
-the First Lord of the Admiralty is most strenu-
ous in his endeavours to obtain a considerable
promotion for the Navy ; and the authorities at
the Horse Guards, we know, are equally active
on behalf of the Army. During the week Lord
Haddington, Sir Henry. Hardinge, and Lord
Fitz-Roy Somerset, have had several interviews
with the Premier and the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer.
Amidst the Royal favours that will no doubt
be bestowed in honour of the happy event which,
to the great joy of the nation, has just occurred,
it is sanguinely hoped by both Services that her
Majesty may be graciously pleased to make pro-
motions and new nominations in the Order of the
Bath, and we trust the Marines will come in for
their full share of these favours;
,and could our
beloved Sovereign be advised to enlarge this
distinguished Order to a fourth class, whereby
it might be conferred on the junior officers of
the Army and Navy who had gained reputation
before the enemy, it would, we k4ow, be hailed
with grateful acknowledgments by both the pro-
fessions. At the same period the alteration Which
has been so often suggested mightwith equal satis-
factionbe made, that ofcreatingall the Companions
Knights; for it has, we are assured, often proved
very mortifying to many old and distinguished
officers, more especially to those who have been
serving with their regiments in Ireland, and Who
had been twenty years and upwards CoMpanionsl
of the Bath—the proud reward of their gallarii
services in the field, in the Peninsula, Anil 'et'