The Sun.
London, England, 1840-12-28 00:00:00

EVEN ING EDITION.

the pledge, hut who, by a little inancencrin,T, on the
part of the Clown and Pantaloon, got gloriously drunk.
and reeled about the stage, was not the least amusing'
to the audience. Some of the changes were managed
with much skill ; and, tor a first night's perionnanee,
exert' thing went off exceedingly well.

GARRICK.
The pantomime had for its high sounding title than
of Harlequin and the Ocean Queen ; or, The King qt.
the Ruby Castle and the Magic Yew 13ranch, and if
one were to take the trouble to dig for its foundation.
owes some of its origin to the nursery rhyme of "
Fi, ro, Form" The opening was as good as could
have been expected anywhere ; indeed it was very supe-
rior, but after the changes the greater portion of the
tricks, as is usual the first night, did not work, and the
changes had but little merit in theta, save in that of a
" Present to the Queen," in a packing case being turned
into a gilt cot and the Princess reposing, and in one or
two more. The scenery was very beautiful on the
whole, reflecting great credit upon the painter, more
especially the Ruby Castle, the three towers of polished.
steel, the Silver Lake of the Fairy Islands and the
boudoir of Amphitrite. We presume the allegorical
representation of Britannia conducting the four quarters
of the earth to present their offering to her MsjestY•
with the Princess Royal and Prirce Albert,iwouln not
work, as although announced in the bills, we could see
nothing like it. On the whole, the pantomime reaches
mediocrity, and we have no doubt will much improve
in the course of another performance or so. A duel
scene, with the figure 11 on the back of one of the
combatant's coats, reminded us of the Black -Bottle
Captain.

LITERATURE.

REATH'S PICTURESQUE ANNUA

Longman, London, 1840.
As is often the case with works of this class, the
embellishments arc the most attractive part of the
Picturesque A nnual—not that the letter-press is bad,.
but that it treats of the most hacknied of subjects,
viz. Belgium, concerning whose scenery, architecture,
antiquities, manners, etc., all has been written that.
need be written. It is but an act of justice, how-
ever, to i\l r. Roscoe to state that he has done all
that possibly could be done for a threadbare theme,
enlivening it by one or :Ivo vivid descriptions, ana
frequently historical references which are well suited
to the subject, for every reader of history knows that
for many an age We Low Countries were
the battle-ground of Europe. The Illustra-
tions, which are not less than sixteen in number,
furnish us with a lively idea of the splendo of
many of the cathedral churches of Belgium,
of which—such, for instance, as Notre Dame "1
Antwerp, St. Nicholas in Ghent, and St. James
in Liege, may vie with our noblest specimens of
ecclesiastical architecture in England. The vi▪
ew
some
of the " West Front of the Cathredral of Notre
Dame in Antwerp bears no indistinct resem-
blance to Ely Cathedral, with this difference, thai
it possesses a little more symmetry of propthortli▪
onon
A good effect of distance is given to e g
" Ca-
range of street that runs beside the church'
Pulpit, at Brussels," exhibits some clever groue
carved
thedral of St. Gudule, with the celebrated ..
Mg. The kneeling figures in the fore-ground,
c,lll,
particular, are disposed with singular taste.
far as t
the remaining plates, the best—so 1,1? en
graving is concerned—is the sketch of the " looni
Hall of Louvain," which must have been a work of
.eat labour. The artist is Radclyffe.

POEMS BY LADY FLORA HASTINGS.
Blackwood, Edinburgh, 1840.
Were we disposed to be severe in our criticafatel reof
marks on this volume, the recent melancholy
the accomplished authoress would at once disarm_
us, and if we could not conscientiously praise, we
would certainly be mild and temperate in our
strictures ; but, in truth, Lady Flora Hastings
poems require no such forbearance at our hands,
for to commend them is to be no more than
just to them, inasmuch as they show
such fer
evidences
of undeniable poetical talent, andof
vent and healthy sensibility as is not often to be
met with in the productions of the modern d
mun se.
The best is the " Dying Sybil," which is pene
in the Spenscrian measure—the most difficult
all, except in skilful hands, and developes poweorsf
of fancy which, had the fair writer's life been spared,
would, when time and practice had matured them,
have given her no mean rank among the poets of
the day.

MOORE'S POETICAL WORKS, VOL. 111.
Longman, London, 1840.
Mr.. Moore, alluding to his satirical flings at
the Prince Regent, in his preface to this volume,
observes that " the high personage in question
could refer to and quote them with a degree of
good humour and playfulness which was creditable
alike to his temper and good sense ;" and then
proceeds to give an anecdote, in support of his re-
mark, from Lockhart's Life of Sir Walter Scott.
Notwithstanding this anecdote, we greatly doubt
the Priace's equanimity under such stinging sar-
casms as Moore levelled against.hitn. We suspect
that they pierced to his very heart's core, for he
was an inordinately vain man, and vanity never for-
gets or forgives a wound inflicted on its self-love.
Our opinion is strengthened, if not confirmed, by
our recollection of his vindictive prosecution of the:
Hunts, for no other reason than that one of the
brothers happened to nickname him in the Exa-
miner "an elderly Adonis." Speaking of the be-
nefits which it was generally reported at the
time
that the Prince had bestowed on him, Mr. Moore
tells us that " they may be dispatched in a few
sentences. At the request of Lord Moira, one ot
my earliest and be friends, his Ral Highness
graciously permitted Inc to dedicateoy to my
translation of the Odes of Anacreon.. I was twice,
I think, admitted to the honour of dining at
bCa.
nrl-
ton House ; and when the Prince, on hisbeing
made Regent in 1811, gave his memorable
.fete,
was one of the crowd who enjoyed the privileg
esent
e of
being his guest on the occasion." The pr
volume contains the majority of the " Irish Melo-
dies ;" two satires entitled " Corruption" and " In-
tolerance," v‘hich fell nearly still-born from the
press ; and the far-famed " Twopenny Postbag"--
one of the wittiest and most peppery little jeux
d'esprit that its author ever penned.

" TAKING THE WALL SIDE. —SINGULAR
FRACAS.—On Saturday, at the Kensington Petty Ses-
sions, Mr. James Poupart, a gentleman residing at Ful-
ham, appeared before Messrs. Pilkington and Sutton, the
sitting Magistrates, charged with having assaulted Mr.
Vincent Austin, under the following singular circum-
stances :—The complainant stated that as he was return-
ing from town to Fulham, and was passing over the
bridge, on the high road, called Stanford-bridge, with his
right hand to the wall, he met the defendant about the
middle with his left hand to the wall. Seeing the de-
fendant intended taking the wall side of him, he
(com-
plainant) said to him, " You are on the wrong side
when defendant replied, " I always takes the sail."
Complainant told him he allowed no person to take
the wall of him when he was on his right side, and
he stood still, keeping hold- of the wall of the bridge k
;
on seeing which defendant said, " Then I'll
go bac
again ;" and he turned round, keeping close to the wall,
right in front of the complainant. On reaching the
western end of the bridge, the path suddenly widens to
the right, and the complainant, aware of that, took tho
opportunity of passing the defendant on the net side,
and in doing so might have slightly brushed agaihim,
when the defendant raised a walking-stiek he had in his
hand, and struck him a violent back-handed blow across
the left arm, the effects of which ho 6611 felt. Corn-
plainent followed defendant into the road, and attempted to
e Cofomthpeladienfaenntdatonti'ds
fwrirecasdt
gthceasmtieckufproamndhips
rheavnedniebduthismom.
defendant he must have satisfactions for the bloew, and
h v
would
rould
thhoarts,ewashihpe
him.ha d not however,Tbeiliteavehdysatasndaegrse,tleman,
and he had, in conse-
not allow him to do se,
ainst
quence been compelled to get a summons ag
him. The defendant did not deny the main points of the
case, but declared the complainant, on passing him, instead
of slightly brushinhg hstruckhad
hi forcibly ejected
he him into the
road, for which , and said never e-
fore knew there was a right and a wrong side to a foot-
path. The Bench said it was an old established usage that
pedestrians should always have their right hand to the
wall and equestrians their left. It was an ancient custom,
the observance of which induced good order in crowded
thoroughfares, and tended to prevent confusion amongst
the moving myriads. They were astonished the defen-
dant should plead ignorance of such a custom, but as the
abject of the complainant appeared to be only to main-
tain his rights, they thought a fine of ss. with the costs,
would be sufficient. The defendant paid the money.
SOUTII AUSTRALIAN COMMISSION --The
financial difficulties of South Australia having caused a
cessation of the sales of land, and consequently of emi-
gration to that colony, the Commissioners base determined
to reduce the home establishment ; and we regret to learn
that Major Bczant, who, as most of the South Australian
public are aware, has superintended the Land Department
with so much zeal during the last three years, together
with three of the clerks, have received notice that their
services will be dispensed with at the expiration of the pee-.
sent quarter.—South Australian Record.
POSTAGE STAMPS.--A paragraph is going th
round of the papers, stating that " numerous cases of ell:l
cer are attributed to moistening the adhesive postage
ramps with the tongue or lips." We are requested by
Mr. Hawthorne, the manufacturer of adhesive um, to
state that it is perfectly free from any thing deletegri
h ou
cis s,
in
vitHi—tit 1,, ;: Leexious as Algar,
fact, it resembles in its chemical properties, and that it is'
impossible for it to have the slightest injurious effect on tine
lips or tongue.

EVl:Nits'G EDITION.

DEATH OF THOMAS HILL, ESQ•

(From the Literary Gazette.)
On Sunday, after a short illness, at his residence in
the Adelpbi, aged 80 years; lied Thomas Hill, Esq., an
individur,l more intimately known in the literary circles
of Lonelon than any other person, perhaps, that ever ex-
isted. For the last half century his connection with the
preel in all its branches, with authors, actors, artists, and
pleahailers, has been familiar and confidential ; the social
vompanion of all whose rank or talents gave them station
in society ; and generally the adviser and peacemaker
where difficulties arose, or clashing interests led to misun-
‘letstandings and quarrels. Originally in trade as a drysal-
ter, Mr. Hill's bent of mind was always literary. He made
a valuable collection of books, insomuch that, when mis-
fortune befel his mercantile speculations, it was valued
at above 5,0001.-a noble library for his position in life,
and showing how much he was attached to superior
pursuits. In " The Monthly Mirror," one of the most
pleasant of our miscellanies belonging to that class, he
Was a principal; and his close intercourse with the late
Mr. Parry and the Morning Chronicle afforded Lim
opportunities of being acquainted and working with
very important matters both in politics and litera-
ture. In politics he was ever moderate and liberal ;
its letters ever warm and encouraging. Full of
anecdote, Mr. Hill wee a welcome guest in
*every quarter ; aid few. men were, if ever any man was
more sought an a invited to the genial board, where the
choice spirits .of the age, the wits, the distinguished in
every art and profession, the popular writer, and those who
loved and courted such society, were assembled together.
We have met him, and been merry and happy in his com-
pany, and 'aeard and seen much that deserved to be re-
membered. for centuries, a thousand and a thousand times;
and now 'dear Tom Hill, the good-humoured andthc kind-
hearted, is gone for ever. If he has preserved a journal of
his daily remarks, and the conversations he has heard,and
the circumstances in which he took part,wewill venture to
say thivi a more singular and interesting record was never
offeraii, to the public notice. We have been told that
be did keep such a diary. Though at the advanced
wie of four score Mr. Hill would hardly have been
',apposed above sixty, and until within a very few
lweeks of his decease he was as lively and entertaining as
he was 40 years ago. His own little foible of curiosity,
Which, we believe, caused him to be set for the portrait
of Poole's humorous Paul Pry, often amused his laugh
ing friends at his expense, and never injured a human
being. ,He " happened to know" so many people
and so many things that listeners were often jocular, if
not sceptical, upon his statements ; but die real truth
was, that he had been so widely and so confi-
dentially trusted that his information was al-
most incredible. It is a melancholy reflec-
tion at this merry season, when his body lies cold
and inanimate, to think how many a festive hour his
very existence was the subject-of laughing banter and
harmless joke. His age, which he affected to conceal, was
attenuated to hundreds of years, and a Theodore Hook,
or James Smith, or some other wag, would ring or des-
cant upon his miventures in the reign of Queen Anne or
Queen Elizabeth. His own imperturbable gaiety upon
such occasions, his rr,und and rosy countenance beaming
with satisfaction, and the hilarity which abounded on
every side, have made these bygone feasts of reason and
flows of soul memories, indeed, of sweet and bitter fan-
cies to those who most enjoyed them. In what is called
the convi vial, social or friendly association of this busy
Capita'., it is but too certain that men fall out of it and
are s',leedily forgotten es a dream. Their hearty con-
°ire a, their sworn friends, their " very brothers," soon
mt' ogle in the ncise and throng, and the place which
.ey occupied is filled by another, without a passing
'.hought of them. But in the midst of this common
oblivion, we will take it upon us to say that, during
'cars to come, many a fond regret will be breathed
for the loss of Tom Hill—of whom, from a cordial ac-
quaintance of no brief duration, we are free to declare
that we never knew bins guilty of an ill-natured action,
but, on the contrary, always ready to put the fairest
Construction upor, every word and deed, and by his
g°0(1 offices to reconcile differences, and promote the
well-being of all with whom he lived on terms of cour-
tesy and amicable fellowship.