The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-14 00:00:00

i:ADFUL FIRE.

~„i6 OF TWO LIVES.

Yesterdn„ ireiag, between one and two o'clock,
a fire broks. ;in the lower part of the Ja-
cob's Well publi,iouse, occupied by Mr. Vanderseen,
Milton-street, FO•strcet, Cripplegate.
The firemen ha lg succeeded in reaching the first
floor, or benefit cl, room, directed their utmost exer-
tions in endcavourit„to prevent the fire extending to
the upper part of t. premises, but every effort was
unavoilit,g, and befor the hour of two the whole con-
tents were one burnitimass.

From the confusionihat prevailed, the painful in-
telligence of lives haviri,?een lost was not known to
the firemen till the fleas had somewhat subsided,
when it was ascertained Tat the bar-girl, named Jane,
iind a young man named ',omas Newman, were miss-
ing. A search took pla ,:i)y the firemen, and about
seven o'clock they succeen ,in finding the two unfor-
tunate persons. The forme was but slightly injured
from the fire, and died no ddit from suffocation, but
the latter (Newman) presented most dreadful spec-
tacle, his legs and thighs being unt to a cinder.
It appeared that about halfilt one o'clock the fire
was first seen at the bar window n Phillips's-court by
an inhabitant, who with others is to the spot, and
on seeing the deceased girl at tht' indows, called on
her to throw herself out, but she •so terrified that
she seemed incapable of making • • attempt for
her own preservation. Mr. men imme-
diately afterwards rushed up stairs t, cider in the
loft with the girl in his arms (by whici -s the other
inmates had escaped), but on reaching le top step
he was overcome by the smoke, and „ made his
way to the roof, called to the girl to h im, but it
appeared that she ran back to Mr. Vi... -:en's room,
where no doubt she was so overpowered, on endea-
vouring to reach the front window, she dropd down in
the attempt. Newman was found lying on is face in
his own room, and no doubt is entertained !n that he
must have been in a deep slutnt)er when the broke
out, and unable to leave the spot, or attempt Icape•
The entire stock, building, and furniture, are co; 'rstely
consumed, and not a vestige of the property sat tth
the exception of a few pictures in the club-room.

SIR THOMAS BROWNE'S

REMAINS.

The following letter, of interest to all who lot
elder literature, needs no introduction :

Norwich, Sept. 5, 1540.
Sin,—l forward you an account of the recent acci-
dental discovery of Sir Thomas Browne's remains in
the church of St. Peter Mancroft, in this city. Sc ine
workmen were employed in digging a grave within the
area before the altar, when their pickaxe struck or. a
hard substance, which turned out to be a coffin-plate,
which was unluckily split by the force of the blow. I .
was a small, antique, brass shield, bearing the fo)lowini
inscription :--

" Aroplissimus Vir Dns. Thomas Browne, Miles,
Medicines Dr., Annos natus 77, Denatus 12 Die Men-
sis Octobris Anno Dni. 1682, hoc loculo indormiens.
corporis Spagyrici pulvere plumbum in aurum convertit."
On a closer inspection, the coffin, quaintly describe°
above as having been " transmuted into gold" by the
potent " dust" of the mighty " alchymist," was found
to have been literally converted into a carbonate of
lead, which crumbled at the touch, disclosing the
bones of its illustrious tenant. There is no truth
whatever in the report, pretty widely circulated, that
the " features remained entire." The flesh had
returned " to earth as it was, but the hair of the
beard was in good preservation. A portion of this was
compared with its representation in oil painting of the
kni4ht, suspended in the vestry, and the colour of the
original corresponded exactly with that of the copy.
Now we have the testimony of Sir Thomas Browne
himself, that " teeth, bones, and hair give the most
lasting defiance to corruption." The skull was sound,
and still contained a mass of brain. Unhappily for the
phrenologists, the forehead was narrow, low, and reced-
hig ; whereas that part appropriated to the animal pro-
penalties was unusually large. It may be right, per-
haps, to add, that the venerable bones thus fortuitously
exposed were seen by few, ani were reverently handled.
Af,er having slept undisturbed for more than a century
and a half, it was reasonable to presume that they had
become incorporated with the soil ; no sort of blame,
therefore, could reasonably attach to the selection of
their resting place for another occupant. I have thus
given the true particulars of a circumstance which I
should not have made public, had not erroneous re-
ports gone abroad respecting it.— I am, &e.

THOMAS D. EATON.

—ilthenaum.

STATE OF OUR POPULATION.

The prosperity of a State, by which it is to be un-
derstood the wealth and happiness of a nation, neces-
sarily depends upon the availableness of the industry
of the people, or the certainty and facility of obtaining
a just and ample compensation for its exercise. The
ability of every man to procure constant employment,
at wages more than sufficient to the purchase of the
mere necessaries of life for himself and family, consti-
tutes the best possible evidence of the sound condition
and wise government of the community ; whilst ab-
sence or uncertainty of employment, and deficiency
in the amount of remuneration for the labourer,
are as unquestionably proofs of national misery and de-
gradation, nor less so of the mal-administration of the
national affairs.

And this is manifestly our condition ; for, with an
industrial population of 25,000,000, and with ample and
available means for their beneficial employment (benefi-
cially to themselves and to their country), it is a lament-
able fact that a very considerable portion of this vast
productive and creative power of the nation is allowed to
run waste, and, as a natural consequence, to run riot,
inflicting countless evils upon sociei%y, instead of confer-
ring and accumulating benefits upon it.dividuals and an
aggregate of wealth and prosperity upon the community.
Hundreds of thousands of our men are without work,
and millions of them without beneficial employment.
The entire agricultural industry of the country has
long been at a discount, the husbandman's invest-
ment of labour and skill not returning him the means
of providing for himself (to say nothing of his family)
the nutrition upon which to draw for the strength of the
morrow. With a very limited allowance of dry bread
for his dinner, and without the remotest chance of
making pecuniary provision for accident, infirmity, or
old age, on the illness of his wife or child he appeals to
the parochial surgeon for aid ; and, when under such
infliction personally, he is obliged to become the inmate
of the workhouse. Unable to purchase clothing for his
little ones, the mother is a beggar of the cast-off apparel
of the neighbouring gentry. Want and suffering, under
heavy and incessant toil, have taught him to regard
health and strength as of questionable advantage—his
country, as one not worth the living in—his superiors,
as unfeeling taskmasters—personal independence, hut
a dream of the imagination—and life itself no better
than an oppressive tenure of an unproductive soil.—
Anti-Corn-law Circular.

CL,httICAL OATHS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—As a great many persons appear to be totally
ignorant that an oath is required to be taken by every
clergyman previous to his being admitted by the Bishop
to any living, and those who have heard of such an oath
may, not be aware of its serious nature, I beg leave to
transmit for the perusal and reflection of your readers
the one above alluded to :—" I, A. 8., do swear that I
have made no Sirnoniacal payment, contract, or promise,
directly or indirectly, by myself or by an other, to my
knowledge, or with my consent, to any person or per-
sons whatever, for or concerning the procuring or ob-
taining of this ecclesiastical dignity, place, preferment,
lr living, nor will at any time hereafter perform or sa-
tisfy any such kind of payment, contract, or promise
made by any other without my knowledge or consent,
so help me God through Jesus Christ."
Note or comment would only tend to destroy the
effect of such a solemn appeal to God, and the sacred
character of those to whom it is tendered is a sufficient
pledge of its inviolability. An inroluntary shudder is
produced at the bare possibility of any one being found
capable of justifying the breach of such an oath under
any circumstances whatever.
A BELIEVER IN THE REWARDS AND
PUNISHMENTS OF THE GOSPEL.
Wells, Sept. 10, 1840.

THE CASHMERE SHAWL.—We are requested
to state that " The Cashmere Shawl," an Eastern fiction,
by Capt. White, author of " The King's Page," " Al-
mack's Revisited," &c., in 3 vols. post Bvo., is published
this day by Mr. Colburn, of Great Marlborough-street,
and may now be bad at all the libraries. Mr. Colburn has
also jest published the new historical romance " Oliver
Cromwell," edited by Horace Smith, Esq., author of
Brambletye House," &c., 3 vols., and has just ready for
publication a new work of fiction entitled " The History
of a Flirt," related by herself.
MAN, A WONDERFUL BEING.-0 man I
lord of the creation I what will be the limit to tby inver,-
tive genius ? What prodigies hast thou not already ac-
complished I Thou hast erected houses to shield thee
from the elements ; mansions and pa; aces have also st?rung
up at thy command. Thou hest constructed ships
and steamers to bear thee over the great 'Jeep to
distant climes, and bast invented the mariner's
compass to guide thee on thy voy age. Wa'cches and
chronometers to measure time, own thee for their
maker. Thou bast manufactured gulls and, gunpowder
to destroy thine enemies, and also the birds of the air and
beasts of the field. Thou has brought to won derful per-
fection the art of printing, and hest disecmin ated know-
ledge among men in the remotest co rners of the earth.
Tnou hast made the Sun itself turn arti 'lst, and sketch from
nature. The Red Indian acknowledg( ts thy 3 uperiority.
Thou hast tamed the lordly lion and tbe wild elephant.
Thou hast made railways and carriages to. carry th ce swifter
than the wind. Thou bast passed a night in a e clouds,
and has crossed the Channel in a bal loon I TI .ou hast,
I,v means of the diving-bell, visited the recesse, i of the
au ! Thou bast constructed bridr,zcs ovor riot lrs, and
~v thou best made roads uudsr them 1.-4 Suutisic? 'a Jay
•
at Greenwich.