The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-08 00:00:00

THE SUN,

which can distinguish a lawyer, and every
quality which can adorn a man—is lifttd over his
head. Alas! it is true, too true. In Ireland, in the
distribution of political patronage, tra rit is very ryrely
the test. Genius, learning, wit, and tloquence are left
neglected in the shade, while political tergiversation and
profligacy, empty bluster and lacdous agitation, often
carry off the prize."
The etching is most accurate and life-like. A paper
on " The Poor-laws, Potatoe Disease, and Free
Trade," is well worthy of perusal. A series of tales,
classicaly and gracefully written, entitled " The
Seamen of the Cyclades," will also be read with
pleasure. The next paper is " A few Plain Words to
the People of England, respecting the State of Na-
tional Education in Ireland." This paper is ably
written, and puts forward the views of certain par-
ties in Ireland conscientiously opposed to the
present system of national education ; and
though we are among the most strenuous advocates
for the present system, yet, if any too rigid rule
could be relaxed, so as to throw open to all sects and
parties the benefits of education, and relieve the ten-
der consciences of all denominations of our fellow-
Christians, it would give us sincere pleasure. The
next paper is a notice of a very able work by Surgeon
Wilde, " The Closing Years of Dean S wit is Life,"
a work manifesting the deep research, minute ob-
servation, and untiring industry of the learned author.
Next follows a continuation of " Ceylon and the Cin-
galese," playful, witty, and instructive as usual,
There is a notice of a new novel, "My Uncle the
Curate," by the author of " The Bachelor of Albany"
and "The Falcon Family." The number closes with
a powerful and argumentative article, entitled " The
"limes,' the Poor-law, and the Poor-law Committee."
We regret our space will not allow us to follow the
able writer through the whole subject, but we
cannot avoid giving his answer to the question, " Why
the British public should pay the heavy costs of our
social revolution ?" as indicating the views of many
Irish gentlemen.—" We are free to confess we know
but one reason—the fact that they have caused it.
The poor-law is their infliction upon Ireland. It was
enacted and carried into effect against the will of the
Irish people and their representatives, and for the ad-
vantage of the British public"—" and we only re-
quire :that Great Britain shall contribute to the
poor-law,: regarded in its aspect of benevolence,
according to her ability, and that as a penal infliction
she shall bear hei portion also."

LO4TJJON,

the shore. This is the first of a series of illustrations
of the British ballads with which Si larpe proposes to
favour his readers. Under the head of " Curiosities
of Science" are a variety of usefu.L and interesting
paragraphs collected from various sources. " Lewis
Arundel " is continued, as is also Mrs. Cowden
Clarke's paper on Shakspere, &c. Szi;.

THE BRITISH POLITICAL, COMMER-
CIAL, ECCLESIASTICAL. AND HISTO-
RICAL GAZETEER, TRAVELLING
ROAD-BOOK, AND COUNTY ATLAS.
By H G. Collins.
Tile third part of this very entt•rprising work has
just reached us. •It fulfils the prom ise of the former
parts in every particular, and we can confidently
commend it to the consideration of the public. Its
statistical information appears to be derived from the
most authentic sources. It invests every village and
hamlet with a new interest, all useful information
connected with each is fully supplied, and no historic
record is forgotten. When perfect it will form a
most interesting and attractive volume of English
history, The maps could not well be exceeded in
accuracy and beauty. We trust the labours of the
proprietors will be properly appreciated.

THE POTTLETON LEGACY. By Albert
Smith. Parts Vi. and VII.
The Pottleton Legacy still continues its career
right merrily. These parts aye full of amusing read-
ing, and the illustrations are admirable. We com-
mend the following extracts from Part VII. to the care-
ful perusal of all " Sisters of Mercy," " Sisters of
Charity," et hoc genus omne. The scene is in Mr.
Twinch's parlour, and the actors are Mr. Twinch and
his sisters—Septimus Twinch loquitur :
". District Visiting, indeed .% stuff ! What is it ?
Nothing 1'
‘• It is everything, Septimus:
" Pooh! It would be if it did them good, but it don't.
It worries them. What do you do? Go and poke about
amongst a lot of poor devils who haven't a halfpenny to
bless themselves with, to see that: their house is " clean,"
and their brats well "brought tip."
" But is there any harm in t hat, Septimus?'
" Nut in the least, if you gave them anything to make
up for the intrusion. It's as much their own private
home as this is ours. But you don't.'
" Don't
"Ni, don't ! I don't call a bundle of dreary books,
that you get wholesale at three for a penny, any pre-
sent—books that they never have the time to, and some-
times can't, read. Why don't you give them bread, or
bacon, or beef, instead? Besid(3s, you hold out a pre-
mium for filth.'
Septimus 1'
" • You do. When you find a neat, clean family, you
say to yourselves, they look comfortably off ; and never
send them a coal or a blanket in consequence. But if
you come upon a hovel of dirty drunken never-do-wells,
with Jagless children, and everything that could be
sold parted with for liquor, you. mag about their destitu-
tion, and work up sympathy. Bah! it's enough to make
one sick.'
" But, Mr. Page—'
" Fiddle, Mr. Page He would be a good fellow if
you'd let him; but you've spoilt him. You hunt him to
death. There is no reality in what you do ; its a
clutch of despair at a floating straw, and poor Page is
the straw.'
" • I don't understand what you mean,' exclaimed both
sisters at once.
" Yes, you do. Your feeling is not religion ; its
perverted excitement. Out of every hundred district
pokers, I'd be bound you would. find a clear ninety old
maids.' "

CLEMENT LORIMER._Parts IV. and V. By

Angus B. Reach.
The interest of the tale is wrought up to a fearfu.
degree of intensity in these parts. Mr. Angus B.
Reach is as great a favourite with the tragic as with
the comic muse. Having already acquired name
and fame as one of the first comic writers of the day,
he now puts in a claim to equal rank among the poets
of the wild, the terrible, and the sublime, and he has
shown in " Clement Lorimer" that the rival of
Dickens may be at the saute time the rival of Ann
Radcliffe or M. G. Lewis.

THE MIRROR.

The Mirror for March commences with a we:

written review of the recently published " History of
1848," by Mr. Walter K. Kelly. The writer in the
Mirror is disposed to regard M. Ledru Rollin in
much more favourable light than he has been gene-
rally regarded in this country, and protests against
the severity with which he is treated by Mr. Kelly.
Although we do not appreciate so highly as does the
writer in the Mirror the character of Ledru Rollin,
although we disapprove entire'.iy of many of his pro-
ceedings, yet we cannot but wish that some
of his colleagues in the Provisional Govern-
ment and in the Executive Contlmittee had possessed
his energy of character and determination of purpose.
Had such been the case, there would have been no re-
action. The Liberals have, however, learned wisdom
by experience.
__ _

"If it was na weel biobbit,
We'll bob it again."
And the next time they will recollect the fate of
Robert Blum, and act accordingly. This notice is
followed by an interesting Indian tale from the pen
of Mr. Percy B. St. John, metitled, the " White
Rose." From the " Adventures of a French Repub-
lican," by the same author, we (extract the following
account of the first overt act of the French Revolu-
tion of 1830. For the accuracy of the description we
can vouch from our personal knowledge. The
scene took place at the office of the Temps newspa-
per, in the Rue Richelieu, on the morning of the 26th
July. The paper had been published in contraven-
tion of the ordinances, and the Commissary of Police,
accompanied by a detachment of horse gendarmerie,
knocked at the gates of the couxt-yard in which the
establishment was situated :

" The double doors flew open, and showed the pro-
prietor of the paper, M. Baude, bareheaded, and sur-
rounded by his editors, readers, printers, &c.
" The commissary of police advanced, and announced
that his mission was to sieze the p rinting-presses of the
paper, which had illegally appeared that morning, lie
spoke with hesitation, and with ,pallid cheek, the mein
of all was so solemn, and the very gendarmes looked
sulky.

"lit is in virtue of the edict,* said M. Baude, ' that
you come to touch my presses. ht the name of the law,
I bid y ou respect my property.'
" Monsieur,' replied the commissary, I must obey
my orders. In the name of the _King, I bid you open
your doors.' _ _ _

" Monsieur the commissary,' continued M. Bsude,
my doors are locked and padlocked; the key is in my
possession. Break open the doors at your peril.'
" I must pick your locks,' said the commissary,
firmly—though pale as death—' go fetch a locksmith.'

" A man went. The crowd increased, and began to
growl. The gendarmes sat sullen on their horses.

" A locksmith came with his tools.
" Pick that lock,' said the commissary, who wore the
marks of his office.

" The locksmith advanced to obey. He was an honest
workman, about to do a job for his daily bread.
" Stop,' said M. Baude—drawing a book from his
pocket, and reading aloud the clause in the code civil
which punishes severely robbery with violence in a
dwelling-house—(vol avec egraction).
" Open these locks at your peril,' said M. Baude—a
tall venerable man, of rude aspect—' this man'—point-
ing to the commissary of police—' comes to steal my
presses : beware being his accomplice.'
" I will guarantee you,' said the commissary, se-
verely--' do as I tell you : pick the lock.'
" The blacksmith—who had taken off his cap while
the article of the code civil was being read—hesitated.
" ' Obey,' continued the commissary, the law will
bear you harmless ; and here are ten francs for your
labour.'

" Obey,' said M. Baude, coolly, it is only bard la-
bour for life. Gentlemen,' turning to the crowd, you
will be my witnesses before the Court of Assizes.'

- —.
" A pocket-book was handed round: every man pre-
sent wrote his name and address.

" Despise this mummery,' said the commissary of
police, angrily.
" The locksmith shook his head, threw his basket of
tools over his shoulder, and turned away.
" The law seems against you, M. the commissary,'
he said, with the slyness of a true Parisian.
" The crowd applauded, and bore him away in
triumph.

" Fetch me another serrurier,' said the magistrate,
moodily; for he saw that his obedience to his orders
was kindling the flame of insurrection.
" Another came. He declined equally.
" The commissary turned to a gendarme.
" Ride to the prefecture, and bring me Michel, the
locksmith of the prison.
" The mob hooted, for this man was the one who fas-
tened the chains on the convicts.

" A sudden motion took place in the ranks of the
gendarmerie.
" What is it?' said the commissary.
" A barricade is rising at the bottom of tile street.'
4" Gallop off and disperse the mob,' said the commis-.

sary.
" The gendarmes galloped away."
The other papers of the Mirror are of a very inter-
esting character. " The Murdered Post-boy," by
W. H. Maxwell, is especially worthy of perusal.