The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-29 00:00:00

LITERATXRE.

RECOLLECTIONS OF M.II,IIiMY SERVICE
in 1813, 1814, and 1815, through
HOLLAND, and FRANCE, including some Details
of the Batt'es of Quatre Bras and Waterloo. By
Thomas Morris, lute Sergeant of the 73d Regiment of
Foot.

This is one of those pleasing little works, the peru-
sal of which will gratify the general reader, while
much instruction may be }leaned from the simple
record of the life and feelingsof the private soldier,
during a most interesting and critical period of the
history of our country, It is peculiarly apposite at the
present time, when so many amtliorarions have been
effected; and are contemplated in the condition of our
military brethren. Who can so truk depict the many
things, in theimelve trivial and inconsiderable, but
which materially influence the mind, and lead to the
content and happiness, or misery an,i wretchelness of
the private soldier, as the man who has himself par.
tioipated in those feelings,' %s ho has felt by what
means he could he enabled to resist tempration, to be
obedient to his superiors, temperate and correct in
his habits, it strict observer of discipline, and in all
respects a good and upright soldier, and who could
also tell of the petty vexations and annoyancs that
harra,:s and torment his brethren, that induce in-
subordination, and lead men to incur the risk of
punishment?
The author throws considerable light on two ques-
tions that have hitherto been much discussed, but
which are now, we hope, practically set at rest, viz.,
the necessity of corporal punishment, and the effi-
ciency of enlistment for a limited period. The first
he contends to be cruel and unnecessary, and he
relates with much simplicity many instances of its
injurious effects, and the superior efficacy of a
milder and more lenient discipline. We shall give
his own words :

" The cheapness of ardent spirits, genuine hollands,
direct from the distillery, and sold in the chandlers'
shops, the same as small beer used to be in England; and
the price of the spirit (retail) was only eightpence per
ciart. The consequence was, we had a great deal of
drunkenness and crime, and, as a matter of course, a
great many punishment parades, which took place on
the esplanade, or piece of ground near the citadel, over-
looked by 2 numb r of respectable houses ; and the fre-
quency of our disgraceful flogging exhibitions created
such horror and disgust, that at length a remonstrance
was presented to our commanding (Meer on the subject.
" After the protest:of the inhabitants, other modes of
punishment were adopted. Solitary confinement for the
more serious crimes; and extra guards and punishment
drills for the common Ilene:es. Sometimes the man
would have to mount gleird, anti stand sentry with
log of wood fastened by a chain to his leg. Crime did
certainly not prevail to the same extent alterwards as it
did before. S 4itaty confinement was more especially
dreaded by the men."
_ _ _

Serjeant 'Morris was manifestly a man of observa-
tion and
.judgment, and we confess that after the pe-
rusal of his little volume, we would feel inclined to
attach more weight to his judgment than to that of
many who have filled more exalted stations, and who
could scarcely tolerate an opinion at variance with the
prejudice and fancies in which they are enveloped.

THE OLD ENGLLS'iI GEAI Lfi'M ; or, The
Ficld3 and the Woods. By John Mills.
The author of this agreeable volume is manifestly
an enthusiastic and passionate lover of field sports.
He devotes himself to their descripti.n in all their
varieties, whether hunting the fox or badger, hunting,
shooting, coursing, or angling. The first, however,
the exciting fox hunt, appears the chief object of
his idolatry. His hounds are in themselves
distinct characters, each enjoying their owi,
peculiar, qualifications, and his horses are his
hums nien, and wi ippers-in . There is much
ieformation as ti the duties and requisites of those all
important functional ies, that would doubtless be va-
luable to young aspit ants and w,.uld be perused with
much pleasure by all sportsinents of every age, class,
and condition. Tlae plot is cniefly used as a means 0:
introducing his vivid and glowing descriptions of sport-
ing affairs ; but yet it pos-esses interest sufficient to
attract, and satisfy those who know little of sporting
affairs. The author, however, succeeds bettr while
lie remains in the country—on the green sod ; on,
a hich he is quite at home. His scene in
Court during the trial of Larkins v. Titley is too
absurd. Ile makes this attorney a grossly transpa-
rent rogue, who would speedily be banished from
the profession. The barristers, dunderheads, who
are put down by the must commonplace slang from a
common clod-hopper; and his jury of country gen-
tlemen, (we wonder he had not some sympathy with
them,) a set of simpletons; without sense or intellect.
But with this exception (which is, indeed, strongly
at variance with the other pa. is of the book), John
Mills is a right merry and jovial companion with
whom to wile away a passing hour, and it is impos-
sible not to accord to him the character to which he
chiefly aspires, that of a jolly sportsman. The kind-
hearted old :quire, full of benevolence, is a fine
English gentleman of the olden time. Tom Bolton,
too, the veteran whipper-in, is a character
of which there have -been many prototypes, and we
trust that many are still to be found like master and
like man. Indeed we should deeply lament if we
supposed that either class was extinct, or likely to
become so. We doubt not that the book will have an
extensive circulation, particularly in all coun-
try quarters, and when once admitted, it will
become a sort of sportsman's vale mecum, to be con-
sulted with the "Sporting liepozitory," or the
"Papers of Nimrod."

ARTISTS' GENERAL BENEVO-
LENT INSTITUTION.
The thirty-second auniversary of this excellent Insti-
tion, the object of which is to ralieve decayed artists,
and to afford assistance to their widows end orphans in
the hour of need, was celebrated at the Freemason's
Cavern, on Saturday evening. Thomas Baring, E: q.,
M.P., presided, in the unavoidable absence of Samuel
Jones Lloyd, &q , who had been announced to preside,
from indisposition. About 150 gentlemen sat down to
dinner. Among them we observed, Sir Roderick Mur-
chison, Sir W. C. Ross, R.A. ; P. Hardwicke, Esq. ; J.
Hardwicke, Esq. ; J. 11. Mann, Esq. ; C. R. Cockrill,
Esq., R.A. ; and anumber of other gentlemen connected
with the Fine Arts.
The cloth having been removed, and the Benedictus
chaunted, by Messrs. T. Cooke, Ilatton, Kench, ant?
others, who, with the Misses Payne, greatly contributed
to the hilarity of the evening, the usual loyal and con-
stitutional toasts were given, and warmly responded to
—particularly the toast of " The Queen, under whose
protection the institution is now placed by her Ma-
jesty's command ;" and n Prince Alb •rt, the patron of
the institution," which was coupled with the announce •
meat of the pleasing fact that His Royal Highness had
presented the institution with a inunitic.mt donation of
501.
The effAIR3IAN then rose to prop: se " Prosperity to
the Artists General Benevolent Institution." In dis-
charging so pleasing a duty—i.er it was one which gave
him the highest gratification—he said he tint the im
possibilhy of his adt quately advocating the cause which
he-and they had met to support ; his complete inability
to give effect to the wishes which he entertained for the
success and continuance of the institution. However,
in asking them to di ink presp• rity to the
institution, he felt that he could not do better
than leave the appreciation of the toast to their own
,eelings, which could not fail to plead more forcibly in
favour of an earnest response than anything he could say
or urge. If they were not well aware of Lhe importance
—of the national importance—of the general benevolence
of the objects of the institution, he feared he might des-
pair of obtaining their support and sympathy, for those
objects of their advocacy rested neither upon his language
or conduct. When he found that, since 1814, that institu-
tion had expended 10,5631: in relieving those who emi-
nentls deserved it, he felt that it was creditable to the
people of this country, and also that expenditure was an
evidence of how much contributions were wanted.
What vast amount Of sorrow and suffering had been re-
moved by this fund, and what an ample field there
yet . remained for . the exercise of th's generosity
and benevolence of the English people.—(Cheers.)
It is impossible when one looked through the list tn
those who had received aid, not to see how much for-
tuitous circumstances tended to produce the most dis-
astrous consequences, and to place those, who least
expected such a result, in a position to require assistance
from the funds of the institution ; how little error—how
little want of forecast, but how much circumstances
might render it necessary for many to apply to the insti-
tution for relief, which no one wished to do until com-
pelled by stern necessity. No occupation tended more ,
to a desire for independence than that of an artist ; and
in his struggle to obtain it, he, perhaps, was unable to
provide for those attached to him, or even for himself, as
he could wish. The admicistration of the funds was
vested in those who could well appreciate the feelings and
calamities of artists, and whose high position was a
sufficient guarantee that the funds would be properly ex-
pended. When he mentioned the name of Mr. Nichol,
the honorary secretary, he was sure there would be a
general feeling of confidence.—(Hear, hear.) Artists
when necessitated to seek aid, had a strong claim on
their generosity—in fact, it was a national debt of
gratitude to contribute to the support of those who not,
by, their own fault, but by inevitable calamities were
themselves, or those connected with them, induced to
want.—(Loud cheering.) It was a debt due to those,
who, by their efforts and genius, elevated the public
character—benefited the public—and directed public
taste by diverting men from the pursuit of mere sensual
pleasure to the more ennobling pleasure of art.—(Hear,
hear.) They must all know, that in every profession,
the ladder must be climbed from the bottom—and that,
too frequently, the task was far from easy of accomplish-
ment; so that, if a man had only got half way up. if
he had not had his course chalked out for him so that it
might be easily traversed, it was possible that he might
soon want aid; and, although he did not mean to say that
artists were not encouraged in this country, yet thrsugh
those accidental circumstances to which he had alluded,
his might become dispirited and be crushed before he
could rise into notoriety.—(Hear, hear.) When he
11..ew that in that art, it might often occur, that men
who toiled for fame as artists, d d forget the value of
money and the suffering which its loss might entail upon
them—that the artist might think that, in achieving repu-
tation, hr misrht cit,t aside all the means of (quoin:m-Ift that
Old think that: vvn-nt a dus.sp
labour, disabled byisiekness, or removed by death, leaving
those near and dear to him, without the bare means of

subsistence, that it was their duty to step forward and
asuage his or their sorrows.—(Cheers.) Do not let
theta believe that there were not many men of talent
who were not thus prostrated. Let them remember
Coreggio, whose health and life were bowed down by the
heavy blow of unappreciated and unrequited labour.
lie was an example that, even with the greatest talents
end powers, and with the greatest claims to public gra-
titude, and to imnaortality, a man might be neglected
during his existence, and that he might die and leave
those dependent upon him in absolute want. It was
because he believed that this was an institution which
feel claims not merely upon their charity but upon their
justice, -not upon their individual generosity, but upon
the eublie—ueon national support—that he called upon
theta to drunk prosperity to the institution with three
tunes three, and with an additional cheer, to show that
tney heartily wished it unbounded prosperity and sue-
cess.—(Lou'd cheers.)
The teat was drunk with the greatest enthusiasm.
Mr. MANN returned thanks. He said, if they could -
accurately estimate the advantages which the institution
hart conferred--the groans which it had suppressed, the
cheering inlluei.ce which it had produced, the widows
hearts which it made leap with joy, the aid which it had
given to depressed artists, whose life it bad revivede— -
hey should present an account of good work which
would be perfectly astonishing.—(Cheers.) No institu-
tion, which had ever met within these walls, had a
higher claim to suppirt.-411ear, hear.)
The tollewieg toasts were then drunk in succession :
—The chairman ; S J. Lloyd, Etg. ; the British Asso-
cintien, for the Advancement of Science, (responded to
by Sir R. Murchison) ; Sir A. M. Shee, the President.
of the Royal Academy, and the Royal Academicians ;
Mr. Reinagle, R.A. ; the Royal Companies for promot-
ing the Fine Arts ; the Blitish lase mit), and all other
fl.,tifutions for the pro:notion of the Fine Arts ; the
Artists' Annuity and Benevolent Fund ; Vice-Presie
den ; Treasurer, &c. &c.

from the cash account, made up to the end of the
year, it appears that the total investments amount to
13,104/. 3s. Id., that the total receipts, including the
ba.".ance from 1545, were 1,7021. ss. ; and that 680/ had
been expended in donations, many of the recipient.,
having received as many as twenty donations, one
twenty-four, another twenty one, and two eighteen.
Balance at bankers 549/. 123. 6d. 995 eases have been
relieved by sums amounting to 10,5631. 7s. 10d. '
Among the subscriptions announced by the Treasurer
(which, in the course of the evening amounted to 5601.
lls.), were the following donors and donations :
His Royal Highness Prince Albert, 501.; British In-
stitution, 50/.; Duke of Sutherland, 10 guineas ; Earl of
Ellesmere, 101. ; Duke of Norfolk, 5 guineas ; Earl
Ashburton, la.; Sir John Swinburn, 10/.; the Lord
Mayor, 5 guineas; L,:rd Charles Townsend, 101.; Sa,
rnuel Jones Loyd, E,q , 20 guineas ; Thomas Baring,
Dq., M.P., 21 guineas ; Sir Charles Forbes, 201. ; Sir
J. A Shee, P.R.S., 5 guineas ; Sir B. Murchison, 101. ;
Chides Barry, Esq., B. A., 5 guineas ; George Jones,
E:q , RA. 101. ; C. L. Easthlke, Esq., R.A., 51. ; C.
Cockerel), Esq , 5 guineas ; Sir William Ross/
11. A., 5 guineas ; David Roberts, Esq. R.A., 5 guineas;
Tiles. Webster, 11. A., 5 guineas ; Philip Hardwick,
8.A., 10 guineas ;W. Wyon, R.A. 5 guineas ; Thos. •
Creswick, R.A., 5 guineas ; Mrs. Phillipps, 2 guineas ;
Lady Chantrey (her 6th'donation since her husband's
death), 201.; James H. Mann, Esq., 5 guineas ; Robert.
Vernon, 51. ; Henry lity•„s, 5 guineas; Messrs. Celuaghie
5 guineas.
The compary did not separate-till near eleven.

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL
ENt.=INEERS.
(March 16.—Sir John Rcnnie, President, in the chair.)
The piper read was by Mr. Joshua Richardson, Al.
List. C.E.,F.G.5., &c., " On the Vent lation of Mines.,'
After stating the necessity for establishing a more
complete system of ventilation as a measure of
common humanity, and the advantageous results is
a commercial view which would arise from enabling
the miners to develop their physical force with
more benefit to their:se', es, and allow them to
(to a greater amount of task work for the same sum.
the piper ptoc, eded to describe the system of ventila-
ion at present pursued in Newcastle and its vicinity, as
being that of the district where the greatest attention
had, from necessity, been paid to the subject, which is
one of uncle übted cifficulty. It is, at the same time,
one of almost national importance ; for as a mercan-
tile nation much of our greatness depends upon our manu-
factures, and unless the fuel for producing power is
obtained at a reasonable price, the results of
all our attention and skill will not enable us to coal'
pete with foreign labour. Without good ventilation our
!nines eanivit be worked; or, at least, must be so imper-
r,ety conducted as to render fuel scarce and expensive.
Much attention has been paid by very able men to this
subject ; and still the necessity becomes more apparent
For some great alterations, to avoid the gradual but
Trtain waste of human strength, from long sojourn ill
,nephitic nir, or the frightfid loss of life from the
explosions of the gorses exuding from the coal in the
pro2ress of getting.
The nature of thee gases, which are the carburetted
hydrogen, the olephiant, the sulphuretted hydrogen,
sod the carbonic acid gas, were severally treated of.
The three first are known as fire-damp, being explosive
when mixed with certain proportims of common air"
the latter is known as choke damp, or after-damp; it ie
produced in large quantities by explosions, and corn'
}Metes the fa-al work left undone by the explosive
gases. It also exists in old workings and ill-ventilated •
mines.

These gases require a large supply of pure air to dilate '
and render them innocuous, and a still larger quantity
necessary to support the respiration of the narnbet''
men and animals employed in a mine. The entianee;
therefore, of the fresh air and the exit of the foul
air should be free and capacious. This is gene-
rally effected by having two pits, one termed
the " downcast" and the other the " upcast" shaft,
sunk to the coal bed; down the former of these
the fresh air sinks, and after travelling along through
the various galleries, as it is guided by doors and other
means in various directions, it returns to the bottom
of the latter (the up cast) shaft, where a furnace is
established, in which it is rarified and rendered so
much lighter that it readily ascends the up-cast shaft,
thus causing throughout the mind a current of air,
which, when all succeeds according to the design of the
mining engineer, affords ample ventilation in all parts.
Soinetimes, however, an unusual escape of deleterie
ous gas takes place, by the carelessness of the boys
having charge of the traps and partition doors in the air
..topped ; or
ways. Some of them are left open, or improperly d kept
shut, and the current of air is diverted or ~ y
one of the workmen, from heedlessness or cupidity in de-
siring to have more light for his work, opens the safety
lamp, the inflammable gas is ignited, and an explosion
ensues. From one or more of these causes arose all the
accidents that have occurred, and it appears that hitherto
no precautious measures have sufficed to prevent their
occurrence.
The paper dwelt at some length on the present
methods of ventilation, and the objections to them,
illustrating the positions by quotations from the best
authorities on the subject, all of which went to shot
that, in spite of all the care and attention that had been
given to the question, all the skill of the engineers, and,
the introduction of the safety lamp, in 1816, the loss of
life had been greater since that period than it Was
in a corresponding period previous to its intro-
duction. This must not be charged entirely to the
lamp. for although it may have rendered men bolder,
and induced them to trust too much to the lamp, in yen'
turing into those parrs of the mines which formerly
would have been abandoned, still it must he borne i°
mind that, as the coal was got at ereater depths and dis-
tances from the shafts, the ventilation became Wore
difficult, and, from the greater number of persons ere;
ployed in one mine, if an accident did occur, the loss of
life was greater in proportion.
The merits of the safety lamps produced almost simele
taneously by Sir 11. Davy, Mr. G. Stephensen, and Dr.
Reid Clanny, were canvassed, and the greater attic/1114
of merit, as well as the credit of the first production
of it, appeared from evidence to be due to Mr.
Stephenson. The author then entered into calcu-
lations, showing that the dimensions of the " up-east
shaft should in all cases be increased in pro-
portion to the augmented volume of the air, from the
expansion at the higher temperature at which it leaves
the mine, after traversing all the passages; and if this
were attended to, not only would the general ventilation
be better, but in the event of an accident occurring, by
an explosion, or.the derangement of some of the air'
passages from' falls of the roof, &c., an extra power
could be applied, which would at any rate prevent
a portion of the frightful loss of human life which,
now occurs. It was evident from the whole stateroin'
that although in certain cases of fiery mines some in"
provements might be be advantageously introduced, yet
that in the majority of the good mines the present
method sufficed to maintain them in a healthy and safe
state; and that in almost all cases it was the culpable
neglect of, and not the want of means of prevention, that
caused the destruction of health, life, and property in the
mining operations of the kingdom.
This opinion appeared to be participated in by all the
speakers in the very interesting discussion which ensued,
and in which the interference of Government by legis-
lative enactments, with respect to methods of ventilation,
was severely deprecated.
It had become fashionable now, whenever a al,;
culty occurred, to recommend "legislative enactment
as an universal panacea ; as if a Committee of the
House, or a body of commissioners,. none of wheel
probably possessed any practical knowledge of the
subject, could at once fall by inspiration upon the
methods of prevention or cure which had so long eluded
the careful investigation of scientific and practical
men, whose time, talents, and fortunes had been all
devoted to the subject from that great incentive to ex"
ertion, " self-interest." When the example of foreign
countries was quoted, it should be at the same time
shown in how backward a state they were in ee'
gineering, in mining, in commerce, and, in fact,
in everything with which the Government in-
terfered, as compared to the high state of per-
fection arrived at in this country. What was their po-
sition with respect to common roads, canals, railways,
the extent of their mines, and the general amount of
manufactures, as compared to those of England ? And
yet grey bud the " advantages" of the " wisdom" and
i
the " fostering protection of Government," whilst n
England there was nothing (fortunately) but compel'
tion to urge manufacturers and miners to bring their
prod is to market of the best quality and at the cheapest
possiide rate. In short, it was shown that, to do anY
good, Government must leave the matter alone.
Tlic discussion upon this subject was to be renewed at
the next meeting of Tursday, March 30, when, a paper
will be read " On the Defects in the Principles of Con-
struction of Fire proof Buildirge," by Mr. W. Fairbairpr
M Inst. C.E.
The Conde de Monteiaolin, attended by the MarqUiS
: tile inceting with
his presence, and appeared to evince great interest iTi
the proceedings, as well as in the arguments of the
various speakers.

0.1%,..

HER 1V