The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-01 00:00:00

TI-1E SUN, LONDON, TUESI)AY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1840.

per bushel ; and butter,. 40s. per ton. To London the
rates remain as before quoted. There is very little offer-
ing for Havre. Cotton is taken at Ic. a le.; rice, Sit);
aches, $8 a $lO ; quercitron bark, $10; and flour, Thcts.

(Correspondence of the Courier and Enquirrr.)
BATAVIA, Amo. 12, 1840.
MAIL ROBBERY.
This morning, between three and four o'clock, within a
few minutes after arriving at. Le Roy, the Telegraph
stage, carrying the U. S. mail, was robbed of the bag
which contained letters lor New York from Buffalo and
other places west.
Upon driving up to the hotel, the driver, as usual, threw
the mail bags on to the steps, and turned into the yard to
change coaches. While there, some villain stole the bag,
dragged it almt half a mile up the creek which runs
through the village, and there rifled most of the letters of
their contents.
Among the letters found was one addressed to Messrs.
Strachan and Scott, Wall-street, from Messrs. George
Smith and Co., Chicago, dated August 6, 1840—(found).
The letter states that they " likewise inclosed $2OO in
U. S. Bank bills, to be passed to their credit"—(missing).
Another letter from the same, " enclosing Barney Ed-
wards' draft on them, at sight, for „4581.75," and a cer-
tificate of deposit in the Pat. Bank, Washington, by
Daniel Webster, for $23--(both found).
The postmaster at this place, who has just returned
from the spot, assisted the Le Roy postmaster in gather-
ing together the unopened letters and remnants and putting
them in condition to be forwarded to New York by the
mail of to-night.
A noth, r letter from the cashier of the Branch of the
State Bank of Illinois, dated Galena, July 29, 1840, in-
closing a draft for $465.90 (found), and a draft, No. 620,
on the Merchant's Bank, Boston, for $1,320 (lost).
A anther letter was found containing $4, from the P.
M., Mayville, New York, to the Editors of the Journal
of Commeice.
The rubber took most of the large packages of letters,
though one of the bundles from Chicago was found, the
postage of which would probably amount to $3O. One
or two sieall packages were likewise found, from Buffalo
to Philadelphia, and other offices.
The w hole transaction was astonishingly bold, and must
have been performed in at least five or ten minutes.
P. S.-1 am informed men are in pursuit of the rubber,
and with some prospect of a capture.
( Report, d for the Courier and Enquirer.)
SUt•PEC TED ATTEMPT AT ASSASSINATWN —About 10
o'clock on Saturday evening, a fellow, calling himself
Hiram Simms, was discovered while sitting in the Bowery
heatre, in the act of aiming a loaded pistol at the stage.
Ile pistol was at the time cocked and capped, ready for
discharge. Office rs Hatherwaite and Stephens, who
chanced to discover the movement, rushed in and secured
him from the commission of whatever violence he might
have contemplated. He was taken into the box-office,
and searched in the presence of Justice Matsell. Two
brass-barrelled pistols were found on him, each heavily
charged with powder and buckshot. In his pockets was
found a quantity of gunpowder, four dollars in bank-notes,
16 sovereigns, and sonic small change in silver. On his
being questioned, he made no disclosure of his intentions,
but said that he knew no one on the stage but " Toni
Hablin." His fire-arms were taken from him, and lie
was conveyed to the watch.house, where he remained
over night; and in the morning, no witnesses appearing
against him excepting officer Hatherwaite, he was, for his
disorderly conduct, fined four dollars and costs, and
libe-
rated from custody. He was drunk at the time he made
the demonstration. He was a seaman recently discharged
from the U. S. navy at Boston.
Fitoat FLORIDA.—By the steamer Isis, Capt. Pearson,
arrived yesterday from St. John's, we received the *Jack-
sonville Advocate, of Tuesday last, whence we extract the
following :—Savannah Georgian, Aug. 4.
JACKSONVILLE, JULY 28.—0 n Tuesday, the 14th inst.,
two discharged soldiers left Fort Fanning for Newnans-
villa, and after remaining over night at Fort White, re-
cently abandoned, they left this latter place on Wednes-
day morning, on their journey. After having travelled
about six miles eastward, near a place called Cow Creek,
they were killed and scalped by Indians, where their
bodies were found by the express rider from the Suwannee.
STILL FURTHER.—Ott Thursday, 16th instant, two dra-
goons, bearing the express from Pilatka to Fort King,
were killed when about nine miles from the latter post
After they fell front their horses they ran about a hundred
yards, when the Indians overtook them, and cut and
mangled their bodies in a horrid manner, the head only of
one being found, and parts of the body of the other.
On Sunday, 19th instant, two men attached to the in-
fantry corps were passing between Fort Fannim, and Fort
White, and were killed within about seven miles of the
latter place.
On Monday, two others belonging to the same corps,
were killed about nineteen miles from Micanopy, being on
their way to Fort Fanning.
On the same morning (Monday) the express rider, after
having left Micanopy about a mile, saw two Indians stand-
ing in the road, but managed to elude discovery until he
had passed them so far as to be beyond the reach of their
rifles. They discharged, he supposes, about fifteen rifles
at him after be had got beyond them. The report of the
rifles and yell of the Indians, was heard at Miesnopy, and
on repairing to the spot signs of from 80 to 100 Indians
were Sound.
The steamer General Clinch, Capt. Brooks, arrived
this morning from Black Creek, brings the news that the
ten horses taken from the Dragoons, near Fort Mellon
(the particulars of which appeared in the Georgian of the
29. h) had been recovered. One of the Dragoons was
found di eacifully mangled, the other missing. Some of the
latter's clothes were found fastened to a tree, but no signs

of blocd ar cared.— Tslegraph.
CHINA TRADE.—We have been favoured with a copy o'
the following letter from Mr. Stevenson, our Minister to
the Coui tof Great B.itain, in reference to the views of
that Government on the subject of the China trade :
London, June 26, 1840.
Gentlemen,--I received last night from Lord Palmer-
ston, an answer to my note on the subject of the China
trade, the substance of which I hasten to communicate kr
your iaformation. As I had supposed, the order in Coun-
cil was intended to be confined to the subjects and pro-
perty of the Chinese. It appears that the Admiral com-
manding the c ipedition in the China seas, has been in-
structed to confine himself (unless extreme measures should
become necessary) to the detention atone of Chinese ves-
sels and property, and is not to seize or detain vessels ar-
riving from Europe and America, although such vessels
and their cargoes may be consigned to mercantile esta-
blishments within the Chinese dominions. His Lordship,
however, has deemed it proper to apprise me, for the infor-
mation of those concerned, that one of the first acts of hos-
tility that may be resorted to by the Admiral, will probably
be the establishment of a blockade of the Canton River,
arid of some other points on the Chinese coasts.
I am, &c.
( Signed) A. STEVENSON.
DEATH TIY LIGIITNING.—Mr. George W. Dinsmorc,o
West Boilston, aged 30 years, was killed by lightning on
Thursday last. Ho and two other persons were in the
woods getting timber for the railroad. A shower came on
in the afternoon, and Mr. Dinsmore and his companions
took shelter first under some small trees ; they afterwards
went to a large and tall tree in the woods. immediately
after, the lightning struck the tree, running down the side
without scattering the wood much. The fluid passing
from the tree struck Mr. Dinsmore on the head, passed
down his side, melting the money in his pockets, and the
watch he wore, in pieces, and killed him instantly. The
men who were with Mr. Dinsmore were not injured. One
of them saw him turn his head as if to speak ; at that mo-
ment the ligh ning struck him and he fell dead. Mr.
Dinsmore was a farmer, and an industrious, respectable,
and worthy man.—Worcester Spy.
DEATH OF JUDGE CLARK.-11 is our painful duty to
record the death of our esteemed fellow-citizen, Hon. ira
C. Clark, of Prattsburgh, one of the Judges of the Steu-
ben County Court. Judge C. was engaged in his hay-
field on Saturday, apparently in perfect health, and until
the moment of his death gave no indications of illness. On
being called by his family to tea, he finished the swarth he
was mowing, and then left his work, and while opening
the gate to enter the yard in front of his house, he fell and
instantly expired. He was 46 years of age. His loss will
be deeply felt by his family, by the neighbourhood in which
he lived, and by the public.—Bath Constitutionalist.
SANGUINARY AI FRAYS.—We understand that on Friday
night there was a conflict between a number of whites and
blacks at Madison, Indiana, in the course of which two
men were shot and badly wounded. One of the negroes
was subsequently taken to the river for the purpose of
being thrown in and drowned, but the interference of some
influential persons saved his life. On Saturday night
many of the citizens were arming themselves and swearing
to exterminate the negroes from the city.—Louisville
Journal, Aug. 3.

THE NEW POLICE COURTS ACT.

Arrangements have been completed for the purpose
of immediately carrying out the provisions of the above
Act ot Parliament, and several new Courts will be
speedily established. In about a fortnight the Petty
Sessions of Greenwich will be done away with, and it is
said that Mr. Jeremy is to be appointed the Stipendiary
Magistrate for that district. Mr. Vine, the second
Clerk at Bow-street Police Court, has received the up-
' pointment of Chief Clerk ot the Greenwich Police
Court, and he will proceed to enter npon the duty
forthwith. As the Magistrate appointed to this Court
will be precluded from holding his sittings at any inn
or place of public entertainment, it is understood that
in the first instance a portion of the residence of Mr.
Mulelieu, the Superintendent of the district, will be set
.part for that purpose ; but arrangements are in pro-
gress for the erection of an entirely new and com-
modious Court near the Police-station in the Black-
heath-road, and plans and estimates have already been
submitted to the proper quarters, and it is understood
that a building has been agreed upon of a most com-
modious description, and in which the convenience of
the public who may have to attend as prosecutors or
witnesses, has been specially consulted. It is expected
that the Greenwich Police Court will be put in opera-
tion in about ten days or a fortnigi.t.

ROBBERIES.—On Tuesday, from the house of
Mr. Harrold, silversmith, Grenada-terrace. Commercial-
road, eight plain gold wedding rings. The robbery was
erected by breaking a square of glass in the shop window.
—On Tuesday afternoon, from the house of Mr. Aiken,
6, Rosetta-place, Coburg-road,NValvi.orth, an old-fashioned
silver tea-pot, round shape, with a hole in the side, two
old-fashioned tea-spoons, not marked, and an old-fashioned
tea•spoon, marked K.—On Tuesday morning, from the
house of Mr. Thompson, surgeon, Blackmoor-street,
Drury-lane, a scarificator, maker's name Williken, two
brown silk umbrellas, a single-breasted great-coat, a gold.
mounted cane, a pair of glass salt-cellars, anew beaver hat,
an old beaver hat, and a black dress coat.—From the
person of Mr. Vcnn, pork butcher, Leadenhar-market, on
Monday night, a gold union pie, with a ciamcnd act in a
I bird's claw and ruby.

MAGAZINE DAY.

BLACK 117 0 OD' S MAGAZINE.
" Royal Academy Exhibition !" Surely this is
a very ill-timed article. Had it appeared four
months since, it had been welcome ; but now, the
Exhibition is closed ; the pictures are all taken
away ; the town is deserted ; and people have tither
wholly forgotten, or ceased to feel the slightest in-
terest In, the subject. If we except this defect, no
objection can be urged to the criticism, which is
impartial, and betrays an intimate acquaintance with
the ruling principles of art. " Hints for the Hus-
tings" is furiously Tory. The writer is a bold so-
phist, but not an expert one ; and with an effron-
tery that passes the ordinary bounds of impudence,
he coolly advises the poor to " view pauperism as
an irremediable infliction of Heaven!" If they
complain of their lot, then he sets them down as
Jacobins, and condemns them accordingly. Ac-
cording to him—for this is the conclusion to which
his reasoning leads—they are to make up their
mind to starvation, as a duty they owe to society,
for " it is vain to think of any absolute remedy for
a curse radicated in the nature of man !" Hear
this, ye starving Spitalflelds weavers, and be re-
signed':Ne, e
rercan
to be
better
ee
ameliorated
cheap
‘v, if
)h'oreuardc,ocno(tiiilltdivoen n
the great landholders preserve their
lucrative corn monopoly ? Ye must suffer, that
they may enjoy. This is cogent logic, but we fear
its excellence will only be fully appreciated by the
Tories. "De \Valstein, the Enthusiast," is a
graphic, vigorous narrative, but what does the
writer mean by asserting that '' Joseph the Second
of Germany was the workman of the French revo-
lution He had about as much to do with it,
as he had with the assassination of Caesar in the
Senate-house. " A Visit to the Lions," is an at-
tempt at the facetious in rhyme ; but it is remark-
able only for the diligent- omission of any thing
like wit or humour. The " Late James Smith" is
a very pleasant, friendly memoir of this smart author,
and is introduced by some pertinent remarks on
conversation. A passage or two may perhaps be
acceptable to our readers:—
" Conversation Sharpe," as he was called, was amus-
ing and clever. But he repeated himself. Novelty is
essential, and his was soon exhausted. The third time
of meeting him was fatal to his charms.
Rogers, the poet of Memory, has abundance of anec-
dote : but it lies chiefly among the dead and gone. The
mention of Sheridan aets upon him with the effect of a
match put to a firework. The composition goes off in
a long succession of explosions, all of the bluest kind,
until every ear is tired, and then the fee dartifice, in
every sense, drops dead to the ground, and every one flies
from the rocket case. Yet he has mixed a good deal in
society ; not the best, however ; for it has been chiefly
with the set gathered round the table of Holland House,
where people are assembled for the declared purpose of
talk, a process which makes every thing as formal as a
j parade in St. James's Park, as sets men minuet-dancing
in odes, epodes, and " the last new tragedy," and of
course reduces all conversation to the dregs of an article
in the Edinburgh. Review. What mu,t be, for instance,
the dying state of a conversation where the noble host
has called on every body round the table to pull pencil
and paper from his pocket, and write down on the spot
the names of the ten most amusing books that he had
ever read ! And all those grown children have done
the deed accordingly. A game at forfeits would have
been rational, and a game at blind man's buff profitable,
to those sexagenarian diversions.
Jekyll was a good converser, for he had wit ; though,
as no man is perfect, his wit was often pun, and there
are some specimens of it on record which are not to be
mentioned to " ears polite." But the bar had made
him too professional. He talked too much of old judges
and their senilities ; and though always diverting, grew
more barristerial, until he grew little more than a relic
of himself, and disappeared into his nightgown and slip-
per:, and was no more for this world.
Canning was lively ; but he had not a fund of talk for
all days. He had high spirits, but was uncertain ; and
there were times when, like Hamlet,he seemed to think
the earth "flat, stale, and unprofitable," and the sky a
collection of pestilent vapours. The fluctuations of his
public career might have, in some degree, accounted for
this ; for admirable as his House of Commons talents
were, he never felt himself recognised as one of the na-
tural possessors of power.
Speaking of Burke, the writer says that " he
has left few conversational remembrances distin-
guished for either happiness or pungency, for easy
elegance, or pointed splendour." On the contrary,
he has left many such " remembrances" on record,
all of which are duly enshrined in Croker's admir-
able edition of Botwell's Life of Johnson. We
cordially agree with the estimate formed of James
Smith. He was a clever, witty, kindly-natured
man ; and singularly fortunate in his literary career,
for he lived nearly thirty years on the fame derived
from writing half a duodecimo. On the strength of
his share of the " Rejected Addresses," he was
feasted and lionized from 1812 till within a few
months of his death in 1839 ! But he deserved
the attentions he met with, for he was ever ready
with his joke ; was a capital listener, and always
laughed in the right place ; never prosed, or took a
man by the button-hole ; and, what was still more
creditable to him, never told the same story twice.
This cannot be said of all wits, for we have heard
of one—by the bye, he still lives—who once, under
the influence of champaigne, cracked the same joke
six times in the course of one evening This was
not a nuisance ;it was worse—a positive calamity.
"‘ofOan
pS
et yr s
ei s
atilinde production
croteiiet of a
ty one,
ws chloloitaerl, but
ls us
that " Socrates and his apprentices, Plato and
Xenophon, were all three humbugs." If this be
the case, how conies it that, three thousand years
after their death, their influence is still acknow-
ledged and felt ? As respects Socrates, there may
possibly he some justice in the writer's unsure, for
he is known to have been a sly, unscrupulous old
fox ; but Plato has ever been, and will ever be,
considered one of the shining lights of the world.
Again, we are assured that " Herodotus was the
Froissart of Antiquity." This is not the case. He
lacked the fire, and energy, and enthusiasm of the
old chronicler of chivalry ; and was nothing more
than an entertaining gossip, who told a story with
singular ease and grace ; and had quite a child's
relish for, and faith in, the marvellous and impos-
sible. We never think of his history, but we are
instantly reminded of the " Arabian Nights' Enter-
tainments." Inn the present chapters of " Teo
Thousand a Year," there is a diverting account of
a dinner party to which Titmouse was invited, by
a formal Whig Earl. The incident, however, is
too much caricatured, and spun out to such a
length, that, whimsical as are the details„ we are
not bet tios gae td
delightful
g e otief
articlet "
ofA tVb it ides-
criptiveS kind.

NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.
The Editor here resumes his new story of " Fa-
thers and Sons," the descriptive portions of which
are more carefully executed than is his wont. In
particular, we have an account of a white-bait din-
ner at Greenwich, the details of which abound in
humour, but the spirit that pervades it is still that
of the silver-fork school, where mock gentility is
substituted for the sterling ore. Greenwich, it
seems, is now to be considered as vulgar as Graves-
end. Mr. Hook has said so, and who shall gain-
say his ipse dixit ? With generous forbearance,
however, he withholds the name of the inn, where the
personages of his story dined, for which the landlord
will, no doubt, be abundantly grateful ! " Foreign
Sporting"ter
es ti
ithe theme, but sportsmen will be highly
i is by Nimrod. We take little in-
amused with the particulars of the day's hunting at
Chantilly, and of the late Duke of Bourbon's
Stud. The " Life and Adventures of Charles
Chesterfield," is liy no means one of Mrs. Tiol-
lope's happiest productions. There is no want of
caustic humour, but it is too often coarse and un-
feminine in essence. The sketch of the " Lite-
rary Coterie," is rather a caricature, than a descrip-
tion drawn from life. Mrs. Gore's ~ Lady Pa-
troness " has all that truth of effect and brilliancy
of colouring peculiar to this lady's writings, who is
far less of a mere superficial observer than she is
generally supposed to be. Her great merit is,
lat, though professedly a satirist of the follies of
the great vulgar, and the small she throws quite
as much of the heart as of the head into her pun-
gent strictures. We subjoin the commencemema of
her character of the " Lady Patroness ;".___
A Lady Patroness is a woman preferred above her
sex, in deference to those influences of rank, fortune,
or fashion, which entitle her to fleece the opulent for
the benefit of the indigent ; a chartered mendicant at
second hand ; a privileged beggar in the service of the
less privileged poor. High station and a low mind are
indispensable to the success of such a vocation ; a vo•
cation more rarely embraced for conscience sake, than
at the instiotion of some active philanthropist, who
plays upon the weakness. of the great lady, and engages
her services in behalf of more deserving persons. Ho
assures her that the " importance of her Ladyship's
name—the influence of the high estimation in which her
Ladyship is held by the public—the attraction of her
Ladyship's beauty, wit, or accomplishments," cannot fail

to draw purchasers to her bazaar, or subscribers to her '
list ; whereupon the idle woman of fashion renounces
her devotion to the sacro santo far niente, and becomes
transformed into a woman of business—an inditer ot
begging letters, not liable to the prosecutions of the
Mend!city Society—a canvasser, reversing all or-
dinary forms of corruption. That species of
moral courage which the profane call impudence, is
a first-rate requisite in the Lady Patroness. She must
be as fearless in attack, as steady in defence. She must
NOT " bear her faculties meekly ;" but brandish her
coronet like a weapon of offence, in order to accomplish
her purposes. A moderately important personage ven-
turing to beset your privacy with petitions for Poles,
or tickets for benefit concerts, would de dismissed as a
bore, or insulted as a nuisance. But a begging mar-
chioness !—a gaberlunzie woman having all the glory of
the Herald's College emblazoned on the panels of her
carriage !—No resisting such an appeal !—No deny-
ing a petitioner whose tall footmen, with their cocked-
hats and gold-headed canes, seeta prepared to knock
you down in case of resistance. The world is still de-
ceived by ornament ; and so fine a lady has only to !ook
fierce and persevere, to extract the sovereigns from your
purse, and keep the strings of her own Gordianly
knotted.
" A Talk about Talking" is an ingenious rambling
essay, not unlike some of the smart prose articles of
the late M. Praed, who, we believe, was a frequent
and efficient contributor to this Magazine. " Lines
on seeing Miss G— in a fancy costume at Al-
tnacks," trundle on as smoothly as a steam-engine
on a railroad ; the verse is polished like ivory ; and
as for the thought—but there is none, so upon the
principle of ex nihilo nil fit, we can say nothing
about it. " Rhymes for the Times," are by the
practised humourist of the " Comic Annual." There
are several smart hits in them, but they wear too
much an appearance of effort. " A Quarrel with
some Old Acquaintances " is a series of reasonings
on sundry well-known aphorisms, after the fashion
of the late Charles Lamb. Several of these rea-
sonings are highly ingenious. " Journal of a Tour
by the Marquis of Londonderry," is sprightly and
good-natured. The Noble author is better with
the traveller's pan in his hand, than when standing
forth on the floor of the House of Lords. " The
Nun " is a passable sample of periodical poesy.

BENTLEY'S MISCELLANY,
There is a highly-wrought incident in the pre-
sent chapters of " Guy Fawkes," where the heroine
Viviana is about to be entrapped into a marriage
with Catesby, but is rescued from her predicament
by the timely discovery that he is already married,
having—in the hurry of business, no doubt—left a
Mrs. Catesby behind him in Spain, when he set
out for England ; but nevertheless the chapters
read heavily ; and for this reason, that they are
not instinct with vitality. There is tact enough in
them, but they are destitute of feeling, especially
of the livelier kind. They seem as if they were
written to order, and from no act of volition.
There is less cast-iron stiffness, hoever, in the
dialogue ; and so far, Mr. Ainsworth is improved
as a novelist. In the " Portfolio of Peter Pop -
kin," we meet with some piquant anecdotes, and
not a few regular Joe Millers. The story of John
Kemble forgetting his marriage-day, has been told
in turn of almost every great scholar and lawyer
from the days of Doctor Busby down to those of
Sergeant Hill. We feel disposed, therefore, to
question its authenticity, though, on second
thoughts, Bannister, if we remember rightly, has
recorded something of the sort in his Memoirs.
" Invention" is full of broad fun ; but we are com-
pelled to guess at portions of the dialogue, the dia-
lect is such unadulterated Erse. The " Black
Mousquetaire" is one of Tom Ingoldsby's droll
legends. We subjoin a taste of its humour, just to
act as a sort of whet to the reader's appetite:—
Now it happen'd just then
That Field-Marshal Turenne,
Was a good deal in want of " some active young men,"
To fill up the gaps
Which, through sundry mishaps,
Had been made in his ranks by a certain " Great Conde,"
A General unrivall'd—at least in his own day—
Whose valour was such
That he did not care much
If be fought with the French,—or the Spaniards,—cr
Dutch,—
' A fact which has stamped him rather a " cool hand,"
Being nearly related to Louis le Grand.
It had been all the same bad that King been his brother ;
He fought sometimes with one, and sometimes with
another;
For war, so exciting,
He took such delight in,
He did not care whom he fought, so he was fighting ;
And, as I've just said, had amused himself then
By tickling the tail of Field-Marshal Turenne ;
Since when, the Field-Marshal's most pressing concern
Was to tickle some other Chief's tail in his turn.
What a fine thing a battle is !—not one of those
Which you see at " the Surrey" or Mr. Ducrow's,
Where a dozen of scene-shifters, drawn up in rows,
A dozen more scene-shifters boldly oppose,
Taking great care their blows
Do not injure their foes,
And alike, save in colour and cut of their clothes,
Which are varied, to give more effect to " Tableaux,"—
But a real good fight, like Pultowa, or Lutzen,
( Which Gustavus the Great ended all his disputes in)
Or that which Suwarrow engaged without boots in,
Or Dettingen, Fontenoy, Blenheim, or Minden,
Or the one Mr. Campbell describes, Hohenlinden,
Where-•• I tursurrwair taw:—
The ground all over snow,
And dark as mid-winter the swift Iser's flow.—
Till its colour was alter'd by General Moreau;
While the big-drum was beard in the dead of the night,
Which rattled the Bard out of bed in a fright,
And he rar. up the steeple to look at the fight.
In " A Sailor's Trip up the Rhine" there is a
sprightly, sketchy narrative of Prince Louis Napo-
leon's late attempt at insurrection at Boulogne. So
utterly absurd was this attempt, that even now we
can scarcely persuade ourselves but that it was in-
tended as a sort of smart, practical joke. Conceive a
man starting from London with a few dozen followers,
and about as many bottles of champagne, for the
purpose of overturning the established dynasty of
France—a dynasty, by the bye, which was itself
established by a popular insurrection I Was ever
absurdity equal to this ? 'rite heroic battles in
Tom Thumb are nothing to it. And then the
denouement, with Louis Philippe hurrying off, in
the midst of storm and tempest, to Boulogne, in
order to calm the convulsed spirits of his subjects
in that agitated quarter of France ! The whole
affair was a farce of the richest quality—;-to say
nothing of that diverting episode of the robbery of
the Englishman's horse by one of the Imperial
followers. " Cohn Clink " is continued this
month. It is an amusing story, told through Out
with calm energy. The chapters in the present
Number are among the best. The " Transylva-
nian Anatomie " is a strange, hobgoblin sort of
iarrative from the prolific pen of Peake. " Stan-
ey reads much as usual.

TAIT'S MAGAZINE.
Our sturdy Radical friend Tait, who, when oc.
casion demands, can make as good use of his
quarter-staff as Rabelais' Friar John of the Fun-
nells, here steps forth into the lists of controversy
against Owen and the Socialists ; observing, in refe-
rence to the doctrines of these levelling fanatics,
that " he has not faith enough in tlic conceit of an
individual to venture on an experiment that runs
sheer counter to the nature of men, as it has been
developed during the six thousand years that
this marvellous world of human society has ex-
istr.d." The doctrines of Socialism are indeed di-
rectly at variance with all that human reason,
founded on, and modified by, the experience of
ages, has suggested as conducive to the welfare of
mankind ; for they confound the distinctions between
vice and virtue, by maintaining that " man has not
been created to be a responsible being ;" in other
words, that "he is the creature of circumstances
over which he has no control." Following out
this hypothesis to its legitimate result, we must per-
force arrive at the conclusion that a good action de-
serves no praise, and a bad one no blame. Howard
is not to be reverenced because he sacrificed time,
health, and fortune on the altar of a world-em-
bracing philanthropy ; nor is Courvoisier to be exe-
crated because he crept up stairs with a carving-
knife, and murdered his sleeping master ;
for both were the " creatures of circumstances
over which they had no control." Pleasant doc-
trine this, and peculiarly fitted to soothe the an-
guished sensibilities of the denizens of Botany
Bay and Norfolk Island. Unhappy victims to the
prejudices of a purblind world ! They are neither
thieves, murderers, nor forgers, but merely " crea-
tures of circumstances over which they had no con-
trol !" In order to show the full absurdity of this
doctrine, let us bring it home to the Socialist, by
practically exemplifying it in his own person. Let
us suppose him assaulted and robbed by some town
or country conveyancer, and while denouncing ven-
geance on the unceremonious rascal, comforted
by him - after the following fashion My dear
Sir, douT loOk so ferocious, but take things coolly,
for not.l4hut circumstances are to be blameu for this
untoward affair. It was circumstances that put the
bludgeon into my hand—circuttstances that broke