The Sun.
London, England, 1824-02-14 00:00:00

NOVA SCOTIA.

[We have received a Halifax paper of the 21st
ult., containing the Governor's speech on the
opening of the Provincial Assembly, together
with the proceedings which followed. We lay
the following extracts of it before our readers :—]
JANUARY 13.—0 n Thursday, at two o'clock,
his Excellency Sir James Kempt was pleased to
open the Session with the following Speech :

" Mr. President, and Gentlemen of his Majesty's Conn-
ell, Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen of the House of
Assembly,

" I have called you together at this early period of the year,
with a view to the convenience of those Members of the Legis-
lature who reside at a distance from the capital ; and it affords
me very sincere satisfaction to inform you that I consider the
affairs of the province to lie in a state of steady and progressive
prosperity, not occasianed by any adventitious, accidental cause,
or temporary excitement, but arising solely, (under the bless-
ing of Divine Providence) from the many natural and local
advantages which we possess, and a judicious application of our
own means and resources, living under a paternal Government,
and the protection of a powerful empire.
" It was expected that many beneficial effects would result
from a general diffusion of agricultural knowledge of improve-
ments throughout the country, by means of the institutions
formed for that purpose; but the expectations which even the
most sanguine entertained, promise to be completely realized.—
Habits of active industry and systematic frugality are taking
deep root, I have reason to believe, among the farming classes
of the community ; and I think the day is not far distant when
bread corn will be raised within the province, sufficient to sup-
ply the wants of its population.
" Trade is increasing, and beginning to embrace new sources
of commercial employment. Our fisheries have been carried
on with increased activity during the past year : in every branch
of our industry there is a visible improvement.
" I have great pleasure, also, in reporting to you the state of
the provincial finances : the revenue of the last year has some-
what exceeded the sum which was anticipated. It has been
faithfully collected, and every demand upon the Government
punctually discharged. In addition to the revenue raised un-
der provincial statutes, considerable sums of money have been
paid into the Treasury by the collector of his Majesty's cus-
toms (duties arising under acts of the Imperial Parliament to
extend and regulate the Colonial trade), which payments have
enabled me to cancel provincial notes to nearly a corresponding
amount.

Agreeably to a resolution of the Legislature in its last Ses-
sion,copper tokens have been imported and issued from the
Treasury, to supply the deficiency of small change ; and I
have given directions under that authority, for the importation
of a further quantity of coin, sufficient, I hope, to remove
the inconveniences which the community experience in that
respect.
Speaker, and Gentlemen ofthe House ofAssembly,
ct I shall direct the public accounts of the lest year to be laid
accustomed liberality
before You for examination without delay ; as also the usual
annual
estimate of the Civil Establishment; and I rely on your
necessary for the support of his Majesty's
granting the a uwii)tlii,e s
your
",Mr. President. an,' Gentlemen qfhis. Majesty's Coun-
cil, life. Speaker, and
Gentlemen of the House of
Assembly,
Knowing from experience that the various interests and
, contacted with its public prosperity
institutions
internal
improvement,
ovreomv province,
will come under your review in the
course of the Session, and receive from
you all the support and
assistance wh:ch they may require, and of which our limited
meanswill admit, I feel it to be unnecessary for me to call
your attention at present to any particular object ; but as it is
toy duty, and has ever been my unceasing endeavour in my
administration of the Wvernment, to watch over the public
interests, and to promote as far as I am able the peace and
prosperity of this improving and happy colony, 1 shall not fail
may appear to me will conduce to those ends; whil, you may
to bring under consideration, by message, any measures which
always rely upon my ready concurrence in those which you ma:f
bring forward for then dvancement of the public good."
At two o'clock on aturday afternoon, the (louse of Assem-
bly, with the Speaker at their head, went up to Govern-
ment House, and presented to his Excellency the following
Address

«M
_
" May it pletue ?INT Exceltenet',
" We, the RepTuatives of leis Majesty's dutiful and loyal
subjects, the inhabitants of Nova Scotia, beg leave to thank
youressn
your speech at the opening of the present
Session
General Assembly ; and for the convenience
which
your Excellency has afforded us, by coiling tha Legisla-
i oeft)r
t u re
Ntogetherhighlye at thl s earlygrati f
ipe ear ibo cyl
the
of
ftieyear.
knowledge that the afilirs
of the province are in a state of increasing improvement ; and
that we are now enabled to avail ourselves of the may natural
and local advantages which we possess, while we enjoy peace
and security under the powerful protection of his Majesty'.
Government.

" The gefleral diffusion of agricultural knowledge through-
out the province, and the benefits derived from the institutions
formed for that purpose, and so munificently supported by
your Excellency, and your noble predecessor, are now appa-
rent in the improvement of the country ; and we hope that,
with the habits of active industry and systematic frugality
which are rapidly increasing among the farming classes of the
community, this province will soon be independent of foreign
supply, for the support of its population.
" It affords us much pleasure to learn that our commerce is
increasing, and that new sources of employment are opening to
those concerned in trade, and that the inceased activity with
which the fisheries have been carried on during the past year,
has produced a visible improvement in that important branch
of our industry. _

" We thank your Excellency for your attention to the pro-
vincial finances ; and are gratified to find that the revenue for
the last year has been faithfully collected ; that every demand
upon the Government has been punctually discharged, and that
the funds of the province are in so flourishing a state.
" The importation and issue of copper tokens, under the re-
solution of the Legislature, is of importance to the country in
order to supply the deficiency of small change; and we thank
your Excellency for directing the importation of a further
quantity of coin, sufficient to remove the inconvenience that the
country experiences in that respect.
" We thank your Excellency for directing the public ac-
counts to be laid before us for our examination, as also the
estimate of the civil establishment for the ensuing year, and
we shall cheerfully grant the necessary supplies for the sup.
port of his Majesty's Government ; and your Excellency
may he assured, that every commnication you may make to
us will at all times receive our early and serious attention.
" The exprince which we have had of your Excellency's
unceasing endeavous, in the administration of the Government
to promote the public interest, and to preserve the peace and
prosperity of this improving and happy colony, affords us the
surest pledge of your ready concurrence in every measure which
has for its object the advancement of the public good."
To which his Excellency was pleased to return the following
answer :

" Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen qf The House al Assembly,
" This address affords me particular satisfaction ; for, con-
vinced as I am, that we have only one object in view (the pub-
lic good) in the performance of our relative duties, the support
and approbation of the House of Assembly, the representatives
of a free people, cannot fail to prove a strong excitement to a
zealous and faithful discharge of those imposed upon me."
A similar address was presented on Saturday, the 17th of
January, by the Council of the Province.

LITERARY NOTICE.

MR ANDREW SAGITTARIUS; or, the Perils of Astro-
logy. A Novel, in Three Volumes.

It could hardly be credited, that in this en-
lightened age there would be found any persons
who possess common sense and enjoy the ad-
vantages of education, yet repose confidence
in what is stiled Judicial Astrology ; but we
know, that even DaynEs, one of our greatest
Poets, and we may add, one of our greatest
moral philosophers, fully believed in the vali-
dity of this pretended science. We have every
day proofs of the influence of its doctrines, by the
wretches who subject themselves to legal punish-
ment under the characters of Fortune-tellers,
who,if they were not subject to such punishment,
would doubtless derive considerable profits from
credulity and superstition. We may here pro-
perly apply the words of Edmund, in King Lear,
to shew the absurdity of such pretensions :—" as
if we were villains by necessity ; fools by heavenly
compulsion, knaves, thieves, and treachery, by
spherical predominance ; and drunkards and liars
by an enforced obedience of planetary influence—"
but it is not only among the illiterate vulgar
that a persuasion of the truth of judicial astrolo-
gy prevails. There is an artist of considerable
merit who seems to be unhappily under its influ-
ence, and whose conversation, upon whatever

subject it 'may commence, is sure to gra-
dually tend to the introduction of his fa-
vourite science, on which he can expatiate
for many hours at a time, arid who seems to
consider all other topics as comparatively insig-
nificant. The Author of these volumes tells us,
in a short, sensible, Preface, that "The object of
the work is to expose the fallacy of divination by
means of celestial influence ; also to shew the
danger resulting from a foolish confidence in its
predictions." These objects he has endeavoured
to accomplish in the narrative form, and lie has
contrived an ingenious story, in which lie has ef-
fected his Purpose, so far as to amuse and
satisfy all intelligent and reflecting Readers ; but
we fear that though it may divert and interest
even those who are proselytes to the fallacious
doctrines, it will be found that superstition has
a prevailing and irresistible operation upon the
mass of mankind. But we will rather gratify
our Readers with the following brief sketch of
the story, than indulge ourselves in an elaborate
analysis of what is chiefly intended to amuse a
few leisure hours :

Sir Andrew Sagittarius,a Baronet of large landed
possessions, having unfortunately applied himself
during his youth to the study of Judicial Astro-
logy, becomes deeply impressed with a full con-
viction of its powers ; and is induced to found his
opinion of the characters of people upon the in-
formation, he presumes himself to have attained
in practical trials of their horoscopes. H. marries
by this rule, and has two sons. Tne eldest of
these (Louis) he conceives was born under the
influence of a malignant planet (Saturn depressed)
which dooms him to die a disgraceful death, and
during his mortal course, to become such a mon-
ster of guilt,as even to attempt the life of his father.
This discovery fills Sir Andrew with horror, and
induces him to loath the sight of his child. He,
however, resolves, before this horrible event
arrives, to send Louis out of the way, either to
a foreign country, or to some remote corner in
England, in order, if possible, to thwart the evil
tendency of the stars. The second 1041, Charles,
is predicted to a fate altogether the reverse of
the unhappy one destined for his brother ; and
consequently enjoys the caresses of his father ;
who, mindful of the prediction, offers Louis a
maintenance from home. Louis indignantly
spurns the proposal, and afflicted at the
cruel behaviour of his father, runs from the
house with a determination to seek his for-
tune in war ; and from a mistake in the Gazette,
which places his name among the list of killed,
is supposed to be really dead. Sir Andrew, quiet-
ed in his fears, turns his attention to his remaining
son, Charles, and permits him to indulge in every
extravagant desire; and Charles, passing his
days amid the dissipation of a London life, be-
comes accidentally acquainted with a Captain
Clanmer, a needy sharper, who, with the aid of
Mrs. Clamner, his mother, plan; his ruin. Charles
is involved, by their machinations, in gambling
debts, to an onortnou *amount, and hurries to the
verge of destruction. After an absence of four-
teen years, Louis,now in manhood, returns home,
and having changed his name to Colonel Archer,
• and gained military renown, has determin-
ed to recover the affection of his father, by
exposing the falsity of the science which con-
demned him in his youth. By a fortunate con-
currence of events he accidently saves his bro-
ther's life ; and also, under his assumed name,
elß.cts the release of his fattier and brother from
the evils which surround them ; having finally
brought every proof to bear Witness in his favour,
lie discovers himself, and gains a triumph over
• the supposed malice of the stars. Sir Andrew,

finding that he has been duped by the sciencei
owns his error, and resolves henceforth never to
be guided by such visionary fascination. Yet
he cannot, at once, with all his endeavOurs,.forget
what had .Permed his daily and incessant occu-
pation.
The last passage illustrates the continuance of
this delusion as follows :
" On the birth of the first child of Louis, Sir Andrew ventured
to ask the nurse, as he tasted some candle, the precise moment
of the infant's appearance in life. The nurse, wholly unsits::
picious of Sir Andrew's drift, readily gave him the desired in:
formation. ' child,' muttered Sir Andrew, is born tit
honours such as mortals seldom enjoy. The Sun is Lord of
the ascendant—the glory of two noble -conjunctions—the Apheta
favourable—the Georgium Sidus.'
" Louis touched his father's elbow at this instant. Any
speculation,' said he, smiling, and shaking his head ?
" A thought occurred to me.'—
" No relapse, I hope,' said Louis.
" None !' replied Sir Andrew, with firmness ;-4 I may
not forget the science, but I have finished with its perils.)
Our readers will observe from what we have
briefly said of this Novel, that it really possesses
claims to public attention. The plot is in a great
measure original, and it is consistently support-
ed. Of all the characters, we feel mostly in.:
terested in those of the Astrologer, Si 7 Andrew,
and his eldest son. The technical terms of
the science are employed with effect ; and we
suspect that the Author must have taken some—
pains to instruct himself in the nature and mys-
tery of the starry influences, in order to treat
upon them with such facility. The chief fault of
this Novel lies at times in the carelessness of
its language. Several of tl►e expressions are ne-
gligently worded, and are sometimes common-
place ; the Author, therefore, should take pains
to correct his future works, which no doubt, we
shall read with pleasure. Our censure is chiefly
to warn, not to discourage his further efforts.