The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-07 00:00:00

THE OLD YEAR AND T E NEW.

(From Minch.)
1846 speaks:—
I faint upon December's lap of snow,
I watch my lees of life drop one by or e;
Young forty-seven is on the watch below.
To fill my shoes, almost ere breath be gone.
But listen, greedy heir, though faint and old,
My heart is big with work, not worked in va.n ;
This hand, now palsied, forced Protection's hold,
And loosed the giant Commerce from his chain.
And all this night, the last night of my life,
Ere I go hence to join the ghosts ef 'l'ime,
I have had glorious visions.—War and Strife
Lay dead, and by them Hunger, Hate, and Crime.
And Peace and Plenty, Knowledge, Hope, and Love,
Shone round my bed like angels, and bowed down
To my dim eyes; and then there came a dove,
That placed on my froze hair au olive crown.
Who will crown thee, young upstart? What remains
Of glory such as mine beneath the stars?
The year, that shook from industry her chains,
The year that spoke the doom of human wars!

1847 answers :
Scowl not in death, old sire, nor think my hand
Would break one leaf irons off thy crown :—in thee
I bow to a great year; but through the land
Achievement large enough is left for me.
Thy boon is incomplete; what thou hest given,
Material blessing to material man,—
Who waits what I must do, ere lie have striven
Up to the compass of his human span.
Thou gayest wealth—l'll teach him how to use it;
Thou gayest peace—its arts I must bestow;
War, thanks to thee, is such, that they who choose it
Choose isolation, beggary, and woe.
But ignorance is left, and where that is,
Is war 'twixt light and darkness; be it mine
To chase that darkness back to the abyss,
To lift that light, wide as age, sex, or clime.
What schools must I not build? What prisons purge?
What self-contented foulness clear away?
Oh, there is work for me—and in my dirge
Deeds may be told great as in thine to-day !

PRICE OF Wilmer.— Yesterday, in consequence of
the additional rate now changed by distillers on the
price of whisky, a meeting of wine and spirit mer-
chants was held at Alexander Paxton's, Royal Ex-
change, to take into consideration the propriety of
making a proportionate rise in the wholesale and re-
tail prices of that commodity. Resolutions were ac-
cordingly adopted by the meeting, to the effect that,
so long as distillers maintained their present high
prices, the retail price of malt whisky -Should, ou
after Monday, 11th January, not be less than 4d.
per gill, and grain whisky 34d. An efficient com-
mittee, representing all the branches of the trade,
was nominated to see that the trade carry their re-
solution into effect, and generally to watch over the
interests of the wine and spirit dealers of Edinburgh.—
Edinburgh Weekly Regiskr.
THE NEW DISCOVERY' IN SURGERY.—The public
will have seen with considerable interest that moans
have been discovered for performing the most difficult
operations without giving pain to the party upon whom
it is necessary to operate. A man may, it seems, have
his legs cut from under him without his knowing it, by
the new process, while the drawing out of his teeth be-
comes an agreeable excitement, which is so delightful
that a boy having been mulcted of a molar, clamoured
loudly to have another extracted, and only held his jaw
when the dentist consented to oblige him. However
desirable this invention may be in a surgical point of
view, we have every hope that it will soon be applied to
the more delicate operations of politics. How useful
would it have been during the last session, when tho
Conservative body had to undergo the painful process of
the cutting off of so many of its members ! Had the
new process been known, the political amputations might
have taken place without any of that pain, amounting in
some cases to direct mortification, which ensued in
several instances. Considering the frequent severings
that Sir Robert Peel has been obliged to undergo, and
the numerous occasions upon which he will again most
probably feel it necessary to submit to amputations, the
new process must be almost invaluable to the Right
Hon. Baronet. As the plan is calculated to prevent
pain in all cases of removal, we should recommend its
being tried on the next occasion of a removal from office
by her J,fajesty's Ministers. This has always been a
most distressing operation, from the suffering it has in-
flicted on the parties concerned ; and all the friends of
humanity must be delighted at the prospect there is of
its becoming an entirely painless proceeding.—Punch.
MANCHESTER BOROuuli ELECTION.—We are now
in a condition to announce that the Earl of Lincoln will
speedily be amongst us. We understand that a letter
was received yesterday from his Lordship, by Mr.
Alderman Neild, intimating his compliance with the
request of the committee to attend a meeting of his
supporters. We believe the Noble Earl will arrive here
on Monday, and the meeting will in all probability take
place on Tuesday evening next. We understand that
his Lordship, during his stay here, will be the guest
of Mr. John Peel, of Swinton Park.—Manchester
Guardian.
MELANCHOLY DEATH OF A COLLECTOII.—About
a quarter past eleven o'clock on Thursday last, as No.
2 police officer of the C division, was on duty in the
neighbourhood of Port-street, a respectably-dressed man
accosted him, stating that he had been robbed of 571. by
a female. and requesting that ho (the officer) would go
with him in search of her. Platt went with him to the
extent of his beat, and then told him that he could not
proceed further without the consent of his inspector,
telling him also to go to the station and report his loss
there. About twelve o'clock he saw him again in Pic-
cadilly, and asked whether he (Platt) could do anything
else for him, to which the person replied in the negative,
and said something about making away with himself.
They then parted, and the officer saw no more of him
that night. The next morning, about half-past eight
o'clock, as a boatman, named Samnel Lamb, in the em-
ploy of Messrs. Veevers, carriers, was passing along the
Rochdale Canal in his boat, he saw the body of a man
in the canal, at the bottom of Minshull-street. It was
immediately taken out, and a clue was at once obtained
as to his identity, by the discovery of some cards, found
in a card case in his pocket, bearing the address,
"Thomas Fothergill, hop and vinegar merchant, and
dealer in foreign cigars." Upon further inquiry, itwas
ascertained that his name was James BillingtFono,
ha:d
that he was a collector in the employ of
gill. The officer Platt, on viewing the bodlyi,ridentlifieliTl
it as being that of the person who had addressed him,
as above stated, on the previous evening.—Manchester
Guardian.
l
AFFECTING SCENE. The ship Anglo-Saxon,
which recently arrived at this port, brougltg )vo-Saxon
r three'
hundred passengers from Ireland. Nine deaths occurred
during the passage. The mother of a family of five
children was among the deceased. The children were
landed here without a friend, and were found on board
of the vessel by a benevolent individual, who brought
,
who
the case before the Rev. Mr. Flood, of
ISt. 31
, placed them
had them taken to that church on &lilac(
their behalf to that
on the altar, and made an appeal in t
Was, that 253
benevolent congregation. The resultheir relief ! Four
dol-
lars were paid in on the spot
other orphans, similarly situatedf,ohrave been provided for
by the same benevolent pastor and,pse_ople.—Baston
CHAPEL ROYAL, ST. LTAME. b_. Ynesterday being
or the Mau-
the anniversary of the Feast of
Gentiles, the was dulyl
festation of Christ to the Gen
observed at the Chapel Royal, according to__ ancient
usage. Sir William Martins the Lord Chamber- LYCEUM THEATRE.—Dickens's Battle of Life has
lain's office), presented on behalf of her Majesty, the ac- proved a most successful hit for the treasury of this
gifts, gold, and
_..frankincense, &c. theatre, the house being nightly crowded to witness the
Ministerial leader
customed offerings of
Inquettertio a large performance of it. The new grand Christmas panto-
inThe Marquis of Lanscl:iwllngei,vethaehl..l ints
, on the 18th mime of The Butterfly's Ball increases nightly in
the House of Lords,
upper ouse attraction. Miss Olivia Hicks (owing to an accident to
number of members of the
instant. Miss Laidlaw) appeared for the first time on Monday
HEALTH, &C., OF THE METROPOLIS.---The deaths last, as Columbine ; her dancing was truly admirable—
registered in the London districts in the week ending the gracefulness of which elicited the most rapturous rip-
Saturday, Jan. 2, 1847, amounted to the extraordinary plause ; and when it is considered that she took the part
number of 1,510, or males 759. , females 751. This is without any. preparation, she certainly acquitted herself
last five in a manner that gives promise of a brilliant and suc-
the largest number registered in any one week for the
the
on those
last seven years, exceeding the average. cessful career in the profession she has chosen—a pret-
winters by 442. The principal increase is tier Columbine we have not seen for a very long time.
deaths arising from diseases of the organs sq. respiration A GOOD STREAK or Lucx.—A correspondent
and diseases of the brain ; the deaths from bronchitis from Havannah writes to our friends of La Petrie that
being no fewer than 163, or more than four times the the grand prize of the Royal Lottery—the 100,000 dole
average. There is also a great increase in the number lays—was drawn by 50 negroes, most of them slaves.
of
nearly 200 deaths from
cent. above the violence, whichor amounted
to 81, being They had joined to buy three whole tickets, and gave one
Among per dinary average, dollar each for that purpose. One of those tickets was
the latter class is one of a female who is stated to have the number 3,997, and on the morning of the 18th they
been killed by eating unboiled rice, which, being an- found that each of them bad won 2,000 dollars. This,
digested, caused distension and inflammation of
the ;:to-
surely, is more than sufficient to buy the slaves freedom,
shoe ie of t
mach; also one of a little girl, caused by a as their regular value is from 400 dollars to 750 dollars,
nervous system, arising from fright at seeing a boy in a and when they have the money and wish to buy their
red mask. Among the deaths from bronchitis is one freedom their masters are obliged to sell tit-ctn.—New
under the head of " lodging in crowded apartments" to York Evening Express.
which a note is added, that " condition of deceased was Madame Bishop has given three concerts during
rendered much worse from being one of eleven persons the past week at Cheltenham, in each of which she ex-
living, cooking, and -sleeping in two rooms
square, in a close court in St. James's, nine fret cited the greatest enthusiasm. At her last concert she
s Cleritenwell," was encored in every song, with one exception, and she
The number of births registered in the week ending was called upon to repeat a French air twice, in which
Saturday, Jan. 2, likewise shows a great and sudden in- she produced a novel effect by accompanying herself on
crease, being 1,650, or males 861, females 789 ; this is the tambourine. Her execution of this chansonette
an increase of about 300 over the average of the last 13 proved that Madame Bishop is a great artiste, whether
weeks. From the return of the meteorological observe- she interprets the most difficult or the most simple
tions taken during the week at the Royal Observatory,
Greenwich, we find the mean height of the barometer to to music. A third cavatina, from Ugo di Parigi, exhibited
perfection the rare and artistic resources of this most
have been 30.277 ; thermometer (dry) highest 37.0; I accomplished vocalist.
lowest 19.0, mean 29.0 ; the wind was generally calm, ! CONFESSION or BURGLARY. —At Worship-street
the pressure in lbs. on the square foot never havine. been Police-court yesterday, two men, named Henry. Turman
higher than 0.1, while the sum of horizontal movement and William Kemp, were charged with having corn-
of the air for the week was only 450 miles; mean amount mitted a burglary in the premises of Messrs. Giles and
of cloud 8.5 ; sum of rain, in inches, 0.0.3, Beniger, lucifer match makers, near the City-road, on
It is reported that Lieutenant-General Sir Maurice the Monday night before Christmas-day. It appeared
O'Connell will shortly vacate the Staff appointment of that Turman, not having received his "regulars" from
General Officer in New south Wales and Van Diemen's his accomplice in the burglary, made a confession to a
Land, and that his successor will be Major-General Pitt, policeman for the purpose of having his revenge. Both
whose destination has been inaccurately stated to be prisoners were remanded.
ze w Zealand. The Right Hon. Edward Strutt has returned to town.

GILBF.RT'S DICTIONARY OF THE ENG-
LISH LANGUAGE. Parts XII. and XIII.
This extraordinary and laborious work is still con-
ducted with ardour and intelligence. A few blunders
among such thousands of explanations are inevitable,
and certain omissions are also at intervals almost un-
avoidable. Making every allowance, however, for the
difficulties of the task imposed upon the editor, he is
compiling a work which will, when completed, he
altogether invaluable.

THE PLOUGH.
As a beginning to the first month of the second year
of this exoelleet publication, the January Number for
1847, is full of promise. Both in the selection of the
contributions, and the arrangement of the contents,
the editorial duties are fulfilled with much discrimi-
nation. The principle characteristic of each number
of the Plough is seasonableness, and in the promotion
of agriculture, the different writers are fully con-
versant with the latest data derived from chemical
analysis.

THE SONGS OF CHARLES DIBDIN,
Chronologically arranged, and the Music of the best and
most popular of the Melodies, with Pianoforte accompa-
niments. Arranged under the Editorship of George
Hogarth, Esq. Parts I, and 11.
Mr. Davidson is doing good service by the publi-
cation of this cheap, yet most accurate and beautiful
edition of the works of Dibdin. It is a truly na-
tional work, and should find a place not only in every
musical, but also in every Naval Library.

PICTORIAL GALLERY OF ARTS. Pact XXIV.
The miscellaneous collection of wood engravings
published under this comprehensive title seems month
after month to be fairly inexhaustible. As a serial,
the contents are more varied, and sometimes more
excellent than those of any similar periodical hitherto
issued. In some instances, as in the figure from the
House of the Female Dancers, the drawing is admir-
able, and the engraving accurate.

OLD ENGLAND'S WORTHIES. Part XII.
With this, the twelfth part, the volume of "Old
England's Worthies" is completed. A sketch of the
statue of Sir Isaac Newton at Cambridge, and por-
traits of Pope, Smeaton, Walpole, Halley, Swift, and
Hogarth, are the illustrations. The letter-press is
of corresponding interest, and the book altogether is
an admirable addition to the library of popular works
already published by Charles Knight.

THE FORTUNES OF TORLOGH O'BI?IEN.

No. IX.
After a marvellously grandiloquent preliminary
to an account of the Battle of the Boyne, the author
of this serial romance slurs over that account in
a few slovenly paragraphs, on the plea, that
there is already a good description of the conflict
by the writer of the " Boyne Water." There
is likewise a very disgusting chapter about
the inhuman punishment of the " strappado," the
excruciating torments of which are dilated upon by
the narrator with a hideous zest. The shrieks of the
victim are interrupted by the most sickly witticisms,
and the scene altogether is rather like an incident
among devils than among men. An excellent and
spirited etching by " Phiz," pourtraying the horrible
death of Garvey, is accompanied by another, which
we are certain cannot be from his hand. The story
is evidently approaching its termination.

[Tait's Magazine only just reached us.]

CONCERT IN AID OP THE FUNDS
OF THE WESTERN OPHTHALMIC INSTITU-
TION.
To the honour of the members of the Musical Pro-
fession be it said, that they are ever the foremost in
the cause of charity. On Friday a concert takes place
at the Hanover-square Rooms, in aid of the funds
of the Western Ophthalmic Institution. An institu-
tion which is, from its very nature, of infinite
service to the industrious classes, enabling them
as it am, in many instances, to gain a live-
lihood for themselves and their families *by warding
off from them that greatest of all afflictions, blindness.
On this occasion, Madame Albertazzi, Miss Rainforth,
the Misses Williams, Miss A. Hill, Mr. and Mrs. Weiss,
Mr. and Miss Lcckey, Mr. F. Bodda, and Mr. T. Wil-
liams, together with Miss Kate Loder, the Messrs. Distin,
Mr. Carte, Master Day, and Mr. A. Sedgwick, with Mr.
Brinley Richards, as conductor, have volunteered their
gratuitous services. There cannot be a doubt but that
the rooms will be crowded. The artistes will have the
satisfaction of knowing that their exertions have mate-
rially promoted the prosperity of this most excellent
institution.