The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-03 00:00:00

CASE OF SOMNAMBULISM.

Altogether, the most interesting case of somnambulism
on record is that of a young ecclesi)stic, the narrative ot
which, from the immediate communication of an Arch.
bishop ot Bordeaux, is given under the heal of Somnam.
bulism in the French Encyclopmdia. This young eccle-
siastic, when the archbishop was at the same seminary,
used to rise every night, and write out either sermons or
pieces of music. To study his condition the archbishop
betook himself several nights to the chamber of the young
man, where he made the following observations :—The
young man used to rise, to take paper, and to write.
Before he wrote music he would take a stick and rule
the lines with it. He wrote the notes, together with the
words
dheeci
completed
hrmheeeps
npl
hadeoot nteeddsi
writtenntt
hgheawt
wi
were
hhe them,
t(t)iieee.t
wo
Abwrecifibtsteihrae tooPkce:
completing
he tilled
ee
t,ihnge ianal correctness.taefrteedr
Clht here
had.
ser-
mon, he read it aloud from beginning to end. If any
passage displeased him, he erased it, and wrote :lee
amended passage correctly over the other,- on one occa-
sion he had to substitute the word "adorable" for "divin,"
but he did not omit to alter the preceding "ce" into
‘' cet," by adding the letter "t" with exact precision to
the word first written. To ascertain whether he used
his eyes, the archbishop interposed a sheet of pasteboard
between the writing and his face. He took not the
least notice, but went on writing as before. The limits
tion of his perceptions to what he was thinking about
was very curious. A bit of aniseed cake tnat he bad
sought for he eat approvingly ; but when on another
occasion, a piece of the same cake was put in his mouth,
he spit it out without observation. The following in-
stance of the dependence of his perceptions upon, or
rather their subordination to, his preconceived ideas, is
truly wonderful. It is to be observed that he always
knew when his pen had ink in it. Likewise, if they
adroitly changed his papers, when he was writing he
knew it, if the sheet substituted was of different size
from the form, he appeared embarrassed in the case.
But if the fresh sheet of paper, which was substituted for
that written on, was exactly of the same size with the
former, he appeared not to be aware of the change. And
be would continue to read off his composition from the
blank sheet of paper as fluently as when the manuscript
it.elf lay before him; nay, more, he would continue his
corrections and introduce the amended passage, writing
it upon exactly the place on the blank sheet which it
would have occupied on the written page.—Blackwood's
Magazine.

- - - -
MEMOIRS OF LADY SUNDON AND THE COURT
OF QUEEN CAROLINE.--A new and highly interesting his-
torical work has just been published, under the title of
" Memoirs of Viscountess Sundon," Mistress of the Robes to
Queen Caroline, Consort of George IL—one of the most cele-
brated Ladies of the Court of England in the last century,
whose influence for many years was so powerful that the.
most distinguished of her contemporaries were eager to avail
themselves of it to advance their interests or projects. The
work affords an extraordinary exposition of Court doings,.
equally curious and entertaining; and. as an illustration of
English history, it deserves to be considered one of the most
valuable that has issued from the press for a long time.
Among Lady Sundon's principal correspondents are the
Duchesses of Kendal, Buckingham, and Marlborough—Lord
and Lady Hervey—the Countess of Pomfret—Lord Carteret
—Earl and Conntes. Cowper—Earl and Countess of Sand-
wich—Baron Wainwright—Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury
—Bishop Houdly—Talbot, Bishop of Oxford—Robert
Clayton, Bishop of Killala—Drs Samuel and Alured Clarke
—the ions of Bishop Burnet—Sir Richard Steele—Dean
.particulars
almost
trs respecting
Swit:t, &c. The Memoirs contain many very interesting
the family of George IL, and, indeed,
every person of celebrity contemporary with Lady
Sundon.

GOVERNMENT AND THE HARVEST PROSPECTS.
Within the last few days it has come to our knowledge that
schedules have been sent to various agriculturists residing in
Ayrshire, requiring answers in reference to the state of the
growing crops in this country—a certain evidence that
Miliisters are not indifferent to the condition of the country,
and are preparing, as tar as is possible, even for the worst
that may befal us, in the event of another failure of the staff
of liter—,KilmorSock heroic!.