The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-06 00:00:00

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY.

The closing number of this magazine for the year
1848 fully sustains its high character. It npens with
a most interesting paper, under the title of "British
India," tracing briefly', but minutely, the establish-
ment of British-power in the East; from • our first
imperfeo knowleclge of it, in the days 9f-Alfred, and
the Crusideris the commencement of - oar Three Pre
sidencies, on dm Malabar and Coromandel coasts and
in Bengal, to the Battle of Plassey under Lord Clive,
" which forms the first era in the history of British
India, by which we gained the richest district of
Hindostan—eitablished England as a recognised
power, and spread the terror of her arms throughout
the provinces of the Mogul Empire, then tottering to
its fall." Mr. C kip., in his "Life of Clive," gives a most
stirring and graphic description of this eventful
battle, on which then hung the destinies of India.
-The notice of the early life and military career of
Lord Clive will be read with deep interest. The
next paper is a continuation of the " Philellenist," a
beautiful, touching, and classic tale ; we cannot per-
haps more strongly express our opinion of its merits,
than by saying we regret to perceive its conclusion.
In the present number one of those strange phenomena,
known in Asiastic climes as "sand-spouts," is thus
described by the writer of this paper :
At a considerable distance from the spot where he
stood he could distinctly perceive a number of gigantic
figures, veiled each one in a thin white shroud, who
were gliding slowly and majestically over the pain, too
dim and vapour-like to admit of any positive form being
distinguished, and yet sufficiently substantial to cast a
long shadow behind them. There monstrous phantoms
appeared to be engaged in the mazes of a mystic dance,
they certainly were performing the strangest evolutions,
turning round slowly, advancing towards one another
receding again, then seeming to bend forward in a so-
lemn salutation, and at times one would suddenly sink
down into the earth and disappear altogether! Lester
remained in utter bewilderment, looking on this strange
sight. He certainly was not dreaming; but what then
was it which he saw? Could- it, be that some gigantic
city lay buried beneath that plain, and that these were
the ghosts of Titans performing a funeral dance over its
' invisible remains: He felt enraged at himself as this
wild supposition crossed his brain, and he instantly set
spurs to his horse, determined to face the shrouded
giants on their own ground, and ascertain what they
really were. To his horror, one of them appeared
anxious to do. him honour by coming forward with its
gliding step to meet him, anti again the horse reared and
plunged, refusing to advance, but the great white figure
continued to advance till within a few yards of the per-
plexed Englishman, when it suddenly sunk down and
melted away, though happily revealing its own nature in
the act; for it covered himself and his horse so com-
pletely with a fine white dust, that he comprehended at
once that his Titanic phantoms were only so many sand-
spouts."
We are tempted to transcribe the following brief
but thrilling description of an earthquake from the
same paper : t
" He felt his horse reel under bim, and stagger as if
about to fall. The horse had flung himself on the
ground, and Lester was fain to follow,his example, and
then looking round, he perceived that the whole plain
was in motion, rising and falling like the undulating
waves of the sea, and he even became conscious that the
mountains round him were rocking from side to side.
. Lester was obliged to remain-prostrate while
the phenomena worked. First, he could feel, as it were,
a long shudder thrill the whole •ttrth, like that which
agitates the mortal frame when
.the dread of- something
supernatural is upon it; then a deepgroan seemed to
burst from its labouring bosom, as itdrawn., from it by
very agony of heart. For one moment the-great 'fabric
of creation lay intensely still, and :cirri ,it was seized
with, a tremendous convulsion, during whin it appeared
to b.i shaken to the very centre by a
.prolonged quiver-
ing,, exactly as though the awful footsteps of one most
mighty.fk•ete passing over it. When the*" had gone by,
lit see m sink exhausted, only heaving once or twice
like th last sobs of a child that has been hushed to
rest be ere it relapsed into its wonted tranquillity."
The poetical department of the present number is
enriched with sparkling translations from the Spanish,
German, and French, entitled " Sounds and Echoes"
—sweet sounds which must find an echo in many a
kindred heart. We regret our space will not allow
us to transcribe any of these gems. The next paper
is a short " Biographical Sketch of General Ca-
vaignac," whose present position in the new Republic of
France invests with deep interest anything connected
with his early history and career. The next is a
notice of Leigh Hunt's " Town ; its Memorable Cha-
racters and Events,'-' which is described as " one of
the pleasantest of his pleasant books." The other
papers are the " Bought Bridegroom, a Story of
Gold ;" " Ceylon and the Cyngalese," by Onesiphorus ;
closing with an able paper on " Our Jury System."
Altogether the present is a number on which we can
congratulate the proprietors, and we look forward to
the number with which the new year will open with
anticipations of increased pleasure.