The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-13 00:00:00

VAUXHALL GARDENS.

The entertainments announced to take place at
these gardens were of the usually attractive charac-
ter, but in the face of weather, which none but web-
footed bipeds would voluntarily encounter, they failed
to draw even a respectable sprinkling of the depen-
dents upon the free list. All the out-of-door amuse-
ments and the fireworks exhibition, as a matter of
course, were suspended. A concert in the theatre,
horsemanship in the circus, and some splendid vault-
ing, were followed by an " Ethiopian Ohio," in which
the man with the bones (Pell), arrayed in an out-
rageously extravagant shirt frill and collar, and Juba,
whom the bills describe as " The original," men-
tioned in Mr. Charles Dickens's " American Notes,"
particularly distinguished themselves. N otwith-
standing the thin attendance of visitors, there was
no abridgment of the performances in the theatre ;
indeed they were deserving the presence of a larger
and livelier audience. As it was, however, they may
be said to have been addressed almost to " empty
boxes."

MAGAZINES-(CONTINUED).
TAIT.

A clear and forcible contribution begins Tait s
Magazine for June, headed "Taxes on Knowledge
and the Newspaper Press." From the closing sen-
tence of the article, the drift of its argument may be
very readily conjectured
That red penny stamp on the corners of news-
shebts is a badge of slavery—a barricade of know-
ledge, as the window-tax is a barricade to health and
light—and the country cannot be free where both
exist."

One of the amusing historiettes of Heinrich Zschokke
is afterwards given to us in the form of a very glib !
translation : it is called " The Chapter of Accidents."
Calder Campbell and Ebenezer' Elliott are among the
poetical contributors to the magazine; but we must
acknowledge, at once, that we are utterly at a loss to
discover the meaning, or even the very faintest suspi-
cion of the meaning, of the " Plea for Lamartine,"
written by the Corn-law Rhymer. The " Plea" is
only composed of six verses, each verse consisting of
merely four lines, yet those few lines form of them-
selves a labyrinth more bewildering than the vege-
table puzzle at Hampton Court. Mr. Percy B. St.
John continues his admirable and valuable narrative
of the French Revolution—a narrative which we are
gratified to see now in course of publication in a se-
parate form. Speaking of the conduct of M. de La-
martine in regard to the retention of M. Ledru Rollin
in the Executive Commision, Mr. St. John says that
that policy is dictated by the profoundest wisdom— '
and Mr. St. John is at present a resident in Parir,
and therefore the better enabled to arrive at a sound
judgment upon -a circumstance of this description.
Hear what he remarks upon this particular, viz., the
alliance between Lamartine and Ledru Rollin
:--
"Lamartine and Ledru Rollin, when they, on the 24th
February, accepted the lead of France, were actuated by
a sincere desire to be true to the people. They did not
comprehend the Republic with monarchical institutions;
but democratic—pure, true. Lamartine, though wiser
and more prudent than Ledru Rollin, was quite as great
an enemy of aristocracy as his colleague. Though an
aristocrat, he knew well how, in 1830, the people bad
been tricked, and he resolved to be a party to no such
trick again. This explains the union of the eloquent,
enthusiastic, and public mind of Lamartine with the
energetic and hot-headed Ledru Rollin. Marie, Gamier
Pae,s, and Arago, were equally republican, but their
ideas were more aristocratic. Thus the Executive
differed. Lamartine insisted on the promises of the
24th February being kept ; and when be found his
eminent colleagues inclined to hesitation, he signified,
with Ledru Rollin his intention of resigning, and lead-
ing the sincere democratic party in the House. His
eloquence, however, it seemed, gained over the scruples
of Arago, and the
" The fact is, Lacarretl'lly
Is of the nation.
triumphant in the councils
selfish and true, not to wishl.l is
tht oaot gtrheea t
democratic party is again
profit those who made it. If the days Roafe
vFmo
leaubntr,i
uot
anoroy shalluanr-e
to benefit only the
like the monarchy of July,to be bourgeoise—things
might as well have remained classes—if the Republic is,
Rollin is turbulent, hot-headed, as
v' violent ; but he is the
they were. Ledru
energy, the action of the Revolution
head; and, in my opinion, the sincre union of these two
Lamartine
Republic, h
at
nde
men is a great blessing for France, for the
the cause of democracy."
Subsequently he observes, that " in uniting thus the
moderation and activity of the republic
in
Lamartine acted the part of a true patriot." one,
Describ-
ing the physiognomy of Paris since the 24th of Feb-
ruary, in a later paragraph, Mr. St. John mentions a
singular fact—that the late revolution has been fruit-
ful in statuettes, medals, &c.—Napoleon, Robespierre,
and Lamartine figuring in the first rank, and many
thousands of them, and other heroes of war and
liberty, being sold. The remaining portions of the
magazine are of ordinary merit.