The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-05 00:00:00

THE ECLECTIC REVIEW. Nos. V., VI.
_ _ __ _

•
In the November and December numbers of this
intelligent monthly review, now lying beside us,
there are eighteen distinct contributions. Among so
many papers; and papers, moreover, exhibiting such
general ability, it is difficult, if not even invidious, to
make any selection. In morality and ethics, there are
disquisitions upon Tayler's " Retrospect of the Reli-
gious Life in England," upon " A Report of Discus-
sion in the Generkl Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church," upon the " Wycliffe and Hanserd Knolly's
Societies," upon Dr. Fletcher's " Memoirs and
select Works," upon Brown's " Philosophy," upon
Alexander's Switzerland and the Swiss Churches,"
and upon the " Evangelical Alliance." In history
there articles upon " Civilization struggling with
Barbarism," upon Carrel's " Counter-Revolution in
England," upon Miss Strickland's " Lives of the
Queens of England," and upon—we smile at the
recollection of many guffaws—Gilbert A'Beckett's
" Comic History of England." In biography there
are memoirs of Thomas Wilson and Dr. Heugh.
Besides these there are divers miscellaneous contri-
butions of various merit. We would, however,
particularise a very charming analytical and
synthetical article (it is both by turns)
upon - the poems of Elizabeth Barrett—a
poetess whose writings only appeared some
two years back, but who is already a familiar
favourite with a large portion of the public. She
deserves to be the favourite of a still larger circle.
While we coincide, however, with the reviewer in
regarding the similarity of tone which is discernible
among contemporary poets, as attributable in a
greater measure to the character of the generation in
which they flourish,'we think Miss Barrett's mind is
manifestly imbued with the individualities not only of
Tennyson, but also of Carl) le. She unconsciously in-
terplates here and there distinct peculiarities of those
eminent men. 'With all her indisputable originality
and genius, she has inadvertently culled from the
beauties which the peru al of their works had im
printed upon her memory. When, in her " Drama
of Exile," she speaks of the archangels as sweeping
out into the universe

" Divine,
With thund'rous movements, earnest looks of gods,
And silver-solemn clash of cymbal wings,"

we are at once reminded of the composite words of
the author of " Teufelsdroeht," and recur to that lino
in Tennyson's "Mariana in the Moated Grange," de-
scriptive of the poplar tree,

" All silver-green, with gnarled bark."
The termination of the criticism is singularly
.aceful.

h—
church, n
to Wednesdaybe morning the
erectAed iNnEthwe
LAYING THE FOUNDATION•STONE OF
CfOIitIRaCtiIIOIEN•SMWEAENCOnfESSTEfinft.O
Manchester Ten Churches' Association, was laid by the
church Venerable the Archdeacon. The site of the new h
is in the midst of a large and poor population, in rch
Butler-
street, Bradford-road. The church is to be alarge one,
and is to be called St. Philip's.
CIIIIRCH-RATES.—A vestry meeting of the,inha-
bitant householders and other ratepayers of the extensive
parish of St. Dunstan, Stepney, was held on Thursday
in the ancient parish church, in pursuance of notice, and
in consequence of a monition from the Bishop of London,
directed to the churchwardens, commanding them to
adopt the necessary measures for making a rate for the
repair of the sacred edifice, which is in a very dilapi-
dated condition. The meeting was a very stormy one,
and the supporters and opponents of church-rates mus•
tered strongly on the occasion. Mr. Head, a brewer and
church warden of the hamlet of Mile-end Old-town, after
alluding to the ruinous state of one of the most interest-
ing ecclesiastical edifices in England, and the necessity
for its preservation, read the surveyor's report, and said
that the estimated expense of repairing the church was
1,6501., an outlay which a 3d. rate would scarcely meet.
He proposed a rate of 3d. in the pound, and the motion
,having been seconded by Dr. Buchanan, Mr. Holt,
°rewer, of Ratcliff, said a 3d. rate would not be sufficient
to raise the sum required, and proposed a 4d. rate. Mr.
Johnson seconded the amendment, which was put from
carried
r
the chair, and car •
by a very large majority. A
scene of great confusion took place, and several persons
got up and began to address
the meeting. The Chair-
man, in the midst of the
officers, and the church was soon cleared of the people,
who had tilled every
old church will be corner of it. The repairs of the
raised by private conlmenced forthwith, and 1,100/.,
subscription, will
deco-
rating the interior. be expended in

FURTHER ALLEGED DESECRATION OF THE DEAD
IN ST. GILES'S BURIAL-GROUND.—Fresh complaints
having been made about this matter, a further communi-
cation has been made by the police authorities to the
Rev. Mr. Pratt, the resident minister at the cemetery,
who positively denies that any malpractices take place.
On Thursday some members of the St. Pancras Board of
Guardians visited the cemetery, in order to ascertain the
truth of the allegations. The large opening in the
ground appropriated for the deposit of the remains of
those bodies removed from Short's-grounds, Drury-lane,
was opened, and shown to them by the sexton, who, in
answer to questions put to him, positively declared that
the remains were nothing but dry bones, and that
there was no foundation whatever for the assertion
that haT decomposed bodies were indecently thrust
into the hole. He accounted for the appearance of
smoke issuing from the graves, by stating, that it was
a common thing in cold weather for graves to smoke
when newly opened, consequent on the moisture of
the earth. The only circumstance, apparently, to com-
plain of, is the fact that in digging the large pits for the
pauper interments, some of the graves as well as head
and foot-stones of persons lying in the vicinity have been
disturbed.