The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-19 00:00:00

NUMEROUS FIRES.

ALARMING FIRE AND PROBABLE Loss OF LIFE.—
Last evening, between the hours of seven and eight, a

lire, attended with very serious, if not fatal, conse-
quences, broke out in the private residence of Mr.
Thorne, situate at 1, Church-place, St. Mary, Newing
ton, within a short distance of the parish church. The
disovery was made by some of the inmates, by hearing a
loud crackling noise proceeding from the upper portion
of the premises. Upon getting to the second floor, one
of the bed-rooms was found completely enveloped in
flame. An instant attempt was made to extinguish the
fire by pouring buckets of water upon it. Whilst the
parties were so engaged, they were horrorstricken by
hearing a sort of half-stifled cry, which, upon inspection,
was found to proceed from one of the beds in the room;
the flames at the same time were mounting most fear-
fully. A young man, however, at great risk, rushed
forward, and succeeded in rescuing a fine infant,
about four months old, much burnt about the head,
face, and arms. As soon as the fire was some-
what subdued, a distressing scene presented itself ;
in the farther end of the room was perceived an object
moving, which, at first, was imagined to be a cat
or dog, hut upon getting up to the same it was found to
be a child, almost suffocated. It appears that the child,
on finding the place was on fire, had managed to crawl
out of the bed, and not being able to get out of the
room, succeeded in forcing its way to the place where it
was found.

During the morning of Saturday the metropolis was
visited by the outbreak of the following fires
LimErrousE.—At an early hour, the premises in the
occupation cf Mr. W. Joel, known as the Coopers' Arms,
in the Old-road, Limehouse, were discovered to be on
wEire.ho Vice constable on the beat was the person
hip
rattle, be set
they, that
g:akdiiiscov.ery. HavingAsfre.g(
&ruble troubelae4bl'aluiretmah%. )g. its inmates. After c -
a"ceetplished his object ;. and they
at length succeeded in
windows. Notwithstanding a safe retreat out of the'
themselves to the utmost,the firemen exert, d
flames subdued until the shop wwaesreb unable to get the
consumed,
out, the stock
in trade, fixtures, and other effects
remainder of the premises severely damagednum , andd thend
water. The cause of the disaster could not beylearnead.
CLERRENWELL.—Another fire took place the same
morning, upon the premises numbered 38, Red Lion-
street, Clerkenwell. It commenced in the apartment
occupied by Mr. J. Sheppard, newsvender. The whole
of the furniture and wear►ng apparel, with the window
glass in the apartment, were destroyed.
FIRE IN CHEAPSIDE CAUSED BY A RAT.—Between the
hours of eight and nine on Saturday morning, the resi-
dents of Cheapside perceived smoke issuing from the
premises of Mr. Joseph Baker, tobacconist, situate
opposite Bow Church. Feeling convinced that a fire
was burning within, intelligence was sent to the
Watling-street engine station. In the course of a few
minutes Mr. Superintendent Braidwood and three
engines arrived. Upon breaking open the front door it
was proved that about 5,000 fusees had become ignited,
and there is little doubt if the discovery had not been
so Opportunely made, that the whole of the premises
would have been consumed. As it was the fire was
speedily extinguished, the damage not being very con-
siderable. Atter the fire was got out, an examination
was made to find out the cause, when it was found that a
rat had worked its way from the bottom of the flooring,
and had got amongst the fusees, when in nibbling them
the friction had caused them to explode, and hence the
disaster.

THE LATE VISCOUNT ALLEN.—The remains of the
abovo nobleman were interred on the 22d ult., at Gibral-
tar, every respect being paid to the rank of the deceased.
His Excellency Sir Robert Wilson, the Governor, and
the officers of the different military depots attending the
obsequies. The Right Rev. the Bishop of Gibraltar dis-
charged the sacred offices.
We see by the French journals that Mr. Lumley
engaged Carlotta Grisi, soon after her return from Ire-
land, for the three years next ensuing.
FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT AT THE CAMDEN TOWN
RAILWAY STATION.—On Saturday morning an accident
of a frost frightful character, and which it is expected
will terminate fatally, occurred at the Camden Town
railway-station, to a carman named J. Mills, aged
twenty•three, living at 15, Peter's-lane, Cow-cross, under
the subjoined particulars. It appears, that as early as
between five and six o'clock, the unfortunate man, with
others, was engaged in moving luggage, &c., at the
station, and whilst so employed, he by some unaccount-
able means got jammed between two trucks, and received
such injuries us to render his immediate removal to the
hospital necessary. He was placed under the care of
Dr. Quain, the house physician, by whom it was ascer-
tained that the unfortunate victim had sustained a severe
injury in the abdomen, besides other internal injuries,
so as to render his recovery doubtful. He remains at
present in a very precarious condition.
DINNER, TO CAPTAIN ELLICE.—SOUTHAMPTON,
SATURDAY.—Last week a dinner Or a very sumptuous
description was given at the Dolphin Hotel by the officers
of the Royal Mail Packet and Oriental and Peninsular
Steam Companie, to Captain Ellice, R.N., who, for the
last three years, has been stationed at this port as super-
intendent of the mail department. Besides the officisl
gentlemen connected with the companies, Capt. Mangles,
Captain Allen, Captain Hemsley, and other gentlemen to
the number of 25, were present. Captain Richard
Barton, superintendent of the Royal Mail Company, was
in the chair, and Captain Sparkes, of the Peninsular
Company, occupied the vice. After the usual loyal
toasts had been drunk, the toast of the evening, that of
" The Health and Happiness of Captain Ellice," was
proposed, and that gentleman replied in a neat speech
expressive of the pleasure he had always experienced in
his official connexion with them. TLe social party en..
joyed themselves until a late hour. Captain Ellice,
whose courtesy and urbanity of manner towards all with
m hom he came in contact during his residence here was
conspicuous, leaves his post very shortly, and will be
succeeded by Sir John Gordon Sinclair.
ATTEMPT OF A PRIVATE TO STAB AN OFFICER ON
CHANGE, AT LIVERPOOL.--Yesterday afternoon the 3d
Buffs were paraded on 'Change, prior to the departure of
that fine regiment for Ireland ; and we regret, to say
that a savage attempt was made on the occasion, by a
private, to stab one of the officers.' It appears that the
private was drunk, and that on his arriving late was re-
primanded by the officer. Suddenly the fellow mate a
blow at the gentleman with his musket, but fortunately,
by stepping back, the blow was avoided. Before, how-
ever, any one had time to interfere, the villain made an
attempt to stab the officer with hiA bayonet, which he
fastened on the end of the musket. The blow was
parried, and he was placed under arrest and taken across
to Dublin with the riciment, whet e, no doubt, he will
receive the punishment he so richly deserves. We re-
gret that such an offence should be committed, because
the conduct of the regiment while in Liverpool was most
exemplary.—Liverpool Journal of Saturday.

LITERATURE.

THE TEMPLES AND TOMBS OP EGYPT,
IVUBIA, AND PALES LINE. 2 Vols. By Mrs.
Romer.
Already known as an observant traveller and as
picturesque writer by her work upon " The Rhone,
the Darro, and the Guadalquivir," Mrs. Romer
carries her own passport to public favour. To say
that these two volumes are remarkable for purify of
composition and for an intense appreciation of what-
ever is beautiful or admirable in nature and art is
merely the utterance of facts which the most super-
ficial reader could not fail to recognise. This pro-
duction, however, claims attention on much higher
grounds. In perusing its pages we not only find
clever delineations of scenery, shrewd observations
upon a remote and extraordinary race, and sagacious
reflections upon African and Asiatic society; but we
find the work to possess infinitely nobler charac-
teristics. The authoress enters upon her pilgrimage
with a foreknowledge of the wonderful regions in
which she is about to make a temporary sojourn. She
beholds a spot hallowed by some celestial reminiscence,
and her mind is at once crowded with a thousand
memories of the occurrences by 1, hich its very name
has become a household word in every corner of the
globe. She sees, for the first time, some other
locality memorable for some deed of earthly great
ness, and a flood of historical associations streams
over the page upon which she is describing its
appearance. This of itself would alone tend to render
her account of the three renowned countries wh'cli
she has recently visited, most welcome. But beyond
these advantages, the writings of Mrs. Romer possess
others. Ancient and modern authors appear to be
equally familiar to her, and are referred to with equal
felicity. The Book of Books and Diodorus Siculus
are recurred to just when such a recurrence is most
suitable in referring to the times of antiquity. Lane
and Chateaubriand are quoted with similar felicity
in relation to what may be termed contemporary days.
While, however, we acknowledge the various excel-
lencies of these volumes, we must likewise observe
that the subjects of which they treat bear about them-
selves a fascination which is altogether irresistible.
Egypt, for example, is luminous with an historic
glory, which perhaps no other country in the world
possesses to such an astonishing extent. From the
despotism of the Pharoahs to the benignant govern-
ment of Mohammed Ali—from the period in which
the subjects of Cheops were engaged in fabricating
imperishable structures in the wilderness, to our own
age, when steam vessels are plying between the Nile
and almost every European port—the soil of Egypt
has been the arena of, a succession of marvellous
events. Not to journey back so far as the epochs
when Moses vied with a necromantic priesthood,
and when Joseph was its wise and salutary
lieutenant, we discover the renown of Egypt
in more recent times. Here it was that Thebes,
with its hundred gates and streets of palaces, out-
shone all other cities ; here Alexander founded the
great city which he intended to be the metropolis of
the globe, and which was to perpetuate his name to
posterity; here Julius Cwsar acquired a vast propor-
tion of his warlike glory, and became subservient to
the charms of Cleopatra ; here Marc AntOny, for a
similar reason, " lost a world ;" here Pompey perished,
and Cato committed suicide. We should, however, ex-
ceedall reasonable limits were we merely tcienumerate
all the facts associated with this region, of which the
asetic labours of St. Jerome are not the least memo-
rable, when he was receiving the houseless patricians
of Rome after the invasion of the barbarians. It is
from the recollection of these mighty occurrences
that Mrs. Romer's work possesses such an exceeding
charm, and because, moreover, she revives most of
those occurrences in her lucubrations. Everything
in Egypt eeminds her of, or suggests to her reader
some antique or modern glory; the Nile, the peregri-
nations of Bruce; Aboukir, the heroic victory of
Nelson ; the Pyramids, the wonderful prowess of
Napoleon. In Palestine, again, the authoress is most
fortunate in the subjects of her contemplation. Pales-
tine I—the most venerable region of the globe, the land
trodden by the foot of Divinity. The sentiments
inspired by the recognition of the different spots
most renowed in the Holy Land are worthy of
her woman's heart. Her weeping on the threshold of
Jerusalem, her awe on passing the valley of Jeremias,
her profound feelings on the summit of Golgotha,
everything is consonant with the scene of the pil-
grimage, and everything fastens the attention of the
reader, from page to page, from chapter to chapter,
down to the " finis." It must not be supposed, how-
ever, that this work is altogether of a sombre or me-
lancholy cast, on the contrary it is as variable as the
climate with which Mrs. Romer is most familar. Many
passages are peculiar far their vivacity, as others are
for their reflectiveness. We will transcribe from the
first volume a narrative of very singular interest, and
present it as a specimen of the liveliness of description
and picturesqueness of detail for which Mrs. Romer
is remarkable. The following is an incident in the
romantic life of a Circassian slave, who under the
auspices of Mohammed Ali was created a dignitary of
Egypt, and is now governor of the upper portion of
that country, under the title of Selim Pasha. As a
mask of the Viceroy's regard the latter offered
Selim a wife from his own harem, a young slave
beautiiid and accomplished. The offer is accepted.
Selim makes inquiry secretly as to the personal ap•
pearance of his future spouse. He is told that she
was " beautiful in face and form, young, gentle, and
accomplished—that she wrote like an Effendi, sung
like an Alme, and danced—not like a Ghawasee—but
in the more graceful and less immodest fashion of
Stamboul." Then follows the narrative in Mrs.
Romer's language.
" This was more than enough to inflame the imagina-
tion of the young man, and he became enamoured of the
image described to him, and sighed for the moment that
was to render him the possessor of such a treasure.
" At last it arrived. The lengthened preliminary cere-
monies of Egyptian marriages, which generally consume
several days, commenced and appeared eternal to the
impatient bridegroom. The day of the bath, when the
bride, accompanied by all her female friends, made her
ablutions ; the day of the henna, when her hands were
dyed, and that she received the wedding gifts presented
to her by all her late companions, the inmates of the
Pacha's harem ; the agreement pronounced by the bride
and bridegroom on either side of a closed door and
witnessed by the Cadi, to take each other for man and
wife—all had slowly passed by, and the long-sighed-for
day, in the evening of which the bride is conveyed in
state to her husband's house, was at length ushered in.
The gifts prepared by Selim Bey for the fair Hafiza,
consisting of diamond ornaments, cashmere shawls,
pieces of gold and silver stuffs, mirrors set in jewels,
costly perfumery, and a profusion of the most delicate
sweetmeats, were arranged in silver baskets, placed upon
trays covered with scarlet cashmere fringed with gold,
and a light veil of azure gauze thrown over them ; and
were borne upon the heads of Selim Bey's slaves, in
magnificent new dresses, preceded by a black eunuch on
horseback, through the principal streets of the city to
the bridegroom's house. This ceremony took place in
the middle of the day, and it was remarked that never
had greater splendour or better taste been displayed at a
private marriage. Some time afterwards Scum Bey
proceeded privately to his new residence, in order to be
there to receive his bride.
" A little before sunset the fair Hafiza was conveyed
from the Pacha's hareem in the citadel, to her new home,
attended by a number of female slaves, who were to form
her household ; all mounted upon magnificent asses
splendidly caparisoned, and escorted by her future
guardians, the black eunuchs of Selim Bey. She was
met at the entrance of the house by her husband, whose
gallantry prompted him to pay her the honours reserved
for princesses alone ; he lifted her in his arms from the
saddle, carried her up-stairs to the hareem, and after
depositing her upon the square of silver damask spread
over the corner of the sofa, in a splendid saloon, pro-
strated himself before her, and kissed her feet. Then
rising, and taking his place by her side, he eagerly un-
fastened the circlet of diamonds that bound on the long
scarlet cashmere which had hitherto completely concealed
her form, face, and even her eyes, from his view ; and
the envious veil falling to the ground, revealed to the
happy bridegroom's gale loveliness which surpassed even
the description that had been made to him of it, and
which was enhanced by the emotion batrayed by the fair
creature herself. Pale and red by turns, her eyes cast
to the ground, and trembling under the' scrutinising
glance bent upon her, she sat in silent fear lest the first view
obtained by her of her husband had failed in engaging his
sympathy. But the exclamation of admiration that
burst from his lips re-assured her, and the rapture of the
moment was rendered complete by Hafiza confessing
that from the hareem lattices she had often contemplated
Selim Bey, when he followed in the train of the Pacha,
that in her eyes he had long excelled all others in beauty
and grace, and that she knew, from the joy she had ex-
perienced, when told that he was to become her husband,
that his image had long dwelt in her heart.
" Never did Mahometan marriage commence under
such happy circumstances—never before did such inter-
change of tenderness and sentiment embellish the en-
trance of a moslem bride into her husband's house.
Their mutual vows were interrupted by Hafiza's slaves
bringing in the nuptial repast; and in conformance with
Turkish usages, the bride arose and prepared. to wait
'upon her husband as a handmaid, while he partook of
it. The morose pride of Turkish husbands, and the
inferior scale in *which all females are classed by them,
and which prevents their distinguishing between a wife
and a slave, not only permits such a violation of the
laws of gallantry, but exacts that these services should
be performed in silence ; and when the bridegroom has
been thus served, the bride is allowed to retire, and
make her repast in another room. Something chival-
rous, however, in the sentiments of Selim Bey, added to
the honour he was desirous of paying to the wife be-
stowed upon him by the Pacha, forbade his complying
with such a custom. He compelled Hafiza to seat her-
self once more by his side, and while he selected for her
the most delicate morsels from the luxurious repast that
was served to them, their mutual confidences recom
menced, made up of tender questions and avowals—the
unwearying tautology of a new-born love which ap-
peared to them to he the precursor of a long career of
reciprocal affection.
" And now for the first time Selim bethought him of
asking Hafiza where she was born, and was answered,
in Circassia.
"In Circassia ! It was a new bond of union between
them—the same land had given them birth, for h© too