The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-25 00:00:00

and a half.

Mr. Mostyn's Stream, 4 yrs, Bst 41b (Marlow) 1
Mr. Minor's Augustus, 3 yrs, 7st 71b 2
Mr. Sutcliffe's Alpha, 3 yrs 3
Won by a length.
The Town Plate of 501. Heats, one mile and a half.
Mr. Standish's Little Hampton, 5 yrs ...(Francis) 2 1 1
Mr. Moore's Rochester, aged, 9st 21b
Mr. Carter's Fair Rosamond, 5 yrs 3 3 dr
Three well contested heath.

ST. BOTOLPH, ALDGATE.—CHURCH-RATE.—Yes-
terday morning a vestry meeting was held at the com-
mittee-room, Aldgate, to elect a parish-clerk and sexton,
and to make a church-rate. Mr. Churchwarden Wright
in the chair. Mr. John Biggs, of Houndsditch, was
proposed and chosen as parish-clerk. Mr. Bunting then
proposed a church-rate of one half-penny in the pound,
not for any great regard for the Church as a Church-
man, he was a Dissenter. He did not believe the volun-
tary principle could be carried out in the parish, for
there were the London Dock and the St. Katherine's
Dock Companies, and also the Blackwall Railway Com-
pany, and he thought they ought to bear their fair
proportion of the expenses for which the money was
required ; the St. Katherine's Dock Company once
voted 501. in a very handsome manner when a church-
rate was refused, but the only way for all to bear their
fair share was by a rate. Mr. Wood seconded the motion;
and said it was pleasing to see the rate come so well
recommended, the meeting having been convened in
accordance with a resolution agreed to at the last meet-
ing. He knew well that there was more good feeling
in those parishes where church-rates were paid than
where they were made a cause of party strife. Some
other gentlemen having expressed similar sentiments,
the motion was put from the chair, and carried almost
unanimously, there being only two dissentients. On the
motion of Mr. Christie, the election of sexton was ad-
journed, there being no candidate for the office resident
in the parish. Thanks were then voted to the chairman,
I and the meeting separated.

,710;
*

›,

f•<4,

LITERATURE.- - -
THE PHILOSOPHY OF MAGIC--; 2 jlolssa
Todd Thomson. -
That thousands of the extraordinary performalactS
mentioned in ancient literature respecting the so-
called magicians of Egypt and Asia and Greece were
mere illusions, and were explicable on scientific
rprinciples, had long been conjectured. That such is
not merely probable, but almost a matter of certainty,
has been demonstrated in a very learned and curious
work by Eusebe Salvarete. Among the Egyptian
priests knowledge was wonderfully in advance of the
age; and, as the Druids were bound by solemn vows
to preserve the secrets of their craft from the multi-
tude, so were the Egyptian priests precluded, under
mortal penalties, from revealing the mysteries of their
religion, of their ceremonies, and of their temples,
from the oommon herd of worshippers. Hence it was
that they were enabled to acquire such a marvellous
supremacy over the popular mind, and, by the su-
periority of their own intellectual cultivation, to
delude the ignorant by a variety of astonishing
devices. Salvarete penetrated into the very core of
this abstruse subject. He showed that those oc-
currences which appalled the hearts of the vulgar in
olden days, and which were apparently caused by
supernatural agency, are in reality attributable to
the contrivances of the Heathen ecclesiastics. Ac-
cording to this elucidation it would appear that the
of Delphi and elsewhere, the musical bust of
Memnon, and the voices which floated in the atmo-
sphere on remarkable occasions, were merely the
results of ventriloquism and the adaptation of the
knowledge which had been acquired by the initiated
few in acoustics. In like manner, the earthquakes
which were occasionally excited by the Oriental
magicians, were simply the undulations of certain
movable platforms; the terrific spectacles which pre-
sented themselves in the temples were only the phe-
nomena produced by chemical and mechanical instru-
ments ; and the transformations which sometime;
amazed the credulous population nothing more than
the effects of legerdemain. These explanations have
cast quite a novel light upon antiquity, and serve to
reduce to actuality what otherwise might appear
fabulous. For unveiling to us the ingenuity, the
deceptions, and the credulity of Heathenism, we are
indebted to M. Salvarete • and for affording the Eng-
lish public a version of the writings produced by that
French bibliographer we are indebted to Dr. Thomson.
Not only has the latter author afforded us a pure and
precise translation of his predecessor, but he has ac-
companied the original text by so many valuable notes
as to render the work almost his own. Those notes
evince very singular research, and while they charm
the reader by their agreeable manner, they render
ostensible what was previously dubious, and crowd
the pages with the most delightful and apposite
details. As the motto selected from the famous
Roger Bacon intimates, this work is an evidence that
we need not resort to the employment of magical
illusions since philosophy has endowed us with such
prodigious and astonishing powers—non igitur oportet
nos magicis illusionibus uti, cum potestas philosophica
doceat operari quod sufficit. These volumes are there-
fore not merely curiosities, but of eminent utility.
While they elucidate one of the darkest chapters of
antiquity they fill the mind of the reader with a new
reverence for that truthful philosophical knowledge
which can benefit mankind as well as deceive
ignorance.

SILENT LOVE. A Poem. By James Wilson,
Here is the fifth edition of a little poem, written in
the deepest dejection, and under rather mysterious
circumstances, by an apothecary, named James Wil-
son, born at Paisley in 1749, and buried at Glasgow
in 1807. He died of consumption, wrote poetry, and
was an apothecary. So far, there is a resemblance to
poor John Keats, but no further. Although " Silent
Love" has been likened to Tasso and Pope by a very
estimable authority, and although we were charmed
during a perusal of the verses, into an exceeding pen,
siveness, we cannot but feel that there are so many and
such great deficiencies in the composition that it cannot
survive its author long. It has a faint and even deli-
cious perfume, if we may so speak, but that perfume
will evaporate. It is delicately and even charmingly
coloured, but those colours will fade. It is daintily
constructed, but its very skeleton is fragility. The
most beautiful effect throughout is the constant repe-
tition of those simple words—

" No man e'er loved like me !"
It is surprising the effect that ejaculation has through-
out the poem—that one thought is pursued, or, we
should say, preserved, with such a constancy as to be
admirably typical of that most affecting phase of the
master-passion—silent love. Sometimes the imagina-
tion of Wilson rises above the ordinary altitude, as
where he describes the Creation, when

" A misty globe seemed rolling down the sky,
And on its disc two spec-like forms did move—
The earliest pair wed to devoted love."
Generally, however, his language is pure and his
fancy mediocre.

INDIAN RAILWAY. By an did Indian Postmaster.
The absolute necessity for the introduction of the
railway system into India, in order adequately to
develop its resources, is now universally admitted.
The importance of railways, in a military point of
view, it is impossible to exaggerate. This is strik-
ingly illustrated by the following extract from the
brochure now under consideration :

"In the annual relief, infantry regiments are often
moved from one end of India to the other, at an average
of ten and a half miles per day, halting six days in the
month, so that it takes about six weeks to move from
this presidency (Calcutta) to Benares. Hence arises
the necessity of the concentration at all times of a large
force in the neighbourhood of an enemy. There are not
the means existing of concentrating troops on a sudden
emergency. This was strikingly exemplified in various
ways, on occasion of the recent war on the north-west
frontier. When it broke out, all officers, whose regi-
ments were in the field, were ordered to join the army.
About one hundred, we believe, in the different services
—engineers, artillery, infantry, and medical—required
to go from this presidency. They were sent at the
public expense, and with the greatest dispatch. How
many do our reader suppose the Postmaster-General
was able to send daily ? Three !—and as the journey
took sixteen days travelling, night and day, few arrived
before the war was over. Even this could not have been
accomplished at any other period of the year."
Had railway communication been established between
Calcutta and the north-west frontier, the whole of
these officers might have been transported by one
train in fromtwo to three days. The Indian Postmaster
clearly shows that a large and amply remunerating
passenger and goods traffic may be expected on Indian
lines if they are judiciously constructed. He passes
in the review the various Indian railway schemes
which have been proposed, and his opinions, being
those of one practically acquainted with his subject,
are entitled to the most attentive consideration.

PROSE FROM THE SOUTH. By John Edraund
Reade. Author of "Italy." In Two Volumes.
What Forsyth and Chetwode Eustace we're to the
Italy of a quarter of a century since, 11,Ir. John.
Edmund Reade is to the Italy of the present day;
and no one who may for the next quarter of a cen-
tury undertake " the grand tour" can consider his
outfit complete unless he has " Prose from the
South" in his travelling bag, ready to be referred to
on every occasion. Although every object of
interest on the grand route from Paris through
Switzerland to the Simplon, from Milan and the
northern parts of Italy to Florence, Rome, Naples,
and Pompeii, on to the temples of Paestum, has been
already noted; yet, as Mr. Reade observes, "each
half century demands a new expounder to harmonise
the theories of his age, however crude or imperfect,
with the grand simplicity of the ancients. The pre-
sent half-century is most fortunate in having found
such an expounder in Mr. Reade. By nature a poet,
he looks at nature with a poet's eye, and describes her
beauties and her sublimities with a poet's enthusiasm.
A critic, in the true sense of the term—at once a
judge and an admirer of art, he teaches others how to
admire, not blindly, but judiciously. His knowledge
prevents his being led away by the vulgar cant of
critical admiration, and his sense of justice forbids his
pandering to prejudice, even where his refusal to
pander to prejudice may militate against his popu-
larity—witness his chapter on Voltaire. His observa.
tions on France at the present day—literary,
artistical, and musical—are severe, yet just. No
man of ordinarily cultivated taste, or having
any ordinary respect for the common saocencies of life,
can refuse to admit the justice of -Mr. Reade's stric-
lures on modern French art and modern French
titerature. From Paris he takes us to Switzerland,
and revels amidst the sublimities of that land of
mountain, cloud, and torrent, and from thence to
Italy ; and whether we climb the mountain top or
admire , the sunny landscape, or sit delighted
listening to the soft music which can be heard alone
in Italy, or wander through the galleries of Florence
or of Rome, or contemplate Venice in her decay,
Pompeii in her: resurrection, or Paestum in her
absolute isolation, the mighty monument of a
bygone world, still shall we find Mr. Reade
an able expounder of those high thoughts and
imaginings with which our minds must necessarily
be inspired by such scenes. "It has been my
hope to aim in these volumes," says the author,
"to become, as it were, identified with the tourist on
his journey, and with him who has returned from his
pilgrimage." As one of the latter we have no hesita-
tion in awarding to Mr. Reade the portion of com-
plete success. We have travelled a-foot civer the
greater portion of the route he describes, and the
perusal of his delightful work has recalled to our
memories, not only the external images of Nature,
" but those moral impressions which her mountain
altar-places force on the hearts of her worshippers."

DISEASED Several parr.tgraphs have
appeared in the newspapers stating that the turnips are
going in all directions. We beg leave to say that we
have get a tremendous'turnip—a large metal watch—
whose disease consists in a determination not to go St
411.--Punch.

STATE OF AFFAIRS AT ADEN.
ADEN, AUGUST.—My letter of the 19th will have in-
formed you that a large body of Arabs had been col-
lected together, and commanded by a fanatic) named
Bhaik Ismail, for the purpose of attacking Aden ; and
also of the affair at our outpost with a reconnoiter-
ing party of the enemy early in the morning of the 17th.
It has since been ascertained that their loss on that oc-
casion was 22 men in killed and wounded, and among
the former a chief, the leader of the party, which con-
sisted of 300 men. They were not discovered till within
200 yards of our works ; when discovered, they fired a
volley of matchlocks, but on the guns opeaing on them,
theyinstantly fled.
In the morning a party was sent out in front, who
brought in two Arabs badly wounded by grape. A
quantity of arms were also brought in, and several dead
bodies were seen in the plain, which they had not been
able to carry off in their precipitate retreat. The
wounded are under the care of Doctor Malcomson,
the civil and staff surgeon. Since that time large re-
inforcements have joined the Shaik from the various
tribes. It is not certain whether any of the chiefs have
cordially embarked in his cause, with the exception of
the Soultan of Lahedge—a treacherous cowardly man, to
whom Aden formerly belonged, and to regain possession
of which there is no crime which he would hesitate to
commit. No treaties, however sacred or solemn, will
bind hina. Good faith is to him unknown.
Sheik Ismail lies encamped at a village and mosque
called Sheik Othman, on the other side of a small creek,
across which there is a bridge, but fordable in most
places at low water. This temple is a very conspicuous
object from Western-bay, where the steamers coal, and
is distant from the Turkish about four miles and a half,
with a good road the whole distance. In this position
the enemy are distinctly seen with a glass from almost
every part of our works. They are calculated to be
about 8,000, of whom 5,000 or 6,000 may be considered
armed and fighting men. They are principally furnished
with provisions from Lahedge. The other chiefs,
amongst whom the Shaik has, doubtless, considerable
influence, supply his wants to a certain extent. He
seems to be in no great hurry to precipitate an
attack till he has collected a respectable force and
matured all his plans. His arrangements certainly
appear to have assumed a degree of system which has
never hitherto been observed amongst the Arabs during
former attacks. All our supplies and communications
with the interior are entirely cut off ; and though at such
a very short distance, and under our glass, hardly any-
thing, in fact nothing whatever, is actually known, either
as to his force, who they are, or what are his resources
and plans. On one occasion he sent in to say, that he
was not come as a thief to attack us at night, but that
he would come and show himself in open day. In this
instance he most certainly fulfilled his promise. On the
morning of the 27th, at half-past eight, a heavy column
was seen leaving their camp at Shaikh Othman, and
marching down to the bridge over the creek above-men-
tioned, which they crossed in tolerable order and
firmness. They extended themselves across the low
isthmus which connects Aden to the main, formed
into three distinct columns, and: sat down just out of
range of our guns. A few round shot and shell were fired
at them from the forts and gun-boats, which did not reach
them. They evidently did not like the appearance of our
works now fully manned, aad, after waiting about an hour,
they quietly formed themselves into two columns, and
leisurely marched back to their camp. It is most
probable that he did not intend an attack, which, in an
open plain, swept by a numerous and well-served artil-
lery, would have been nothing short of madness, but
merely as a demonstration, to accustom his men to the
ground over which they would have to march to attack,
to the appearance of the place, the works how and where
manned, and another important matter—the sound of
our guns ; and to try to impress on their minds that
guns are not such formidable things as they have
hitherto considered them to be. All these circum-
stances show a foresight and precaution which indicate
that he is no novice in these affairs. As he has now so
completely invested the place on the land side, and
shows no intention to risk an action when he knows a
repulse would entirely break up his force, he may occa-
sion us much trouble before we can drive him from our
neighbourhood.
All our garrison have remained at their post tinder
arms day and night for the last 16 days, and must con-
tinue to do so so long as they are immediately in our
vicinity.
I regret to say that nothing further has yet transpired
regarding the reported murder of Mr. Ale,ek, the
master of the English schooner Highflyer, and Mr.
Wheatley, of the house of Waghorn and Co. During
the present state of affairs at Aden no vessel can yet ba
sent to inquire into this melancholy occurrence.
EPT, I.—Nothing further has been heard of the fate
of the two gentlemen mentioned above. As yet no
vessel can be dispatched to learn particulars. The
Arab force, which has remained before our workslfor
the last 18 days, broke up yesterday, after some dis-
putes which led to partial fighting amongst themselves.
It has now been fully ascertained that no chief joined
the standard of the fanatic. Many paid him a visit, I
but evidently more for the gratification of their curio-
sity than from any wish or intention to make common
cause with him. In fact they were suspicious of him
and his proceedings from the beginning, as the impres-
sion which he created was that an attack on Aden was
merely a pretence, that he might at his leisure collect
a fore to enable him to rob and plunder the country.
Many of the idle and wandering Arabs joined him
with that prospect in view. They will now scatter
in bands over the country, and plunder indiscrimi-
nately friend and foe. There is no sufficient reason
whatever to doubt the good faith of the Arab tribes
with whom we have hitherto been on friendly terms ;
they have committed no overt aet to authorise us to
make reprisals on them. It is true they did not
attack and, as they might have done with the utmost
facility, drive back the Shaik with all his followers,
three-fourths of whom belonged to tribes far remote from
Aden, and cared just as little for the Mahometan re-
ligion as they did for that of the Christians. They were
mercenaries, and as the Shaik could not afford them pay,
he promised them the plunder of Aden, and worked on
their ignorance and superstition by inducing them to be
lieve that he had the power to charm the guns to pre-
vent them from firing. Finding that he was an impostor
and deceiver, they have left him. He is now a prisoner,
with only 20 followers, with the chief of the Fouthlee
tribe—a bold, honourable tribe.

Our relation with the tribes is merely peace ; there
exist no treaties, either offensive or defensive, between
us. How, then, can we expect them to fight our battles ?
We have never cultivated any friendship with them. No
exchange of civilities has ever passed between us. We
have never visited them in their towns, though often
invited to do so. They are from this and some other
causes suspicious of us. If an intercourse was permitted
between the officers of the garrison and chiefs, lam
certain that on no future occasion could a large body of
men remain within five miles of our post, clearly seen
with our glasses, and their drums (torn-toms) distinctly
heard by us, without our knowing who they were, how
many they were, where they came from, by whom sup-
ported, or what their intentions were, or whom likely to
attack.

In one and all of those essential points we were totally
ignorant. Had our affairs been personally known to the
chiefs, could this state of things have lasted twenty-four
hours ? No, they would have written to their friends
all requisite information, and most assuredly would have
driven the Shaik off in less than twenty-four hours.
No combined attack will ever take place on Aden ; of
that we may rest assured ; their divided interests will
never permit them to co-operate cordially or with effect
in such an undertaking, which they well know must end
in their total discomfiture. This morning supplies have
come in, and in two or three days time our usual inter-
course will have been properly established again. Should
anything further occur, I will not fail to communicate
the full particulars.
The Honourable Company's steam .frigate Atalanta
arrived here on the 30th ultimo, at half-past eight
o'clock A.m., with mail up to the 7th of August, and 26
passengers ; she left the same at nine o'clock P.M. She
brought intelligence of a very interesting nature to all
who are fond of studying the operations of nature, viz.,
the appearance of a volcano in a state of activity
in an island in the Red Sea, near the ancient and cele-
brated city of Mocha, named Zibeer. No flames had
been seen, but large, dark columns of smoke had been
seen to ascend from various parts of the island, which
left no doubt of its being occasioned by subterraneous
fire. We trust such a very favourable opportunity will
not be lost of examining strictly into this most curious
phenomenon, which may be productive of important
results in the navigation of the Red Sea. It is well
known that during the operations of volcanos and
earthquakes, elevations, and subsidences, both on dry
land and at the bottom of the sea, take place. All Go-
vernment vessels, steamers or otherwise, should be
directed to take a cast of the lead as frequently as pos-
sible when passing near Mocha or Zibeer island.
The Oriental and Peninsular Company's steamer
Precursor came in last night, at 11 P.x., with 50 pas-
sengers, and India and China mails. She leaves this
evening at sunset.
All the troops continue healthy; no cholera or other
epidemic disease at the place.
Her Majesty's frigate Fox, Sir H. M. Blackwood, has
not yet arrived, though daily expected.