The Sun.
London, England, 1841-09-06 00:00:00

OPEN PARKS.

One of the last acts of the late Ministers was to throw
open the Regent's Park ; and, that they might gild their
setting sun with the lustre of one popular deed, they did
not wait for completing the fences. The breadth of sward
thus added to the public pleasure-ground is considerable
—some sixty acres ; but this, added to what was pre-
viously open, falls far short of the two hundred acres
that Lord Teignmouth stated was available out of the
two hundred and eighty-six that the Park contains.
Nevertheless it is very nearly all that remained unappro-
priated ; without revoking agreements with a few indi-
viduals, who have been favoured at the expense of the
public : with the public Tories and Whigs have alike
broken faith in this instance. The space now thrown
open is the large tract of grass lying between the
grounds of the Marquis of Hertford's villa and the
broad gravel-walk, and extending from the Zoological
Gardens to the ornamental water. A light and ele-
gant suspension-bridge, with a flagged foot-way, crosses
the canal between the Marquis's grounds and the en-
closed garden in front of Hanover-terrace; and the views
from this bridge of the villa and gardens, and the lake,
are very pretty ; gates of entrance are opened at various
other points ; and gravel-walks, leading from them in
a serpentine direction, will facilitate the passage across
the Park, and contribute to the convenience of promena-
ders. A very liberal margin is allowed to skirt the pri-
vate grounds of the villas; but as these are railed off only
by open wire fences, the range of view is quite as exten-
sive as may be, and the parterres and plantations form a
pleasing boundary to the scene. When the walks are
finished, the turf levelled, a group of trees planted here
and there, a few more scats erected, and the communica-
tion opened with Primrose Hill, now become public pro-
perty, the Regent's Park will be the most healthful and
delightful place of recreation in the metropolis.
The Green Park, too, now shows the good effects of
those operations that in their commencement alarmed
the jealous apprehensions of the Londoners for their
favourite grass thoroughfare. The new-dressed turf
now wears its freshest verdure after the soaking of sum-
mer rains, which made passengers sensible of the value
of the firm gravel-walks : the benches placed at fre-
quent intervals are an additional c.mifiirt ; besides being
neat-looking and substantial, they afford no temptation
to the idle and mischievous to deface them, as they con-
sist only of a flat seat without back or arms.
While on this track, let us step out to Kensington
Gardens, and admire the improvements that have
already increased the healthfulness of that attractive
spot, by causing a free circulation of air, and will here-
after contribute greatly to the beauty of the foliage.
The thinning of the groves and the felling of many
large trees that were unsound along the walks have
given a nakedness to some parts ; but the filling-up of
hollows, the removal of hedges and other obstructions,
the extensive plan of drainage, and the substitution of
vigorous saplings for decayed old trees, are advantages
that will be appreciated more and more every year; the
parterres ofshrubs and flowers, bordering the path running
parallel to the Kensington-road, make it a beautiful pro-
, menade; and the flourishing plantations along this and
the other side are even now ornamental.
Let us not forget, either, the formation of Victoria
Park at Hackney, for the benefit of the East-end of the
town and the residents of the Tower Hamlets especially,
in recounting the good deeds of the " Woods and
Forests" under the Whig regime.—Spectator.

LOUGH CORRIB BY MOONLIGHT.
As the inhabitants from all quarters were collected at
the jubilee in the wood, Lough Corrib was more than
usually %till and solitary. The quiet gurgle of the
waters, and the occasional twitter of the lake-birds as
our little bark glided along the sedgy banks, were the
only sounds that disturbed the deep quiescence which
prevailed. Guided by tie lights as our pole star, we
proceeded steadily onwards in our course ; and though
the current wag against us, the Etesian wind of the sea-
son blew strongly up the stream, before which we were
now floating in moonlight and silence. The glittering
coruscations of the bonfires in the distance reminded us
of those night fairs which it is the custom of the Egyp-
tians at cortaifl seasons of the year to hold upon the
Nile ; and the fair lake aloeris itself, when at the zenith
of her glory, with all her pavilions, pyramids, and
Paisleys rising from the bosom of her waters, could not
have appeared brighter in the eyes of the young wor-
shippers of itii>i - than the broad and Majestic Corrib
seemed to us as wo gaily floated along her green and
moonlit banks. _

If; thought we, as our airy bark crept silently along—
if these lone shores want the luxurious groves of the
orange and acacia, with the superb lotus trees which
adorn the scenery of the Nile—if they want the shade
of the tamarisk and palm-tree, with the rich perfume of
the cedar, which flourish along the banks of that sacred
river—they are, on the other hand, decorated with the
lovely arbutus, whose green foliage never deserts them
till a cheering vernal sun spreads a new umbrageous
mantle over the whole tree ; and when we recollect
that this beautiful evergreen bears its bright foliage
through all the seasons, that its flowers, so exquisitely
delicate, of one year and fruit of the preceding are pre-
, sent at the same time, it may be asked what more could
1 Elysium offer? It may be said, after Homer—
" The stern winter smiles on this auspicious clime,
The fields are florid with unfading prime."
There are besides, scattered along these banks, groups of
the wild ash and willow, whose pliant boughs, interlaced
with each other, may he seen gracefully bending over
the dark waters of the lake ; and, as ascending the
stream, the long green slopes under the pale light of
the moon wore successively presented to our view, we
inwardly asked ourselves, " Where, 0 where is there
verdure of the richness and softness of this ?" Yet this
is the cow: try, lovely as it is, that there has been a ban
upon for ages ! This is the land, to be born in which is
or was almost a crime !—Old Sporting Magazine for Sep-
tember,

At Marlborough-street Police-office, on Fri-
day, William Grant, the conductor of the Bayswato
omnibus, No. 3,073, was charged with assaulting Ann
Clark, under the following circumstances :—The com-
plainant, accompanied by two children, got into de-
fendant's omnibus in Coventry-street, but finding there
was a child inside which had the hooping-cough, she be-
came alarmed for the children, and requested to be let
out, which Grant refused until she had paid the full fare,
and altiough one of the passengers said she had not
ridden any distance, he persisted in his demand, and en
her attempting to leave he tore her shawl off, and a locket
that she wore was thrown down, and her brooch entirely
lost. Defendant denied all this, The Magistrate said
the complainant had been grossly ill-treated, and although
she did not charge him with robbery, the disappearance
of the brooch was suspicious, more particularly as the
locket was found under the omnibus. He then fined
him 51. and costs, which was paid.
A NEW INCOME TAX.—It may be confidently
relied upon, that it is the intention of the New Ministry
to
possessing imposeoassg 0
grinad3uaoite.d_su
nciay
income-tax immediately, on all
persons